Don Wehby was someone I knew very well and worked with him at various times. 

He was not only a friend, but he was a national treasure, and I was happy when he was bestowed with the well-deserved Order of Jamaica. 

I have known Don for over 30 years, and vividly recall us running into each other one day in the 90s, in the parking lot of what was then Medigrace. Don was leaving the office in his then navy blue Honda Civic, and as usual, he greeted me with his infectious smile. 

Since that time, we have kept in touch and spoken about many issues, particularly the economy.

It was when he became minister in 2007 that we began working together, when he called me to say that he wanted me to work on something very important for him. He said he wanted me to manage the Air Jamaica divestment, as it was going to be a defining part of his legacy as minister, and he needed someone he could rely on to do it. 

I recall that December in 2008, I sat in his office at the Ministry [of Finance] all day, as we discussed the best approach to divesting the airline, and we thought very carefully about who would be best to chair the divestment board. We agreed that Dennis Lalor would be an ideal person, and he called him and told him he wanted him to do it. The rest is history. Although we successfully divested the airline after Don had left office, he constantly kept in touch with us to find out how it was going, as it had to succeed.

All jobs were transitioned to the new airline, and it saved the country over US$100 million annually. He saw the vision of the benefit of the divestment for the country, and was savvy enough to put together a team to ensure its success. 

He was indeed a rare visionary, just like when he said to me that he was working on ensuring that the junior stock exchange was established, as he said that it would be good for small businesses to get capital. It was launched in 2009.

Don Wehby was an extraordinary person. He never boasted about the things he accomplished, as it was done because of a genuine belief that it would be better for the country or the business. He never went looking for any praise. 

For that reason, when I was CEO at the PSOJ (Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica), Don always called me and gave his assistance where he could. But when I asked him if he didn’t want to become president one day, he said to me, ‘No’. He would support as much as he could, but he didn’t want to be president. 

Throughout my career, Don would call me to give me advice. And the way he did it was by never imposing his thoughts, but always having a discussion in order that I could look at things from different perspectives. 

He was one of four persons who always called me whenever I took on a new challenge and gave me his perspective on what the risks were and how to deal with them. Always saying at the end, “D, just be careful, but I know that you can do it”.

He always saw the good in people, and as far as I can recall,  never had anything bad to say about anyone. He would criticise a decision made by someone, but never tried to destroy anyone’s character. This was a similarity he shared with the other three persons, who are Dennis Lalor, Butch Hendrickson and William Mahfood. 

Don had this uncanny ability to see potential in people before anyone else, or even before the person could see it themselves. He always said to me that one of his strategies in building Grace was to hire good people, even if there was no open position, he would hire them and find a fit for them within the Group because he believed that it is people who grow countries and organisations. 

I recall when he asked me to sit as a director on First Global Financial Services, and when he sold that business, he said to me that he didn’t want me to serve at any other financial institution as he would in time form another financial company and wanted me to be on that board. He eventually formed GK Capital and put me on as a director, and, ultimately, chairman.

Once a year, he would call me when he was doing his annual plan and ask me what my view was on the economy and where interest and exchange rates would end up. Or he would call me sometimes and say that he wanted to pick my brain about an upcoming presentation he wanted to make in the Senate. 

Such was the man that he never believed that all knowledge rested in his head, and that made him a people person. He made you feel special, and once a year, he would send me a basket at Christmas and send a text or call to say he had sent something for me. 

He loved going to the horse-racing track and spoke to me about how he loved to see the horses running. He was also ever-present at CHAMPS and loved to see the opportunity it provided for the youngsters. His involvement in CHAMPS really propelled the brand. 

He was a visionary, a leader, a friend, and just a very special person. He will be a very hard act to follow and has left a void that will be difficult to fill. He will be missed. 

My condolences to his family, GK, and his friends.