Dyche: Hi Stephen. Over my working life spanning 41 years (I opted for early retirement at the end of 2023). I was a career banker – this covered all areas of commercial Retail banking, Merchant banking, Corporate banking and Investment banking. My working years were spread over three locally based financial institutions including a four-year stint with an overseas regional branch of my last employer.

B. CAREER DEVELOPMENT

Bredrin: What were the aspects of your career that you enjoyed most?

Dyche: Areas of enjoyment for me included analysing and assessing proposal viability; undertaking risk analysis assessments; meeting, interacting with and guiding/advising clients; meeting client needs and helping them achieve their goals. I also enjoyed my sense of personal growth and development in the field.

Bredrin: Are there any other aspects of your career that you wish to emphasize?

Dyche: There have been many areas and instances of new/ground-breaking developments which have proven to be extremely satisfying (for example, working as part of the team which achieved the first securitization of credit card receivables in Jamaica and the introduction of genuine online credit assessments/decisioning, using, inter alia, the probability of default to achieve full decisioning and disbursement within 5 minutes - this was limited to existing clients of the bank at the time).

Banks provide a multitude of services to diverse sectors which offers the opportunity for exposure to new and exciting industries. This has enabled a broader knowledge to all the economic sectors and segments in Jamaica.

Training courses and overseas engagements have also contributed to a wider perspective on practices and technologies in other countries and greater understanding of foreign trade, settlement systems, etc

Bredrin: You took a degree from UWI in 1982? What was your area of specialization? And how was this linked to your career that followed? Was your UWI degree important in setting you on your career path?

Dyche: My degree at UWI was in Management Studies (BSc) - this certainly opened the door to my first job (which lasted 21 years) via the Career Week sessions. Having been exposed to banking and making personal progress with a strong developing interest in this area it eventually led to further related studies in the field.

Bredrin: And at the postgraduate and professional levels?

Dyche: I subsequently obtained an MBA from Manchester Business School/University of Wales, a Diploma in Financial Studies (Dip. FS) and was conferred as a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Banking (FCIB - London).

Bredrin: You have worked outside of Jamaica. How did that compare with working at home?

Dyche: My overseas stint was also in banking and was in Barbados. I would say that the work is the work wherever you may be, but being at the "seat of power" an additional dimension was added with increased expectations, demands and pressure. I also got to see corporate politics and power-broking up close. Barbados as a country is wonderful, the people are generally well-educated, much calmer in temperament and significantly more disciplined than Jamaicans. There is much Jamaica can learn from Barbados - but as is well known, there is nowhere like "home" and there is no comparison with respect to the food, music, sports and other cultural and entertainment activities.

Bredrin: Would you recommend a banking career to KC students or young Old Boys today?

Dyche: Definitely!! This is a sector which is a foundation for the development of industry and business, from the individual entrepreneur, to MSME's to large corporations. It affords opportunities to meet persons with varied backgrounds, experiences, visions and provides the banker with a pathway to personal growth and development. One can be a broad-based banker with knowledge in various segments of the industry or a specialist in specific areas. Banking can provide a serious and committed individual with a very rewarding and fulfilling career and financial independence.

C. ACADEMIC TIME BEFORE KC

Bredrin: At KC, you were a strong all-round student, intellectually powerful, active in academic matters, playing form football and cricket, and working tirelessly in photography on the KC Fortis School Magazine for 1977, among other activities. What was your route into KC?

Dyche: My pre-KC schools were Hurlingham Prep and St. Richard's Primary. I sat and passed the Common Entrance exam at the latter.

Bredrin: Why did you opt to attend KC?

Dyche: That was just fate....my older brother was attending KC at the time I sat the Common Entrance, so I followed suit. I also have two younger brothers who followed me to KC.

Bredrin: How was your primary school experience linked to your steps at KC?

Dyche: I would not say that the primary school experience influenced my time at KC one way or the other - I was always a generally well-behaved and somewhat reserved student. The biggest impact may have been in the area of an organized and disciplined application to school work, the beginnings of which I believe were developed at St. Richard's.

Bredrin: Were there others coming into KC from your primary school, St. Richard's?

Dyche; Yes there were a couple in my cohort, including yourself!!

Bredrin: Any primary school teachers or influences you wish to note?

Dyche: I think they all equally contributed to my development. While I do not remember all the names I know Ms. Cunningham was a positive influence on all the young minds at that time.

Bredrin: Any notable challenges and pleasures before KC days?

