Prolific Jamaican Businessmen

Jamaican Businessmen | Gordon "Butch" Stewart

by Sheree-Anita Shearer | Associate Writer

Jamaica is not only the home of sprawling hotels and vibrant music, but we also have visionaries, who were able to form or oversee thriving businesses and in the case of some, multiple thriving businesses all operating out of Jamaica.

These are the most prolific businesses men from Jamaica.

Gordon Butch Stewart (1941-2021)

Sandals Overwater Bungalows (Sandals Mobay)

ATL Automotive (Bogue, Montego Bay)

You’ve heard of Sandals, Beaches, and Grand Pineapple? No? ATL then? All these businesses were the mind work of no other than Gordon “Butch” Stewart.

Stewart was able to lead his businesses into becoming powerhouse brands throughout the Caribbean which makes them two of the largest private employers in the region. The Sandals Resorts International brand is also the region's only international superbrand.

His resorts provide the most innovative, luxury included vacations for adults (Sandals), or families (Beaches and Grand Pineapple). ATL has two sections, one does appliances the other is a luxury cart dealer which supplies various brands of cars including Honda, Volkswagon and Porshe to the Caribbean.

Oliver Frederick Clarke (1944-2020)

The name Oliver Clarke is a prominent one in both media and business. He was the head of the Gleaner, a key contributor to the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica and the Jamaican National Building Society (now Jamaican National Bank).

Selwyn Carlton Alexander (1916-1989)

Though Selwyn Alexander was not the founder of Grace Kennedy and Company, he definitely contributed to the international conglomerate that it is now. Alexander joined the company at 16 as a store clerk and would move through the ranks to become chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the company.

The prolific business leader was also instrumental in the formation of the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica (1975) alongside Oliver Clarke.

Mayer Michael Matalon (1922-2012)

Mr. Matalon has founded and led many businesses spanning various fields. He was head of the state-run Jamaica Telephone Company (now Flow) and the genius behind packaged rice in Jamaica.

Through the West Indies Home Contractors Limited, one of the many companies that fall under the ICD Group of companies, he was responsible for much of the construction of housing developments in Jamaica, including, Independence City, Mona Heights and the pharmacies Oxford and York.

Sameer Younis (1912-2019)

Sameer Younis famously served as the head of the Jamaica Chamber of Commerce as well as the Jamaica Manufacturer’s Association. One of his passions was to be a servant of the disadvantaged and did so with the Chamber of Commerce Charity Ball with which his name is associated.

He also spearheaded the Clean as a Whistle project, a campaign to normalise safety on the motorways, by introducing the seatbelt ticket and the breathalyzer tests. He also founded his own company Fabric de Younis.

G Arthur Brown (1922-1993)

The first Jamaican Governor of the Bank of Jamaica. He first served as governor in 1967. Before this, he was the principal secretary in the Ministry of Finance, the first Jamaica to head the Central Planning Unit (the Planning Institute of Jamaica) and financial secretary in 1962.

As you can tell by now, Mr. Brown was an indispensable man when it came to public finance in Jamaica.

Paul Chen Young (1938-2020)

Paul Chen Young began working at the World Bank in 1966 before taking the decision to return home as a top economist and banker. He started the Worker's Savings and Loan Bank, started Chen-Young Associates and Eagle Financial Network.

Joseph Mitchell “Joe” Mahfood - (1942-2021)

Joseph Mahfood was a key part of the transformation of the Wisynco Group known for its WATA and Bigga soft drinks and Iron Man water boots.

The Food for the Poor now one of the largest poor relief and development organisations in the world and the largest in the United States was a collaboration between Joe Mahfood and his brother Ferdinand Mahfood.

Each of these men have used their love for business and their ability to lead, to create companies and initiatives that have proven to last for generations, providing jobs for Jamaicans and contributing to the sustainability of our country.

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References & Sources For Jamaican Businessmen

1. Top 30 Famous People From Jamaica - World Famous Jamaicans, https://www.my-island-jamaica.com/famous_people_from_jamaica.html

Jamaican Businessmen | Written: August 25th, 2022

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