Former Sysco unit CEO joins Lipman board

IMMOKALEE — Brian Sturgeon, retired CEO of FreshPoint, a division of food-distribution giant Sysco, has joined the board of Lipman Family Farms.

Immokalee-based Lipman is the largest open-field tomato grower in North America. The privately held company operates farms and packing centers across the U.S. and in Mexico.

“Brian is an exceptional leader and strategic thinker, and we are fortunate to add him to our board,” says Kent Shoemaker, CEO of Lipman, in a statement. “I'm confident he will be a tremendous asset for our company and I look forward to his insight.”

During his tenure at FreshPoint, Sturgeon led the transformation of the company from a privately held firm to a subsidiary of Sysco.

You can read a recent story about Lipman in the Business Observer by clicking here.