Dyche: None that I can recall now. Seriously, I led an average, low-keyed existence. The only think of note is that I lived away from my parents and siblings for almost all of my pre-KC days......this was from a very young age so I knew no other life. Also, my father passed when I was 8 years old but the impact was minimal as prior to that we lived apart and therefore the relationship, although not strained, was not as close as it would otherwise have been.

D. STUDENT LIFE AT KC

Bredrin: What were some of your main academic activities at KC and the factors that motivated you in this area?

Dyche: In the early years French was a drawing card as it was new, although I was never ever very good at it. I think over the years it has improved as my wife speaks the language and we communicate in 'halting' French (on my part) at home on many occasions (that is, I mumble a poorly conjugated sentence and she interprets and replies). Geography was also amongst my favourites solely because of the teacher (Mr. Bair) who did so much to help with our development as youngsters. Ms. Serrant, the science teacher, was also a stand-out....."Mercury is a metallic element, and a very unusual one. It is the only metal....."

Bredrin: What are some of your main memories as a student at KC?

Dyche: KC holds treasured memories........all of which are centered around my colleagues, especially when we matriculated to North Street and more so, in 6th Form. Among other matters I recall:

-- The unfortunate stabbing death of Samuel Thompson just as we commenced 5th Form GCE exams;

-- Taking/passing O'Level Maths in 4th Form;

-- Wyatt Earp ("Park yourself at the door, mister!!");

-- The great FIRE!!, subsequent fund raising efforts and the re-build thereafter;

-- The highs and lows of winning and not winning at sports and Schools Challenge;

-- Magazine Committee and the great camaraderie amongst the committee members;

-- The dancer group that wowed the girls at Alpha and St. Hugh's (Miller, Staf, Pint(?), Harry etc);

-- Mr. Been from the TCI;

-- Cooper , aka "English" ("I squared it, Sir!");

-- The many "escapades" that various groups and cliques went on;

-- Being invited to an Inter-Schools Christian Fellowship meeting at JC by Bruce Polson and having my first experience of persons being "possessed" and speaking in tongues;

-- Many confrontations with "McNab";

-- Being described as 'fickle' and 'frivolous' by a Senior Teacher when we registered a protest against the Head Master by wearing Khaki shirts in 6th Form;

-- Idling at Tom Redcam Library under the guise of "studying"....etc, etc .

I have mentioned a number of these 'episodes' with the hope that this will jar the memories of others where some of these may have been forgotten.

Bredrin: Are Melbourne Park memories very different from North Street memories?

Dyche: Yes....definitely so. At Melbourne we were young and innocent, towing the line and in awe of the school and its history, and busy making new friends and trying to find our place in the institution.

At Clovelly Park as we progressed, we considered ourselves as having "arrived", with a voice, determined to influence others and the school administration and to make our mark on the world. We were much more independent in thought, word and action and of course there were ....girls!!

Bredrin: At what stage in your time at KC did you identify your proposed career path? What steps did you take in this regard?

Dyche: Honestly, I did not have a chosen career path at KC.....I knew I liked Accounting and was contemplating doing additional studies in that area, but nothing was finalized at that time. I entered UWI intending to do an Accounting degree but was advised to do the wider and more general Management degree. The Career Day interview that landed me my first banking job was pure co-incidence.

Bredrin: Did some teachers have a special impact on you or on your classes on the whole?

Dyche: Well, I know that in 4th Form French and the French teacher (unwittingly) convinced me to take up Accounting.....!! Apart from the Melbourne teachers already mentioned, the 6th Form English Teachers were excellent as was Wyatt!! Although we would not have admitted it at the time Mr. Been kept us on a fairly straight and narrow path and at the time saved many careers. Mr. Bruce at Melbourne was also fearsome and Ms. Douglas became synonymous with the school, and was a go-to confidante/advisor for many.

Bredrin: What were some of your favourite subjects at KC?

Dyche: Accounting, Maths, English Language, Geography, - as you can see I was definitely an Arts student.

Bredrin; Who were some of your fellow students and friends coming through over the years?

Dyche: Beaver, Fox, Archie, Screechy, Stumbo, Loudlaw, Con, Crumbie, Phil, Staf, Harry, Jankee, Cooper, Cookie (Spaulding), Mikey Haynes, Ras, Gutto, Chin-Shue, Salad, Tuckett, Matthie, Barry, Polson, Fish. Mikey Chin, Maurice Bailey, David Jones, Rodney Edwards, Seedy, Rico, Sully, Scarlett, Biggy, Joking Joe, Douggy Bell, Collie and yourself.

