By NEIL HARTNELL

Tribune Business Editor

nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

A BAHAMIAN financial institution’s chairman is set to receive the Trailblazer Award at today’s Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP) Bahamas conference.

Ivylyn Cassar, principal of Equity Bank Bahamas and Equity Trust Bahamas, was described as the committee’s unanimous choice to receive the reward after receiving input from the STEP Board.

Theo Burrows, STEP Bahamas conference committee chairman, said: “It was an easy choice to choose Ivy for the Trailblazer Award.

“She continues to blaze trails and make significant contributions to the financial services industry in The Bahamas, and to the ongoing work of the STEP Bahamas branch. Her drive, dedication and generosity are unmatched, and we are extremely delighted that she has accepted such a deserving award.”

The Award pays recognition to “a senior professional in the financial services industry who has made significant contributions to the trust and estate sector, often creating paths for others to follow professionally and also being a leader in the community”.

Latonia Symonette-Tinker, the Bahamas Financial Services Board’s (BFSB) chair, said: “There is no doubt that Ivy’s personal career accomplishments more than justify her as the Trailblazer Award recipient as a significant contributor to not only the financial services industry in The Bahamas but also to many of the individuals we see here today as professionals in the industry.

“She has not only created a path for others to follow, but she continues to create more trailblazing paths as she ascends to higher heights. She’s not done yet.”

“I am deeply honoured and humbled to receive the Trailblazer Award,” said Mrs Cassar. “There are so many people who have served as mentors throughout my career, and to them I owe a debt of thanks. As a STEP member since 1996 I also owe so much of the success that I have enjoyed in my career to STEP’s professional development and education programmes.” Equity employs more than 60 Bahamians, and operates in both the international and domestic markets. It was initially established in 2003 as Experta Trust Company (Bahamas) with Gilbert D. Cassar, who had previously served as a director, assuming the role of managing director.

Over the next five years he added Ivylyn Cassar, Kim Thompson and Dillon Dean to the executive team. In 2010, they executed a 90 percent management buyout of Experta and rebranded the company as Equity in 2012. Equity Group International (EGI) was created in 2012 to hold the 90 percent interest.

Mr Cassar (who passed in 2021) retired in 2016, and Ivylyn took on the chairmanship of EGI and Equity Bank. She is now EGI co-chair with Dillon Dean. In 2018, EGI established Equity Investment Funds and, in 2021, EGI established Equity Trust Bahamas.