Today marks the first year since the founder and Chairman of ATL/ Sandals Resorts, Butch Stewart died.

He founded Applied Traders Limited (ATL) in 1968 and went on to form Sandals Resorts in 1981. He built companies collectively valued in excess of US$1 billion from Jamaica and established one of the world’s leading resort brands.

A mercurial business leader, he had his own inimitable style and always brimmed with effervescent confidence.

He was a man who did things his way and was guided by his visceral antennae. It was always unequivocally clear how he felt on any given situation or subject.

Here are a few of his memorable sayings that have echoed down the years.

1. “Look here now!” – (Pay attention to what I have to say).

2. “Gold at half price means little if nobody knows about it” – (Marketing is the essence of business. People have to know your product).

3. “Not only that…..” – (I’d like to elaborate on my point here)

4. “Nonsense!” – (I dismiss that wholeheartedly)

5. “Star Bwoy!”  – (You are rather popular).

6. “Come and do this for me!” (Hey, I need your help).

7. “You follow me…”  – (Are you keeping up with what I am saying to you?).

8. “In the US, UK and Canada, everybody knows Sandals” (We have built an international brand from Jamaica).

9.  “Ras!” – (Good gracious or Holy Molly!).

10. “Let’s see what you can come up with” (Gain my attention, show what you can do. prove your worth)

11. “Sandals employs more people than any other hotel group in the English-speaking Caribbean…. you can write that! (There can be no doubt that Sandals is the leader of the resort business in this region).

12. “I’ll talk to you in the morning” – (I’m in the middle of something right now)

13. “Talk fast” – (Get to the point quickly, I haven’t got all day).

14. “Trust me!” – (See things my way).

15. “Come for a swim” – (I need to talk with you and sound you out).

16. “Put it down on a sheet of paper and give it to me” – (You have an interesting idea but explain it succinctly).

17. Have you done that ting for me? (Have you done what I asked you to do yet?).

18. “You with me?” (Do you get my point? A variation on “You follow me?”).

19. “You’re knocking on an open door” – (Go ahead, you have my approval and blessing).

20. “I’m going to tell you something” – (I’m about to impart some invaluable knowledge).

21. “Arleneeee!!” (I need something done, calling to his personal executive assistant).

22. “No way we bow to that bullsh*&t!” (We are not giving in. We are holding our ground).

23. “Run it by Adam and Dmitri” (Get consensus from the senior executives in the Group. Don’t keep them in the dark).

24.  “From day one, we always wanted our guests to get more than they expected” – (Always over-deliver. Give more than what is required of you. Keep the customers happy and they in turn will keep you happy).

25. “Service, attitude, smile. Make people feel comfortable. Treat them as honoured guests. Anything that they need, that is professional, you do (snapping his fingers) it” – (The importance of delivering service in business).

26. “Business is about the people that it consists of, the product and the service” – (Running a business is about adhering to key fundamentals. It is not as intricate as people make it out to be).

27. “Wha’ happen baby!”   – (How you doing? )

28. “Jamaicans have big hearts. The personality, the attitude, the mentality. We get motivated by the guests being happy” – (The uniqueness of Jamaican tourism workers).

29. “If you don’t share, you aren’t serving a purpose”- (One should always share their good fortune for the greater good).

30. “My name is Gordon ‘Butch’ Stewart and I am the Chairman of Sandals Resorts.”