Household, associates, colleagues, and dignitaries gathered on Thursday at Holy Trinity Cathedral in Kingston to honor the lifetime of the late enterprise chief and former Group Chief Govt Officer of GraceKennedy Restricted, Don Wehby.
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Wehby, who passed away on July 26 on the age of 62 after a chronic sickness on the Tony Thwaites Wing of the College Hospital of the West Indies, was remembered for his management, contributions to nationwide improvement, and devotion to household.
For 14 years, Wehby steered GraceKennedy by a interval of sustained development and world growth, reworking the corporate from a Jamaican family identify right into a revered worldwide conglomerate with operations throughout the Caribbean, North America, and Europe. He took a depart of absence from the corporate in October 2024 to give attention to his well being and formally retired in February 2025.
Past the non-public sector, Wehby served as a authorities senator and was Minister with out Portfolio within the Ministry of Finance from 2007 to 2009 underneath the Bruce Golding administration. He later returned to the Senate in 2016, contributing to nationwide coverage discussions and initiatives. In recognition of his service, he was awarded the Order of Jamaica in October 2024.
A graduate of St. George’s Faculty and a longtime supporter of cricket and horse racing, Wehby was broadly admired for his humility, patriotism, and mentorship. He’s survived by his spouse and three kids.
Prime Minister Andrew Holness, who attended the service, paid tribute to Wehby as “an excellent son of the soil” whose life was “dedicated to service, integrity, and nationwide improvement.” He lauded Wehby’s loyalty, mind, and tireless power, highlighting his distinguished service within the Senate, in Cupboard, on company boards, and inside communities throughout Jamaica.
Holness praised Wehby’s management at GraceKennedy and as Chairman of JAMPRO, noting that “Don introduced the identical values to each position: honesty, equity, respect, and an unshakable perception in doing what is true. His management was by no means about private achieve. It was about lifting others, advancing Jamaica’s progress, and exhibiting that ambition and humility can stroll hand in hand. In each the private and non-private sectors, he proved that excellence and compassion can coexist, and that patriotism is a every day dedication to behave in the perfect curiosity of the nation.”
The Prime Minister concluded: “We honour Don Wehby’s exceptional legacy and prolong our deepest condolences to his beloved household and to the GraceKennedy household. Jamaica has misplaced a statesman, a businessman of the best order, and a real patriot; his instance will proceed to encourage generations to come back.”
The service introduced collectively leaders from authorities, enterprise, and civil society, all celebrating a life that left an indelible mark on Jamaica’s company and nationwide panorama.
