"People are coming here because they feel Rotherham United is a club that has got a future," said Stewart.
"It's not just about a new stadium but with regards to its ambition, its expectations. These players coming here are looking at the football club and genuinely believe we'll be going places.
"They look at the history of the past two years. We finished in the equivalent of the play-offs two seasons ago when we'd had the 17 points deducted and then, last season, got to the Play-off Final at Wembley.
"We have players and staff who have got used to winning ways so the expectation is not just from the board, the manager, it's from the people coming to Rotherham United. They are looking at this history and they want to make sure their CVs are good."
He added: "I've learned a lot with regard to the game of football itself. Like understanding the mentality of the game, the surprise, the shocks that come with it and the enjoyment.
"But what has not changed is what was there at the beginning - the drive, the push, the determination. That's not suffered in any degree.
"That has not changed whilst acknowledging that with any business, any football club, there is a certain amount of luck involved.
"People can see we are moving forward. The manager is now bringing in his own team of people, recruiting as he sees fit and it leaves me and the board to think we have a good chance to get an automatic promotion place this time."