George Hepburn of JW Gray passes away

George Hepburn (pictured), former managing director of  JW Gray & Co for 36 years, has died.

He successfully led the development of JW Gray & Co, which is the largest wholesaler that services the islands of Shetland and Orkney.

Founded in 1912, the business’s wholesale operation was bought by George and Anna Hepburn in 1983. Based in Lerwick in Shetland it also has a depot in Orkney, and offers customers a wide range of grocery and locally sourced fresh products, as well as a comprehensive range of beers, wines and spirits. It also operates a bonded warehouse serving the offshore sector, shipping, and export customers.

Hepburn was a board member of Landmark Wholesale, and following the merger with Today’s Group in 2018, he continued in his position as a member of the Unitas board for a short time before stepping down to concentrate on his own wholesale business.

Hepburn was a well-known figure in the wholesale industry and regularly attended Scottish Wholesale Association events.

Since 2000, JW Gray has been run by George and Anna Hepburn’s son-in-law, Iain Johnston, although the Hepburns remained directors of the business.