For nearly 24 years, Robert Hamaty and his wife Carlene have led the Tortuga Rum Company, Ltd to become the largest duty free liquor business in the Cayman Islands, with 17 retail stores and three bakeries.
The Hamatys are reorganising their family owned business, with the help of Robert’s daughter, Monique Hamaty-Simmonds and her husband Marcus.
Jeremy Ebanks of Grand Cayman, has been named general manager with Marcus Simmonds as vice president of the company and Monique as the assistant managing director, states a press release.
Ebanks is responsible for the operations and management of all of the company’s locations throughout Grand Cayman. Prior to joining the Tortuga Rum Company, he had extensive international experience as an importer based in New Orleans, Louisiana and also was in management for the commercial truck division of Enterprise Rent-A-Car. He began his career in banking with Cayman National Bank and Barclays Bank PLC, Grand Cayman. Ebanks is a graduate of Cayman Islands High School and studied at Loyola University in New Orleans.
The Simmonds couple moved with their three young children to Grand Cayman in August.
They will focus on business growth, organisation and long term planning.
They also own and operate Tortuga Imports/Tortuga Rum Cake Company in Miami Florida handling Tortuga’s worldwide distribution, food service, mail order and online sales.
Their business celebrated its 10th anniversary in March and was recently named to the INC 5000 fastest growing businesses in the United States. Both born in Jamaica, Monique is a 1996 graduate in business administration from Florida International University and Marcus earned his accounting degree from Howard University in Washington DC.
“Having Monique, Marcus and Jeremy join the company marks an important transition. We welcome this new generation of savvy young entrepreneurs and know that their collective experience and many talents will be excellent assets as we continue to build our businesses,” says Robert Hamaty, founder, president and managing director of the Tortuga Rum Company. “Carlene and I are pleased to be stepping down and letting this new management team lead the company. We are looking forward to having more time to travel and to enjoy our family and friends throughout the community.”
Today, Tortuga Caribbean Rum Cakes are the No. 1 export of the Cayman Islands, shipped to 70 countries and sold in gift and specialty food departments and gourmet stores throughout North America and the Caribbean. Also sold on over 100 cruise ships, Tortuga Rum Cakes were named 2007 “Best Cruise Souvenir” by Porthole Cruise magazine for the third consecutive year.
“We are so fortunate to have Jeremy as a vital part of our team and leading all of our retail operations,” says Monique Hamaty-Simmonds. “Jeremy, Marcus and I are all very dedicated to carrying forward the remarkable business that my dad and Carlene have created. We are looking forward to become more involved in the community and upholding the company’s long tradition as an upstanding corporate citizen.”
Based in Grand Cayman, the Tortuga Rum Company, Ltd. is a family owned and operated company with franchise bakeries in Jamaica, Barbados and the Bahamas. Tortuga Imports, Inc., also known as the Tortuga Rum Cake Company handles worldwide distribution, food service, mail order and online sales from . Tortuga Rums of the Cayman Islands are now sold in the United States. See www.tortugarums.com
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