Mark Robert Swainbank
Owner, Zimbali Retreats, Negril Jamaica
Mark Swainbank was born in 1965, the son of a U.S. Navy Pilot. Early life was spent traveling the word including attending school in Zimbabwe, Africa where his mother had grown up.
High school was in the South Suburbs of Chicago. After 2 boring, listless years at U of I Chicago, Mark ventured into the world by landing a starting job on the rough and tumble trading floor of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME).
Loving the energy, Mark worked his way up to become an independent floor trader including owning his own membership. After 20 years, Mark Retired from the CME, sold everything, and moved to Jamaica in 2005; determined to lead a more peaceful and self-sufficient life.
Life took a beautiful turn when Mark met his wife, Alecia. Born of a Rastafarian father, she grew in the old ways with her grandparents in the hills of Jamaica. Together they built Zimbali Retreats to feature the ‘Real Culture’ of Jamaica. Located in the mountains about 25 minutes outside Negril, Zimbali is a 14-acre organic farm with over 1500 fruit trees, rivers & springs. Featuring 7 rooms and a ‘Farm to Table’ Dining Experience, Zimbali has been rated the #1 Restaurant for the Island on Tripadvisor for 7 years.
Recently, Zimbali has partnered with Yardie Farma to build a 5-acre, top class Marijuana grow operation. Featuring 12,000+ sqft of greenhouse and 2 acres of organic outdoor grow- Marijuana is a key feature in the line of Zimbali Tours.
