By Denise Clarke, Staff Reporter 
Anderson
WESTERN BUREAU:
IN THE world of entrepreneurship and innovation in Savanna-la-Mar, the name Norman Anderson stands out like a lighthouse on a hill.
At 39, Anderson is one Jamaican son who has made his mark in the world of business. His creativity spans a number of areas, from food to information technology.
Anderson first acted on his entrepreneurial spirit in 1990 when he offered consultancy services to the hospitality industry in the Cayman Islands.
Now 12 years on, he operates five companies in Savanna-la-Mar, including Westcom, the first call centre in Westmoreland.
In 1992, he opened his first office at 104 Great George Street in Savanna-la-Mar. Business Automation was one of the first businesses in Savanna-la-Mar to offer computer services and training. Coming at the peak of the computer boom in Jamaica, it proved very successful.
However, Anderson was still not satisfied. The typhoid outbreak in Savanna-la-Mar caused him to ponder how the people in the parish could get clean, healthy water to drink.
He soon figured it out. By 1995, The Water Company opened at the same location, selling purified drinking water.
This venture was soon followed by the acquisition of the franchise for the first Devon House I-Scream outlet in Savanna-la-Mar two years later.
With his entrepreneurial spirit still vibrant, Anderson opened The Gazebo Restaurant alongside the ice-cream outlet.
With a computer hardware store, a purified water company, an ice-cream outlet and a restaurant all running successfully, Anderson was still not over yet.
He dreamed of venturing full-time into information technology, one of the fastest growing sectors in the island and soon moved to pursue this dream.
After countless hours of research, meetings and planning, Westcom opened its doors at 104-106 Great George Street with only a few employees.
In just over a year, the company's staff complement has grown to over 200 with a client base which includes leading telecommunication companies in the United States.
Anderson said his motivation comes from an appreciation for the development of new ideas and a desire to create employment for the young people in the parish. Why not create a nest egg for the retirement years in the process, he decided.
The businessman is married to Marlene and has two sons and a daughter.
