Apr 13, 2022
Keith Cunningham, after spending time preparing to sit the University of Cambridge examination in England and successfully passing the examination, he graduated and went on to work for the government in the Lands and Surveys Department. There he was awarded a scholarship to attend training in the profession of Topography in Trinidad & Tobago, another neighboring, Caribbean nation. On completion, he returned to his position in St Vincent. Soon after returning from Trinidad, he was called by the US Embassy and granted an immigrant visa to the US. He arrived in New York, in the middle of winter in January 1965 at the age of 26. After a brief stay in California, where he lived in a small seaside town called La Jolla, a few miles outside San Diego, he headed back east to New York City. While in California, he wasted no time in seeking employment as he was resolved not to be a dependent of his great aunt. Having failed to find employment in California, he returned to New York in April of 1965, staying with friends until he could find employment. He finally got the ear and understanding of a personnel manager in the then Manufacturers Hanover Trust Co. He was offered employment working a midnight to 8:00 AM shift for which he gladly accepted. He attended Brooklyn College during the day and worked at night and eventually obtained a bachelors’ degree in Economics with a minor in Taxation. Keith was eventually able to switch over to day time hours where he worked his way through various supervisory positions. In 1972, he joined the rank of management when he was promoted to the official title of Assistant Manager. He was put in several positions of responsibility and continued to get promotions. On retirement in 2005, he left as a vice president of JPMorgan Chase. He subsequently was invited back as a consultant of Tax Compliance. Keith got married in 1972, bought his first home in 1973 and moved from Brooklyn to Queens, New York. In 1976, he bought a home in New Jersey where he still lives and where his and his wife’s only child was born and raised. If you or anyone you know would like to be interviewed to share on this podcast, call us at 240-232-5579 or email us at info@thedreamacademy.us