Bredrin: Were there any rules or practices from your time at KC which seemed unjustifiable to you then? Has your perspective changed over the years?

Dyche: All of them!! My perspective has changed - I have a greater appreciation for why these rules and practices were necessary and the burden of responsibility placed on administrators and teachers to nurture, develop and guide a multitude of teenage boys. Also, let's face it, adolescent boys from diverse backgrounds all trying to prove themselves would be difficult to manage (control ?) without the structures that were imposed on us.

Bredrin: Would you say that KC today is significantly different from KC in your time as a student? How so?

Dyche: I am not fully au fait with all aspects of KC now but from observation (at North Street - have not been to Melbourne in ages) it appears that the infrastructure is much improved. I believe I am correct in stating that academically the school is doing better (based on exam results) and the annual intake may be up. I also believe that there is more support for social programmes and assistance for those in need. While there is on-going support for all teams representing the school I get the impression that KC is not seen as a "sports school" as it was in our day (Maybe we are not winning as much?).

E. KC TIME IN GENERAL

Bredrin: What were some of the main developments at KC during your time at KC? Who, for instance, were some of the main administrators at KC when you were there?

Dyche: The Head Masters over time ....notably E. Don Taylor, Rev. McNab, other stalwarts were Mr. Bruce, Mr. Johno, Mr. Bryan, Ms. Douglas, Mr. Forrest, Uncle Schrubbs - Special mention to Mr. Goldsmith, George T and Reddi B although not administrators.

Bredrin: Any special memories of school administrators or school events?

Dyche: Weekly Assembly at Melbourne where I learnt a lot of hymns, all sporting events that the school was involved with,

Bredrin: You were in the 6th Form at the time of the KC Fire of 1977. What impact, in your view, did the fire have on school life?

Dyche: The fire caused major disruption in classes and appeared to adversely impact some students emotionally and mentally and perhaps even academically. However, once we settled to the reality and the task at hand of rebuilding, everyone was on-board and played a part in us coming back better and stronger. I think it also fired (a la Screech) a spirit within the student body, certainly those at North Street, which made us closer as a community.

Bredrin: At KC, competition for places on most sports teams was fierce in your time. You would almost certainly have made the Manning Cup football team at various other schools. Did you feel you had "missed out" by not going elsewhere?

Dyche: Not at all ... I never made a serious effort to make the team - in the year when I was contemplating same I got distracted and stopped attending training after a few weeks.

Bredrin: Did you take up football or cricket outside KC?

Dyche: I played Colts for KC for a couple years and Minor League and Major League for MeadHaven (my community team). I was also actively involved in a number of corner league and other (external) based community football competitions.

Bredrin: Looking back at your KC time, what general thoughts come most quickly to mind?

Dyche: That I was fortunate to attend the "College" and the wonderful legacy that was left to us must be preserved, strengthened and passed on to succeeding generations.

F. FAMILY AND OTHER MATTERS

Bredrin: Do you wish to share information on your family life and other considerations that have influenced your development over the years?

Dyche: I have been married to Caroline for 38 years and we have two children. Friends say she deserves a medal for that accomplishment - sticking with me for so long ....I don't disagree but believe I should get at least a ribbon for my efforts as well.

Immediate and extended Family has been a bedrock and has played a significant role in any and all successes achieved.

Bredrin: Are there identifiable ways in which KC has influenced you over the long term?

Dyche: Attending an institution for 7 years is bound to have impacted the development of self and character, often times sub-consciously. I would say that the characters (fellow students), teachers, institutional culture/rules/practices and experiences all help to mould our individual personalities and character. I am happy within myself and am thankful to KC in all its spheres for helping to make me who I am.

Bredrin: Looking back, what would you say are your main life accomplishments?

Dyche: Having lived a decent Christian life (for the most part) and contributed positively to society in my own way. I have a stable family and family life and have cared for and supported two children to tertiary and post graduate level education and imbued them with morals and values which will hopefully enable them to make positive contributions to society.

Bredrin: Any final observations for KC Old Boys or students now that the school is 100 years old and rising?

Dyche: We have all benefitted from having attended KC and it is now our responsibility to preserve that legacy and contribute to the further growth and development of the institution in any way we can.

(Richard Dyche interviewed by Stephen Vasciannie, January 2026.)

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