Herb Peyton

Herbert Hill 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 John Peyton, current President of Gate and former two-term Mayor of Jacksonville. 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 embargo of the early 1970s. In 1997, he acknowledged owning 80 percent of Gate Petroleum, with the remaining 20 percent 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 six-mile run every week, as well as a one-mile swim far out beyond the surf line". He has five children from three marriages; the oldest, John Peyton, is currently President of Gate and previously served two terms as Mayor of Jacksonville from 2003 to 2011. Herb Peyton attended the University of Florida, and was a member of the class of 1956.