In preserving his legacy, the Mona School of Business and Management (MSBM) on Wednesday (November 30) hosted the inaugural James Moss-Solomon Memorial Lecture.

The inaugural lecture, delivered by Senator Don Wehby, group CEO of GraceKennedy, was held at the Faculty of Law on the grounds of the University of the West Indies Mona campus. 

“It is my distinct pleasure to deliver the inaugural James Moss-Solomon Memorial Lecture. James Moss-Solomon Junior. ‘Jimmy’, as he was affectionately called, was a dear and beloved member of our GraceKennedy Family,” Wehby said.

KNOWN FOR HIS CHARITABLE PERSONALITY

Moss-Solomon served the GraceKennedy Group for more than 30 years as an executive and remained a director of various subsidiaries up until his death last January at age 70.

Moss-Solomon was known for his charitable personality, both as an individual and through the GraceKennedy Group.

He was the founding director of Grace & Staff Community Development Foundation and the GraceKennedy Foundation.

“He chaired our Grace & Staff Community Development Foundation, right up until the time of his passing in January of this year,” Wehby noted during the lecture.

He added: “One of Jimmy’s deepest passions was our foundations, of which he was a founding member of both. The success of our GK Foundation and Grace & Staff Foundation can largely be attributed to him.”

Through the Grace & Staff Community Development Foundation, the company now supports more than 1,300 Jamaican students at the primary, secondary, and tertiary levels each year.

“Our GK Foundation also contributes approximately J$32 million to the University of the West Indies on an annual basis through scholarships, the GK Campus Connect Food Bank, and our funding of the James Moss-Solomon (Senior) Chair in Environmental Management, and the S. Carlton Alexander Chair in Management Studies,” Wehby said.

GraceKennedy is one of the Caribbean’s largest and most dynamic food and financial corporate entities. The company, which started in Jamaica in 1922, comprises of companies in the Caribbean, North and Central America, the United Kingdom and Africa.

“This year, GraceKennedy celebrated 100 years in operation, and I am grateful and blessed to be able to share with you, the story of our company at the inaugural James Moss-Solomon Jr Memorial Lecture,” Wehby said.

Throughout the lecture, Wehby shared with his audience how GraceKennedy grew from a local company into a global consumer group celebrating its 100th anniversary.

He also provided a synopsis of the company’s history.

“What began as a small trading establishment at 64 Harbour Street in Kingston on February 14, 1922, has become one of the Caribbean’s largest and most dynamic corporations, with operations spanning several countries across the globe.”

Wehby shared that GraceKennedy’s core beliefs and policies are the foundation of the company’s success.

He continued: “To this day, GK continues to invest heavily in our people, and fostering a performance-driven culture is a key strategic objective on our campaign map. This performance driven-culture, coupled with our fundamental pillars – Honesty, Integrity and Trust, and our we care philosophy – have powered our team to overcome many challenges; the most recent being how we have navigated the COVID-19 pandemic.”

The company strongly believes in nation building and over the years has invested in the country’s economy and continues to do so.

“GraceKennedy’s investment in Jamaica is multi-faceted, extending beyond the work of our foundations to every aspect of the way we do business. An example of this has been our venture into agro-processing,” Senator Wehby said.

He also noted that there have been several defining moments over the past 25 years that have been key to the GraceKennedy’s journey from local to global.

“We have had challenges along the way, but we have always stayed true to our fundamental pillars, our core values and our commitment to Jamaica. We remain focused and determined, with an amazing team with bold aspirations, committed to achieving our vision,” Wehby said.

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