Jack M. Berry, 2000 Inductee
Jack M. Berry began his career in citrus when he started a brokerage business for Florida agricultural producers in New York City. He then expanded and started exporting into Europe and Scandinavia. In 1950, Berry gave up this venture, moved to Florida and founded Jack M. Berry, Inc. He is considered one of the pioneers of flatwoods citrus production in South Florida and championed the expansion of citrus into that area after several devastating freezes. Berry’s success in South Florida led to more than 100,000 acres in southwestern Florida being converted to citrus production. Berry was also generous with helping Florida communities. After Hurricane Andrew, the Berry Corporation adopted a Homestead middle-class neighborhood of 200 homes, where the company trucked in supplies and water. In 1996, he received the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Excellence and Leadership Award, based on his company’s initiatives in seeking a consolidated environmental permit.
