MONEYGRAM INTERNATIONAL HONOURS LASCO MONEYGRAM

Photo Caption: Hon. Lascelles Chin (2^nd left), Chairman/CEO, LASCO Group of Companies and Jacinth Hall-Tracey (centre), Managing Director of LASCO Financial and Remittance Services express elation in receiving, on behalf of LASCO MoneyGram, the position of leading MoneyGram Remittance Agent in Jamaica for over two years. Presenting the Award is Daniel O’Malley, Executive Vice President, MoneyGram International. Cheering on LASCO MoneyGram are John Warner (left), Vice President, MoneyGram Latin America and the Caribbean and Steve Higgins (right), MoneyGram’s Caribbean Regional Manager. LASCO MoneyGram was recognised for having the fastest growth rate and largest volume of money-transfer transactions.  The occasion was the LASCO MoneyGram Cocktail Reception at Knutsford Court Hotel on Tuesday evening, February 2.

Kingston, Jamaica: MoneyGram International has presented LASCO MoneyGram with the prestigious Award for  ‘Top’ Remittance Agent in Jamaica for over two years, lauding it for having the fastest growth rate and largest volume of money-transfer-transactions in the island. LASCO MoneyGram was also recognised for achieving the position of number two Remittance Agent in the Caribbean, and for ranking among the top ten MoneyGram Agents in the wider Latin America and Caribbean region.

The announcement and awards presentation took place last evening at a Cocktail Reception hosted by LASCO Financial and Remittance Services at Knutsford Court Hotel. In making the announcement Daniel O’Malley, Executive Vice President, MoneyGram International commended LASCO MoneyGram for its “stellar performance and outstanding achievement”, while pointing out that his company thought it necessary to award LASCO MoneyGram because “we want to let you recognise your importance in terms of MoneyGram on a national and global basis.” He explained that although MoneyGram International has several primary agents in Jamaica, LASCO MoneyGram yields the largest number of transactions.

Accepting the Award on behalf of LASCO, Chairman/CEO of the LASCO Group of Companies Hon. Lascelles Chin attributes the success of LASCO MoneyGram, to the commitment to superior customer service and excellence, by the LASCO MoneyGram team at headquarters and its Sub-Agents. Managing Director of LASCO Financial and Remittance Services Jacinth Hall-Tracey echoed similar sentiments, noting that the resilience, vision and people-centred approach of her team had won the hearts of Jamaicans.

In an Address at the Cocktail Reception, Hon. Lascelles Chin told participants in the Awards Function that MoneyGram emulates the LASCO philosophy of fast growth and lowest rates. LASCO MoneyGram has moved from having nine Sub-Agents, when the company began in September 2004 to the current fleet of sixty Sub-Agents. “Our phenomenal growth above the trends in the industry, may be attributed to the fact that the needs and interests of our customers are our number one priority,” asserted Mr. Chin.

He also credits the guidance and inspiration received from LASCO MoneyGram international, as helping to fuel growth in his organization.  The LASCO Chairman/CEO says his company is happy to be apart of the remittance industry which has “become fuel for the poorest and the richest families in Jamaica, for communities and the country in general. Indeed, data from the Bank of Jamaica reveals that between January and December last year, US$1,791.9 million in remittances was sent from overseas to Jamaicans.”

He noted that according to the Bank of Jamaica, December 2009 alone, a total of US$180.9 million flowed into the country in the form of remittances, representing a 2.2 % increase over the figure for December 2008. The dollar value of that increase was US$3.9Million.

MoneyGram is an international money transfer company providing affordable, reliable and convenient payment services to more than 180,000 locations in 190 countries and territories worldwide. Customers of MoneyGram International are able to send and receive money transfers around the globe in ten minutes or less. The 4-member team of Daniel O’Malley, Executive Vice President, MoneyGram International; John Warner, Vice President, MoneyGram, Latin America and Caribbean; Steve Mauch, Director of Finance, MoneyGram International, Tony Samour, Director of Projects, MoneyGram International and Steve Higgins, Caribbean Regional Manager, MoneyGram are in Jamaica on a three-day visit from February 2-4. Mr. Higgins who addressed the Cocktail Reception last night revealed that a team of 150 physicians sponsored by MoneyGram International would be visiting the island in June this year, to render medical assistance to many rural and inner-city communities. This upcoming visit will mark the 8^th year that his company has been financing the visit of a group of doctors to Jamaica. Mr. Higgins added that MoneyGram has started and will continue to sponsor the construction of Pedestrian Crossings across Jamaica. “We believe in giving back to communities in terms of health and education”, stated the Caribbean Regional Manager of MoneyGram, “we are ensuring that we give back to the social fabric of Jamaica.”

At Tuesday evening’s Cocktail Reception, LASCO MoneyGram presented gifts to the MoneyGram International team. The company also gave accolades to its Top sub-Agents for the just ended calendar year. Among those receiving prizes were Ocho Rios Card Centre, which had the top prize in the Super Agent Category; Independence City Pharmacy for top honours in the Medium Agent Category and the St. James establishment R & M Partners Company Ltd. was awarded for the Fastest Growth.

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Contact:

Erica James-King   
Communication Manager | PROComm
P 876-926-6740/ M 876-564-5277