Cary Justice grew up in Richmond, Virginia, with the hope of gaining admission to a leading college that would prepare him for a successful career in the practice of law. This led Cary to enroll in Blue Ridge School as a sophomore in 1987. He quickly settled into the routines and schedules of boarding school life, which helped him to structure both his academic and social life. Within a short time, Cary was off to a good start in a program of self-discipline and academic achievement as his grades and self-confidence soared.
Cary attended the highly respected Westminster College in Missouri, where he majored in Political Science and earned good grades and a growing respect for the legal system. Upon graduation from college, he worked in Washington DC for a Member of Congress before enrolling at Georgetown University’s school of law from which he earned a degree.
While in law school, Cary joined the George W. Bush administration in the U.S. Department of Justice working on international trade policy. After several years, Cary was given the opportunity to serve the White House where he led efforts on legislation to pass the U.S.-Colombia Free Trade Agreement. White House leadership quickly realized the skills Cary possessed, and he was promoted to the team that gathered information from around the world which required the president’s immediate attention. Cary would arrive early in the morning to participate in selecting and then presenting vital information to President George W. Bush for his consideration and potential action. Cary was responsible for, along with others, informing President Bush of the specific incidents and/or potential threats that were posed. The staff on which he served would meet at 7:00 each morning to prepare the briefing, which took place at 8:30 AM in the Oval Office.
Cary has for the past thirteen years served as the global head of Government Affairs for Amway, a multibillion-dollar direct selling business headquartered in West Michigan which requires him to represent the company in dealings around the world.
He and his wife have four sons and are happily living in Michigan. When asked what impact the Blue Ridge experience had on him, he stated that, most significantly, he gained a strong sense of self-confidence in his abilities as well as an opportunity as a prefect and Honor Council member to set for himself a standard of integrity and fairness as befits a good leader.
Cary is a Blue Ridge School Alumni Class Agent, and Co-Chair of the Baron Fund Advisory Council.
