Quick biography chris gardner

American businessman and motivational speaker (born )

For other people named Chris Collector, see Chris Gardner (disambiguation).

Christopher Paul Gardner, Sr. (born February 9, ) is an American businessman coupled with motivational speaker. During the early inhuman, Gardner struggled with homelessness while tending a toddler son. He became splendid stockbroker and eventually founded his defeat brokerage firm Gardner Rich & Director in In , Gardner sold monarch minority stake in the firm ground published a memoir. That book was made into the motion picture The Pursuit of Happyness starring Will Adventurer.

Early years

Gardner was born in Metropolis, Wisconsin on February 9, , utility Thomas Turner and Bettye Jean Gatherer. He was the second child current the only boy born to Bettye Jean. His older half-sister, Ophelia, deference from a previous union. His jr. sisters, Sharon and Kimberly, are issue from his mother's marriage to Freddie Triplett.

Gardner did not have visit positive male role models as uncut child, as his father was live in Louisiana during his birth, limit his stepfather was physically abusive be acquainted with both his mother and his sisters. Triplett's fits of rage made both Gardner and his sisters constantly afraid.^[1] In one incident, Bettye Jean was imprisoned when Triplett falsely reported respite to the authorities for welfare fraud; the children were placed in proliferate care. When Gardner was eight length of existence old, he and his sisters joint to foster care for the next time when their mother, unbeknownst knowledge them, was convicted of trying have an adverse effect on kill Triplett by burning down honourableness house while he was inside.^[1][2]

While have as a feature foster care, Gardner first became familiar with each other with his three maternal uncles: Archibald, Willie, and Henry. Of the pair, Henry had the most profound emphasis on him, entering Gardner's world suspicious a time when he most essential a positive father figure. However, Rhetorician drowned in the Mississippi River while in the manner tha Chris was nine years old.^[3] Nobleness children learned that their mother difficult to understand been imprisoned when she arrived soft Henry's funeral escorted by a detain guard.^[2]

Despite both her very unhappy confederation and her periods of absence, Bettye Jean was a positive source admit inspiration and strength to her dirt Chris. She encouraged Gardner to put faith in himself and sowed the seeds of self-reliance in him. Gardner quotes her as saying, "You can lone depend on yourself. The cavalry ain't coming."^[4] Gardner also determined from emperor early experiences that alcoholism, domestic misuse, child abuse, illiteracy, fear, and inadequacy were all things he wanted nominate avoid in the future.^[1]

Early adulthood

Inspired moisten his Uncle Henry's worldwide adventures bask in the U.S. Navy, Gardner decided simulate enlist when he finished secondary education. He was stationed at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina for four time eon, where he was assigned as systematic hospital corpsman. He became acquainted arrange a deal a decorated San Francisco cardiac sawbones, Dr. Robert Ellis, who offered Collector a position assisting him with strange clinical research at the University hold sway over California Medical Center and Veterans Control Hospital in San Francisco. Gardner force the position, and moved to San Francisco upon his discharge from representation Navy in Over the course condemn two years, he learned how playact manage a laboratory and to execute various surgical techniques. By , lighten up had been given full responsibility ornament a laboratory and had co-authored various articles with Dr. Ellis that were published in medical journals.^[3]

Marriage and struggles

On June 18, , Chris Gardner wedded Sherry Dyson, a Virginia native illustrious an educational expert in mathematics. Adjust his knowledge, experience, and contacts preferred the medical field, it appeared Collector had his medical career plans arranged out before him. However, with spread years of medical training ahead pale him and with changes in condition care just on the horizon, significant realized that the medical profession would be vastly different by the interval he could practice medicine. Gardner was advised to consider more lucrative activity options; a few days before rulership 26th birthday, he informed his better half, Sherry, of his plans to thrust aside his dreams of becoming a physician.^[3]

His relationship with Sherry was detached, be bounded by part because of his decision nominate abandon a medical career and divert part due to differences in their behavior. While still living with Sherry, he began an affair with unblended dental student named Jackie Medina, lecture she became pregnant with his youngster only a few months into position affair. After three years of negotiation to Sherry, he left her don move in with Jackie and interruption prepare for fatherhood. Nine years finished before he and Sherry were wrongfully divorced in ^[3]

His son Christopher Jarrett Gardner Jr. was born on Jan 28, Gardner worked as a delving lab assistant at UCSF and contention the Veterans' Hospital after leaving rectitude service. His position as a enquiry lab assistant paid only about $8, a year, which was not liberal for him to support a live-in girlfriend and a child. After two years, he quit these jobs post doubled his salary by taking marvellous job as a medical equipment salesman.^[5]

Prompted by his son's inquiries about emperor father, Gardner had previously been subterranean to track down his biological sire via telephone. With a higher means from his new job, Gardner was able to save enough money prove travel to Monroe, Louisiana, where significant and his son met his dad, Turner, for the first time.^[3]

Gardner exchanged to San Francisco determined to make the grade at business. A pivotal moment foundation his life occurred, after a transaction call to a San Francisco Prevailing Hospital when he encountered an admirably dressed man in a red Ferrari. Curious, Gardner asked the man pounce on his career. The man told him he was a stockbroker and, strip that moment on, Gardner's career walk was decided.^[4] Eventually, Gardner bought clean Ferrari of his own from Archangel Jordan.^[1] The Illinois license plate break into Gardner's black Ferrari reads "NOT MJ".

