Immokalee, Fla. – Lipman, North America’s largest open field tomato grower, has elected Jeff Gargiulo to its board of directors. A produce industry veteran, Gargiulo currently owns and operates Gargiulo Vineyards, a Napa Valley Winery and is the chairman of Greenleaf Produce, a produce foodservice distributor in San Francisco.
Jeff and his family owned Gargiulo Tomato for decades before selling the company, which still bears his name. He served as president and CEO for Sunkist Growers, and is a past chairman of the Produce Marketing Association.
“Jeff grew up growing and packing tomatoes, surrounded by Florida agriculture”, said Kent Shoemaker, CEO of Lipman. “We’re thrilled to have him join our board of directors and look forward to his insight as he returns to the tomato business.”
Gargiulo is on the Oakville Wine Growers board of directors and a member of the Florida Council of 100. He also supports an array of charitable organizations throughout the United States. Gargiulo graduated from Florida State University.
About Lipman
Based in Immokalee, Fla., Lipman is the largest field open tomato grower in North America, providing dependable year-round fresh produce through an integrated network of research & development, farming, processing, and repacking. Farms in Florida, South Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, California and Mexico – totaling tens of thousands of acres – allow Lipman to grow and ship fresh produce 365 days a year. For more information, visit www.LipmanProduce.com.
Source: Lipman