Herb Peyton
Encyclopedia
Herbert Hill "Herb" Peyton (born January 6, 1932) is an American
entrepreneur and founder of Gate Petroleum
in Jacksonville
, Florida
, which had sales of $1.44 billion in 2008. He is the father of former Mayor of Jacksonville John Peyton.
of the early 1970s. Although he denies guilt, he pleaded "no contest" to charges of gasoline price-fixing in the 1970s, paying $90,000 in fines.
In 1997, he acknowledged owning 80% of Gate Petroleum, with the remaining 20% belonging to "the Brothers"; long-term employees (men and women) who were instrumental in the company's growth, which had 2006 revenues of over U.S. $1.28 billion.
In 2001, The Florida Times-Union
reported that Peyton, "pushing 70, is a larger than life figure who competes in triathlons and does at least one 6-mile run every week, as well as a 1-mile swim far out beyond the surf line". Peyton has five children from three marriages; the oldest, John Peyton
, was the Mayor of Jacksonville from 2003 to 2011. He attended the University of Florida
, and was a member of the class of 1956.
of the Alfred I. duPont Testamentary Trust
since January 18, 1995. He also serves on the Nemours Foundation
Board of Directors. Peyton was elected as a director of Florida East Coast Industries and St. Joe Company
in December, 2000 and provided the benefit of his experience through 2004, when he retired from both boards. Peyton was named an honorary director of Dreams Come True
in recognition of his contribution of land and construction material for the non-profit's new headquarters in 2002.
In 2004, the National Association of Office and Industrial Properties chapter in Northeast Florida presented the William Drennon Lifetime Achievement Award to Peyton.
Peyton made a $1 million gift to the Bolles School
in 2006, the largest capital donation in school history. The money was used to construct a facility for the school's Crew
team, named the Peyton Boathouse. The Bolles boys and girls Crew teams have each won five state championships.
Since its founding in 1993, he was a member of the Jacksonville Non-Group, which evolved into the Jacksonville Civic Council
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
entrepreneur and founder of Gate Petroleum
Gate Petroleum
Gate Petroleum is a privately held diversified corporation headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, the 11th largest in Florida in 2010. In FY 2008, the company ranked #338 on the Forbes list of America's Largest Private Companies...
in Jacksonville
Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Florida in terms of both population and land area, and the largest city by area in the contiguous United States. It is the county seat of Duval County, with which the city government consolidated in 1968...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, which had sales of $1.44 billion in 2008. He is the father of former Mayor of Jacksonville John Peyton.
Company origins
Peyton bought his first gas station in 1960 and slowly expanded throughout the decade, diversifying when gas became scarce during the Arab Oil embargo1973 oil crisis
The 1973 oil crisis started in October 1973, when the members of Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries or the OAPEC proclaimed an oil embargo. This was "in response to the U.S. decision to re-supply the Israeli military" during the Yom Kippur war. It lasted until March 1974. With the...
of the early 1970s. Although he denies guilt, he pleaded "no contest" to charges of gasoline price-fixing in the 1970s, paying $90,000 in fines.
In 1997, he acknowledged owning 80% of Gate Petroleum, with the remaining 20% belonging to "the Brothers"; long-term employees (men and women) who were instrumental in the company's growth, which had 2006 revenues of over U.S. $1.28 billion.
In 2001, The Florida Times-Union
The Florida Times-Union
The Florida Times-Union is a major daily newspaper in Jacksonville, Florida, USA. Widely known as the oldest newspaper in the state, it began publication as the Florida Union in 1864. Its current incarnation started in 1883, when the Florida Union merged with another Jacksonville paper, the...
reported that Peyton, "pushing 70, is a larger than life figure who competes in triathlons and does at least one 6-mile run every week, as well as a 1-mile swim far out beyond the surf line". Peyton has five children from three marriages; the oldest, John Peyton
John Peyton (US politician)
John Stephens Peyton is an American businessman and politician. He served as Mayor of Jacksonville, Florida from 2003 to 2011. He was the second Republican to be elected to the position since 1888....
, was the Mayor of Jacksonville from 2003 to 2011. He attended the University of Florida
University of Florida
The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
, and was a member of the class of 1956.
Civic involvement
Herb Peyton has been a TrusteeTrustee
Trustee is a legal term which, in its broadest sense, can refer to any person who holds property, authority, or a position of trust or responsibility for the benefit of another...
of the Alfred I. duPont Testamentary Trust
Alfred I. duPont Testamentary Trust
The Alfred I. duPont Testamentary Trust is a non-profit organization created by philanthropist Alfred I. du Pont in 1935, devoted to supporting the Trust's sole charitable beneficiary, the Nemours Foundation. As of December 31, 2008, the trust’s value was $3.25 billion and employed nearly 3,500...
since January 18, 1995. He also serves on the Nemours Foundation
Nemours Foundation
The Nemours Foundation is a non-profit organization in Jacksonville, Florida, created by philanthropist Alfred I. du Pont in 1936, and dedicated to improving the health of children. The Foundation operates the Alfred I...
Board of Directors. Peyton was elected as a director of Florida East Coast Industries and St. Joe Company
St. Joe Company
The St. Joe Company is a land development company formerly headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, United States. It is Florida's second largest private landowner, owning about in the state at the end of 2009.-Beginning:...
in December, 2000 and provided the benefit of his experience through 2004, when he retired from both boards. Peyton was named an honorary director of Dreams Come True
Dreams Come True (non-profit)
Dreams Come True is a 501 non-profit organization in Jacksonville, Florida, begun by Tom McGehee and his wife Delia, that grants the dreams of children with life-limiting illnesses...
in recognition of his contribution of land and construction material for the non-profit's new headquarters in 2002.
In 2004, the National Association of Office and Industrial Properties chapter in Northeast Florida presented the William Drennon Lifetime Achievement Award to Peyton.
Peyton made a $1 million gift to the Bolles School
Bolles School
The Bolles School is a private college preparatory day and boarding school in Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. It has a lower school , a middle school, and a high school, spread across four campuses around the Jacksonville area, and enrolls about 1,800 students a year. The school was founded in 1933 as...
in 2006, the largest capital donation in school history. The money was used to construct a facility for the school's Crew
Rowing (sport)
Rowing is a sport in which athletes race against each other on rivers, on lakes or on the ocean, depending upon the type of race and the discipline. The boats are propelled by the reaction forces on the oar blades as they are pushed against the water...
team, named the Peyton Boathouse. The Bolles boys and girls Crew teams have each won five state championships.
Since its founding in 1993, he was a member of the Jacksonville Non-Group, which evolved into the Jacksonville Civic Council
Jacksonville Civic Council
Jacksonville Civic Council is a non-partisan group of prominent Jacksonville, Florida business leaders whose goal is to help resolve community issues by studying the problem, proposing one or more solutions, advocating for change, and providing resources and support.The entity is akin to a brain...
.
Future plans
In a January 9, 2009 interview in the Jacksonville Daily Record, Mayor John Peyton was asked about his plans for 2011 when his term ends. He responded:
"I’m going back to Gate and rejoin the family business. I’m looking forward to that. I told dad (Herb Peyton) that he has saved a lot of money because he hasn’t had to pay me for eight years. I think my father is very eager to retire. He wasn’t excited about me running for a second term. If it had been his choice, I would have gone back [to Gate] sooner."
Further reading
- Newboy: the Autobiography of Herbert Hill Peyton, Herbert Hill Peyton, ISBN 0965827704; published by Gate Petroleum Co, January 1997