Prime Minister Holness Mourns the Passing of The Hon. Don Wehby, OJ, CD, Former Senator, Minister, and CEO of GraceKennedy

Prime Minister Dr. Andrew Holness has expressed deep sorrow at the passing of the Honourable Don Wehby, OJ, CD, former Senator, Cabinet Minister, and Group Chief Executive Officer of GraceKennedy Limited, who passed away on Saturday, July 26, 2025.

“We mourn the passing of a respected former government Senator and a visionary leader whose influence spanned both public service and private enterprise. My heart goes out to the family, loved ones, friends, colleagues, and admirers of Don Wehby, who transitioned yesterday,” said Prime Minister Holness in a statement this morning.

Don Wehby’s career was marked by distinguished service to Jamaica in both the public and private sectors.

Former Senator Wehby joined GraceKennedy in 1995 and rose through the ranks to become Group CEO in July 2011, following his role as Group COO upon his return to the company in 2009.

Under his transformative leadership, GraceKennedy evolved into one of the Caribbean’s most dynamic conglomerates with a global footprint.

The Hon. Don Wehby was instrumental in tripling the company’s revenue and cementing its role as a Jamaican success story.

In public life, former Senator Wehby served with integrity and distinction in the Upper House and as Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Finance from 2007 to 2009. He returned to the Senate in 2016, where he continued to contribute to national discourse, offering sound advice, mentorship, and steadfast belief in Jamaica’s potential.

“Don was known not just for his professional excellence but for his character, kind, gracious, deeply principled, and unwaveringly committed to Jamaica’s future. His passing is a tremendous loss for his loving family, for the colleagues and communities he uplifted, and for the nation he so passionately served. Don Wehby’s legacy endures in the lives he mentored, in the institutions he helped build, and in the ideals he championed,” Prime Minister Holness added.

A devout patriot, former Senator Wehby also played a significant role in youth and sports development and was deeply invested in community upliftment. He was inducted into the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica Hall of Fame in 2025 and was awarded the Order of Distinction Commander Class in 2017 and the Order of Jamaica in 2024.

“To his family, your loss is deeply felt. To the staff of GraceKennedy, his fellow policymakers, and the many students, entrepreneurs, and citizens who looked to him for leadership, I know your sorrow. May you find solace in the countless ways he made Jamaica better. May his memory forever be a blessing, and may his legacy continue to inspire us to serve with purpose, integrity, and love,” Prime Minister Holness stated.

“The Government and people of Jamaica join in mourning a national giant and extend sincere condolences to his wife, children, extended family, the GraceKennedy team, and the wider Jamaican public.”