Founded by Chairman Bernie Weatherhead in 1982, the family-owned Sun Group Inc. comprises multiple companies offering services in a broad range of sectors – including hotels and other accommodation, airline GSA, ground transportation, destination management, retail, travel, and insurance. Sun Group employs over 950 people, operating 51 offices in 10 countries throughout the Caribbean and in Miami.

Bernie Weatherhead

People talk about ‘vertical expansion’, but I just call it good business. When I launched my first company I was working as a hotel manager. Our guests wanted to tour the island, so I started a car rental company. Just common sense. Then I bought the hotel. Things carried on from there and we grew to where we are today. All of our businesses are inter-linked. Fortunately, I get a lot of support from my two sons, Alfredo and Rod, and my nephew Aldo, who are Managing Directors for sizable divisions of the operation, as well as my wife Marilda. Our grandson Jacob led our recent venture at Haymans Market, where he has been joined by our other grandchildren Christian and Vanessa. I like balancing my experience with innovative youngsters.

Barbados is a wonderful place to live, but it also gives people a chance to work at the highest level. We are the biggest agency for American Airlines, so Alfredo gets to deal directly with their top people. When Virgin Atlantic decided to close their regional reservation system, they offered it to us. Rod runs that operation and every reservation in the Caribbean goes through us, a Barbadian company.  

Being headquartered in Barbados has definitely been good for our business. Having that secure foundation and solid financial base has enabled us to expand throughout the region, including St Lucia where we have made our second largest investments.

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