real down-to-earth guy, an `A' student and a gifted athlete and footballer, just a well rounded person, says one former student - Alan Richardson has set a pace of scholastic and professional achievements that are not easily matched or duplicated.

Graduating from Technical Institute with seven GCE `O' level passes, the former Bermuda youth soccer team captain went on to the then Sixth Form Centre where he obtained an `A' level in Mathematics. Then, it was on to Dalhousie University in Nova Scotia, Canada where he graduated a first class honours degree in commerce 1973, while being awarded the university medal for achieving the highest academic standing from a graduating class of approximately 150 students. Returning home armed with a bachelor of commerce degree, he held a number of jobs with local accountancy firms, eventually securing his Chartered Accountancy qualification in 1975. After running his own accountancy firm for a number of years, he is now senior manager of retail banking at the Bank of Bermuda, a position that now makes him the most senior black at the Bank.

Still, for all his accomplishments, Richardson looks back on his Tech experience as an invaluable one; a place where he learned important lessons that have equipped him for life's challenges.

"I believe Tech taught us the value of hard work, how to be self-reliant, goal oriented and disciplined. Also, the teachers helped to build self-esteem in people and, as a result of building self-esteem, character which, ultimately, determines, I believe, one's long-term destiny,'' he explains.

"It was teaching that was directed towards the whole class, whether one was strong academically or not. Everyone was challenged to achieve their best. The teachers built our self-esteem to the point where you felt that you could accomplish just about anything you set your mind to achieve. This, in turn, influenced what you thought about yourself, what kind of goals you aspired to achieve and invariably, a lot of guys who came out of Tech had long-term goals to be an architect, an engineer, something which really meant pursuing continuing education in order to achieve middle management positions in various companies in Bermuda. In fact, a lot of middle management positions in the trades and service industries were fed from Technical Institute.'' The value of sports as a character builder was something else that was wholeheartedly encouraged at Technical Institute, Richardson recalls.

"Mr. Crawford, the principal, stressed the importance of there being a balance between academics and sports. He positively encouraged the extra-curricula activities, particularly, if you had a sporting background.

Tech had a very proud tradition athletically, whether it was soccer, track and field, cricket or cross-country and it was a badge of achievement to get onto one of Tech's teams. So, you carried that as king of a reputation.

"But I believe Mr. Crawford's greatest contribution was in providing an environment where a bunch of guys could come together and address the academic aspects that they were there for, whether it was vocational or otherwise, and really grow and mature as young men with a sense of destiny.'' No caption.

SEPTEMBER 1993 RG MAGAZINE