1951
Michael Lee-Chin was born in Port Antonio in northeast Jamaica (eldest of
nine children)
1962-1966
Attended Titchfield High School in Jamaica
1968
Worked on cruise liner as a bellman
1969
Graduated from high school and took a year off to work as a lab technician in a
Jamaican bauxite aluminum plant
1970
Left Jamaica to study Civil Engineering at McMaster University in Hamilton,
Ontario
1970
Approached the office of the Prime Minister of Jamaica and received a
scholarship to complete his studies
1974
After graduating from McMaster University, with a BA in Engineering, he
returned to Jamaica and worked for Jamaican government on the Nelson
Mandela Highway as a civil engineer
1976
Returned to Canada
1977
Became a financial advisor
1983
Invested $500,000 in Mackenzie Financial Corporation stock
1987
Used the profit from the sale of the Mackenzie investment to acquire a small
Kitchener Ontario-based investment firm called AIC Limited
1987
Acquired a group of companies – comprising an investment planning arm,
a securities dealership, and an insurance services operation. When it was
acquired by Manulife Finanical in 2007 Berkshire’s assets exceeded $12 billion
1996
Awarded the Entrepreneur of the Year in the Services Category from Ernst &
Young
2001
Donates $5 million to McMaster University which was used to establish the
AIC Institute of Strategic Business Studies at the Michael G. DeGroote School of
Business
2002
Acquired 75% interest in National Commercial Bank Jamaica Limited
2003
Pledged $30 million to Royal Ontario Museum’s Renaissance ROM Campaign
2003
Received an Honorary Doctor of Laws Degree from McMaster
2004
Received the 2004 International Humanitarian Award presented by the
American Friends of Jamaica Inc. in New York
2004
Pledged $10 million to the Campaign for the University of Toronto which was
used to establish the AIC Institute for Leadership at the Joseph L. Rotman
School of Management
2005
Co-founds Columbus International Inc. and acquires Trident Villas and Spa,
Jamaica
2005
Named Outstanding Philanthropist of the Year by the Association of
Fundraising Professionals (Toronto Chapter)
2006
Portland acquisitions include Advantage General Insurance Company
(formerly United General Insurance Company Limited); CVM Communications
Group; Reggae Beach and Blue Lagoon
2007
Received an Honorary Doctor of Laws Degree from Northern Caribbean
University
2007
Received an Honorary Doctor of Laws Degree from University of Toronto
2007
Burlington Economic Development Corporation inducts Michael into
Burlington’s Entrepreneur Hall of Fame
2007
The Berkshire Group assets exceeded $12 billion
2007
Berkshire Group of Companies was sold to Manulife Financial
2007
Donated $1 million to Toronto General & Western Hospital Foundation to
support the creation of the “Michael Lee-Chin and Family Short Stay Unit”
2008
Received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Canadian Youth Business
Foundation for his outstanding contributions to Canada’s entrepreneurial spirit
2008
Donated almost $4 million to Northern Caribbean University to build a world
class nursing school - the Hyacinth Chen School of Nursing in honour of his
mother. The state of the art facility accommodates 800 nursing students
2008
Received an Honorary Doctor of Laws Degree from Wilfrid Laurier University
2008
Received an Honorary Doctor of Laws Degree from the University of the West
Indies
2008
Received the Order of Jamaica – one of the country’s highest national
honours, for his significant contributions to business and philanthropy
2009
Received an Honorary Doctor of Laws Degree from York University
2009
Under Michael’s stewardship, Portland Holdings Inc. sells AIC’s retail mutual
fund business to Manulife Financial
2009
AIC Investment Services Inc. officially changes its name to Portland
Investment Counsel Inc.
2010
Joins the Board of the Trust for the Americas, a Foundation with the
Organization of American States (OAS) that fosters responsible investment and
development in Latin America and the Caribbean.
2011
Receives the Luminary Award from the University of the West Indies.
2011
Appointed Chancellor of Wilfrid Laurier University
2011
Joined the Haiti Presidential Council for Economic Growth and Development
2011
Received the McMaster University Distinguished Alumni Award for the Arts
2012
Forms the Mandeville group of financial companies
2013
Received a Lifetime Achievement Award from The Association of Chinese
Canadian Entrepreneurs (ACCE) recognizing unparalleled success and roles in
investment, entrepreneurship, philanthropy and significant endeavors overall
2013
The Government of Ontario selected Michael Lee-Chin to receive the Queen
Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal
2013
Wallenford Limited, a subsidiary of Portland Holdings purchased The
Wallenford Coffee Company
2014
Donated $11M in support of Joseph Brant Hospital
2014
Portland Global Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Fund LP was
awarded the ‘Investment Fund Deal of the Year’ at the Private Capital Market
Annual Conference
2014
Launched his Access Speaker Series
2014
Trident Resort and Spa is named #1 hotel in Jamaica on Trip Advisor
2014
Launched the Portland Caribbean Fund II
2014
NCB Capital Markets Limited named Best Investment Management Company
in the Caribbean by internationally acclaimed World Finance Magazine for 2
consecutive years
2015
Appointed to a second four-year term as Chancellor at Wilfrid Laurier
University
2015
Received the A.G. Gaston Lifetime Achievement Award from Black Enterprise
2015
Received the Wealth Professional Award for Lifetime Achievment in the
Financial Planning Industry from Wealth Professional
2015
The N.C.B. Foundation celebrated the milestone of donating over J$1-billion
dollars in ten years to nation building efforts in the areas of: Education, Sports
& Community Development and Youth Leadership & Entrepreneurship directly
impacting over 160,000 Jamaicans.
2015
Michael Lee-Chin and family received the 2015 Association of Fundraising
Professionals’ (Golden Horseshoe Chapter) National Philanthropy Award in the
category of Outstanding Philanthropist
2015
National Commercial Bank Jamaica Limited announces acquisition of 29.9%
stake in Trinidad based Guardian Holdings Limited
2015
Portland’s interest in Columbus International Inc. is sold to Cable & Wireless
Communications Plc.
2015
Portland Private Income Fund awarded “Investment Fund Deal of the Year” at
the Private Capital Market Annual Conference.
2015
National Commercial Bank Jamaica Limited awarded, by the Global Banking
and Financial Review, the following awards: Best SME Bank Jamaica; Best CSR
Bank Jamaica; Best Corporate Governance Bank Jamaica and Best Banking
Group Jamaica.
2016
Michael Lee Chin appointed chairman of the government of Jamaica’s
Economic Growth Council (EGC)
2016
National Commercial Bank Jamaica acquires 29.99 % stake in Guardian
Holdings Limited, a leading financial services and insurance group
2016
Portland JSX Limited which is managed by the Portland Private Equity team
had the largest IPO of ordinary shares ever on the Jamaica Stock Exchange
2016
Wilfrid Laurier University Chancellorship comes to an end.
2016
In December 2016 at the 12th staging of the Jamaica Stock Exchange’s Best Practices Awards Ceremony, NCB received the Governor General’s Award for Excellence (5th consecutive year), Best Practices Award for Annual Report (3 wins to date) and Corporate Disclosure & Investor Relations Award. NCB also received 1st runner-up awards for categories of Website and JSE/PSOJ Corporate Governance (tied 1st runner-up).
2016
Global Banking and Finance Review selected NCB as the winner of the Best SME Bank Jamaica 2016 and NCB Insurance as Best Life Insurance Company 2016.
2016
NCB was also the recipient of Financial times’ The Banker – Bank of the Year award for 2016 for Jamaica.