afj supplement the jamaica gleaner

by Laura Tanna

WHEN ASKED if I wouldbecome a director ofthe American Friends of

Jamaica (AFJ) in 2006, I wasn’tsure what it was. Researchrevealed that the AFJ was defi-nitely a philanthropic group withwhich I wanted to be associated,in part because their administra-tive costs were low so moneyraised really reached people forwhom it was intended, a bigplus in my eyes. A reason forthat is the AFJ’s policy of givingmoney to established organisa-tions in health, education anddevelopment which have proventheir responsibility with soundfinancial records but which needgreater financial input toachieve more. That’s one of thereasons we’ve been backers ofthe St Patrick’s Foundation,Jamaica Society for the Blind,Bustamante Children’s Hospital,Mustard Seed Communities, andmany more.

Another aspect of the AFJwhich ensures money reachesthose needing it most is thatdirectors are volunteers, just likethe volunteers who organise thetwo fund-raising galas each yearin New York City and Miami. Theexecutive director is compen-sated, but AFJ directors donatetheir time and skills to cut costs,taking an active interest in fol-lowing up on how donors’ dol-lars are spent in Jamaica.Whether it’s the Engels’ supportfor MoBay Hope MedicalDiagnostic Centre, or directorsmeeting with St Andrew’s ParishChurch Outreach programmes inMajesty Gardens and taking resi-dents deep into ‘Back-To’ to seetheir living conditions, or sittingin a room at the University ofthe West Indies conferring withstudents benefiting from schol-arships given by AmbassadorsCobb, Cooper and Holden, orsitting down with administratorsand nurses at Cornwall RegionalHospital to understand their

needs, American Friends ofJamaica board members attendmeetings in Jamaica and see forthemselves the programmes towhich they contribute inJamaica, even if the moneycomes primarily from Americansin America, where AFJ donationsare tax deductible.

INFLUENTIAL PEOPLEIt might interest you that all

past American ambassadors toJamaica have come on board tocontinue helping Jamaicathrough the AFJ. AmbassadorGlen Holden left Jamaica in1993, but was president of theAFJ for 14 years until he handedover to Ambassador Sue Cobb.These are powerful people withinfluential networks of friends.Ambassador Cobb went on to besecretary of state in Florida.They and their colleagues ensurethat the AFJ is reputable, alwaysreaching out to find ways tohelp Jamaica. Ralph and RickyLauren – yes, that Ralph Lauren –have for years made substantialdonations for educationthrough the AFJ. Now that spiritof giving has seen the rise of‘Jamericans’ in the diaspora andothers who know their contribu-

tions are well spent through theAFJ. Some in South Florida whoinitiated the Miami gala are nowboard members.

I dislike supplements, feelingtheir cost could be better used

for the content discussed, but ifthis helps you understand thevalue of AFJ’s work and whathas been accomplished with theUS$11.9 million raised forJamaica so far, please read this.

14 AMERICAN FRIENDS OF JAMAICA 30TH ANNIVERSARY FEATURE | SUNDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2012

A director’s perspective on the AFJ

TANNA

CONTRIBUTED

LennoxLewis (left)and ChrisBlackwellattend theAmericanFriends ofJamaicaGala in NewYork in 2008.

THE AMERICAN Friends ofJamaica (AFJ) was estab-lished in 1982, driven largely

by a handful of wealthyAmericans with homes on thenorth coast, and who had devel-oped a deep appreciation, notonly for the beauty and exuber-ance of Jamaica, but also for theneeds of its people.

The AFJ is what is known inthe United States as a ‘501(c)(3)organisation’, which means thatcontributions are tax deductiblein the US. In other words,through AFJ, US residents andcitizens can make contributionsto Jamaican charities and getthe tax advantages that wouldotherwise not be available ifthey were to make the donationstraight to the Jamaican entity.

As such, AFJ is a unique andvaluable resource to Jamaica,combining integrity, credibilityand a track record of charitablegiving, the tax advantages thatdonors expect, and a wide-spread network of generoussupporters and friends.

CHARITABLE ORGANISATIONToday, AFJ contributors

include American multinationalcorporations with commercialinterests in Jamaica, Americanswho vacation, work or reside inJamaica, past and present mem-bers of the diplomatic corps,and a dynamic group of‘Jamericans’ from the diaspora.

In its over 31 years of exis-tence, AFJ has become a well-established charitable organisa-tion which has raised and dis-tributed approximately US$12million to assist Jamaican chari-ties in the areas of education,health care and human and eco-nomic development. The AFJhas had a special relationshipwith the University of the WestIndies (UWI). Four bursaries havebeen established to benefit UWI

– three bursaries to assist stu-dents, and the AFJ Cobb FamilyLecture Series.

