Dale Liefer announces retirement from Westlake Produce Co.
Dale Liefer announces retirement from Westlake Produce Co.
Dale Liefer of Westlake Produce Co. retired from the Los Angeles-based company he has headed for nearly 20 years. His retirement was effective Dec. 31, 2007.
Jeff Miller, president of the company since January 2007 and one of the four remaining partners, will continue in that position. He joined Westlake in 1997 when Ed Miller Co. merged with Westlake.
Bill Brooks, a partner since his company Brooks & Sims merged with Westlake in 2001, will share equally with Mr. Miller in the day-to-day operation and management of Westlake. Partners Wayne Giddings, who manages the day-to- day operations of Westlake's East Coast buying office in Winter Haven, FL, and Kent Pomeroy, Westlake's chief financial officer and general counsel, will team with Messrs. Miller and Brooks to guide Westlake's operational and strategic initiatives.
Since 1984, Mr. Liefer has lined up growers and shippers of Texas citrus and melons, plus California tree fruit and Navel oranges with buyers from the major retail chains in the West. Over the past two years, he prepared the firm for his retirement by gradually relinquishing these responsibilities to salesmen Juan Perez, Brian Murai and Andrew Bivens.
"I'll miss the personal relationships the most," Mr. Liefer said of his career. "Although I've participated in and benefited from the computer's impact on buying and selling, I think the best deals were made by personally knowing, liking and respecting your customer or supplier."
Mr. Liefer started his career at Vons before serving in the U.S. Army in Vietnam. At the conclusion of his military service in 1966, he returned to Vons as a produce clerk and attended California State Polytechnic University-Pomona, earning a bachelor's degree in agriculture business management with an emphasis in food distribution.
While at Vons for a total of 12 years, he served in a number of capacities including produce manager, warehouse manager and produce buyer before moving to the Seventh Street Market in Los Angeles.
Mr. Liefer worked for three years at Southland Produce, a Duda company, before joining Westlake Distributors, as the company was known in 1982. He became a partner in 1984.
During his career, Mr. Liefer served 13 years on the Fresh Produce & Floral Council board of directors, including one year as its president, and six years on the board of the Produce Marketing Association. Currently he serves on the City of Hope Cancer Center Leadership Committee.
Mr. Liefer, who was the 2006 recipient of the annual Norman H. (Buz) Bolstad Produce Award from the FPFC, is proud of the company he leaves behind. "Westlake's success is due to its adaptability," Mr. Liefer stated, "Despite strikes, freezes and consolidation, we grew substantially in the last 20 years. That's a real credit to my partners' leadership, and I know they'll continue this growth."
Jeff Miller, president of the company since January 2007 and one of the four remaining partners, will continue in that position. He joined Westlake in 1997 when Ed Miller Co. merged with Westlake.
Bill Brooks, a partner since his company Brooks & Sims merged with Westlake in 2001, will share equally with Mr. Miller in the day-to-day operation and management of Westlake. Partners Wayne Giddings, who manages the day-to- day operations of Westlake's East Coast buying office in Winter Haven, FL, and Kent Pomeroy, Westlake's chief financial officer and general counsel, will team with Messrs. Miller and Brooks to guide Westlake's operational and strategic initiatives.
Since 1984, Mr. Liefer has lined up growers and shippers of Texas citrus and melons, plus California tree fruit and Navel oranges with buyers from the major retail chains in the West. Over the past two years, he prepared the firm for his retirement by gradually relinquishing these responsibilities to salesmen Juan Perez, Brian Murai and Andrew Bivens.
"I'll miss the personal relationships the most," Mr. Liefer said of his career. "Although I've participated in and benefited from the computer's impact on buying and selling, I think the best deals were made by personally knowing, liking and respecting your customer or supplier."
Mr. Liefer started his career at Vons before serving in the U.S. Army in Vietnam. At the conclusion of his military service in 1966, he returned to Vons as a produce clerk and attended California State Polytechnic University-Pomona, earning a bachelor's degree in agriculture business management with an emphasis in food distribution.
While at Vons for a total of 12 years, he served in a number of capacities including produce manager, warehouse manager and produce buyer before moving to the Seventh Street Market in Los Angeles.
Mr. Liefer worked for three years at Southland Produce, a Duda company, before joining Westlake Distributors, as the company was known in 1982. He became a partner in 1984.
During his career, Mr. Liefer served 13 years on the Fresh Produce & Floral Council board of directors, including one year as its president, and six years on the board of the Produce Marketing Association. Currently he serves on the City of Hope Cancer Center Leadership Committee.
Mr. Liefer, who was the 2006 recipient of the annual Norman H. (Buz) Bolstad Produce Award from the FPFC, is proud of the company he leaves behind. "Westlake's success is due to its adaptability," Mr. Liefer stated, "Despite strikes, freezes and consolidation, we grew substantially in the last 20 years. That's a real credit to my partners' leadership, and I know they'll continue this growth."
