Bernard Egner Schwikkard passed away peacefully last weekend at the age of 88. ‘Bernie’ as he was affectionately known to his friends, or ‘Mr Schwikkard’ as a mark of respect by the many staff he led at Micor from the early ‘70s until his retirement, earned the epithet ‘Captain of Industry’. Described by his Saaff colleagues as a man of huge integrity and morality, he will be remembered for his no-nonsense, direct and honest management style. But behind the stern exterior was often a disarming smile, a twinkle in the eye and a roguish sense of humour. Staff knew him to be firm but fair. His mantra on discipline was that it consisted of 10% ‘kick in the backside’ and 90% learning from the experience. With clear vision and foresight he realised that a sustainable business was founded on ‘getting customers and keeping customers’ and he drove a sales and development model that made Micor a major player in the early ‘80s. He had a passion for his company, his people and the industry as a whole. Schwikkard had an insight and opinion on a broad spectrum of topics across the clearing and forwarding industry and his views were always welcomed and respected by his peers and Government alike. He leaves his wife of 63 years, Beryl Eileen, five children, five grandchildren and one great grandchild.
