Produce industry veteran Larry Brown, VP of sales at FreshEdge, died April 30 in Orlando, Florida, surrounded by his family.
Brown dedicated most of his professional career to the fresh produce business. He was a mentor, leader and friend to many across the industry and an always present face when the industry came together. His influence can be felt across the industry at all levels of the supply chain as his work and dedication touched many people.
Most recently, Brown was instrumental in guiding the national sales efforts at Indianapolis-based FreshEdge, a role he took great pride in doing at the highest level and with incredible integrity.
Brown will be remembered as someone who put others first, looked for the best in those around him and pursued success with a relentless passion. He positively influenced the trajectory of every organization he worked with and all of those who worked by his side.
He was an important part of the FreshEdge family of companies and touched many people with his kindness, wealth of industry knowledge and his smile.
“Larry’s commitment to the industry and his peers always inspired me to give just a little bit more to everything I did,” said Daniel Corsaro, chief commercial officer of FreshEdge. “He invested time and energy into making sure I was successful personally and professionally, regardless of the impact it had on him. I am truly grateful to have had the opportunity to work side by side with Larry at FreshEdge.”
Greg Corsaro, president of FreshEdge, added, “Larry was a genuinely great person in all respects, and everyone who had the privilege of encountering him is better off because of it. We are saddened that he is no longer with us, but we are even more happy and grateful that he touched our lives. We will miss him but take joy in the knowledge that he is now with our Lord in heaven.”
Lifelong friend Steve Grinstead, executive chairman of FreshEdge, said, “We all have many people pass through our life journey. Every once in a while, a special person comes along and makes a forever impact on your life. Larry had that impact on me and literally hundreds of others in our great industry. Please join me in celebrating an amazing career and a life well lived.”
FreshEdge CEO Andrew Iacobucci reflected, “Larry’s humanity was obvious from a first meeting, and his countless contributions to our industry have made him one of the greats. The industry has lost a titan, and we at FreshEdge have lost a cherished colleague and friend. Our thoughts are with Larry’s family and his many friends as we all cope with his passing”