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When Hurricane Melissa hit Jamaica on Tuesday, October 28, leaving a trail of destruction across many communities, among the businesses impacted by its landfall in the west was the ICON Group.

Led by Managing Director Moses Chybar and his son, company director Tyler Moses Chybar, the ICON Group has been an integral corporate citizen in the Paradise community of Savanna-la-Mar, Westmoreland, since 2019. Operating the ICON Megastore, which began as ICON Importers and Distributors, the business serves as the location for the people of Paradise and the wider Savanna la Mar area to find all they need in a single space.

Over time, ICON transformed into more than a retail space, catering to a variety of needs within Savanna-la-Mar, including groceries, appliances, automotive supplies, pharmacy services, a deli, and even a gaming arcade.

As Moses puts it, the company’s growth has, in many ways, moved in sync with the development of the surrounding communities: creating jobs, supporting local suppliers, and providing stability in an ever-changing economic landscape.

“Before the storm, both businesses were at one of their strongest points,” he shared.

Customer traffic was high, new products were arriving smoothly, and expansions—including digital upgrades and a planned full-service imaging centre—were underway. Then Melissa arrived.

After the storm

Two months after the Category 5 storm’s landfall, many residents are still trying to comprehend their new normal as homes disappeared in hours. Roads which once carried life and commerce were suddenly blocked by trees, power lines, zinc sheets, and fragments of communities that were torn apart. Families were displaced, power and water vanished, and the familiar rhythm of Savanna la Mar was replaced by silence, worry, and loss. 

Moses recalls the aftermath with a heaviness that words can barely carry: “The levels of destruction were staggering.”

ICON’s own operations were not spared the blows of Hurricane Melissa. The warehouse was severely damaged, and the water plant was demolished. Several employees returned to homes that no longer existed. Communication lines went down, forcing the ICON team to rely on in-person checks and satellite devices when possible.

Yet something powerful emerged within the ICON family—strength, adaptability, and a commitment to one another and to the wider community. Moses describes the experience as “intense and deeply sobering, but also filled with reminders of resilience”.

Rebuilding a business, helping the community

A certified coach with ActionCOACH Jamaica, Moses, who has responsibility for the western and southern business communities, worked alongside his son, Tyler, coached by CEO of ActionCOACH Jamaica Marcia Woon Choy, in deciding the best way forward in the wake of disaster. Having built their operations on ActionCOACH’s fundamental principle of ‘building a business that can run without you’, Moses and Tyler approached their recovery with two equal focuses in mind: rebuilding their business and helping their community.

ICON’s highly capable leadership staff spearheaded the store’s reopening, while Moses and Tyler focused just as intensely on helping others rebuild. The systems they had in place, the team they developed and the community they cultivated enabled them to approach their recovery in a balanced, measured, and sustainable way.

Moses’ responsibilities as president of the Westmoreland Chamber of Commerce and chairman of Mannings School also helped shape his perspective during the crisis.

“It is always important to keep a cool head and be objective as a leader,” he noted. “When others are in despair, you see the vision and keep things moving upward.”

For Moses, when ICON Megastore reopened its doors earlier than anyone expected after Hurricane Melissa, it sent a loud and clear message to the community of Savanna-la-Mar.

 “The decision was never purely about business. For us, reopening was about stability, community, and giving our family and staff a sense of purpose after the chaos,” he shared.

“People needed a familiar place to go, a sign that life could begin moving forward again. If ICON could help provide that, even in a small way, then it was worth every effort.”

Moses recalled that “those first days back in operation were marked by exhaustion and gratitude.”

A sense of purpose

The ICON team, led by the Chybar family, worked tirelessly cleaning, reorganising, and problem-solving.

“When customers walked in for the first time since the storm, some looking for basic necessities and others simply seeking a moment of normalcy, it reminded us why we do what we do,” Moses pointed out.

He added that the support from the community made the difficult work feel meaningful rather than burdensome.

Since returning to operation, ICON’s location has become a distribution centre for relief efforts led by groups such as World Central Kitchen, Project Star, the Lyn and Island Grill family, NCB Foundation, GEM, and Food for the Poor. Their long-standing connection with ActionCOACH Jamaica also assisted in these efforts.

Guided by CEO Marcia Woon Choy, the Jamaican ActionNATION community rallied and contributed funds and supplies. Tyler led the ICON team in preparing and distributing care packages that brought real relief to areas where aid had not yet arrived.

Moses credits the ActionCOACH network for reminding him that leadership is not about having all the answers, but about knowing where to find strength, support, and unity.

“Not all support is financial. Sometimes it is about checking on neighbours, providing a meeting space, or simply listening when someone needs to talk,” he explained.

Looking ahead, as ICON prepares for the year ahead, its focus is on resilience and renewal. The company will rebuild infrastructure, strengthen supply chains, and implement digital solutions while supporting community recovery and nurturing a team culture built on adaptability.

The Chybar family and ICON team are resolute that the ICON Group is not just returning to what it was before. It is rebuilding better, stronger, and even more purpose-driven.

Despite his loss, Moses remains committed to his role as Business Coach, as he helps rebuild his community and the surrounding parishes by providing the coaching and training needed for business owners to build back more resilient business communities.  

As affected areas continue to rebuild, with assistance from the wider Jamaican community, he shared a message filled with compassion and resolve: “Rebuilding is not just about restoring what was lost. It is about discovering our collective strength. Lean on each other. Ask for help. Share what you can. Every small step forward, every reopened door, every neighbour checked on, brings us closer to a stronger community. Hardship may have shaken us, but unity will rebuild us. Brighter days are ahead.”