THE LIFE OF CHRISTOPHER PAUL GARDNER

Amongst the many rags-to-riches tales we know, the life-

story Chris Gardner is considered one of the most famous of
all. The epitome of a humble beginning, this man lacked
everything he needed to survive, in his youth. He was
separated from his mother by a violent and abusive
stepfather, and was brought up in several foster homes.
Soon he decided to join the Navy, serving in the US Corps for
four years. After retirement, the war veteran took up the job
of a laboratory research assistant, with surgeon Robert Ellis
showing confidence in his promising medical career.
However, the job was low-paying, and with a family to fend for, the young man had to abandon all
dreams of becoming a doctor. He sold medical equipment for some time, never really satisfied with
what he did. Soon, the hunger for doing something more rewarding grew, and he decided to become
a stockbroker. After a few attempts at various training programs offered by different firms, he was
soon accepted as a trainee at the 'Dean Witter Reynolds'. His dedication paid off, and soon he was
able to establish his own firm, 'Gardner Rich & Co.', which might have started small, but ended up
shooting Chris to fame.

Childhood & Early Life

 Chris was born to Bettye Jean Gardner and Thomas Turner on February 9, 1954, in
Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He has a stepsister, Ophelia, from his mother's earlier marriage,
and two half-siblings, Kimberly and Sharon, from Bettye's third husband, Freddie Triplett.

 The young children had a harsh childhood, with instances of separation from their mother,
when Bettye was falsely accused of crimes by the violent Triplett. However, it was Chris'
mother who was his inspiration behind his success, motivating him to be independent and
confident, in spite of all troubles.

 During the late 1960s, Gardner was influenced by political figures like Eldridge Cleaver,
Martin Luther King, and Malcolm X.

Career

 On finishing school, Gardner took his Uncle Henry's advice and joined the United States
Navy, serving at North Carolina's 'Camp Lejeune', for a term of four years.

 It was here that he met Robert Ellis, a renowned heart surgeon, who suggested that Chris
join the research team at San Francisco's 'University of California Medical Center and
Veterans Administration Hospital'. In 1974, the young man quit the Navy, and took up the
position of a clinical research assistant in the hospital.

 Within a span of two years, Gardner had proved that he was ready for taking up a bigger
position, and in 1976, he became the in-charge for a laboratory, along with writing
 medical articles with Ellis. This job however did not pay well enough, and with a family to
look after, he was forced to start working as a salesman for medical equipment.

 On one occasion, he saw a well-dressed man driving a Ferrari, and was curious to know
what career he pursued. When Gardner came to know that the man, Bob Bridges, was a
stockbroker, he was inspired to do the same job. Bridges trained him and also opened up a
world of opportunities for the young salesman.

 He tried his luck at numerous stockbroker training firms 'Dean Witter Reynolds', 'Paine
Webber', 'Smith Barney', 'Merrill Lynch', and 'E.F. Hutton'. He got into 'Hutton', and
stopped working as a salesman in order to pursue his training as a stockbroker. However,
by the time he joined, his recruiter had quit and Gardner was back to square one.

 Soon, he was hired by the firm 'Dean Witter Reynolds' as a trainee, with no salary till he
got a confirmed job. The only means he survived by, was the meagre amount of money he
earned from the sale of medical equipment.

 The stockbroker trainee put in a lot of dedication into his training, making approximately
200 calls each day, staying back in office every day. In 1982, he was absorbed as a full-time
employee after clearing his 'Series 7' test. Subsequently, San Francisco-based 'Bear Stearns
& Company' recruited Chris as a stockbroker.

 In 1987, the skilled stockbroker decided to start his own business venture, and founded
the 'Gardner Rich & Co', in Chicago, Illinois. Being a small start-up company, he worked out
of his tiny apartment at the 'Presidential Towers', with a paltry investment of $10,000.

 The business was a success, with a majority of the stakes being held by Chris himself. In
2006, he sold his 'GardnerRich' stakes for several million dollars, and went on to establish
the large firm, 'Christopher Gardner International Holdings', with its branches in San
Francisco, New York, and Chicago.

 Presently, he is planning to start a business with South African investors, with the aim of
creating significant employment opportunities.

Major Works

 This renowned stockbroker-entrepreneur is known for his firm, 'Gardner Rich & Co', which
started out small, but grew into a business worth millions of dollars. The name “Rich” was
chosen because the proprietor of the company highly admired the famous businessman,
Marc Rich.

Awards & Achievements

 Gardner has been honoured with several awards since 2002, including the 'Father of the
Year Award', '25th Annual Humanitarian Award' as well as 'Friends of Africa Award'.
Personal Life & Legacy

Chris Gardner got married to a mathematics expert, Sherry Dyson, on June 18, 1977. However, the
marriage proved to be tumultuous, especially after the young man decided he could not pursue a
medical career.

 While still married, he had an affair with a young girl named Jackie, who got pregnant
within a few months. He soon moved in with Jackie after leaving his wife, and was blessed
with a baby boy, Christopher Jarrett Medina Gardner Jr. in 1981. He also has a daughter,
Jacintha, who was born four years later.

 Soon, Chris' relationship with Jackie too fell apart, and she accused him of having
physically tortured her. Though, the entrepreneur denies the allegations, he did have to
face imprisonment, and separation from his son for a few months.

 Within four months, Jackie brought back Christopher Jr. and the aspiring stockbroker took
complete responsibility of the child despite all obstacles, including penury, lack of food
and homelessness.

 Having suffered poverty and abuse as a child, this famous businessman has taken it upon
himself to provide homes and a decent standard of living to the underprivileged. He
financially aids organizations like 'Glide Memorial United Methodist Church' who provide
accommodation to the homeless.

 Being a dedicated father, he also is a member of the Board of Directors of the NGOs
'National Fatherhood Initiative', and 'National Education Foundation'.

 The most famous film depiction of Gardner's life and struggles is the 2006 Will Smith-
starrer ' The Pursuit of Happyness', based on his son's book of the same name. The movie
was heart-touching and received several 'Academy Award' nominations.

 He appeared in a documentary titled 'Come on Down: Searching for the American Dream',
co-starring TV anchor, Bob Barker, and journalist, Hunter S. Thompson. He also had a
guest role in the 2008 comedy, 'The Promotion', starring Seann William Scott and John C.
Reilly.

Net Worth

 This famous stockbroker has an estimated net worth of 60 million dollars, having earned
most of his wealth from the sale of stakes belonging to the 'Gardner Rich & Co.'.

Trivia

 This American entrepreneur, loves playing the trumpet, and one of his most favourite
musicians is Miles Davis.