Tomorrow I turn 55.

As I sit in my office today, I can't help but think about the road that brought me here.

Over the years, my hairline has moved back a little, a few wrinkles have found their way onto my face, and hopefully I've gained a little wisdom along the way. But what amazes me even more is how much Kennesaw has changed during the 36 years I've been fortunate enough to be part of it.

When I first started working here, Kennesaw was a small local juice and cut fruit company serving Broward, Palm Beach, and Dade counties. We supplied fruit stands, hotels along the beaches, and local customers who had been with us for years.

We had 14 employees. Three beat-up delivery trucks. One juice extractor. A small cutting room. A retail store. And everything was squeezed into a 3,000-square-foot warehouse with coolers built from wood and insulation. Looking back now, it's hard to believe.

One memory has always stayed with me. I was 19 years old when my father went on vacation. Shortly after he left, my cousin Ed, my father's business partner, received a call that there had been a death in his family and he had to leave town immediately. Just like that, I was in charge. At least that's what everyone else thought. I knew about production. I had the keys to the building. Apparently, that qualified me to run the company. I still remember sitting behind my desk that first morning. I barely moved. I was hoping nothing would happen. No emergencies. No major customer issues. No equipment breakdowns. No one asking me a question I couldn't answer. The funny thing is, that week taught me one of the biggest lessons of my career. Leadership isn't about having every answer. It's about trusting the people around you to do what they've been trained to do. The week passed. The company survived and so did I.

Fast forward 36 years.

Today I walk through the plant and watch my son learning the business. He's asking questions, observing, solving problems, and beginning the same journey that I started all those years ago. Sometimes I catch myself watching him and smiling because, in my mind, it still feels like yesterday that I was the young kid frozen behind that desk, hoping nothing would go wrong. Today, Kennesaw is very different than it was then. We've grown far beyond those three trucks and that little warehouse. Our products reach customers across the country, but one thing has never changed. Our commitment to quality. Our commitment to our customers. Our commitment to our employees. And our commitment to the growers who make what we do possible.

As I look back on 55 years of life, I realize none of this was accomplished alone. I'm grateful to my family, my mentors, our employees, past and present, our customers, our suppliers, and everyone who has been part of this journey.

Building a business isn't about buildings, equipment, or trucks. It's about people. My hope is that when it's time for me to pass the torch, the next generation won't just inherit a successful company, they’ll inherit a company built on integrity, hard work, and taking care of the people who make it all possible. For that opportunity, and for the last 36 years, I couldn't be more thankful.

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