Steering business strategy, organizational design, and leadership development. Established and scaled industry-leading organizations that deliver multimillion-dollar ROI. Spearheaded numerous M&As, implemented diverse, thoughtful succession planning, and provided strategic business advisory to identify investment opportunities and deliver long-term operational excellence. Guided FreshPoint Inc. (a division of Sysco) through many iterations, culminating in role as Chief Operating Officer, during which we doubled business revenue. As Chief Executive Officer of Lipman Family Farms, the nation’s largest field grower of fresh market tomatoes, set the strategic direction of business operations, performance management, and leadership engagement. Serve on the boards of directors for diverse organizations, including Worldwide Produce (Ridgemont Equity Partners), Spottswoode Vineyards, the Fish & Wildlife Foundation of Florida, Wish Farms, the Florida Council of 100, and Schostak Brothers & Company. Noteworthy accomplishments include:• Being selected as the first non-family CEO to lead a 75-year-old agriculture company, rebranding the organization as Lipman Family Farms. Drove a 250% sales increase over a period of 10 years to transform the company from a Florida-based business into a billion-dollar, vertically integrated North American enterprise.• Identifying, negotiating, closing, and integrating eight acquisitions (Oregon, North Carolina, California, Arizona, Texas, Washington, Colorado, and Canada) over an eight-year period to ensure vertical integration and establish Lipman as a national grower/packer/processor/distributor.• Developing and mentoring numerous direct reports into C-suite leaders throughout career with a focus on promoting women in business.Open to expanding my professional network. If you would like to connect, please contact me at kent@tomahook.com.AREAS OF EXPERTISE Mergers & Acquisitions (M&As)Leadership DevelopmentOrganizational DesignSuccession PlanningStrategic Planning Board AdvisoryGovernance
