INTRODUCTION

ASK Real Estate & Financial Services Inc., (ASK) as the company is now known, was incorporated as a service company in 1988.  However, the services that the company offers were being provided by the offices of P.M. Ross & Co. from 1978 until the change of the Company’s Act in 1988, which heralded the birth of ASK.  In its early days, the company offered Property Management Services that included company secretarial services (paying of dividends etc) to Island Properties Ltd., Trident House and Sunjet House.

Over the years with the increase of its client base and the demand for additional services, ASK has expanded the range of services offered and can now proudly boast of being able to offer a complete management package, if desired, or can offer services to suit the specific requirements of the client.

 

From its inception under the leadership of Peter Ross, and with the able assistance of Angela Best, the company offered property management, among other services, to its clients.  In addition to Ricardo Griffith who has been with the company’s maintenance department for over twenty-five (25) years, the staff complement has been gradually up-graded to include persons knowledgeable in Property Management, including Ronald Jones who has now been with the company five (5) years after having held senior maintenance and technical posts at international resorts such as Mariott, Cunard & Sandy Lane for the past sixteen (16) years; Whitfield Moore who has been with the company for six (6) years after working twenty (20) years at Mariott Sam Lord’s Castle where he was promoted to the position of Chief Engineer and Christopher Parravicino who holds an MBA from the University of Bradford and has fifteen (15) years experience in the marketing, management and human resources side of the direct tourism services sector. Our most recent addition to round off our team, Albert Scheper holds a bachelors in Computer Science and has over fifteen years experience in sales and technology management in a number of industries including hospitality, manufacturing, wholesale and retail.

 

Some of the properties that have been successfully managed by ASK include:

 

ASSETS EMPLOYED                                                           PROPERTY

    $19 million                                                                                        Trident House*         

    $2.5 million                                                                                       Sunjet House

    $3 million                                                                                          Island Properties Ltd.

    $7.2 million                                                                                       Roebuck Properties (Kay’s House, Bajan Mall,

                                                                                                                Herbert Bond and Herbert Car Park)

    $9.5 million                                                                                       City Centre Car Park & Shopping Mall*

    $18 million                                                                                        Golden View Condominiums (120 units)*

    $20 million                                                                                        South Beach Resort & Vacation Club (50 rooms)*

    $25 million                                                                                        Ridge View Estates (52 units)*      

    $13 million                                                                                        Mistle Cove Condominium (14 units)

   US$13.2 million                                                                                Bougainvillea Beach Resort (Time Share Developer)

* Currently Managed

 

The properties managed by ASK have ranged from private to corporate-owned companies with substantial business investments on the island and, as indicated, the values of their assets represent significant long-term commitments.

 

Ayub Kola joined ASK in 1989, and with Mr. Ross’ retirement in December, 1997, the mantle of leadership was transferred to Mr. Kola. Mr. Kola holds the FCGA Designation from the Canadian Institute of Certified General Accountants and the FCA Designation from the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Barbados and worked at Coopers & Lybrand Chartered Accountants for thirteen (13) years where he was responsible for managing and servicing a portfolio of clients in the Real Estate, Government, Manufacturing, Retail, Wholesale, Offshore Services, Insurance, Utility and Tourism sectors and is a past Vice-President and Past President of The Board of Directors of the Certified General Accountants Association of Barbados. Under his guidance, ASK Real Estate & Financial Services will continue to offer its expertise and years of experience to all of its clients.