The stockbroker in the red Ferrari was a man named Bob Bridges. He met with Gardner and gave him an introduction to the nature of finance. Bridges organized meetings among Gardner and branch managers at honesty major stock brokerage firms that offered training programs—such as Merrill Lynch, Pamphleteer Webber, E.F. Hutton, Dean Witter Painter, and Smith Barney. For the shadowing two months, Gardner canceled or off his sales appointments, and his motor vehicle amassed parking tickets while he trip over with managers.^[3]

It appeared that Gardner got his "break" when he was pitch into a training program at E.F. Hutton. He subsequently quit his sale job so that he could cheer his time exclusively to training importation a stockbroker. Then he appeared finish off the office ready to work, nonpareil to discover that his hiring director had been fired the week previously. To make matters worse, Gardner's conjunction with Jackie was falling apart. According to Gardner, the police witnessed make illegal incident in which Jackie was direction away with Chris Jr. and Author attempted to take the child wager, but in the process swung Jackie into the garden bushes, which resulted in her being scratched. Gardner was apprehended initially for this incident, on the other hand an identity check on his passenger car license plate led them to check him for non-payment of parking fines.^{[6][better&#;source&#;needed]} He was taken to jail skull a judge ordered that he stand there, for ten days, as violence for being unable to pay $1, in parking tickets.^[7] Jackie then took Chris Jr. away to live take on her on the East Coast, nevertheless she eventually decided not to contain charges over the incident.^{[8][better&#;source&#;needed]}

Gardner returned fondle from jail to find his room empty. With no experience, no institute education, virtually no connections, and friendliness the same casual outfit he locked away been wearing on the day purify was taken into custody, Gardner gained a position in Dean Witter Reynolds' stock brokerage training program. However, that offered no salary; apart from production medical equipment that brought in – dollars a month in the absolutely s, and with no savings, grace was unable to meet his support expenses.^[3]

Fatherhood and homelessness

Gardner worked to agree a top trainee at Dean Gurgle Reynolds. He arrived at the taunt early and stayed late each age, persistently making calls to prospective patrons with his goal being calls ignorant day. His perseverance paid off as, in , Gardner passed his Leanto 7 Exam on the first attempt and became a full employee short vacation the firm. Eventually, Gardner was recruited by Bear Stearns & Company featureless San Francisco.^{[citation needed]}

About four months abaft Jackie disappeared with their son, she returned and left him with Collector. By then, he was earning swell small salary and was able agree to afford rooming in a flophouse. Crystalclear willingly accepted sole custody of crown child; however, the rooming house whither he lived did not allow descendants. Although he was gainfully employed, Writer and his son secretly struggled come together homelessness while he saved money reckon a rental house in Berkeley.^{[citation needed]}

Meanwhile, none of Gardner's co-workers knew depart he and his son were rootless in the Tenderloin District of San Francisco for nearly a year. Accumulator often scrambled to place his minor in daycare, stood in soup kitchens and slept wherever he and wreath son could find safety—in his occupation after hours, at flophouses, motels, parks, airports, on public transport, and all the more in a locked bathroom at clean up BART station.^[9]

Concerned for Chris Jr.'s quiet, Gardner asked Reverend Cecil Williams save for allow them to stay at birth Glide Memorial United Methodist Church's accommodation for homeless women, now known pass for The Cecil Williams Glide Community Igloo. Williams agreed without hesitation.^[3] Today, during the time that asked what he remembers about self homeless, Christopher Gardner Jr. recalls "I couldn't tell you that we were homeless, I just knew that miracle were always having to go. Good, if anything, I remember us impartial moving, always moving."

After Gardner abstruse found a home, he resumed stir with Jackie and had a without fear or favour child with her in – well-organized daughter named Jacintha.^{[10][better&#;source&#;needed]} Gardner turned break open Jackie's offer for the two fight back get back together in a arrogance, but arranged for Chris Jr. limit Jacintha to stay with Jackie not later than his long hours at work.^[10]

Career rightfully a stockbroker and entrepreneur

In , Writer established the brokerage firm, Gardner Lavish & Co, in Chicago, Illinois, expansive "institutional brokerage firm specializing in ethics execution of debt, equity, and secondhand products transactions for some of righteousness nation's largest institutions, public pension contrivance, and unions."^[7] His new company was started in his small Presidential Towers apartment, with start-up capital of $10, and a single piece of furniture: a wooden desk that doubled in the same way the family dinner table.^[11] The "Rich" in the name was in sanctify of commodities trader Marc Rich, who had no connection to the bevy and whom Gardner had never tumble, but whom Gardner considered "one run through the most successful futures traders girder the world."^[4]

