Dec 28, 2023

Lipman honors retiring workers

Lipman Family Farms, a grower and shipper of conventional and organic watermelons and vegetables, celebrates the careers of four longtime employees.

With a combined 150 years of service to the company, the four tenures are leaving a legacy of hard work and dedication as they retire from the company.

Retiring at the end of the year are:

• Randy Moss, irrigation and tech specialist
• Bob Poklemba, manager of transplants operations,
• Wes Roan, crop protection and food safety manager
• Jamie Williams, director of Florida farming

Moss possesses 49 years at Lipman, Poklemba, 48 years, Roan, 35 years, and Williams, 23 years.

Poklemba played an instrumental role in Lipman’s growing expertise over the years, overseeing the production of more than 1 billion transplants during his exceptional 48 years of service.

Joining Lipman in August of 1975, Poklemba fondly reflects on the family atmosphere cultivated by the Lipman family.

Moss, a lifelong contributor to Lipman, has left an indelible mark on various facets of the company, from farm manager and equipment operator to packing shed responsibilities, according to the release. Moss and his family have been involved in the Lipman operations for four generations, dating back to his grandparents working for Max and Ella Lipman, Lipman’s founders.

Williams has played a pivotal role in Lipman’s success during his 23 years of dedicated service. His retirement signifies the conclusion of an era, having been an integral part of the company’s farming operations, the development of their farm team, and a passionate organizer of farm tours for the community and key customers, according to the release.

Roan, crop protection and food safety manager, shares a profound connection with the Lipman family since he was a teenager. Through his years working for the company, Roan has been instrumental in accelerating our expertise and skills in crop protection, according to the release.

“Lipman Family Farms has been successful for over 75 years because of our people. Our four retiring leaders have been the backbone of our farming success,” Elyse Lipman, CEO, said in a news release. “Bobby, Randy, Wes and Jamie – your dedication has woven a familial spirit into our company, leaving an enduring legacy of hard work and commitment. We express our deepest gratitude for the impact they have made on Lipman Family Farms, and we wish them a retirement as rich and fulfilling as the legacy they helped build”

Speaking on behalf of the Lipman family, Ricky Lipman, third generation owner, expressed gratitude for the dedication of the four individuals.

“These are four great men who have dedicated a huge portion of their life to the success of Lipman, and we are forever proud to have had each of them on the team,” Lipman said in the release. “Their long-term commitment and hard work have cultivated the seeds of our growth. Their departure marks the end of an era, but also the beginning of another with the leaders they’ve mentored.”

By creating connections between employees, customers, and communities for
75 years, Lipman has become one of the nation’s largest integrated networks
of growers, fresh-cut processors, and distributors of fresh produce. The company prides itself in being an international company that remains family-owned, ensuring its ability to act as good stewards of our land and our people, creating growth that nourishes everyone, according to the release.

Lipman grows a variety of conventional and organic field and greenhouse tomatoes, peppers, specialty peppers, cucumbers, squash, green beans, eggplant, hard squash, watermelons. Lipman’s Grown True line of USDA-certified organic products include varieties of tomatoes, bell peppers, cucumbers, eggplants, mini sweet peppers, squash and zucchini. Lipman entered organics around 2012.