Ryland Campbell’s unwavering dedication to country, community, and family was the common theme in the tributes paid to the late financial giant during a tearful service of thanksgiving for his life on Thursday.

Prime Minister Andrew Holness, who was not present at the service, sent a tribute read by Campbell’s sister, Roslyn Monteith Campbell. He praised the business leader’s vision and philanthropy which, he said, transformed the financial sector and left a lasting impact on Jamaica.

“Ryland Campbell’s passing is a great loss to Jamaica. His legacy of leadership, dedication and service has left an indelible mark on the nation,” Holness told mourners who packed the University Chapel on The University of the West Indies, Mona campus in St Andrew.

“His efforts in establishing a growing Capital and Credit transformed the company into a major player in Jamaica’s financial sector. The group provided a comprehensive range of financial products and services for both individuals and businesses,” Holness said and described Campbell as “one of Jamaica’s foremost influential business leaders of our time”.

Holness’s reference was to Capital and Credit Merchant Bank which Campbell co-founded in 1993. He is highly regarded as the man who safely navigated the bank through Jamaica’s most perilous financial sector crisis in the 1990s, one of the achievements that contributed to him being named the Jamaica Observer Business Leader for 2005.

Former Prime Minister PJ Patterson, in his tribute, hailed Campbell as a “business magnate of extraordinary vision and capacity” who inspired countless entrepreneurs and made lasting contributions to education.

“Ryland Campbell has left indelible marks on the sector of human resource evolution in order to accelerate Jamaica’s educational thrust from a knowledge-based economy. He was renowned for his sartorial elegance, his eclectic taste, his catholic energy, and his indulgence in dialectical discourse,” said Patterson.

He described Campbell as “a proud and patriotic citizen of Jamaica” and a distinguished Rotarian who never shirked the call for service above self.

“Conspicuous of the struggles and resilience of others who were not born with a silver spoon Ryland’s legacy is one of exceptional attainment and exemplary motivation,” Patterson said.

“His life reminds us of the heights that can be attained through the hallmarks of excellence, perseverance, and unquestioned integrity. Inestimable as is the burden in my own feeling of tremendous loss, I yet give thanks for the many years we shared such a resolute comradeship and indivisible brotherhood,” added Patterson.

Delivering the eulogy, Roslyn described her brother as a selfless individual who prioritised family above all else, recalling some of his many sacrifices.

She shared that it was her brother who had guided their father, Reginald, to move from the deep rural district of Carmel in Westmoreland to Santa Cruz, St Elizabeth “to better position his siblings’ access to secondary education with a choice of schools nearby”.

She recalled that when the move was almost thwarted due to financial restraints, Ryland sold his car to make the move possible.

She said that after graduating from Mico Teachers’ College, Campbell taught at Chantilly Primary School and often used his salary to help put his siblings through school.

“He pursued higher education with dedication, embodying his father’s mantra ‘All I can give you is an education, so take your book’,” she related.

“Ryland’s life was a beacon of service, of leadership, and transformation. His profound impact resonated deeply with his family, friends, and the broader community. He was a trailblazer who broke barriers and empowered countless individuals, leaving behind a legacy that will continue to inspire future generations,” she added.

Speaking on behalf of the Capital and Credit Financial Group (CCFG), Michelle Wilson-Reynolds fought back tears as she remembered her beloved friend and former chairman.

She described Campbell as a leader who led by example and always had his door open to staff at every level.

“Ours was a chairman who, although the recognised and undisputed respected head of CCFG, remained one of us… Make no mistake, he knew when to draw the line, if needed, but at the same time he kept us together with his e-mail blasts ‘From the desk of the chairman’ to the general staff, with motivational messages right down to the final day before CCFG closed following the sale to JMMB,” she said.

Asburn Pinnock, president of The Mico University College, where Campbell served as vice-chairman, highlighted his contribution to education, sharing that he often used his financial expertise to build the tertiary institution.

“With the passing of Dr Campbell, the Jamaican financial and educational landscape and the nation at large, and indeed the region, lost a true and noble servant, a stalwart and a maverick of a man… Ryland Campbell’s contributions and energy and the impact he made were tangible,” said Pinnock.

He joked that Campbell was often referred to as Mico’s ultimate encyclopaedia, possessing vast knowledge of the school’s history. “He was literally a treasure trove.”

He also described Campbell as “one of those true-blooded Jamaicans who, in spite of his challenges and the hurdles and regardless of prevailing winds, believed in Jamaica”.

“This giant of a man, a staunch Moravian, a proud Micovian, brought tremendous value to education and the financial sector and to Jamaica. [He was] a source of national pride. Jamaica and the world are better for knowing him. He has enriched the lives of many, and his legacy is firmly etched in the national conscience,” Pinnock said.