Intermar employees were individually honoured during Saturday night’s 40th anniversary celebration. Photo: Kairros Photography.
MADAME ESTATE--Intermar celebrated its 40-year anniversary over the weekend, filling Aleeze Convention Center to capacity in a night of jubilation, recognition, and live entertainment. Company President and founder George Pelgrim centred the evening on Intermar’s growth, journey, connection to the island, and recognising the input of employees, business partners and stakeholders over the past four decades.
Intermar celebrated its 40-year anniversary over the weekend, filling Aleeze Convention Center to capacity in a night of jubilation, recognition, and live entertainment. In photo: Intermar President George Pelgrim (right) cuts one of several custom cakes, along with wife Hélène, Prime Minister Dr. Luc Mercelina, and Minister Grisha Heyliger-Marten (2nd, 1st , 3rd from left respectively). Photo: Darlene Hodge. Story on page .
George Pelgrim addressing guests, on stage amongst his nearest and dearest. Photo: Darlene Hodge.
A donation of US $4,000 was made to Rotary Club of St. Martin Sunrise for a year of breakfasts for children at Prins Willem Alexander School. Photo: Kairros Photography.
More than 300 people were in attendance, including dozens of employees and close business associates who were honoured and presented with plaques for their contributions. Pelgrim called nearly 40 employees and select associates up onto the stage, individually introducing them and describing their roles in shaping the company.
A small number of them had also worked with him before the founding of Intermar, during their time with the Japanese company called Curaçao Pioneering, in the heyday of St. Maarten’s tuna export trade.
Intermar coming into existence in such a different economic era is a reminder of the company’s longevity and the vast changes it has navigated through. The state of the island’s development, and that of the global shipping industry, has transformed immensely over the same time-span. A slide show played throughout the event highlighted people behind the company, local industry and government, and put on full display the remarkable changes seen in infrastructure, facilities and technology.
Among the notable well-wishers in attendance were Prime Minister Dr. Luc Mercelina, Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunication (TEATT) Grisha Heyliger-Marten, Minister of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure VROMI Patrice Gumbs, and Port St. Maarten Chief Executive Officer Alexander Gumbs.
Recognising the company’s relationship to the development of the island, and vice-versa, Pelgrim has made giving back part of the company’s ethos over the years, and two sizeable donations were made during Saturday night’s event.
US $1,000 was presented to Jenny Peterson of Forever Blessed Foundation, which focuses on providing food, clothing and other items to those in need. Another $4,000 was presented to Rotary Club of St. Martin Sunrise and Prins Willem Alexander School, ensuring a continuation of the breakfast programme for a full year.
The celebratory event was hosted by Artemia, with live entertainment by DJ Kembe and Control Band.
