Knowledge is power, the late John Eric Patterson (Jep) Stewart said when he introduced the concept of group health insurance to Bermuda in the early 1950s.

Mr. Stewart, the first managing director of the Argus Group, died on October 16 of respiratory heart failure, leaving a legacy to be cherished. He was 86.

Born in Dundee, Scotland, Mr. Stewart moved to Canada to become a member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police before coming to Bermuda on April 11, 1952, where he pioneered the idea of group health insurance along with his secretary, Lee Blackwood.

He came to Bermuda with his wife Teena Hooper and spent the next 30 years contributing not only to development of health insurance in Bermuda, but encouraged members of staff to get involved in the community.

Mr. Stewart was the CEO of Somers Isles Insurance Company and with the assistance of A.J. Gorham, chairman of the board of Somers Isles, worked to introduce health insurance for employees.

Today Somers Isles is a subsidiary of the Argus Group which has over 135 employees in Bermuda and 19 in Gibraltar. It is the third largest domestic company quoted on the Bermuda Stock Exchange with a market capitalisation of $195 million.

Argus Group president and CEO Gerald Simons, who was recruited by Mr. Stewart, said: ?One can argue that Argus is the most successful public company established in Bermuda after the Second World War.

?Jep played a critical role in helping to shape our health insurance legislation in the late 1960s. The Hospital Insurance Act 1970 has provided Bermuda with a framework for structuring the financing of healthcare in Bermuda for over 30 years.?

?As a result, health care financing has not been as contentious an issue in Bermuda as it has been in most countries and Bermudians enjoy a standard of health care which most countries would envy.?

In the 1950s and 1960s Argus entered the pension and life insurance business as well as the property and casualty business.

Now Argus is the largest domestic insurer and the market leader in health insurance and pensions. ?One of Mr. Stewart?s strengths was his ability to attract talented young people into the insurance industry,? Mr. Simons said.

?John Sainsbury, Bill Rewalt and Larry Osborne were all recruited and developed by Jep. John Sainsbury succeeded Jep as managing director and chief executive officer.

?I am personally indebted to Jep for convincing me to forgo a career in education for one in business. Nearly 40 years ago I gave up my teacher training scholarship and accepted one from Argus instead.

?Jep loved Bermuda. He encouraged members of staff to get involved in the Bermudian community and was instrumental in founding the Bermuda Junior Chamber of Commerce (later the Jaycees) and a local YMCA.?

He also helped to establish Island Press Limited and served on the board of the Bank of Bermuda.

The the DVD, ?Bermuda Treasures?, Mr. Stewart said: ?Knowledge is power. To get anywhere in life involves your entire life skills. You must stay awake and aware of everybody so the sky will not fall down on you.

?People in Bermuda have always been nice to me and put opportunities in my life.?

A memorial service will be held for Mr. Stewart at the Royal Hamilton Amateur Dinghy Club on November 12 at 4.30 p.m.