She heard comments like, ‘‘Nobody no live de, it off the main road, is who gwine come buy from yuh?’’, but ‘Miss P’ as she is popularly known, refuse to be deterred even when the banks refused to support her idea. ‘’You must always follow your dream,’ said ‘Miss P’, whose tall commanding frame exudes confidence.
So she persisted. The help she needed finally came and having decided that people satisfaction would be the plank of her success, in the early to mid 1980s she established GPCL, a business consisting of a supermarket, variety store, bar and lounge.
In no time, Greenwood Plaza began to attract the curious and the curiosity made them customers. The word spread and as the area developed into a prime residential area, the ‘madness’ tag was replaced by ‘genius’, just as ‘Miss P’ herself had predicted.
Always looking for growth, whether it be plants or otherwise, Miss P reasoned that with the boom in housing construction, it would be a cinch to capture those builders who were travelling to Falmouth or Montego Bay for supplies by making the same products available to them in a friendly relaxed atmosphere, served by a caring staff.
From this rationale, the lounge and bar receded into the background and Greenwood Hardware Store became a reality.
‘’Here we pride ourselves on being able to provide everything for anybody establishing a home. Once you have the land, Greenwood Plaza can support the rest at reasonable prices with low cost delivery service added,’’ said Miss P. with more than a glint of pride in her business accomplishments.
But all the successes at Greenwood could not be achieved without the staff, she said. ‘’It is difficult to single out any one person, whether it is my husband (Trevor Burnett) or any one member of staff. All members of my team work toward the good of us all. Here, we are a family. It just couldn’t have happen without them,’’ she said. Neither could it without its customers and so GPCL arranges special community events as its way of saying thanks.
There has been an annual Christmas Treat for children and the school in the area as well as sponsorship for sportsmen from the community.
Miss P, a lover of Rhythm and Blues music, is most often at work. Whenever she finds the time, she tries to prove she has green fingers by planting what she can and watching growth in a different form take place outside the company. She worships at Calvary Baptist Church in Montego Bay.
Always looking for growth, whether it be plants or otherwise, Miss P reasoned that with the boom in housing construction, it would be a cinch to capture those builders who were travelling to Falmouth or Montego Bay for supplies by making the same products available to them in a friendly relaxed atmosphere, served by a caring staff.
“Here we pride ourselves on being able to provide everything for anybody establishing a home. Once you have the land, Greenwood Plaza can support the rest at reasonable prices with low cost delivery service added,’’ said Miss P. with more than a glint of pride in her business accomplishments.
But all the successes at Greenwood could not be achieved without the staff, she said. ‘’It is difficult to single out any one person, whether it is my husband (Trevor Burnett) or any one member of staff. All members of my team work toward the good of us all. Here, we are a family. It just couldn’t have happen without them,’’ she said. Neither could it without its customers and so GPCL arranges special community events as its way of saying thanks.
There has been an annual Christmas Treat for children and the school in the area as well as sponsorship for sportsmen from the community.
Miss P, a lover of Rhythm and Blues music, is most often at work. Whenever she finds the time, she tries to prove she has green fingers by planting what she can and watching growth in a different form take place outside the company. She worships at Calvary Baptist Church in Montego Bay.
Her advice to others would be entrepreneurs is simply this: ‘’Always be there for your customers to give as much as possible personalized service. All parts of the operation are very important.’’
Over time, Greenwood Plaza Company is to be expanded further, with immediate plans now including a pharmacy.
Board of Directors
Madge Neil-Burnett, O.D., J.P. Chairman & Managing Director
Madge Neil-Burnett, affectionately known as Ms. Pat, is a celebrated business proprietor and Justice of the Peace for the parish of St. James. She established Greenwood Plaza in 1982 as a small supermarket, bar and gift shop, building on an entrepreneurial journey that began in the early 1970s.
Through her vision and leadership, Greenwood Plaza has grown into a successful multi-divisional organization. She has pioneered numerous business expansions and has been featured in publications including The Gleaner, The Jamaica Observer and the Western Mirror. She has also served as president of the Greenwood Citizens Association.
Philanthropy remains an important part of her life, guided by her personal maxim: "There is no I can't; everyone can make it, with a little help."
Trevor Burnett, Snr. Executive Director
Trevor Burnett, Snr. is an Executive Director of Greenwood Plaza Company Limited. Known for his quiet and reserved manner, he brings extensive professional experience and sound business judgment to the organization.
Before joining the family business in 2001, he enjoyed a distinguished career with Jamaica Customs, receiving several awards for outstanding performance. Following his retirement, he joined his wife, Madge Neil-Burnett, in the continued development of Greenwood Plaza.
Affectionately known as Bungles among family and close friends, he is respected for his approachable nature and willingness to assist others.
Christopher Burnett Executive Director & General Manager
Christopher Burnett is an innovative and results-driven business leader who believes that profitability, responsible business practices and long-term sustainability are intrinsically linked.
He joined the management of his family's business in 2008 and was appointed to the Board of Directors in 2011. As Executive Director and General Manager, he provides strategic and operational leadership across Greenwood Plaza's business divisions.
With a strong emphasis on modernization, operational efficiency and customer experience, Christopher has championed the integration of technology, digital commerce and improved business systems to strengthen the company's competitiveness and support its continued growth.
Committed to building upon the legacy established by his parents, he remains focused on positioning Greenwood Plaza for sustainable growth while preserving the values upon which the company was founded.
Christopher holds an honours degree in Management Studies from the University of the West Indies, Mona Campus, and is a graduate of Knox College in Spalding, Clarendon.