Jerrold Johnson ’93 has lived in America, Canada, and Jamaica, and after finally settling down in Jamaica, he made it his goal to bring hope and prosperity to his community through his business. Through many unexpected twists and turns in life and various job opportunities, Johnson has adopted a purpose over profit mindset that allows him to live in a way that glorifies God.
Born in Canada, Johnson and his sister moved to California to live with their brother when their parents moved back to Jamaica. Johnson had always wanted to play football growing up, but was unable to because Canadian football is only played on Sundays, and he was not allowed to play sports on Sundays. He began to play as a running back at his new high school in California. Johnson, his brother, and his sister in law attended a conference at Azusa Pacific University where he decided that APU was where he wanted to attend college and continue playing football. Johnson committed to APU’s football team as a running back and majored in marketing with a biblical studies minor.
Many National Football League (NFL) teams were drawn by Johnson’s skills on the field, but he decided to join the Canadian Football League (CFL) instead. After graduation, Johnson was drafted by the Toronto Argonauts as their first overall pick. He moved back to Canada but was let go from the team since they had a blockbuster 20 player trade after they drafted and got three veteran fullbacks, the same position as Johnson. He made it to number three on the depth chart before being cut. Later in the season, the team called him back to play for a couple of games. “People have told me that I made the wrong decision going to the CFL because it didn’t work out, but that’s not true,” Johnson said.
Johnson began working for a corporate company in Vancouver, but he decided to move back to Jamaica after visiting his family and being offered a job at his brother’s telecommunications company. He met his wife and they moved back to Canada so that she could earn her master’s degree. Afterwards, Johnson went to Jamaica to work for an investment firm where he was eventually promoted to a position that moved him back to Canada.
In his new position running operations for a Jamaican bank in Canada as the Chief Representative Officer, Johnson worked with mortgage products such as real estate, spring boarding his transition to his new business. His business partner, Dale Merrill, had found a building system that was climate resilient and thought it could be of use in Jamaica. In 2020, the two men registered E-Z Block Manufacturing Jamaica Ltd. in Jamaica and opened their first manufacturing facility in 2021.
The business’ community centered model has created employment opportunities, improved the housing affordability crisis, and brought profit to the community. All of the company’s goals keep purpose over profit at the root of their operations. To create purpose by further increasing employment opportunities, E-Z Blocks has a partnership with a local university where students can learn how to use the building materials. “People who go through the university short course become E-Z Block certified installers, but they need other helpers who understand how to use E-Z Blocks to build houses,” Johnson said. To solve this problem, E-Z Blocks has hosted workshops to train people looking to build their own houses and to use the building materials in order to help the certified installers. They also have a partnership with a large Christian organization that does skills training and community development. On the organization’s land, E-Z Blocks Manufacturing is opening their second factory in the fall, and a local company has subdivided a piece of their land so that people can build their own houses. “We’re teaching the community so that they can work and be employed,” Johnson said. “We’re not only looking at how we can build houses in the most affordable way, but how we can serve people. There has to be a profit for us to stay in business, but there is also a greater purpose in our work.”
Johnson’s purpose over profit mindset and community oriented business ideals stem from his faith. “At APU, I made the decision that I would be one person,” he said. “I’m the same Jerrold on the football field as I am when with my parents and friends or when I’m at work. Faith plays into who I am as a person, and I can’t separate myself from my faith in any area of my life.” Johnson hopes to mirror and represent Christ in his work while teaching others to do the same. His work with E-Z Blocks and in his continued participation in ministry have positively impacted his community, and Johnson credits his strong faith to the experiences he had at APU.