The AFJ board of directorscomprises 15 members:AAmmbbaassssaaddoorr SSuuee MM.. CCoobbbb,,JJiimm CCaaddaa,, BBaarrrroonn CChhaannnneerr,,AAmmbbaassssaaddoorr GGaarryy CCooooppeerr,,SSyyddnneeyy aanndd SSyyllvviiaa EEnnggeell,,PPaatt FFaallkkeennbbeerrgg,, MMaannuueellaaGGoorreenn,, AAmmbbaassssaaddoorr GGlleennHHoollddeenn,, LLoorrrraaiinnee LLoorreenncc,,MMaarrkk JJoonneess,, AAmmbbaassssaaddoorrBBrreennddaa JJoohhnnssoonn,, MMoonniiccaaLLaadddd,, AAmmbbaassssaaddoorr SSttaannMMccLLeell llaanndd,, DDrr LLaauurraa TTaannnnaa,,MMiicchheellee RRooll ll iinnss aanndd LLaaccyyWWrriigghhtt.

AMERICAN FRIENDS OF JAMAICA 30TH ANNIVERSARY FEATURE | 15SUNDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2012

From left: Mark Jones, Ambassador Sue Cobb and Lacy Wright. CONTRIBUTED PHOTOS

Riverton Meadows Early Childhood Development Centre, partof the St Patrick Foundation.

AFJ on a mission to help


Willing to serveJamaica“All obstacles and controversies have reasonableand valuable solutions.” – Glen A. Holden

AT THE request of President George Bush(41), Holden served as the United Statesambassador to Jamaica from April 1989 until

March 1993. Holden became deeply dedicated tothe nation and its people and ultimately served asthe chair of the charitable organisation, AmericanFriends of Jamaica(AFJ), for 14 years.Upon leaving hispost as chair of theAFJ in 2007, heshared with theJamaica GGlleeaanneerr: “Ilove Jamaica andthe Jamaican peo-ple, and I will alwaysbe around to help inwhatever way I can.I wish the best forthe country and itswonderful people.”

AmbassadorHolden grew up on a ranch outside of Portland,Oregon from the age of six where he developed apassion for horses and eventually polo. His GehacheTeam has played 25 straight years in the Pacific CoastOpen Championship and has played in the US Openseveral times, winning the championship in 1993.

ACHIEVEMENTSHe was inducted into the Museum of Polo Hall of

Fame. For 10 years, Ambassador Holden was gover-nor of the US Polo Association and a founder andmember of the Council of Administration of theFederación Internacional de Polo (FIP), which is thegoverning body for the sport of polo in theInternational Olympics. He has served as presidentof FIP, commencing January 1997 and ending hisnine-year term in December 2005. He is a trusteeof 34 years of the Santa Barbara Polo Club.

Ambassador Holden received an honorary doc-torate of philanthropy and an honorary doctorateof laws from Pepperdine University. He was therecipient of the American Humanics Hand to YouthAward and its Exemplar Award in 1986. In 1990, hereceived the Oxford Cup, Beta Theta Pi fraternity’smost prestigious alumni award. The ambassadorwas the inaugural recipient of The NationalAssociation of Variable Annuity Hall of Fame Award.He also was inducted into the US Museum of Poloand Hall of Fame.

SUE MCCOURT Cobb has spent most of the past decadein federal and state government service. From 2001 to2005, she was the American envoy to Jamaica. During2006, Ambassador Cobb served as sec-retary of state of Florida, a return toFlorida’s capitol, having served in theCabinet of Governor Jeb Bush in thelate ‘90s as CEO of the Florida Lottery.Throughout 2003-2007, AmbassadorCobb also served as co-chair of the USDepartment of State’s mandatory sem-inars for newly appointed ambassadors.

Sue Cobb is currently president ofThe Cobb Family Foundation and isengaged in private-sector businessactivities with Cobb Partners, Ltd, aCoral Gables, Florida-based investmentfirm. In 2007, Ambassador Cobb waselected to serve as president of the American Friendsof Jamaica, a nationwide, New York-based charitableorganisation. She is an active member of the Councilof American Ambassadors and the Council on ForeignRelations. She is the sponsor of the State Department’s‘Exemplary Diplomatic Service’ award for non-career

ambassadors. Her husband, Ambassador Charles Cobb,sponsors two State Department awards for ‘Initiativeand Success in Trade Development’.

