IN a rare public show of emotion, Gordon “Butch” Stewart shed a tear and maybe for the first time struggled for words, as the staff of the Jamaica Observer — which he founded 25 years ago — hailed him as “one of the truly great men of our times”.

Hosting a well-choreographed gala 25th Silver Anniversary banquet to honour the co-founders of the newspaper on May 15, Stewart was surprised with a citation, plaque and a video presentation in which staff at all levels thanked him for his faithfulness and commitment to the Observer and to media in Jamaica.

It was not as if the man they call “the chairman” was not accustomed to being honoured. In fact, even the rival RJRGleaner Group beat the Observer to the punch in awarding him last year. But this one clearly hit home. He was caught off guard and genuinely overcome by the huge outpouring of love.

The Who’s Who in Jamaica turned out in their hundreds for the black tie event, which also honoured former banker Delroy Lindsay; Trinidadian business mogul Ken Gordon; and Dr George Phillip (posthumously), whose widow Janette Phillip received his award, at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel.

Following is the full text of the citation to Stewart from the staff:

“His trophy room symbolically filled to capacity, tells the story of the worldwide achievements of this irrepressible man we lovingly call ‘The Chairman’. But this award from the staff of the Jamaica Observer bears witness from the inside to the deep resolve, the unfailing generosity and the unyielding quest for greatness which is the modern-day phenomenon called the Hon Gordon Arthur Cyril Stewart, simply “Butch” to his legions of admirers.

“’Butch’ Stewart had long established himself as Jamaica’s first international superstar of business when he decided to venture into the extremely tough world of newspaper publishing.

Those who doubted his resolve and commitment to this project — and they were not just a few — obviously forgot his track record as a compulsive overachiever, a man who relentlessly pushes himself beyond the borders of excellence, constantly shifting his own goalposts, until even his detractors are forced to ask ‘what manner of man is this?’

“Sharing a philosophy with banker Delroy Lindsay that Jamaica needed another newspaper to ensure the preservation of democracy and contribute to the country’s further development, ‘Butch’ sought the experience of Trinidadian publisher Ken Gordon — the man responsible for the birth of many newspapers across the Caribbean.

With the help of Dr George Phillip, the trio, on March 7, 1993, gave the nation its fourth daily newspaper of modern Jamaica — having stubbornly ignored the dire warnings that the island was a cruel cemetery for newspapers, most of which had folded within the first five years.

“Today, 25 years later, the Jamaica Observer stands as a strong and credible institution in a society with a discerning public, driven by an insatiable appetite for information.

“The Jamaica Observer, of course, adds to “Butch” Stewart’s many other sterling contributions to Jamaica and the Caribbean.

Indeed, his multiple-award-winning Sandals resorts have received high acclaim worldwide and are rated among the best luxury brands across the globe.

“The Observer and Sandals carry the Stewart success gene that gave birth to the Appliance Traders Limited (ATL), the company that laid the foundation for this empire 50 years ago.

“The multiple accolades, honorary doctorates and national awards, including the Order of Jamaica (OJ), which he cherishes, are never more satisfying to him than the ‘thank-yous’ of countless Jamaicans whose lives he has touched and transformed, because he never looks the other way when he can help people in need.

As evidenced by the Observer, “Butch” Stewart is recognised for his uncanny sense of knowing when and where to invest; and for his unyielding loyalty, because he extends his devotion not only to his family and close friends, but, importantly to his many employees.

A complete citation to truly honour “Butch” would probably require many many more frames of this size. However, above all, we, the Jamaica Observer team members, hail our chairman as a giant of his time, a man whose name will live forever in our hearts and who, like former US President Harry Truman, believes that ‘You can never get all the facts from just one newspaper, and unless you have all the facts, you cannot make proper judgement about what is going on’.

For his unique commitment to media and journalism in Jamaica, his unshakeable faith in our newspaper through thick and thin, and his vision of a better nation through information, the staff of the Jamaica Observer on this 15th day of May, 2018, presents this 25th Anniversary Award to the Hon Gordon Arthur Cyril “Butch’ Stewart, one of the truly great men of our times.”