According to a report by the Jamaica Gleaner, Stewart died Monday night January 4, 2020 in the United States.

A recipient of the Order of Jamaica and the Commander of the Order of Distinction, Stewart was born on July 6, 1941.

Stewart who was a pioneer in creating the incredibly popular “all-inclusive” travel concept that is now common across the Caribbean and Mexico controlled an estimated billion-dollar Jamaican-based empire included 24 Caribbean properties, Appliance Traders, ATL Automotive, ATL Autobahn and the Observer media company.

Gordon’s son, Adam Stewart, deputy chairman at Sandals, announced the news to the Sandals Group via internal memo Monday night.

“The news seems almost unbelievable,” wrote Adam Stewart, “since our Chairman was as involved and forward thinking as ever.”

Adam said his father “choose to keep a very recent health diagnosis private and we respected that wish.”

Adam goes on to call his father a “marketing genius and talented showman, but those who knew him best recognized him as a dreamer who could dream bigger and better than anyone.”

He added: “There will never be another quite like him and we will miss him forever.”

Andrew Holness, Prime Minister of Jamaica, expressed his condolences via Twitter on Monday night, writing:

“Butch was a man way ahead of his time, he had an eye for details and his ability to market and deliver world class service in any endeavour was tremendously distinctive. He was an extraordinary human being with an unwavering commitment to the social good…He has left his unmistakeable mark across the region & the world & we shall miss him dearly.”

The Prime Minister added that “this loss is not just Jamaica’s it is the Caribbean’s.”