By DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

THE Grand Bahama community is saddened over the loss of well-known Freeport businessman Dennis Knowles, who died early this week.

Mr Knowles is believed to have suffered a heart attack and died on Monday, December 27. His sudden death has left many shocked.

The businessman made many contributions to the Grand Bahama community through his involvement in the Grand Bahama Chamber of Commerce, Rotary, and Bahamas National Trust.

Mr Knowles was president and owner of Microtech Sales & Services Ltd. Before starting his company in 1992, he was initially employed at Xerox (Bahamas) Ltd for 13 years from 1968 to 1981 and was promoted to branch manager. He was also vice president of operations at Bahamas Mariculture from 1985 through 1992.

He was also a member and director of the Grand Bahama Chamber of Commerce and once served as its vice president. He was also an active Rotarian and was involved in community service and young development with the Rotary Club of Lucaya.

Clifford Bowe, incoming assistant area governor for Rotary International District 6990 for 2022, and past president of the Rotary Club of Lucaya, said Mr Knowles made significant contributions to youth development.

“He would definitely be missed as a result of his contributions to the Rotary Club of Lucaya, and Grand Bahama. There is a void left now,” Mr Bowe said.

“Dennis’s passing was a surprise because I had just seen him at our last meeting, and we sat together, and he was his normal jovial self,” he recalled.

“I worked with him on the SECME and AIM programmes for several years, and even with selection for students to go off to Kettering University,” Mr Bowe said.

Until his death, Mr Knowles served as programme coordinator for the SECME programme. Mr Bowe said the ‘Bottle Rocket’ and ‘Mousetrap Car’ were two competitions introduced to students on Grand Bahama interested in the sciences. The winner of the inter-school competitions went to compete in the United States. The Bahamas had placed 1st and 3rd nationally in the US several years ago.

Mr Bowe said Mr Knowles was committed to developing young Bahamian engineers through the programme. “He and Dudley Powell started the programmes. They were both instrumental in students going off and becoming engineers,” he said.

He also said Mr Knowles gave tremendous support to the Interact Club—the youth arm of Rotary. “We would have several leadership seminars, and whenever called on, he would offer to mentor young people,” he said.

Environmental activist Joseph Darville, of Save the Bays, was shocked to learn of Mr Knowles’ death. He said Mr Knowles was also very instrumental in the establishment of Bahamas National Trust’s branch in Freeport.

He was a founding member of BNT and served as branch chairman. He volunteered for 11 years, from March 1982 to 1993.

Mr Knowles was also a member of the board of advisors at the Bahamas Technical and Vocational Institute from January 2016 to the present.