In private engagements, AmbassadorCobb was founding partner of the PublicFinance Department of the Greenberg-Traurig law firm where she practised forseveral years. She also served three termsas chair of the Federal Reserve Bank,Miami Branch. Long involved in civic andcharitable organisations, AmbassadorCobb has been recognised for her contri-butions in both Jamaica and Iceland andby numerous organisations, including theAmerican Red Cross, the United Way,Goodwill Industries and the NationalConference for Community and Justice.

Sue Cobb is a graduate of StanfordUniversity and the University of Miami

School of Law. She has published in the UUnniivveerrss ii ttyyooff MMiiaammii LLaaww RReevviieeww and also authored a booktitled TThhee EEddggee ooff EEvveerreesstt, an account of hertravels through China and Tibet and her attempt tobe the first woman from the United States to reachthe summit of Mt Everest.

Giving a helping hand

Sue Cobb – ascending to great heights

AMBASSADOR BRENDAJohnson was appointedas the United StatesAmbassador to Jamaicafrom 2005 to 2009. Sheis a founding partner ofBrenMer Industries,having started in 1977.The company importsand markets consumerproducts.

Since departing

embassy Kingston,Ambassador Johnson hasjoined the Laura BushWomen’s Council a partof the George W. BushInstitute. She serves onthe board of the StGeorges’ Society and theRose Town Foundation inKingston, Jamaica.

Ambassador Johnsonhas supported and

made a difference inJamaica and with theAFJ for many years. Sheis alert to people’sneeds, always willing tolisten and help findsolutions. The board ofdirectors has electedAmbassador Johnson aspresident of the AFJ,effective November2012.

CONTRIBUTED

Ambassador Sue Cobb (centre) with students and staff of the St Andrew’s Care Centre (SACC) andSACC chairman, Milverton Reynolds (right), 2011.

JOHNSON

COBB

HOLDEN


The Engels – Helpingto make Jamaican institutions first classTWENTY-FIVE YEARS ago, Sydney and Sylvia

Engel fell in love with Jamaica and its people.They enjoy the weather and, being three

hours from New York, it is a good location for theirannual family reunions. After a heart attack duringa visit to Montego Bay, Sydney Engel decided toput his efforts into improving the medical condi-tions in Jamaica. With support from Half Moon,Ralph Lauren, Baptist Hospital and other contribu-tors, MoBay Hope Medical Centre was inauguratedin 1997.

In 2011-2012, through the efforts of MoBayHope and the American Friends of Jamaica, Inc,money has been contributed to fund equipmentfor two new operating suites and much-neededmedical equipment for Cornwall Regional Hospital.“I have put my efforts out to help rebuild Cornwall

Regional Hospital which is so important to thecommunity, tourists and visitors; I would like tosee it become a first-class facility comparable towhat we have in the United States”, says SydneyEngel.

FIRST-HAND EXPERIENCE Sydney Engel has been involved in industrial,

residential and commercial real-estate develop-ment since 1946 in the United States. With experi-ence in every aspect of the business – from plan-ning to construction to architectural review andfinancing – he offers a depth of first-hand experi-ence not commonly found in the industry today.Throughout his successful and substantial career,Engel has continued to build opportunity for hispartners and collaborators, delivering one successafter another.

PHOTO BY NOEL THOMPSON

Sydney and Sylvia Engel.

THE LORD allows us only one lifetime hereon Earth, and some people seem able tofill theirs to overflowing with a remark-able number of accomplishments.

Consider this list of achievements andtitles: Graduate of the University of NotreDame, Marine Corps major general,ambassador to Jamaica, state legislator,honorary doctorate from Troy University,assistant secretary of the Air Force, boardmember for national corporations,Alabama commissioner of humanresources.

They all belong to one man, Mobile’s J.Gary Cooper, more properly identified asAmbassador Cooper or General Cooper.

He was raised in the ‘Down the Bay’section of Mobile, south of the MobileCivic Centre. He grew up in the 1940sand early ‘50s when Mobile was still afully segregated Southern city. In1948, his father, A.J. Cooper Sr, wasleading a fund-raising effort to build ahospital that would accept African-American women. In those days, blackbabies were born at home. One day,police cars drove down DelawareStreet, then just a dirt road, escortinga limousine that stopped in front ofthe Cooper home. Out steppedArchbishop Fulton J. Sheen and ClareBoothe Luce, former congresswoman,and wife of Henry Luce, the founder ofTT iimmee MMaaggaazz iinnee. They were there tohelp with the hospital fund. Sheen, a

nationally famous television figure,spoke to young Gary about NotreDame and told him that, if he wantedto go there, Sheen himself would writea recommendation.

