LeRoy Giannini, nectarine industry pioneer, was 87
LeRoy Giannini, nectarine industry pioneer, was 87
LeRoy Giannini, owner of Giannini Packing Corp., a pioneer in the California nectarine industry, and for 30 years chairman of the Nectarine Administrative Committee, died April 15 in a hospital in Visalia, CA, just a few miles from his home in Dinuba. He was 87.
Born on May 20, 1919, Mr. Giannini earned the rank of Eagle Scout and while still in high school started work on his family's farm in Dinuba. The farming business had been started by his father and mother in 1896, making it "one of the oldest [farming operations] around," according to Jim Burnett of Giannini Packing.
Mr. Giannini spent his entire career in the family business, Mr. Burnett noted. "He basically built the operations from scratch, piece by piece. ... He was one of the pioneers of the nectarine, and at one time he was the biggest grower of nectarines in the world."
Gary Van Sickle of the California Tree Fruit Agreement in Reedley, which administers the Nectarine Administrative Committee as well as peach and plum marketing orders, said that Mr. Giannini, whose father had been killed in an accident, took over the family farms "and started running them" at about age 18, after graduation from high school. "He was very progressive in his farming" and later expanded into the packing business.
Mr. Giannini "was the person that spearheaded the drive to get the nectarine marketing order established" in 1958, said Mr. Van Sickle. That was at a time when nectarine production was small but "plant breeders were starting to come out with new varieties," he said.
During the 30 years that Mr. Giannini served as chairman of the nectarine committee, the nectarine industry "went through a lot of growth," said Mr. Van Sickle. The committee "did a lot of things to help further the marketing of nectarines. One of the things that LeRoy was instrumental in was getting the California Well Matured standard established for the industry back in 1980."
When serving on industry committees, he said, Mr. Giannini's philosophy was "to look at the big picture and do what was best for the industry, realizing that individuals would then come out ahead."
"I think first and foremost, the industry has lost a great friend," said Mickey George of George Bros. Inc. in Dinuba. "Not only did he love it, he supported it with all his heart and soul. And he was one of the early visionaries that really brought this industry into what it eventually developed into. It took him and one or two other individuals to make all that happen. For that, we all should be very grateful and appreciative for his contribution. It was immense, and [his death] is a great loss" to the industry.
"It is a great loss to the community as well," Mr. George added. "Philanthropically, he was a great benefactor to the community he lived in."
"He was very generous. He donated a lot of money to charities. But he kept very quiet about it," said Mr. Van Sickle.
Mr. Giannini is remembered by many in the industry and in the community as a gentleman, a mentor, a good friend, and a giving individual who never sought credit for his generosity. He is survived by his wife, Ruth, and four children.
Born on May 20, 1919, Mr. Giannini earned the rank of Eagle Scout and while still in high school started work on his family's farm in Dinuba. The farming business had been started by his father and mother in 1896, making it "one of the oldest [farming operations] around," according to Jim Burnett of Giannini Packing.
Mr. Giannini spent his entire career in the family business, Mr. Burnett noted. "He basically built the operations from scratch, piece by piece. ... He was one of the pioneers of the nectarine, and at one time he was the biggest grower of nectarines in the world."
Gary Van Sickle of the California Tree Fruit Agreement in Reedley, which administers the Nectarine Administrative Committee as well as peach and plum marketing orders, said that Mr. Giannini, whose father had been killed in an accident, took over the family farms "and started running them" at about age 18, after graduation from high school. "He was very progressive in his farming" and later expanded into the packing business.
Mr. Giannini "was the person that spearheaded the drive to get the nectarine marketing order established" in 1958, said Mr. Van Sickle. That was at a time when nectarine production was small but "plant breeders were starting to come out with new varieties," he said.
During the 30 years that Mr. Giannini served as chairman of the nectarine committee, the nectarine industry "went through a lot of growth," said Mr. Van Sickle. The committee "did a lot of things to help further the marketing of nectarines. One of the things that LeRoy was instrumental in was getting the California Well Matured standard established for the industry back in 1980."
When serving on industry committees, he said, Mr. Giannini's philosophy was "to look at the big picture and do what was best for the industry, realizing that individuals would then come out ahead."
"I think first and foremost, the industry has lost a great friend," said Mickey George of George Bros. Inc. in Dinuba. "Not only did he love it, he supported it with all his heart and soul. And he was one of the early visionaries that really brought this industry into what it eventually developed into. It took him and one or two other individuals to make all that happen. For that, we all should be very grateful and appreciative for his contribution. It was immense, and [his death] is a great loss" to the industry.
"It is a great loss to the community as well," Mr. George added. "Philanthropically, he was a great benefactor to the community he lived in."
"He was very generous. He donated a lot of money to charities. But he kept very quiet about it," said Mr. Van Sickle.
Mr. Giannini is remembered by many in the industry and in the community as a gentleman, a mentor, a good friend, and a giving individual who never sought credit for his generosity. He is survived by his wife, Ruth, and four children.
