THE Joan Duncan School of Entrepreneurship, Ethics and Leadership which houses the Technology Innovation Centre (TIC) at the University of Technology Jamaica (UTech), this month named Gordon ‘Butch’ Stewart its Entrepreneur of the Year 2014 and Richard Byles its Corporate Entrepreneur of the Year 2014.

The Technology Innovation Centre which operates as an incubator for start-up businesses, also celebrated seven young businessmen and women who have excelled and outgrown the 12-year-old incubator by leaps and bounds.

‘Butch’ Stewart – a beacon of human possibility

In its citation, the Joan Duncan School said of Stewart, the Caribbean’s leading hotelier: “In an age of great men, Gordon Arthur ‘Butch’ Stewart OJ, CD, Hon LLD, stands out as a beacon of human possibility. A Jamaican, ‘Butch’ Stewart has for more than 30 years blazed a trail that has redefined entrepreneurship and humanised success.

“But no one with knowledge of only a few aspects of ‘Butch’ Stewart can grasp the depth and complexity of his character. His easy pace, infectious warmth and trademark striped shirt, belies the prowess and acute business acumen responsible for his estimated billion-dollar, privately-owned Jamaican-based empire that today includes 24 Caribbean properties, Appliance Traders Ltd, the Jamaica Observer newspaper and FYAH 105-FM Radio.

“Despite no hotel experience, Stewart bought a rundown hotel on a magnificent beach in Montego Bay as a real estate investment, approaching this business with the same simple philosophy he articulated many times: “Find out what people want, give it to them and in doing so — exceed their expectations.” Seven months and $4 million in renovation later, Sandals Montego Bay opened as the flagship of what is today, the most popular award-winning, all-inclusive resort chain in the world.

“Today, Sandals Resorts International operates 10 resorts and three private villas in Jamaica, three resorts in Saint Lucia, three in The Bahamas, two in Antigua, one in Grenada, one in Barbados and one in The Turks & Caicos Islands – and is poised for continued growth.

“His leadership and pioneering role helped resurrect Jamaica’s travel industry and earned the respect of his peers and the admiration of his countrymen. He was elected president of the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica in 1989 and was inducted in its “Hall of Fame” in 1995. In 1994, Stewart led a group of investors to take leadership of Air Jamaica, the Caribbean’s largest regionally based carrier.

“Mr Stewart has earned Lifetime Achievement Awards from the American Academy of Hospitality Sciences, Travel Weekly and Globe Travel

and was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Business Administration from hospitality authority, Johnson & Wales University. He is

one of Jamaica’s most visible and respected personalities, making him a formidable ambassador for brand Jamaica.

“He believes that if everyone in the organisation knows that the man in charge is working as hard as they are, they have an infinite amount of respect and motivation. ‘It’s about instilling a spirit of teamwork, defining a purpose and then rolling up your sleeves to get the job done better than anybody else,’ says Stewart.

“A devoted father and grandfather, Butch Stewart continues to make his life in the Caribbean.”

Richard Byles – man with the Midas touch at Sagicor

The school’s citation described Byles, the president and CEO of Sagicor Group Jamaica Limited, as head of the “leading provider of life and health insurance, pension and annuities products in Jamaica” and the “largest owner of commercial property and the third largest commercial bank”.

It said: “Under Mr Byles’ leadership since 2004, the Group has evolved through a series of acquisitions, including Pan Caribbean Investments Limited and First Life Insurance Company Limited in 2004, the Blue Cross of Jamaica health insurance portfolio in 2009, and in 2014, the banking operations of RBC Jamaica. During this period profits have increased from $1.2 billion to $6.2 billion.

“Prior to his tenure at Sagicor Life Jamaica in 2004, Mr Byles was the president and CEO of Pan Jamaican Investment Trust Limited (Pan Jam). In his 13 years at Pan Jam, he directed that group through a number of mergers, acquisitions and divestments and has been credited with establishing that company as one of Jamaica’s premier listed enterprises. He led Pan Jam’s largest subsidiary, First Life Insurance Company Limited, through the Jamaican financial crisis in the 1990s. First Life was the only life insurance company that did not require government capital. He remains a director of Pan Jam.

“Mr Byles is chairman of the Board for Sagicor Bank Jamaica Limited, and Sagicor Real Estate X-Fund, a recently launched listed company which owns the Jewel Hotel chain in Jamaica and a large portfolio of prime commercial and office space. He is also a member of the executive committee of the ultimate parent company, Sagicor Financial Corporation.

“Mr Byles is the current chairman of Red Stripe Jamaica (Desnoes and Geddes) and a vice-president of the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica. He is co-chairman of Jamaica’s Economic Programme Oversight Committee (EPOC) which is charged with oversight of the implementation of the IMF Agreement with

the Government of Jamaica since 2013.

“Mr Byles holds a BSc in Economics from the University of the West Indies and an MSc in National Development from the University of Bradford, England. He is married to Jacinth and has two sons, Pavel and Yannick.”

