HAD Gordon “Butch” Stewart been alive to celebrate his 85th birthday today, he would have been the happiest man, seeing his family settle their differences and able to focus on his colossal legacy as founder of Sandals Resorts, one of the world’s most powerful hotel brands.

He would also have been happy for another reason. Since his passing on January 4, 2021 Butch’s son Adam Stewart — who has lead responsibility as executive chairman for continuing the work of building Sandals, on behalf of the family — has not missed an opportunity to remind the tourist industry and the world of his massive contribution.

Adam consistently and publicly pays tribute to his great father, honouring him by sharing touching memories, drawing upon his awe-inspiring Caribbean legacy, and keeping alive his visionary business ethos for Jamaican and Caribbean posterity.

Those who witnessed it will not soon forget, following Butch’s passing, when some of Adam’s key executives surprised the family by arranging a final flight and coastal salute for the late chairman in which his pilots flew low along the north coast of Jamaica to honour the tourism icon on his way home to Montego Bay, St James, and Ocho Rios, St Ann.

This is how Adam reacted to the overfly: “Welcome back home, dad.

“My dad grew up on the beach in Ocho Rios and had a love for his country Jamaica that was unbreakable. My dad loved to fly over our resorts to see them from above, always looking at what next he could do to improve his masterpieces.

“For his final flight home, our incredible pilots, Martin & Daniel, flew low along the north coast of Jamaica, passing our resorts in Ocho Rios & Montego Bay. From the shores — both where he grew up and where Sandals began in Ocho Rios and Montego Bay, respectively — our incredible team members got to salute their leader from our beaches this one last time.

“Thank you to our [then] Chief Operating Officer Shawn DaCosta and the various management teams who arranged this special fly-by, unbeknownst to my family and me to honour their chairman.”

Adam Stewart, executive chairman of Sandals Resorts International, reflecting on his dad’s legacy. Joseph Wellington

The empire that ‘Butch’ created started with Appliance Traders (ATL) in 1968 but grew exponentially when he expanded to Sandals Resorts International in 1981, with staff now numbered at over 20,000 and numerous hotels across the Caribbean significantly impacting their economies.

The chairman, as he was affectionately called by his legions of admirers, never spared any opportunity to credit his team members for their contribution to the overwhelming success of the Sandals and ATL Group which later added the Automotive Group and, in 1993, the Observer Media group.

Adam, in his frequent reflections at anniversaries or official openings of resorts, and every meeting with travel advisors, celebrates the “unstoppable force” and the “eternal dreamer” who never tired of making his family, his team members, and the people of the Caribbean his greatest priorities.

On the fourth anniversary of his passing Adam remembered his dad thus: “Hard to believe it’s been four years since my father, Gordon ‘Butch’ Stewart, left us. It feels both like yesterday and a lifetime ago. Today, as we mark his fourth anniversary, we are celebrating the life, the legacy, and the extraordinary man he was.

“My dad was not just a father to me, my siblings, and our family. He was a father figure to thousands, including his Sandals and ATL teams, his friends, and the people of the Caribbean. For 52 remarkable years he devoted himself to entrepreneurship, taking risks, defying odds, and transforming entire industries.

“Today, we are all here celebrating his life, holding him close in our hearts. His magnanimous personality, unstoppable spirit, and endless charisma are things the world deeply misses, and so do we. He was not just larger than life; he was life.

“I know he and Jilly [Adam’s late wife], along with the other dear friends and family we have lost, are watching over us, proud of how we have embraced his vision and carried it forward.

“Thank you, dad, for being the most incredible father, mentor, and teacher. You taught us to dream big, act boldly, and lead with heart. You built not just businesses but a legacy of love, resilience, and possibility. Today, we honour you. We remember you. And we promise to continue carrying the torch you lit so brightly.”