St Catherine High school graduate Howard Pounall Sr is a firm believer that if he can do it anyone can… and do it he has.

Pounall Sr has moved from washing dishes for money to now owning numerous properties in Jamaica, Canada and the United States, and from driving his stepfather’s blue LADA to having his very own 458 Ferrari.

The 46-year-old father of three children was born in Kingston, Jamaica. The eldest of three brothers, he grew up in the Ensom City, Spanish Town, neighbours to his cousin Juliet Holness, who is now the wife of Prime Minister Andrew Holness.

Howard migrated to Calgary Alberta, Canada, immediately after high school in 1990 to be with his family. In Canada, he joined his cousins in pursuing his passion as a sound system selector with his sound ‘Conqueror Sound’.

“I realized that the dancehall/party scene was primarily a weekend event,” Pounall told BUZZ. “So I quickly came to the conclusion that continuing my education had to be a priority.”

He landed his first job as a dishwasher, earning $4.95 per hour and was soon promoted to prep cook (salad bar) where he got a raise to $5.00 per hour at Brewsters Brewing Company on weekdays. He still played his sound system on weekends. Pounall later worked at Costco Wholesale as a grocery cashier/packer and eventually as a full-time forklift operator at Save On Foods. He enrolled as a full-time student at Mount Royal University (MRU) in 1992 while still holding down his job. He studied Criminology and Social work and graduated in the class of 1997.

Pounall got married in 1992 and became a father to Howard Jr. in 1994. Although it wasn’t easy being a young father, holding down a full-time job and going to school full time, Pounall was able to make the Dean’s Honour Roll.

Today, his name is still on the wall at MRU.

Over the years, Pounall has never stopped going. In 1997 he worked for the Government of Canada as an Immigration Officer/CBSA, from 1998 to 2007 he worked with the Alberta Justice Dept as a Probation Officer/Case Worker /Corrections. From 1999 to 2009  he worked at the Alberta Child & Family Services as a Social Worker, Youth Counsellor and Addictions Counsellor. Then in 2004 he switched his focus and started a new path in real estate working at Century 21 Bravo Realty as a Real Estate Associate/Real Estate Investor, a field he is currently in. He has consistently been acknowledged as a top producing agent and has won the Top Producer award 15 times.

Along with all this, Pounall still found the time to start his own businesses. In  2007 he started TMJ Trucking Ltd. In 2009 he started Canwest Paving Ltd and in 2017 the WP Investments Inc. He still owns all three businesses today.

And as a reward to self, Pounall decided to pursue his personal dream, becoming a pilot.

He started aviation training in Miami Florida in 2014 but because of his busy work schedule, he was unable to complete the program until the following year. In 2015, Pounall obtained his Private Pilot License with over 25 hours of instrument and later got his night rating in 2017 in Calgary, Alberta.

“Becoming a pilot was a childhood aspiration,” he said. “It wasn’t easy with my busy work schedule but I did it.”

For him balance is important. So while remaining a residential and commercial realtor in Calgary, Pounall balances his time between managing his properties in Calgary, the USA and Jamaica, while finding time to spend and travel with his family, including his children Howard Jr, Tashaye and Elin. He loves watching movies and sports and enjoys riding his Harley Davidson motorbike, flying planes, driving his jaw-dropping Ferrari, downhill skiing, playing golf and walking the family dog.

Pounall has certainly lived up to the motto of his former high school: ‘Prayer and work conquer all’. “Major credit to St Catherine High School for the discipline instilled in me, for real!” he said.

— Written by Donna Hussey-Stewart