In the most recent issue of Corporate Leader, we feature Adam Stewart, the boy-wonder CEO of Sandals Resorts. Promoted to the post nearly two years ago at the ripe young age of 25, his responsibilities, at first blush, might seem heavy boots for such young feet: the all-inclusive Caribbean resort chain comes with 8,000 employees, 22 properties, 3.1 million guests per year and nearly $1 billion in annual revenue.

Except that he has been living, breathing and cultivating the Sandals brand since he was a wee laddie: his father and company founder, fiery Scotsman Gordon “Butch” Stewart, started him off stuffing envelopes, and then steadily embroidered him with the company tartan.

Is the younger Stewart confident in his Sandals? You bet. Too often, the hard-driving father can literally drive the son away, but not in this case. To the hotel born, Adam checked in for the long haul; his father, known to all as "The Chairman", ended up giving his offspring the second best gift after life itself: a passion for work, and consequently, purpose, fulfillment, reward and security.

Their names escape me--your help much appreciated--but I recall reading about three brothers whose father engaged them intellectually each day with tasks such as reading the NY Times and then choosing a topic for discussion at the dinner table. One ended up in President Bill Clinton's administration; one started a hedge fund, and one became a Hollywood producer. All successful, and happy for it.

My bairn are stuffing metaphorical envelopes as we speak; I do not have a writing empire to bequeath to them, nor might I forge journalism on them as a career, but fostering an appreciation for the consistent practice of writing works fine enough.

Jeff Heilman

5/8/08