Founder

When Denver F. Gray began his 65 year insurance career in 1948, he immediately recognized that the insurance market needed a comprehensive program that could respond to the exposures of the offshore oil and gas industry. In order to address the overlapping combination of State and Federal jurisdictions and complex contractual arrangements, he founded Gray & Company, Inc. in 1953, and began to offer a unique casualty package that combined coverage for General Liability, Automobile Liability, and Workers’ Compensation under one program.

Gray & Company, Inc. operated as the underwriting manager for various unaffiliated insurance companies until 1977. Then, The Gray Insurance Company was incorporated and received its certificate of authority from the Louisiana State Department of Insurance.

Mr. Gray saw the expansion of his enterprise until his death in 2013, having years earlier passed on his legacy to his three surviving sons, Walter, Michael and Eric. They now operate Gray & Company, Inc. and its subsidiaries The Gray Insurance Company, The Gray Casualty & Surety Company, The Gray Oil & Gas Company, The Gray Exploration Corporation, Verlander, LLC, Gray Matter, LLC, and Delta Title Corporation.

Mr. Gray served in the Army Air Corps as a pilot towards the end of World War II and subsequently attended Tulane University. He was a firm believer in leading by example, supporting both charitable and political groups that strove to instill character, integrity, and responsibility. A Boy Scout Master for over 15 years, he was also a member of the Coastal Conservation Association, New Orleans Big Game Fishing Club, Southern Yacht Club, Pass Christian Yacht Club, the New Orleans Country Club, and Wildcat Cliff Country Club.