SCHOLARSHIPCooper graduated from Most Pure

Heart of Mary School and did head toNotre Dame. He left Mobile on theHummingbird, a train that took himnorth. He rode in the last car – the‘coloured’ car. Although a scholarshipprovided some money, there were stillmajor expenses. Cooper actually gothelp from the state of Alabama. In thedays of ‘separate but equal,’ black col-leges often were unable to offer all thefields of study found at white colleges.So the state would pay the tuition dif-ference for a black student who had togo out of state for his major. InCooper’s case, that major was finance.He says that he got a nice check, about$5,000 he recalls, from Montgomery –and quietly invested it with Merrill-Lynch. Clearly, he had already learnedsome things from his classes.

At Notre Dame, Cooper was one of onlythree African-Americans in his 1958 classof 1,500. He says everyone was cordial tohim, and he grew completely comfort-able functioning in that environment.

“I don’t think I would have been assuccessful as I was in the Marine Corpswithout the Notre Dame experience,”

Cooper says. “It exposed me to diversity.It exposed me to white folk whom Inever sat in a room with in my life.” TheReserve Officer Training Corps was a partof most colleges in those days. Cooperjoined up with the Marine contingent,fulfilling a dream that began when hesaw John Wayne in SSaannddss ooff IIwwoo JJ iimmaaat the Harlem Theatre in Mobile.“Anybody that bad,” he laughs today, “Iwanted to be like them!” He got hischance at combat in Vietnam, starting inMay 1966. A child of the harshly segre-gated South, he was now a black mangiving orders to white men, command-ing a Marine company.

FLABBERGASTEDIn 1989, Cooper was appointed assis-

tant secretary of the Air Force, and hebecame President Bill Clinton’s choice asambassador to Jamaica, serving from1994 to 1997.

Among his many photos are a clustershowing him standing with three differ-ent presidents: Jimmy Carter, GeorgeH.W. Bush and Clinton.

Cooper still has causes. He is worriedabout the next generation. “I don’t knowwhat to do with our children! I’m flabber-gasted! The only thing I can think of iseducation,” he said. Most of us wouldagree that Gary Cooper has had enoughadventures to fill a book – and, it turnsout, that’s one of his latest projects. “Stillin the very early stages,” he laughs.

Ambassador Cooper’s life of purpose

Ambassador J. Gary Cooper.

22 AMERICAN FRIENDS OF JAMAICA 30TH ANNIVERSARY FEATURE I SUNDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2012

Stan McLelland – Aman of many talentsTEXAS OIL executive Stanley

Louis McLelland arrived inJamaica on February 4,

1998, and presented his creden-tials to the governor general ofJamaica as the US ambassadorto Jamaica on February 6, 1998.He was nominated by PresidentClinton on October 2, 1997, andconfirmed as the new UnitedStates ambassador to Jamaicaon November 10, 1997.

McLelland has served for thelast 16 years as a senior executive(most recently, executive vice-president and general counsel) ofValero Energy Corporation, anindependent refiner based in SanAntonio, Texas.

In addition to his business expe-rience, McLelland has beeninvolved in a number of civic,international and charitable activi-ties. He was selected as host co-chairman of the 1991 US-MexicoBorder Attorneys GeneralConference, and served in tradedelegations to Mexico in 1991and 1995. A member of the TexasUnion Advisory Council for the

University of Texas at Austin,McLelland also serves on theDevelopment Board for theUniversity of Texas at San Antonio,and the President’s Council forthe University of Texas HealthScience Center in San Antonio. Healso is a member of the UnitedWay of America’s NationalCorporate Associates Council.

A Texas native, he graduated in1967 from the University of TexasLaw School. In 1991, he receiveda diploma from StanfordUniversity’s Graduate School ofBusiness, Executive Programme.

Michele Rollins’ love for JaMICHELE ROLLINS fondlyremembers the first time shesaw Jamaica. It was 1976, andthe former Miss USA-turnedattorney was dating businesstycoon, John W. Rollins Sr,Delaware’s former lieutenantgovernor. She fell in love withJamaica’s white sand, emeraldpeaks and Rose Hall, theMontego Bay property thatJohn Rollins rescued from ruins.“I thought it was absolutelymarvellous,” she recalls.

Her passion for Jamaica wasone of many things she sharedwith her husband, whom she married in 1977.

John Rollins felt so strongly about Jamaicathat he spent $2.5 million renovating the RoseHall Great House. He built two hotels at a timewhen tourism was a new island industry.

