Shomari Scott, 37, was named the 2013 Young Caymanian Leadership Award Recipient at a glitzy ceremony at the Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman on Saturday night.

Mr. Scott, the Director of the Department of Tourism, was selected ahead of four other finalists – Marzeta Bodden, Melanie Scott, Victor Crumnley and Michael Blackburn.

Shomari Scott (34) is the son of Tony and Marjorie Scott. He attends St. George’s Anglican Episcopal Church.

*Mr. Scott holds a bachelor’s of business administration (majoring in marketing) from Stetson University in Florida.

He is the director of tourism for the Cayman Islands. He has worked in tourism since he began as an intern in 1996 at the department, and he joined the department full time after receiving his degree.

His ascent through the organisation is well known, and he spent the past four years as acting director before being named director. Despite his young age, his appointment to director was met with universal approval from the private sector.

He personifies the very Caymanian hospitality he is charged with promoting in his professional life and under his leadership, dozens of young Caymanian tourism leaders are being developed and mentored; he is the leader of the Tourism Apprenticeship Training Programme and also the youth Tourism Ambassador.

He is a keen sportsman and he is passionate about basketball – he played on the Cayman Islands National team for 10 years and over the past six years has coached both youth and men’s basketball in his free time.

Through the influence of his father, who has been director and continues to work at Bonaventure Boys Home, and his mother, a teacher, he has used basketball as a way to give boys a positive focus, channelling energy into sport versus less productive behaviours.

[*Mostly taken from YCLA Bios)