Two programs are being created by Sandals Resorts International to honor the legacy of Butch Stewart, the company's founder and guiding light, who died earlier this month.
The Gordon "Butch" Stewart Tourism &
Hospitality Scholarship has been established through Sandals Corporate University "to
honor [Stewart's] love of mentoring and to benefit those across the Caribbean
employed in the tourism sector," said Adam Stewart, Butch Stewart's son and his successor as executive chairman of Sandals.
Adam Stewart
Adam Stewart said a second program, a marine conservation effort, is being developed in his father's name as a way of celebrating Butch Stewart's love of the sea.
"Together these avenues will help sustain our beloved Caribbean for generations to come," Adam Stewart said.
More information can be found at www.sandalsfoundation.org.
• Related: Lessons from Butch
In filling his father's seat, Adam Stewart became just the second executive chairman in the company's 40-year history. He worked alongside his father for more than 20 years, serving as CEO and most recently as deputy chairman. He helped oversee the expansion of the Sandals and Beaches brands throughout the Caribbean, including the recent announcements of two new island resort destinations, the future Sandals Curacao and Beaches Resorts in St. Vincent.
He also launched the Sandals Foundation in 2009, whose aim is to lift communities through education, healthcare and environmental protection. He will continue to serve as president.
In related news, the Stewart family has made Butch Stewart's memorial service available to view online, at www.inmmemoryofgordonbutchstewart.com.