Mr. Darius Avila, MBA

Mr. Darius Avila, MBA

Mr. Darius Avila is a true son of theToledo soil having been born inPuntaGordaTown. During his early years, he attended and graduated from St. Peter Claver Primary School and thereafterClaverCollege, the only high school inToledo at that time. When he graduated from High School, there were no tertiary level institutions in the Toledo District, consequently he applied for and was accepted atSt. JohnsJunior College inBelize City to pursue an Associates Degree in Arts. Mr. Avila completedSt. JohnsJunior College within the prescribed two-year time frame and was successful in the General Certificate of Education Advanced Level Examinations in Economics and Accounting offered by theUniversity ofCambridge.

After Junior College, he pursued an employment career with the Belize Social Security Board which lasted for thirteen years. His first post was at the First Class Clerk level and, after successive promotions; he attained the position of District Manager. During his time at Social Security he worked in all districts ofBelize; the last being in the Cayo District at the Belmopan Headquarters.

While being employed with Belize Social Security Board, Mr. Avila pursued a Bachelors Degree in Business Administration at the University College of Belize, the predecessor to theUniversity ofBelize. From this institution, he graduated with honors in 1997. During his employment at Social Security, Mr. Avila was also very much involved in the promotion of Education. As a part-time teacher, lecturer, trainer and mentor he taught various business related courses at several educational institutions including, ALE Business School inBelmopan, University of the West Indies School of Continuing Studies inBelize City andUniversity ofBelize, Toledo Campus. In 1998, after having ventured away fromPuntaGordaTown for the purposes of work and study, Mr. Avila moved back to his belovedPuntaGordaTown and established Business Information Services and Systems, a business consultancy firm specializing in corporate set-ups, organizational plans and systems development, financial management and taxation, project management and business training.

This year will mark Business Information Services and Systems’ thirteenth year in operations and it continues to serve its clients across the country as well its clients located in various parts of the world including, the United States, Canada, Costa Rica, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. Two years after establishing Business Information Services and Systems, being an avid believer in the value of education, Mr. Avila pursued and was successful in a Masters Degree in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of theWest Indies.

In 2005, along with his wife Lisa, he built and opened Beya Suites, the only local owned, luxury hotel inToledo. After only one year in operation, Beya Suites won the prestigious "Small Hotel of the Year" Award. This award is given each year by the Belize Tourism Board to one hotel inBelize, for excellence in service and superior quality in accommodations.

In 2006, as part of his corporate social responsibility agenda Mr. Avila conceptualized and established theBattle of the Drums Initiative. This initiative promotes the annualBattle of the Drums Competition and Show which brings thousands of people and tourism dollars to Punta Gorda. The greater objective of the initiative is to raise awareness and funds for the retrieval and preservation of the Garifuna culture. Through theBattle of the Drums Initiative, donations have been made available to various Garifuna Groups and cultural retrieval projects inPuntaGordaTown.

In 2007 Mr. Avila established the Lisa and Olivia Avila Educational Fund. Through this initiative donations have been provided to several schools inToledo includingToledoCommunity College,JulianChoTechnicalHigh School, St. Peter Claver Primary School andSt.BenedictPrimary School. This initiative also provides scholarships and book grants to four students currently attending high School.

In 2009, he was instrumental in establishing the Toledo Association of Businesses, a registered not-for-profit company limited by Guarantee that is committed to the enhancement, mentoring, preparation, motivation and organization of the private sector inToledo so as to make it more responsive and resilient to the challenges of local and global economy. The Association is the lead entity that pursues and protects business interests within the Toledo Community. Mr. Avila is the founding President of this Association. Under his leadership, this Association has pursued strategies that promote direct foreign investment as well as local business development and investment.

Mr. Avila continues to be a part of the development process inToledo. He recognizes that his accomplishments are the result of divine intervention, hard work and perseverance. He also recognizes that to whom much is given, much is expected and that it is in giving that one receives. His daily life he is guided by three simple principles as follows:

1. It is in giving the one receives;

2. The African Proverb: “If many little people, in many little places, do many little things, you can change the face of the earth” and;

3. Success comes through planning,HARD WORKand perseverance.