In what is being hailed as a lasting tribute to one of the Caribbean’s greatest business minds, the Jamaica Observer Business Leader Award has been renamed the Gordon “Butch” Stewart Business Leader Award to mark the programme’s 30th anniversary, a move the Stewart family has embraced as an honour and an opportunity to keep the legacy of the late entrepreneur alive.

“When the committee proposed the rebranding of this award to us as a family, my siblings and I immediately embraced it because it was a huge honour, in our minds, to be able to share this platform,” Brian Jardim, one of the late business icon’s sons, said at Thursday’s press launch of the programme at the Jamaica Observer headquarters in St Andrew.

Jhanel Williams (left), assistant marketing manager, Sagicor; Dextrose White-Barth (centre), marketing executive, AC Hotel Kingston; and Daniel Benjamin, senior marketing manager, Sagicor, represent their companies at the launch of the Gordon “Butch” Stewart Business Leader Award at the Jamaica Observer headquarters in St Andrew on Thursday.

“He loved what he called this powerful platform to promote entrepreneurism and entrepreneurs in Jamaica. We as a family see this rebranding as a wonderful gesture towards keeping our dad’s legacy alive,” added Jardim, a Jamaica Observer director and founder/CEO of Rainforest Caribbean.

Moses Jackson, founder and chair of the award programme, thanked the Stewart family “for completely embracing the symbiotic brand alignment between the Stewart name and the Observer programme” while articulating the philosophy that guided the name change.

Long-serving Observer Business Leader Selection Committee members Ian Neita (left), Audrey Hinchcliffe and Fred Smith enjoy the press launch of the event renamed in honour of late Observer chairman and business icon Gordon “Butch” Stewart at the newspaper’s headquarters on Thursday.

“When the programme began 30 years ago, Butch was one of the most enthusiastic supporters. He was extremely encouraging. He was effusive in his praise each year when we had a successful programme. But what stood out for me the most about Butch Stewart is that he sought nothing personal and no corporate benefit from the award programme,” Jackson said.

“The only thing he sought was the pleasure of standing behind the newspaper that promoted entrepreneurism and promoted entrepreneurs in Jamaica, some of whom were his competitors,” added Jackson, who was Observer business editor when he established the award programme which grew into the most prestigious of its kind in the Caribbean.

Jamaica Observer director and founder/CEO of Rainforest Caribbean Brian Jardim (right) greets Ambassador Audrey Marks, one of the Observer Business Leader’s long-serving Selection Committee members while Jamaica Observer Media Group Managing Director Dominic Beaubrun (left) and Business Leader Award founder Moses Jackson share the moment. Occasion was Thursday’s press launch of the award programme renamed in honour of Jardim’s later father and founder of the Jamaica Observer Gordon “Butch” Stewart.

Jackson pointed out that Stewart, who was also a co-founder and chairman of the Observer, attended every single award function over the three decades, except for one year when he was sick.

He said that one of Stewart’s characteristics that he and the Observer team found most encouraging was what he labelled the business mogul’s “soft charity”.

Long-serving Observer Business Leader Selection Committee member Ian Neita enjoy a discussion with Excelerate Energy representatives Jacqueline Burrell Clarke (centre), communication and community relations, and Kimberly Williams, commercial director.

“You have no idea how encouraging it was for us at the Observer when Butch would praise us about the staging of another excellent Business Award programme. It really, really, really inspired us to do better every single year. So this moment that we’re in right now, in which we are aligning the name of the programme to Butch, it wasn’t just understandable, it was almost inevitable that the programme would have gone in that direction. And I am fairly sure that the nominees for this year’s programme will feel elevated by having the programme named after Gordon Butch Stewart,” Jackson said.

“I believe that the Stewart name will elevate the programme, and at the same time, the programme will serve as a kind of permanent tribute to the extraordinary entrepreneurism that Gordon Butch Stewart is known for throughout the Caribbean,” Jackson added.

Long-serving Observer Business Leader Selection Committee member Audrey Hinchcliffe holds court with Kayon Raynor (left) group editor-in chief, RJR/Gleaner Communications Group; and Al Edwards, CEO of OUR Today.

He announced that 10 companies have been nominated for the this year’s programme under the theme ‘Business Leader Employer of Choice’. The 10 were chosen from an initial group of 60, which was reduced to 40 by the long-serving selection committee comprising Ambassador Audrey Marks, who is now minister without portfolio in the Office of the Prime Minister with responsibility for efficiency, innovation and digital transformation; Montego Bay businessman and managing director and CEO of Tropical Tours Ltd Fred Smith; former executive director Yello Media Group and former Jamaica Chamber of Commerce President Ian Neita; president & CEO Sterling Asset Management Limited Charles Ross; founder and chair of Caribbean Health Management Consultants Ltd as well as founder of Manpower & Maintenance Services Limited Audrey Hinchliffe; and founder, chairman, and CEO of Bashco Trading Company Limited, and MegaMart Wholesale Club Gassan Azan.

The award ceremony is scheduled for Sunday, December 13, at AC Hotel Kingston.

After welcoming Candiese Leveridge (left), digital and marketing manager, J Wray & Nephew; and George Davis, Nationwide News Network’s deputy executive producer/editor; Jamaica Observer Deputy Managing Director Natalie Chin Samuda stands with them for a photo at Thursday’s press launch of the Gordon “Butch” Stewart Business Leader Award at the Jamaica Observer headquarters.

Jamaica Observer Media Group Managing Director Dominic Beaubrun told the press launch that the programme represents more than a celebration of business excellence.

“It’s an important part of our commitment to recognising leadership, enterprise and the individuals whose vision, courage, and determination contribute to Jamaica’s economic and social development,” he said.

OGM Integrated Communications Events & Production Manager Kristin Hamilton (left), representing sponsor Visa, with Digicel General Manager Tashima Walker at the press launch of the Gordon “Butch” Stewart Business Leader Award at the Jamaica Observer on Thursday.

“As the organisation responsible for bringing this programme together, we recognise that an initiative of this nature requires vision, careful coordination and the collective commitment of many people. We’re proud to continue the legacy of this award, particularly as we mark its 30th anniversary, celebrating three decades of recognising outstanding Jamaican business leadership,” Beaubrun said.

He thanked the sponsors
— Sagicor, Visa, Digicel, Excelerate Energy, Car-Med Group, J Wray & Nephew, and AC Hotel
— for their partnership and confidence in the programme that “helps us to sustain and strengthen a platform that celebrates excellence in Jamaican business”.

Beaubrun also saluted the nominees, saying their “achievements and contributions to the business community are worthy of recognition, and your presence reflects the standard of leadership and excellence that this award seeks to celebrate”.

Additionally, he recognised the work of the Observer team, saying that their support and dedication have contributed to the success of this prestigious event over the years.