With deep sorrow we report the passing of Variety Golf member Bruce McGuire, one of our most generous supporters and a true pioneer of the travel industry. He passed away peacefully in his sleep on July 7th.
In 1971 Bruce McGuire founded Clifford Enterprises, a distributor of watches and gifts, principally to the airline industry, which grew into a hugely influential, profitable and respected business over many years, until he eventually sold it to Ronson.
Among his many success stories was Montine, a watch brand Bruce launched in 1971 and which became a phenomenal bestseller inflight, selling more than half a million units per year during the 1980s. This prompted the Montine advertising slogan – ‘one sold every minute around the world’.
His son Stuart said today, “He was a truly amazing man who lived his life to the full, always smiling and positive, a successful and incredibly popular businessman and entrepreneur, a born and natural entertainer, a keen sportsman and lover of music, dancing and sunshine and extremely generous to all. “Truly one of a kind. A legend to us.”
A private funeral will be held with plans to have a memorial and celebration of Bruce’s life at a later date.