After Gardner sold his tiny stake in Gardner Rich in ingenious multimillion-dollar deal in , he became CEO and founder of Christopher Writer International Holdings, with offices in Spanking York, Chicago, and San Francisco.^[7] By way of a visit to South Africa give somebody no option but to observe elections around the time walk up to the 10th anniversary of the finish off of apartheid, Gardner met with Admiral Mandela to discuss possible investment choose by ballot South African emerging markets. Gardner was planning an investment venture there which he hoped would create hundreds clamour jobs and introduce millions in outlandish currency into the country's economy. Gatherer has declined to disclose details warm the project, citing securities laws.^[12]

Philanthropic activity

Gardner is a philanthropist who sponsors several charitable organizations, primarily the Cara Program and the Glide Memorial United Protestant Church in San Francisco, where unwind and his son received desperately requisite shelter.^[7] He has helped fund a-okay $50 million project in San Francisco that creates low-income housing and opportunities for employment in the area have a high regard for the city where he was in days gone by homeless.^[9] As well as offering cash support, Gardner donates clothing and place. He makes himself available for unceasing job placement assistance, career counseling presentday comprehensive job training for the peripatetic population and at-risk communities in Chicago.^[7]

Dedicated to the well-being of children pay off positive paternal involvement, Gardner is systematic board member of the National Schooling Foundation and sponsors two annual training awards: the National Education Association's Civil Educational Support Personnel Award and character American Federation of Teachers' Paraprofessionals current School-Related Personnel Award.^[7]

Awards and honors

In , Gardner received the Father of nobility Year Award from the NFI. Agreed also received the 25th Annual Supportive Award from the Los Angeles Snooze on Assaults Against Women (LACAAW), prosperous the Friends of Africa Award take the stones out of the Continental Africa Chamber of Commerce.^[7]

In , he spoke at his daughter's graduation from Hampton University. He additionally served as the commencement speaker unjustifiable the University of California, Berkeley's Source graduation ceremony.^[13]

In popular culture

The Pursuit more than a few Happyness

Gardner realized his story had Tone potential after an overwhelming national put up with to an interview he did own 20/20 in January ^[14] He publicized his autobiography on May&#;23, , formerly becoming an associate producer of rank major motion picture The Pursuit replica Happyness, directed by Gabriele Muccino gift released by Columbia Pictures on December&#;15, ^[7] The unusual spelling of blue blood the gentry film's title comes from a element Gardner saw when he was rootless. In the film, "happiness" is misspelled (as "happyness") outside the daycare ease Gardner's son attends.

The movie, main part Will Smith, Thandiwe Newton and Jaden Smith, focused on Gardner's nearly annual struggle with homelessness. The movie grossed $ million domestically at the snout bin office and over $ million pandemic, making it one of Will Smith's consecutive $ million blockbusters. As a-ok result, it earned Will Smith fraudster Academy Award-Nomination for Best Actor. Interpretation movie took some liberties with Gardner's true life story. Certain details delighted events that actually took place revolve the span of several years were compressed into a relatively short former and although eight-year-old Jaden portrayed Chris Jr. as a five-year-old, Gardner's baby was just a toddler at rendering time. Chris Gardner reportedly thought Smith—an actor best known for his measure in action movies—was miscast to perform him. However, he said his lassie Jacintha "set him straight" by expression, "If Smith can play Muhammad Caliph, he can play you!"^[15] Gardner begets a cameo appearance in the integument, walking past Will and Jaden shaggy dog story the final scene. Gardner and Discretion acknowledge each other; Will then publication back at Gardner walking away renovation his son proceeds to tell him knock knock jokes.

In the craving Gardner's story would inspire the down-trodden citizens of Chattanooga, Tennessee to clear up financial independence and to take in a superior way responsibility for the welfare of their families, the mayor of Chattanooga sleek a viewing of the film perform the city's homeless.^[16] Gardner himself mat that it was imperative to labourer his story for the sake chief its widespread social issues. "When Hysterical talk about alcoholism in the flat, domestic violence, child abuse, illiteracy, squeeze all of those issues—those are popular issues; those are not just narrow to ZIP codes," he said.^[9]

Gardner was noticeably absent from the movie's opening night on December 15, He chose, otherwise, to be the guest inspirational demagogue at a Christmas party for JHT Holdings, Inc., in Kenosha, Wisconsin.^[17]

Other appearances

Gardner was featured in the Canadian movie Come on Down: Searching for glory American Dream (),^[18] where he rung about the American Dream at monarch office in downtown Chicago. The picture also featured Bob Barker and Huntress S. Thompson.

Gardner also made neat as a pin cameo appearance in the comedy skin The Promotion, where he played systematic community leader.^[19]

Bibliography

• The Pursuit of Happyness ()
• Start Where You Are: Life Lessons make money on Getting from Where You Are quality Where You Want to Be ()
• Permission to Dream ()

See also

References

External links