This Week We Feature Young Professional Emery C. Pemberton
Our Young Professional for this week is an Economist, but if you think his life is only about research, statistics and analysing economic issues in the territory, think again as there is a lot more to him than what meets the eye! This focused, balanced and extremely talented young man is an embodiment of the phrase ‘variety is the spice of life’.
Emery Che Pemberton works in the Ministry of Finance. “Being an Economist gets to the point where we look at economic policies of the country and also what’s happening around the world and trying to see how the country is performing and monitoring those developments,” Mr Pemberton said of his role in a nutshell.
He moved to the Ministry of Finance at the end of 2014 after working at the Development Planning Unit (DPU) now renamed Central Statistics Office.
Che (chay) holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics from the Florida International University (FIU). A graduate of the then BVI High School (now Elmore Stoutt High School), Che attended the H. Lavity Stoutt Community College (HLSCC) where he studied Business and Finance.
Fulfilling job
As an Economist, Che finds it fulfilling and very fortunate to be able to get a job for which he studied for and wanted to do even though he had to wait some years for it after finishing studies. “I work with a great team of individuals in the Macro Fiscal Unit of the Ministry of Finance. As I go I am still learning also and that is a good thing. It’s very fulfilling.”
But Che does not confine himself to numbers and economic policies; he is living life, and an exciting one at that, one that balances his full-time job with his business and extra-curricular activities.
Music & dancing
Che started teaching music while he was a student at the H. Lavity Stoutt Community College (HLSCC). He is from a family of musicians and plays the trumpet and to a lesser extent, the piano and guitar. His father Watts Pemberton was an artiste and also he was encouraged by his aunt Margaret Ward whose music school is closeby to where he lives. “Growing up I was never far from music. I did the music programme in high school and have been playing the trumpet since then. I still play.”
Our Young Professional can also do the salsa and once mastered the ‘moonwalk’ as he was a big fan of the late Michael Jackson.
“I always had a knack for dancing. I would say that is one of my main talents as some people say I am multi-talented.”
He has done stage performances with his dance group, W.A.G.A.N. ( We Aint Got A Name), which he had formed in his days at HLSCC. "We did a number of performances, anything dancing we were there, and I would say we had a good run,” Che said.
He never stopped dancing after the W.A.G.A.N. dancers went their way after college. He is currently involved with two dance companies, one includes teaching hip hop dance at Adagio Dance School. He also dances with the CADA Players. “I have never stopped dancing. I dance salsa every Wednesday nights. Dancing allows people to express what words can’t express. It’s about that feel.”
Disc jockeying and tap dancing are Che’s latest extra-curricular interests as he continues to keep an open mind and enjoys different experiences of life.
Sports wise, Che has played basketball, softball and tennis.
Entrepreneur
Our Young Professional is also a businessman as he is a co-owner of Studio One Salon and Spa on Main Street, Tortola. The other partners are Nicoleta Bongarth and Eileen Burke.
“It’s been good. We will be observing our second anniversary on Saturday January 16 [2016] where we will be having 20% off on all services,” Che said of the budding business.
“Great” is his word about being a businessman. “I think most people have that dream to own a business or be involved in business. It was also in the back of my mind to do that so when that opportunity came up it just so happened that I was ready for it.”
Admitting that he knew nothing about salons at the time since he was more occupied with his work, music and dancing, Pemberton said he made the effort to learn as quickly as possible and even did a short course on it at HLSCC.
“The same month that Studio One and Spa opened its doors, HLSCC had a short course in Salon Management and I took advantage of it,” Che said, adding that he was the only male that did the course. “They were surprised to see a guy walking in to do the course and asked whether I was supposed to be there,” Che said with a laugh.
Trying to have a hands on knowledge of the business is important for Che as he, already being well known and approachable, is often contacted by persons making different inquiries. “And if you are going to manage people you have to understand the area so I have been doing the best I could and the business has been building a good reputation as I continue to get good feedback. We have a great staff.”
There are also other business ideas floating around his head as Che is never a man to stop thinking about what he can do next but for now he wishes to see Studio One Salon and Spa develop and expand.
Asked about some of the persons he looks up to, Che said his Martial Arts Sensei, Shihan Albert Andrews who taught him to condition his mind, his former music teacher Author Sellwood and his dad.
Advice to youth
Being around good people and learning to choose his friends wisely were important for Che and this he advises youth also to do.
“You have to have a plan. If you don’t know what to do get to know yourself better and you will find the answers there. Experience as much things as you can and in doing that you get to know yourself,” Che said, noting that all the things he involved himself in helped to shape him.
Referring to himself as a humble person that would like to stay humble, Che said he believes in himself and what he can accomplish. “I am a person who sets goals and commit to achieve it in the right way.”
Meanwhile, Che continues to refine himself but is never one to say where he would be in the future since for him possibilities are endless.
“First of all I am still going to be dancing.”
26 Responses to “This Week We Feature Young Professional Emery C. Pemberton”
Yeeeeee Chechus ..... Doing well.....
Proud of you. I know you bake as well