Glen Christian learnt the art of business at the feet of his mother, Evelyn, one of those hardy rural women who helped build Jamaica from the bottom up. She religiously took the weekly trek from the farming district of Brandon Hill, Clarendon to the mecca of markets, the Coronation Market in the island’s capital. When she couldn’t make it, she would send Glen.

At age 17, Glen Christian migrated to Kingston to continue his education at the Buxton High School on Victoria Avenue and to seek a job. He worked as a postman in the morning from the Hagley Park Post Office and attended school in the evening. Among the premises to which he delivered letters was 216 Marcus Garvey Drive. It was the home of Colgate Palmolive whose assets he would in time acquire but could not have known it then.

Steeped in the spiritual and moral values taught by his mother, he understood from very early that “education was going to be the passport for life”. In 1965 he enrolled at the Mico College, graduating three years later among the first batch of teachers. However his stint in that area was short lived and, in 1971, he landed a job as a salesman in the pharmaceutical division of HD Hopwood. During that time, he acquired the Portmore Pharmacy in 1979, leaving his wife, Marva to operate it. After 16 years with HD Hopwood, Christian made the decision to go fully into business for himself. He was certain that all his experiences so far had led him to this day. The lessons from his stepfather Edward Mitchell were still etched in his mind. “He used to say, ‘If you mek di morning pass and yu don’t mek use of the morning, then yu night going to be extra dark, so whatever you have to do, do it early’.”

In 1986 Christian established Cari-Med Limited out of a 3,500-square foot building at 20 Lady Musgrave Road to begin a new odyssey in business. The firm started operations a year later with three employees. That number would, in time, grow exponentially to 400. Wanting to focus clearly on his areas of strength – Glen sold the Portmore Pharmacy and asked his wife to join him at Cari-Med.

In 1995, Cari-Med entered the consumer goods industry with the launch of its Consumer Sales Division. This division now leads the distribution to groceries, pharmacies and non-traditional accounts in Jamaica, representing leading international brands such as Lysol, Air Wick, Purina, Ensure, Wrigley, Lucozade and Scotch Brite. The company’s pharmaceutical division represents seven of the top 10 drug companies worldwide, including GlaxoSmithKline, Novartis, and Merck Sharp & Dohme. In 2002, Cari-Med formed its Hospital and Medical Equipment Division as an offshoot of the Pharmaceutical Division.

Another affiliate company – Kirk Distributors Limited – was formed in 2006 following Glen Christian’s acquisition of the assets of Colgate Palmolive Jamaica Limited and the distribution rights for their products. Today, Kirk Distributors employs over 224 persons and represents several leading international brands. The company’s portfolio includes major brands such as Colgate-Palmolive, Johnson & Johnson, Listerine, and Clorox.

In 2012, Kirk Distributors purchased the Kendel brand with its extensive range of food products. In late 2014, Kirk Distributors acquired Federated Pharmaceutical, a company founded in 1958, as the first manufacturer of ethical pharmaceuticals in the English-speaking Caribbean.

Federated Pharmaceutical manufactures a range of over-the-counter pharmaceuticals, with the main categories being analgesics, cough, cold and allergy medications, antacids and vitamins/supplements. The company employs some 70 persons.

Glen Christian has earned numerous awards throughout his illustrious career. Among these are, the Governor General’s Achievement Award for Community Service (1995); The Jamaica Observer’s Business Leader and Lifetime Achievement awards (2007).

On July 10, 2016 the committed family man and patriot was recognized in a more deeply personal way at an event organized by the leadership of the Privilege Baptist Church and friends of Brandon Hill. Several generations of his family have attended that church. As the tributes flowed from those who have benefited from his generosity it became clear that Brandon Hill is a place to which Glen Christian remains deeply attached. A highlight of the evening was the unveiling of a monument in his honour. That structure, however, stands at the entrance of an even greater monument – the Evelyn Mitchell Infant School and Centre of Excellence.

The school, named in honour of Christian’s mother, was built by the Cari-Med Foundation in 2010 and serves over 100 children aged 4 to 6 years from Brandon Hill and surrounding communities. This modern facility, built at a cost of $70 million, includes three classrooms with adjoining bathrooms, a fully functional kitchen and eating area, an auditorium, library, and administrative offices.

In 2014, the building designed by Taylor Architects won the Governor General’s Award as well as the Award of Merit in the Public and Institutional Category from the Jamaican Institute of Architects.

Buoyed by the positive impact of the Evelyn Mitchell Infant School on the Brandon Hill community, Christian has since replicated that project in Kingston. In 2014, he and long-time friend and colleague Gary ‘Butch’ Hendrickson, chairman of National Baking Company Ltd. established the Union Gardens Foundation which seeks to forge public-private sector partnerships to improve the state of early childhood facilities in low-income communities across Jamaica. The Foundation’s first project was the construction of a state of the art infant school in the community of Union Gardens, off the Spanish Town Road. The Union Gardens Infant school, built to accommodate 150 students between ages 3 ½ to 5 years, was constructed at a cost of $174M through a partnership between the Union Gardens Foundation, other private sector companies, the CHASE Fund and the Jamaica Social Investment Fund.

A firm believer in the power of prayer, Christian credits his faith in God for giving him the strength and passion to persevere in building a legacy which has benefited not only his family, but also the families of his over 600 employees. He attributes much of his personal success to his wife, Marva, his rock who has served in the capacity of credit manager for Cari-Med Limited since 1987, and currently occupies the position of credit director. He also celebrates fatherhood through his love for his daughters Althea and Kavell and his sons Gregory and Kirk.

As his first two companies Cari-Med Ltd. and Kirk Distributors celebrate 30 and 10 year anniversaries this year, Glen Christian reflects on his journey from barefoot country boy, to CEO and Chairman.

His formula for success is simple. “You have to be prepared for success. You can’t just stand up wishing and hoping something is going to come to you. You have to go and look for it. And when you would have found it, you ensure that you maximize your potential and whatever opportunities are there.” And he also has a bit of advice for budding entrepreneurs, “You have to love people… not money. You can’t win without people.”

By Desmond Allen with additional reporting by Lorraine Jones