John Tomlinson, president and chief executive officer of BGA, stands tall in his role with one of Bermuda's most successful wholesale businesses.

He possesses the attributes of an intuitive leader as he projects determination, knowledge and trust.

Mr. Tomlinson is clearly a man with strong character and high energy.

It only takes a few minutes in the presence of this competent British executive, age 37, to know that he is also a compassionate person who cares about his staff and takes the responsibilities of his position very seriously.

He is easy to talk to and has a way of making you feel comfortable right away.

Mr. Tomlinson joined BGA in March, 1999 and says it is his job to lead the company in meeting business objectives and to support the team of hardworking managers and associates which consists of about 80 employees.

"The team concept is very important here. We empower each manager to run his/her unit successfully.

" We share the common vision that each unit achieves excellence in customer service and business performance.

"We aim to adopt best business practice and rely on sophisticated electronic data exchange and the most up to date computer equipment,'' he said.

He possesses an excellent education which has enhanced his career in marketing and sales.

He holds post graduate qualifications through the Chartered Institute of Marketing and is a member of this organisation.

Additionally, he has a Bachelor of Science Degree in psychology, with honours, from the University of Newcastle, England.

One of the aspects which he enjoys the most about his job is: "Helping people do their jobs better. The real thrill is to exceed business objectives. This happens frequently here,'' he said.

He described the work environment at BGA as a company where teamwork is very important and people pull together.

"Each associate wants the other associates to do well. Our management style is very 'hands on'.

"To be a leader here you must be capable and able to set and achieve your goals.

"I am a firm believer in leading by example. There is not a single job at BGA that I am not prepared to carry out myself, from unloading containers to delivering detailed financial presentations to the Board,'' he explained.

When asked about his most important role model, he responded: "It was a chap in the Royal Marines, Farren Drury, an Irishman, who undertook every task to the best of his ability. An accomplished sportsman, he always committed himself 100% to everything. He was a dynamic leader who taught me resilience, determination and commitment.'' Mr. Tomlinson also has a military background and was a captain in the British Army Infantry from 1985 to 1990.

During this time, he was appointed Honorary Aide de Camp to His Excellency the Governor of Hong Kong.

He was also awarded General Officer Commanding's commendation for outstanding service in Northern Ireland.

The best pieces of advice he has received thus far are: Plan everything and live the financial numbers. To invest in people with complementary skills, that's key to maintaining a successful team.

When asked what he attributes to his success he said: "Success is about passion and commitment. I try to be focused and full of energy and support my colleagues. I enjoy seeing people within the company succeed.

"I apply myself to the best of my abilities to everything that I do and believe there is no substitute for plain hard work.'' Mr. Tomlinson is married to a Bermudian. They recently bought a home in Bermuda and just last month their first child, Michael Harris, was born.

I love Bermuda. It is a beautiful place to live and Bermudians are friendly and well balanced people. My wife's extended family and the friends I have made since we moved here from London have made Bermuda very much a home for me.

When asked where he sees himself in 10 years, he responded: "In Bermuda, continuing to work hard to achieve business success on the Island and to contribute to the community.

"I enjoy the challenges of BGA's wholesale business, meeting the evolving needs of consumers, retailers and manufacturers.

"Our state of the art facilities and insightful analysis of Bermuda's expanding marketplace are our strengths.'' President and CEO of BGA: John Tomlinson joined BGA March of last year. He says teamwork is a way of life at BGA.

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