Jim Leimkuhler of Progressive Produce LLC to retire March 31

After 35 years in the produce industry, Jim Leimkuhler, CEO of Los Angeles-based Progressive Produce LLC, will retire March 31.

Leimkuhler has spent the last 25 years with Progressive Produce in Los Angeles where he was instrumental in building the company into a well-respected produce company that serves national and regional grocery chains, and food service companies throughout the U.S.

“My life and career at Progressive Produce have meant so very much to me,” Leimkuhler said in a news release. “I feel so blessed to have been given the opportunity to come here in 1995 as the chief financial officer, to be named its president in 1996, and to become a part-owner of the company in 2003.”

Leimkuhler began his career in the newspaper business after getting his degree in journalism from the University of Missouri in 1977, and his very first job out of college was with The Packer, where he both wrote stories and sold advertising.

Leimkuhler also had a 7-year career in the book publishing business in Iowa.

After earning an MBA in accounting from Drake University and working as a Certified Public Accountant, he came back to the produce industry, according to the release.

In 1986, he joined Chiquita Brands International’s finance department in their corporate headquarters in Cincinnati. He was then transferred to Miami in 1989 to work for John Thatcher, as vice President of finance for Banana Supply Co., a newly acquired subsidiary of Chiquita. 

“John Thatcher taught me so much about humbleness, hard work, integrity, and how to be a leader. It was all through an example of how he lived his life. I will always be grateful for that opportunity,” Leimkuhler said in the release. 

He then moved to Los Angeles, where he began using the leadership skills he learned from Thatcher to build Progressive into what it is today, the release said.

Leimkuhler and his now-retired partners, Jack Gyben and Victor Rodarte, orchestrated the management buyout of Progressive from Chiquita in 2003.

The goal of owning the company was the biggest reason he made the decision to move to Southern California in the first-place back in 1995, according to the release.

“I could never have imagined how much Progressive, and the produce industry, would evolve over the next 25 years and I feel fortunate to have been part of the journey,” Leimkuhler said in the release.

Progressive grew from a local Los Angeles produce company into a year-round grower/packer/shipper. Today, Progressive’s product line consists of organic and conventional asparagus, potatoes, onions, sweet potatoes, citrus, and chili peppers grown throughout north and south America. The company has sales offices in Los Angeles, Washington, Florida, Pennsylvania, and Texas. 

Leimkuhler, Gyben, and Rodarte sold a majority interest in the company to Total Produce plc in February 2016.

In 2017, it merged with its longtime sweet onion and asparagus business partner Keystone Fruit Marketing of Greencastle, Pa. and the company continued to grow, the release said.

Marty Kamer, who was previously president of Keystone, was named president of the Progressive business in October 2018.  Kamer will continue to lead the company into the future, according to the release.

“My first and lasting impression of Jim is leadership personified,” Kamer said in the release.  “His inspirational leadership is rooted in his integrity and his relentless pursuit of excellence.” Leimkuhler said the new management team will be well-positioned to grow.

Scott Leimkuhler, vice president of sales at Progressive, said in the release that he has enjoyed working with and learning from his dad.

“He cares deeply about the people at Progressive and the produce industry as a whole,” Scott Leimkuhler said of his father. “I will miss working with him. His legacy of integrity, leadership and kindness makes me proud.” 

As Jim Leimkuhler prepares for retirement, he offered some advice to the next generation of leaders and those starting their careers in the industry.

“Always look for where you can add value and make a difference. If you love your job, ‘own it’ and grow with it,” he said in the release. “And don’t forget to take some risks. I started out in a journalism job, became a CPA and ended up in produce. It’s rarely a straight line for anyone. Go out there and follow your dreams.”