THE board of York’s largest family run company is now without any of the founding family members as Patrick and Mark Shepherd retire from the Shepherd Group.

The pair, who have served some 40 years each in a range of roles, are great-grandsons of Frederick Shepherd, founder of the business, which is most famously responsible for Portakabin.

Patrick and Mark, both 62, stepped down at the Shepherd Group AGM, where group chairman David Williams paid tribute to “their outstanding dedication and commitment” and thanked them both “for their contribution to the growth and success of this remarkable family business”.

Mark, a Fellow of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors has been a Director of Shepherd Building Group Limited since 1995.

During his time in the Group he has worked at Shepherd Construction, Shepherd Development Company, Shepherd Homes and Shepherd Group Properties, the company which manages the Group’s property portfolio.

Mark has served as a Trustee of both St. Leonard’s Hospice, York, and the York Minster Fund and has also been a member of the CBI Regional Council for Yorkshire and the Humber.

Patrick retires as deputy chairman of the group. His early career in the business, from 1977 to 1984 was spent working in manufacturing and commercial roles at Portasilo Ltd, before moving over to Portakabin Ltd. After ten years spent in various roles, he was appointed managing director in 1995, and became executive chairman of Portakabin Ltd and Portasilo Ltd in 1996. From 2001-2003 he was divisional chief executive for the Manufacturing Division.

He was awarded an OBE for services to business and charity in the Queen’s Birthday Honours.

Outside his Shepherd commitments, Patrick is a member of the Court of the University of York, which was recognised in 2013 when he was awarded the Morrell Fellowship.

In addition to his Shepherd commitments, Patrick has had strong links with the CBI, becoming a Regional Councillor in 1994 and chairman of the Regional Council in 2001/2002. In 2013 he received the Lifetime Achievement Award in The Press Business Awards.

He was also chairman of York Against Cancer for almost 15 years and personally helped to raise £86,000 for the cause.

Following their retirement from the board the Shepherd Group will retain their experience and knowledge as each of them has a new role. Patrick will focus on Portakabin while Mark is associated with the group’s substantial property portfolio.