Longtime Florida industry leader Edward “Ed” D. Duda Sr., 91, died Aug. 11 in Oviedo, Fla.
Born and raised in Oviedo, Duda began his career at A. Duda & Sons — an agricultural and diversified land company founded by his grandfather — in 1957 as a first-line supervisor on the celery seedbeds in Belle Glade, Fla., where he and his family lived for many years, according to his obituary.
Duda held a variety of significant roles within the company before being elected president in 1977, becoming the first member of Duda’s third generation to lead the company. He was later named president and chairman of the board, followed by president and CEO. In 1992, he relinquished his duties as president, continuing to serve as CEO until his retirement in 1998. He served as chairman of the Duda board of directors until 2005.
His involvement and influence in Florida agriculture were reflected in his various industry memberships and recognitions over the years. He served as director of the Sugar Cane Growers Cooperative of Florida from 1982 to 1998, trustee of Florida Institute of Technology from 1989 to 1996 and was elected chairman of United Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Association in 1996. He was also a member of The Florida Council of 100 and a board member of Sugarland Harvesting Corp. Duda was honored with the Distinguished Alumnus Award from the University of Florida in 1994, alongside his cousin, Ferdinand “F.S.” Duda.
“Ed was a critically impactful chair who always put the fresh produce industry first and a pleasure to partner with during his tenure as an association leader,” Tom Stenzel, United Fresh CEO and retired International Fresh Produce Association co-CEO, said in a statement. “As United Fresh chair, he was a strong voice for grower-shippers and a tireless advocate for the needs of the fruit and vegetable production community.”
For his lifetime of service and many contributions to the agricultural community, Duda was inducted into the Florida Agricultural Hall of Fame in 2015 and was recognized by The Packer in 1996 as its Produce Man of the Year.
An innovative thinker in business and life, his keen and curious intellect extended to many endeavors, from deep-sea fishing to agriculture to the stock market, family and friends recalled in his obituary. During his tenure leading A. Duda & Sons, he helped grow and diversify the company into the business it continues to be, pursuing new ventures in agriculture and real estate.
In addition to his professional industry achievements, he was a U.S. Army veteran, member of the Oviedo High School Baseball Hall of Fame, former vice president of the Lutheran Haven Retirement Center board and a member of St. Luke’s Lutheran Church in Oviedo, where he also served on its board of trustees. Additionally, he served as a board member for Southeast Bank and Rabobank, headquartered in Europe, in the 1980s.
He is survived by his four children and their spouses: Dan (Kathy) Duda, Diane Miller, Tommy (Karen) Duda and Sammy (Amy) Duda; his nine grandchildren: Jimmy (Patty) Duda, Jessica (Jeff) Milligan, Katherine Miller, Carter (Julie) Miller, Eric (Jenna) Duda, Christopher Duda, Marybeth (Billy) Miller, Samantha Duda, and Jackson (Rachel) Duda; his five great-grandchildren: Jamie Duda, Jacob Duda, Luke Milligan, Quinn Case Miller and Avery Duda; and his sister, Katherine Duda. He is preceded in death by Sadye F. Duda, his wife of 63 years, and his grandson, Michael Duda.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that remembrances be made in the form of contributions to St. Luke’s Lutheran Church and School or the Lutheran Haven Retirement Center.
A memorial service is planned for 11 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 24, at St. Luke’s Lutheran Church in Oviedo.
