Bermuda company has retired.

Mr. John McCulloch's outward approach to business led to architectural firm Onions, Bouchard & McCulloch opening offices in the Cayman Islands, Tortola, St. Kitts, Antigua, Jamaica, the Turks and Caicos Islands and St. Maarten.

"We're probably the smallest international company around,'' joked 70-year-old Mr. McCulloch, who has handed over the reins in Bermuda to Mr.

B.W. (Jordy) Walker.

His retirement coincides with the 25th anniversaries of the firm's Tortola, BVI and Georgetown, Grand Cayman offices.

The Caribbean expansion started when the Scottish-born architect made a private trip to Tortola in 1966 and discovered that you could buy US dollars in the UK sterling territory without having to pay premiums.

"I couldn't believe it,'' said Mr. McCulloch. "I cashed a sterling cheque and they gave me US dollars without any premium.

He was so impressed that, after returning to Bermuda, he quickly revisited Tortola with lawyers and an accountant and opened up an office.

"We didn't have a single job lined up but we were confident because there were so many people coming in that and we could see the economy starting to boom.'' The following year, the company expanded into the Cayman Islands at the same time as the Bank of Butterfield.

Further new offices were opened at various intervals until, today, OBM employs a total of 50 staff, 35 of whom are overseas.

"We had a pattern when we wanted to open up in a new country,'' said Mr.

McCulloch. "Someone would go and see the Governor, someone would see the lawyers and accountants and it would all come together.'' Some of the offices have since closed.

"We closed the one in Turks and Caicos in 1984/85 after the big drugs scandal there, which involved the arrest of the Prime Minister,'' said Mr. McCulloch.

"That was enough for us.'' The way of doing business in the islands was much different to Bermuda, he said.

"Bermuda's very isolated. In the Caribbean, there are families where there are several brothers on several islands and a kind of network system operates,'' he added.

"If you know one, you get introduced to everyone else.'' Some of their clients in the Caribbean are Bermuda related entities such as the Bank of Butterfield and Gibbons Co.'s Montpelier Developments, in Grand Cayman.

Mr. McCulloch said he had retired from "active duty'' as a shareholder and partner but will hold the position of senior consultant, located in the same office he held before.

The partnership of OBM was formed in 1936 by Mr. Wilfred R. Onions -- regarded as one of the Island's best architects ever -- and Mr. Valmer D. Bouchard.

In the early years, the company concentrated on residential projects and quickly flourished.

But the Second World War brought an end to all that and the partnership lay dormant between 1941 and the end of the war in 1945. Then came the "glory years'' as the company refers to the 1950s.

Mr. McCulloch, a graduate of Edinburgh University, was taken on in 1953 to assist with the expanding commercial sector of the business, which included Wil Onions' design of City Hall in Hamilton.

During this decade, OBM was involved with several major developments, primarily in Hamilton.

Following the death of Mr. Onions in 1959, Mr. Bouchard invited a young Mr.

McCulloch to join him as a partner, which he took up in 1960. Mr. Bouchard died in 1977.

Mr. McCulloch became the dominant design force within the company and attracted several major commissions, including building projects for the Bank of Butterfield, the Bank of Bermuda, H. A. & E. Smith and Bermuda Fire and Marine Insurance.

Mr. Walker said: "Under John McCulloch's direction, the firm developed a definitive philosophy. The expertise offered was the ability to design buildings on many islands.

"Simple structures able to be built by local contractors of limited skill and craftsmanship were imperative design goals.

"Quality of design was the firm's watchword and quality in construction its aim. Both were accomplished using simple structures and the results were acclaimed by satisfied clients.'' He added: "For over 25 years, the firm's insistence on quality building standards has brought about a substantial change in the quality of construction in many of the Caribbean islands.

"Contractors have been educated under the firm's direction to an understanding of the requirements for changes in traditional methods of building.

"These contractors are now capable of building sophisticated structures. The service trades also have been expanded in Caribbean islands to support the construction industry.

"In essence, Onions Bouchard and McCulloch has played an influential part in the economic development of the construction industry in each of the Caribbean islands where the firm is located and this influence has been extended to the other islands where it has constructed buildings, particularly Montserrat, Anguilla, Saba and the American Virgin Islands.'' OBM has designed some of Bermuda's best known buildings, including the Bank of Bermuda's head office and also its operations centre, Victoria Hall, the Bank of Butterfield's Rosebank Centre and, in 1990, the ACE Building.

Since Mr. McCulloch announced his retirement two years ago, he has been casting off his responsibilities.

He relinquished his position as president of the firm for a short period to Ms Ruth Burgess, who was then succeeded by Mr. William Bissell, of the Cayman office.

OBM's management has become less centralised with the election of partner directors from offices in the Bermuda and Caribbean offices.

Mr. Walker said: "The island offices will operate as individual companies with limited liability while the Bermuda office will continue as a partnership.

"The firm's financial control operated in Bermuda will report to St. Kitts, where Ruth Burgess, vice president and treasurer, has taken up residence.'' Mr. Walker has become managing director of the Bermuda office. Mr. Walker said: "While not contemplated immediately until the recession has eased, expansion of the firms operations is anticipated, with target areas including re-opening the Turks and Caicos office and potential for operations to be established in the islands of Anguilla, Montserrat and St. Lucia.'' STEPPING ASIDE -- Mr. John McCulloch, left, is retiring from Onions, Bouchard and McCulloch, which changed from a prominent local architectural firm to a top firm through the Caribbean under his leadership. With him is the managing director of OBM's Bermuda office, Mr. B.W. (Jordy) Walker.