Gary 'Butch' Hendrickson receives AFJ International Humanitarian Award

Gary 'Butch' Hendrickson C.D.

From the American Friends of Jamaica: 

I am pleased to introduce tonight’s honoree Gary “Butch” Hendrickson, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer of Continental Baking Company Ltd. and Coconut Bay Beach Resort & Spa in St. Lucia.  

Butch Hendrickson also chairs the board of the EXIM Bank, is a Vice President of the Private Sector Organization of Jamaica (PSOJ), and is a member of the Board of Directors of the Bank of Jamaica (BOJ) and Rainforest Seafoods.

Continental Baking Company is a leading provider of baked goods in Jamaica such as bread, buns, crackers and snacks and is most popularly known for its brands National, HTB and HoMade.

He actively participates in programs focused on early childhood education and local manufacturing in Jamaica and is a major contributor to charities such as Mustard Seed Communities, Laws Street Trade Training Centre, Food for the Poor and St. Patrick’s Foundation amongst many others.

(Butch Hendrickson Introductory Video)

AFJ Director and Gala CoChair, Ambassador Pamela Bridgewater, will present the 2016 International Humanitarian Award to Mr. Gary “Butch” Hendrickson for his exemplary leadership and philanthropy.
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Butch Hendrickson shows off a Mustard Seed
item at his Made In Jamaica Christmas Fair

Excerpt from Jamaica Observer column by Jean Lowrie-Chin

And so it was a special joy to learn that the American Friends of Jamaica (AFJ) whose Board comprises past and present esteemed US Ambassadors to Jamaica and other friends, have bestowed the AFJ International Humanitarian Award for philanthropy and exemplary leadership  on National Baking Chairman and Patron of the National Baking Foundation, Gary “Butch” Hendrickson.

Butch Hendrickson with Sister Mary Benedict Chung
"I don't know how our Laws Street projects would
survive without Butch's kindness," she says.

The AFJ’s Citation lists his titles, but only those of us who know him well, will understand the stratospheric generosity of this passionate Jamaican. Yes, he is Chairman & Chief Executive Officer of Continental Baking Company Ltd. and Coconut Bay Beach Resort & Spa in St. Lucia. He also chairs the board of the EXIM Bank, is a Vice President of Private Sector Organization of Jamaica (PSOJ), and is a member of the Board of Directors of the Bank of Jamaica (BOJ) and Rainforest Seafood’s.

Butch's son Craig has inherited his Dad's caring ways

Remarkably, this in-demand leader has devoted much of his time to mentorship and has ploughed hundreds of millions into early childhood education projects. He was the major sponsor of Crayons Count, and recently launched his National Baking Foundation, and has again committed millions to the Little Leaders programme, including a well-equipped mobile classroom. Even as he is working at this, Butch is constantly upgrading his manufacturing and distribution facilities, training, promoting and affirming his team members.

Little Leaders Launch with colleague Glen Christian

Butch Hendrickson is always deflecting praise, but, over the past six years, 27 new manufacturers have been bowled over by his ‘Bold Ones of Manufacturing’ programme, which has provided them with fully-paid marketing programmes, catapulting some to Jamaica Stock Market listing, and to overseas markets. Butch insists that without his faithful team members and customers, he would have been able to accomplish little.  This humility has been passed on by his legendary parents, Hon. Karl and Mrs. Nell Hendrickson, who are themselves icons of entrepreneurship and nation-building.

Marcus Garvey would applaud the work of this caring visionary.  In Garvey's words, “There is a world of opportunities awaiting us, and it is for us through unity of will and of purpose, to say we shall and we will play our part upon the great human stage of activity.”