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This Week We Feature Young Professional Melvin M. Turnbull
“If I could help somebody along life's way, then my living will not be in vain” - this is the favourite quote of this week’s young professional, who is a financial whiz and mentor.
Thirty one year-old Melvin Turnbull is currently employed as the Manager of MWM Financial Services Group Limited where he is responsible for marketing, implementing and operating the firm’s sponsored and individual pension plans, investments for home and college together with financial planning seminars for companies and individuals.
The brilliant young man sat down with Virgin Islands News Online to give an insight into his life as a father, businessman and youth advocate.
According to him, entering the financial world was by chance since his first passion was in sales and divulged that his first job after leaving college was as an Associate Manager of Life, Health, Variable Annuity & Investment Business at American International Group (AIG) in Hollywood, Florida.
However, upon his return to the BVI in 2005 he was recruited by MWM. Initially when hired, he was responsible for the marketing of investment plans and pension and insurance plans. Luckily for him though, three months later the then manager left and he got the position which he holds to this day.
So who needs a financial consultant in the Virgin Islands?
“Why do you need a doctor, why do you need a lawyer?” he replied.“The key is a lot of people want to know where they want to be financially. They know what their goals are but they just don’t know what are the right tools, the right steps and don’t have the right measures to get where they want to go. My role is to organise their plans to get them there, and for a lot of people it have to do with their budget and expense,” he explained.
Interestingly, his boyish looks sometimes cause clients to take a step back. To this end, Mr. Turnbull jokingly stated that he is happy to be named after his dad because initially a lot of people think they are talking to an older person but in the end his experience and qualification win them over.
“I tell people my story. I just don’t tell them from the books, I give you life stories of things that I have been through both in the US and here and some of the clients [without naming them of course] that I have helped along the way. The only way you can help somebody is if they know your story,” he disclosed.At the moment, the company manages the finances of close to 3,000 clients.
Growing up in the Virgin Islands was a breeze for Mr. Turnbull, who enjoyed the island to his advantage. He was a student of the Ivan Dawson Primary, and the then BVI High School where he left in 3rd Form and completed High School in Massachusetts.
He then moved on to Florida Memorial University where he earned a Bachelor's Degree in Business Management in 2002 with honours.
According to him, Business Management was chosen because his dad was into banking and a few of his uncles were about to start their own businesses. “So studying that was a step for me and the notion that I was going start my own business one day for myself”.
While he is managing other people’s finances at the moment, this young professional has not shelved his dream of opening his business in the future. He confidently stated, “It’s a goal that I have and it’s a goal that I will achieve eventually.”
With regards to pursuing his education further, Mr. Turbull stated that at MWM, professional courses are taken to hone his skills, but in addition to that he is hopeful to obtain a certificate in Social Services since he is also into mentoring.
Describing himself as an easy-going person and approachable individual, Mr. Turnbull admitted one of his best traits is focusing on something and getting it done to the end. And despite his busy schedule, this young professional takes time out to mentor troubled youths. He stated that he can connect to the young men because of the attitude he had to life at their age.“I was living with my Aunt in the US from 13, and I ran in to a lot of people who got into a lot of trouble…from High School, into college that spiralled out of control...and I did a lot of things and been a lot of places,” he confessed.
His involvement with mentoring began when he attended a summer programme in Overton, Miami where he met a lot of innocent kids who grew up with no parents. And because of this, in 2007 he became one of five assistants to the Youth Court in the Virgin Islands.
He is also the Director of Project LionHeart, a Mentorship Programme, which is a collaborative effort between the Social Development Department and the Youth Court that got off the ground in 2009. It caters to youths between the ages of 12 and 17.When asked why keep such a programme low keyed, the young professional stated “It’s not like we want people coming to take pictures, no that’s not my type of party. When the programme started I had to go through a testing period with them. They had to see that I was real about what I was saying. They taught me too. I believe in them because I was no different from anybody that was arrested and put in jail. The only difference is that I never got caught. That’s the difference...thank God I never got caught”.
Thankfully, the rapport he has with some of the men has reached a stage that in some instances they would call him before they do something stupid, Mr. Turnbull said.
“They feel comfortable talking to me and they trust me, especially the parents because sometimes when they act up I go to their homes and pray for them,” the mentor revealed.
In divulging some of the success stories of the programme, Mr. Turnbull indicated that two of the participants completed High School, one is in college, one is working and one has returned to jail – but overall the parents and some of the participants return to talk about their experiences.
He said his approach is all about keeping it real, and if one of the persons who is involved in the programme “slip up” - it opens the eyes of the participants so that they realise “now that is someone I don’t want to follow”.
The mentoring sessions are conducted for six weeks, and according to Mr. Turnbull, there are four sessions held every year. Apart from speaking with the youths, interaction includes fishing, bowling and biking.
The father of one has been married to his wife Jewel for five years and beams about his two year-old daughter M’kyiah. He is the son of Pastor Melvin and Marion Turnbull.
This young professional is also the Vice President of Hope Foundation (BVI) Limited which was founded by his younger brother Michael A. Turnbull in 2005 to inspire and emancipate young adults and young people to see the light at the end of the dark tunnels in their lives. Furthermore, he was the producer of the 2011 Youth Rally in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Culture.
He is also a Youth Leader and the Director of the Praise Team at the Cane Garden Bay Baptist Church.
What is his advice to youths?
“I start with Psalm 23. No matter what your situation is, no matter what, God has a message to give you. You have to respect your parents because that’s the only one you will ever have. You might not have to agree with them but it’s all about respect. A lot of kids in the BVI grow up without a father and my message to them is listen. This is the real situation and don’t use that as a photo on your chest. Put it all on your shoulders and move forward saying I made it here.”
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