TIC Top clients

* The award for Top Client of the Year 2014 went to Valrie Grant: “What makes a client shine above the rest? It is their tenacity, their drive, their determination. This client started in a shared space, with two staff members, then expanded and was accepted to our Residential Programme. The client made her name across the Caribbean and was last year selected as National Commercial Bank’s nation builder in the category of Women’s Business and Innovation. With a business in Guyana, making strides in the geoinfomatics sector, whilst effectively operating her Jamaica office in the incubator, Valrie Grant is appreciated by her staff and peers.

It was this appreciation which made her staff write to Mr Ian Boyne who interviewed her only last month on the popular programme, Profile. In addition to operating her business, Valrie is keen on developing geoinfomatics and so leads other organisations. Valrie is the current president of the Caribbean URISA Chapter, she serves as a member of the GIS Management Institute (GMI) Committee and has affiliations and memberships with several other geospatial bodies including URISA, GSDI, Land Information Council of Jamaica (LICJ) and Jamaica GIS Society (JAMGISS). Her geospatial expertise is well respected across the Caribbean and Latin American region.”

* Top Residential Client also went to Grant: “The category of Top Residential Client is awarded to the company who has achieved most if not all of their goals for the last year. Each time a meeting is held with this client, she has a long list of achievements to report. She has either been winning contracts, being awarded by a financial institution, blazing through Guyana, Barbados and other islands, before making a quick stop in Jamaica to check on her staff or to complete a local project.

“Valrie Grant added Persaud to her name whilst doing all of these activities and we are amazed that this was possible. In her monitoring meeting in January 2014, Valrie listed 13 achievements and an additional six for the new month. GeoTechVision is a Geographical Information Systems company, focused on geomatics, logistics, geospatial training and consultancy and recently evolved as the first company to deliver tablets for the Tablets in Schools initiative of the Ministry of Science, Technology, Energy and Mining.”

* The award for TIC Graduate Client 2014 was taken by Javette Nixon who was descrbed as “an entrepreneur through and through”. The citation said: “Very persistent and not one to be daunted by the environment, Javette always has a ready smile and a pleasing personality. Javette is the chief executive officer and founder of Point Global Marketing, which has been operating out of offices located at 23 Westlake Avenue, Richmond Park, Kingston 10 since July 2014, after leaving the incubator. A very hard worker, with equally hard working team members, Javette has been a part of the Technology Innovation Centre since 2012.

“Having come from a strong marketing background in Corporate Jamaica, Javette was clear that starting his own enterprise was his future. The head of Point Global Marketing Limited has passion, talent and guts. Their current clientele are Jamaica National Building Society; Jamaica Producers, St Mary Banana Chips; CariMed; Jablum; Branson Centre; Tortuga, The Competitiveness Company; ECHOS Consulting; Easy as 1 2 3 ; Versan Educational Services and Veins Centre of Jamaica.”

* Named Top Associate Platinum Client was Andre Wilson: “This award is given to the client who is most consistent in their activities in the Platinum programme which caters to businesses from a wide range of sectors. Focused and concerned about disadvantaged youth, this client has made it his business to help them through social entrepreneurship. Youth for Development Network, began as a project on the University of Technology campus and grew into a business which positively impacts many communities islandwide. The A GANAR programme which teaches tolerance and entrepreneurship through sports is quite popular in Flanker, St James, as well as marginalised communities in St Mary, St Catherine and Kingston.

* The Top Client of the Student Incubator went to Oraine Gordon, the student who has made significant strides during the year.

“Always excited and like our other clients, well-mannered and positive in his outlook and demeanour. This client got into the incubator via the UTech Business Model Competition, from which he received investments of $2.5 million for his business Granny Foods, which has since changed to BioTru Manufacturing Company Limited. BioTru focuses on sauces, wet seasonings using indigenous products. Mr Gordon is still a student in the Faculty of Science and Sports, studying to be a Medical Technologist.”

* Top Anchor Client award was won by the wife and husband team of Andre and Joni Lee: “To be an Anchor Client in the Technology Innovation Centre, your company will have to be a strong company, as your role will involve assisting the incubator manager to nurture younger clients. This anchor client has done so on many occasions, extending this assistance beyond clients to staff of the wider incubator and school. Together this team is operating one of Jamaica’s leading IT training and consulting firms in Jamaica, VantagePoint IT Training and Consulting.

* The Trailblazer Award went to Gordon Swaby: “Articulate, a mover, a shaker, well-known and confident is how we describe this client. He is always sought after to represent Jamaica, the Caribbean or young entrepreneurs. Gordon Swaby, CEO of EduFocal Limited has been from Brazil to France, Trinidad to Washington to support and participate in entrepreneurial events and discussions. Curator for Global Shapers International, focusing on the gamification of education through EduFocal is the reason Gordon has been selected as a Trailblazer.”