Vanterpool intends to return to the VI to give back to the community.

He has been playing the saxophone for the past 15 years.

Dalan's next performance will be on April 17 in Atlanta.

Dalan Vanterpool, 26, a proud Virgin Islander, gave an insight into his life and future aspirations.

Interestingly, this young man is also a licensed preacher who believes that God should be the guide in anyone's life. "I am currently studying for my Master of Divinity with concentration in Arts and Theology at Candler School of Theology, Emory University.”

Though people may think that being an Accountant is dull, Vanterpool admitted that he got the knack for figures from his dad - Mark Vanterpool, the current Minister for Communications and Works.

"My family has been a household name K-Mark’s and OneMart for years and after watching my parents run a successful enterprise, it was only natural for me to follow suit. It has been in my blood," the young professional stated.

He currently holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting from Morehouse College, Atlanta which he disclosed assisted him “a whole lot” when he entered the work force at Ernst & Young. Vanterpool reminisced that at Morehouse it was common for a high level executive like a Vice President of JP Morgan Chase to stroll into class and join the lecture.

Prior to that, he attended the H. Lavity Stoutt Community College (HLSCC) for two years before his transfer to Morehouse.

Also in preparation for the work force, this Virgin Islander led a team to win the national Deloitte and Touche Audit Case competition toppling some of the top colleges in the US in the process.

“I gained a ridiculous amount of experience,” he recollected. And after graduating in 2006 – Vanterpool spent the next two years at Ernst and Young at its Atlanta audit practice, as a senior auditor.

Hence at age 20, he was crunching numbers for clients such as Coca Cola, Delta Airlines, SunTrust, Georgia Pacific among others. Asked if he was a bit petrified of handling such big accounts, the young professional admitted it was a bit overwhelming at first but as time progressed he got more confident.

“I have to say that Morehouse really got me ready for anything that came my way,” he said with a laugh. “I mean I have sat down with the Chief Financial Officers (CFOs) of these companies, but I was still a bit nervous!”

However, a higher calling propelled this week’s young professional to leave his job in 2008 to concentrate on his Masters in Business at the Edinburg School of Business, Scotland and simultaneously his Master in Divinity.

“I will be completing the Master of Divinity by May, the MBA later on this year, and then by the end of the summer I will be returning to my beloved homeland,” Vanterpool revealed.

Even though he has not made the permanent move as yet, Vanterpool has begun to lay the foundation.

“I have collaborated with my good friend Sophia Bain to form WorldHouse Caribbean (www.WorldHouseCaribbean.org), an environmental organisation that has set an ambitious plan to begin phasing out the use of plastic bags at supermarkets and other retailers by June of this year,” Vanterpool explained.

He divulged that several companies have committed to partner with WorldHouse in sponsoring their 10,000 reusable bags campaign. As a great marketing tool for companies, the bags, which they will distribute to consumers free of cost, feature both the sponsor’s logo and WorldHouse Caribbean’s logo.

On the musical front, this young professional is a renowned Saxophonist that has performed at the Apollo Theatre, Las Vegas, South Africa, Istanbul and throughout the Caribbean for noted celebrities like Oprah Winfrey, Spike Lee and Harry Belafonte.

The proud Virgin Islander was influenced by the sounds of jazz being played by his older brother Deon, who at the time played trumpet and piano.

But his formal musical training on the saxophone began when he was enrolled at the then BVI High School under the guidance of Arthur Selwood and Kamau Georges, who is now his business partner.

“My relationship with Georges started from a teacher/student, close friends to business partners,” Vanterpool stated. “He [Georges] has been an awesome teacher over the past 15 years. It’s so great to be able to work with my teacher. We’re like Batman and Robin! We have a great time performing together and just doing positive things that help the BVI and make people have an awesome time.”

His next gig will be on April 17 in Atlanta, where he along with friends including Georges will share the spotlight for an evening of jazz and poetry at Emory University. “It is called the Sacred Side of Jazz, and will explore the intersections of jazz and theology,” Vanterpool added.

Describing himself as inquisitive and ambitious, Vanterpool honed his skills through music at the New Life Baptist Church hence part of the reason for him becoming a preacher.

Watching his mother, Judith Vanterpool, giving back to the community through education showed him the importance of influencing others positively. “Many individuals would ask me why I want to go down that path. My answer is always the same. We need more than business knowledge to address the challenges before us,” Vanterpool pointed out.

So what’s in Vanterpool’s future?

“I would like to see jazz and other genres of fine arts become a real part of the BVI’s entertainment culture. I’m making plans now to open a jazz / spoken word lounge in the BVI, where sophisticated folks can really have fun while engaging their minds with music and great conversation. We have the other genres intertwined so why not jazz!” he declared.

He also intends to focus on the community through his ministering, especially the youths, and his advice for them is to never settle for average.

“Average is acceptable on some levels I suppose, but be amazing! Strive for extraordinary. If you are willing to do the work it will bring you great success. Do what you do so well that it defines a new normal.” he stated.