Lipman Family Farms has shared the loss of Larry Lipman, former CEO and longtime board chairman, who died March 22.
Lipman, affectionately known by employees as Uncle Larry, was a revolutionary in the tomato industry. Over more than five decades at Lipman Family Farms, he helped to grow the company from a regional tomato grower to a North American leader in tomato and vegetable production and packing.
The company says Lipman understood the produce business deeply because he lived it deeply. He held numerous roles across Lipman Family Farms, beginning as a shipping manager in 1970, until his ascension to CEO. He loved the work, the people and building a business to last.
As CEO, Lipman guided the company through two decades of growth from a tomato and vegetable grower into a vertically integrated produce service provider. He oversaw the development of Lipman Family Farms’ value-added division, investing in the company’s first repacking and distribution business in 1994. Today, the company says it is the largest tomato and vegetable repacker in the country.
Lipman also had the vision to create Lipman Family Farms’ research and development lab. Today, 95% of the company’s field tomato seeds are developed in-house, including its award-winning Crimson variety.
Throughout his career, Lipman never lost his focus on doing good for people and communities connected to the business. He understood that Lipman Family Farms creates more than jobs; it nurtures families and strengthens livelihoods. He enthusiastically engaged with his community, supporting services and organizations that brought opportunities to local children and families.
That support included helping establish the Lipman Library at the Guadalupe Center, investing in Redlands Christian Migrant Association and backing its charter school program. His commitment to literacy and education reached young people from elementary school to college, through the My First Book program and textbook reimbursements for college students. He also helped establish Lipman Scholarships that have provided tuition help for more than 150 students in Immokalee, Fla.
Lipman’s industry leadership extended well beyond Lipman Family Farms. He served the industry through the Florida Tomato Committee, where he served as a vice chairman and secretary. He also served as president of the Florida Growers Exchange. In everything he took on, his focus remained on family, hard work, humility and caring for others. His legacy is embedded in Lipman Family Farms’ culture and its foundational commitment to being “Good from the Ground Up.”
“Larry dedicated his life to the business,” says Elyse Lipman, CEO of Lipman Family Farms and Larry Lipman’s cousin. “His impact on Lipman Family Farms is immeasurable. He helped build not just a business, but an enduring foundation that continues to guide us today. For Larry, it was always simple: The business was family. He loved this company and its people dearly.”
Lipman Family Farms says it extends deep condolences to the Lipman family and Larry Lipman’s many friends and colleagues.
