‘Pioneer & Visionary’ – Official Statement on the passing of Gordon ‘Butch’ Stewart
The Caribbean has lost a stalwart leader with the passing of hotelier, entrepreneur and businessman, Gordon Stewart.
The Honourable Gordon Stewart, or ‘Butch’ as he was affectionately known, has made an undeniable impact on business and service culture in the region. His passion and ambition drove his journey from selling air conditioning units in his homeland Jamaica, to breaking ground in the tourism sector, creating the only Caribbean superbrand, Sandals Resorts International, which employs over 15,000 employees – 1300 of them right here in Barbados. It’s no surprise that his overarching business philosophy was, “Find out what people want, give it to them and, in doing so, exceed their expectations.”
There is so much for us to learn from Butch.
Leading by example, he invested over US$400 million into the development of Sandals Resort and Sandals Royal Resort in Barbados. From construction to professional services to hospitality – the industries and people in Barbados who benefited from his investment are far-reaching, and for that, we are forever grateful.
His legacy will, without doubt, continue to live on, through not only the buildings erected but also through the exemplary service and smiling faces that have become defining features of the Sandals brand.
From our family at The JADA Group, our deepest condolences go out to the Stewart family and the entire team at Sandals Caribbean. Our thoughts are with you at this time, may his soul rest in peace and his light shine on.
Philip Tempro
CEO, The JADA Group
& Rene Dulieu
COO, The JADA Group
