In 2007, the Insurance Fraternity said a sad farewell to Antoinette P. Thompson, one of the most innovative and stalwart women the insurance world has seen. It may come as a surprise then to learn that Mrs. Thompson’s career began elsewhere—in banking—and only turned to insurance after much persuasion to serve one of The Barbados Mutual’s agencies as a manager for just over ten years.
Her career spanned a period of almost six decades and featured numerous production, quality and star awards for her contributions to the local insurance industry and several international quality awards. It was also marked by a steady attention to education as well as personal and professional development which led her to conceive of the initiative to have the Introduction to Life Underwriting Course as the examination for licensing in Barbados in addition to producing the 5 Year Development Plan for educational and professional development in the Region. Her dedication was rewarded with the professional designations of Associate in Customer Service (ACS) and Insurance Agency Administration (IAA) as well as Fellow of the Life Management Institute (FLMI). In addition, she held the Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU) and Chartered Financial Consultant (CH.F.C.) designations. She also gained the Barbados Stock Exchange Mutual Funds Certificate.
For some, Antoinette Thompson’s accomplishments appear even greater when one considers that she became a widow at the age of thirty and raised two daughters who have gone on to incredible success of their own—Nicole is an orthodontist practicing in Houston, Texas and Simone is a mechanical engineer specializing in manufacturing at General Motors Corporation in Detroit, Michigan. Mrs. Thompson certainly proved more than apt as a model of what a woman can achieve in business and life in general. In 1988, she became the first winner of the Young Career Women’s Competition sponsored by the Barbados Business and Professional Women’s Club; and was a member of the Board of the Life Underwriters of Barbados (LUAB) for fourteen years, becoming its president for three consecutive years beginning in 1989. In addition, she served on the Board of the Caribbean Association of Life Underwriters (CALU, now CARAIFA), reaching the office of Assistant Vice President and was a founding member of its Education Management Committee.
Mrs. Thompson enjoyed success outside of insurance as a resolute advocate, convincing the Government of Barbados to choose the LUAB to sit on the Economic Consultative Council advising government on strategies to stabilize the economy.
During her stint in the Senate, she persuaded government to review the Social Security Scheme via national broadcast and campaigned to have non-contributory pensioners removed from the National Insurance Fund and paid from the Consolidated Fund.
Though she is dearly missed, her many achievements have left an indelible impression, not only on those who had the pleasure of knowing and working with her, but those who are now making their way to and through an industry that was only made better by Antoinette Thompson.