But, critics might say, love is blind. In the

1970s, when interest rateswere skyrocketing, mostinvestors wouldn’t touch thepolitically volatile island. JohnRollins, however, was investinghundreds of millions of dollars– and losing it. His convictiondidn’t waver.

PASSIONATEToday Michele Rollins, chair of

Rollins Jamaica Ltd, the holdingcompany for Rose HallDevelopment Ltd, is seeing the

couple’s forbearance bear fruit.Like her late husband, Michele

Rollins remains passionate about Jamaica,spending about half the year there. And thelove affair shows no sign of waning. “This is ahuge opportunity for world-class tourism,” saysRollins, who’s become a business powerhouse inher own right. “You can feel the excitement.”

Jim Cada – A community manJAMES A. Cada was born andraised on a farm north ofSchuyler, Nebraska. He graduatedfrom the University of Nebraska-Lincoln with a Bachelor ofScience degree, a Master of Artsdegree in education, and his lawdegree from the University ofNebraska College of law. Aftergraduation, he worked as a pros-ecutor and assistant city attorneyfor the City of Lincoln, workingprimarily in criminal trial practice.

Cada has been licensed to prac-tise law in the state of Nebraskasince 1972 and conducts trialwork in both county and districtcourts. He is admitted to practisebefore the US Supreme Court, USCourt of Claims, the Eight CircuitCourt of Appeals, US DistrictCourts and the Nebraska StateCourts. Cada taught five years asan assistant professor at theUniversity of Nebraska-Lincoln.

He is very active in the com-munity; his service includes theNebraska Bar Association, wherehe was in the House ofDelegates for eight years as wellas in many bar association com-mittees. He also served on theBar Foundation and continues toserve as a pretrial release hear-ing officer, as he has done since1983. Cada is on the board of

directors of the NebraskaAssociation of Trial Lawyers andis a member of the AmericanAssociation for Justice.

He also has been appointedby the governor of Nebraska tothe Health CoordinatingCouncil, the NebraskaWorkforce Investment Board,the veterans task force on theNebraska Partnership, and chairof the selection committee forthe Director of the Departmentof Veterans Affairs.

Cada is currently the secretaryof the American Friends ofJamaica board of directors aswell as a member of the BetterBusiness Bureau, the LincolnChamber of Commerce, theNebraska Chamber ofCommerce, the AmericanChamber of Commerce and theAmerican Jamaican Chamber ofCommerce.

MCLELLAND ROLLINS

CADA

American Friends of Jamaica board of directors with University of the West Indies students.

THE ANNUAL New York Galais the American Friends ofJamaica’s (AFJ) flagship

event celebrating an individualand/or company with significantcontributions to the countrywhile raising important fundsfor charities in Jamaica. Thenight begins with a silent auc-tion and cocktails followed bydinner, live auction, award pres-entation and entertainment. Anexciting night in honour ofJamaica!

The AFJ honours individualsand/or companies that havedistinguished themselves bydemonstrating leadership intheir service to Jamaica, in par-ticular through exemplary con-tributions in the areas of educa-

tion, health care and economicdevelopment, and strengthen-ing the bonds of friendshipbetween the US and Jamaica.The AFJ awards theInternational HumanitarianAward and the AFJ InternationalAchievement Award.

In 2007, the AFJ adoptedthe etching of Jamaica’snational bird, the humming-bird or doctor bird as the sym-bol of leadership, service andphilanthropy dedicated toJamaica. Former honoureesinclude Ralph and RickyLauren, Harry Belafonte, DenisO’Brien, Chris Blackwell, MichelRollins, Orville ‘Shaggy’ Burrell,Lennox Lewis and Maurice andValerie Facey.


AFJ raises funds with Hummingbird Gala

Caron Chung– charting thepath AS EXECUTIVE director of theAmerican Friends of Jamaica(AFJ), Caron Chung is responsi-ble for aligning ongoing pro-grammes with the organisation’smission and purpose. CaronChung has over 15 years of mar-keting and management experi-ence. She has been involved inall fund-raising activities, rein-forcing the AFJ as a leading non-profit for Jamaica and identify-ing programmes. Her guidingprinciple is “there is no greaterfeeling than the feeling you getfrom giving”. CHUNG

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AMERICAN

FRIENDS OF

JAMAICA

MOMENTS

THANKS TO OUR JAMAICAN PARTNERS: Couples Resorts, Sandals Resorts, IberostarHotel, Island Outpost, Jamaica Tours Limited, The Jamaica Gleaner, GraceKennedy andCompany Ltd., Rose Hall Developments, Jamaica National Building Society, Pan-JamaicaInvestment, Digicel.

afj supplement the jamaica gleaner

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