J.R. “Rip” Graves came from a family who owned a North Florida sawmill and lumber company, the beginning of a lifelong career that would involve him in all aspects of growing, packing, processing and marketing citrus and place him in leadership positions for Florida Citrus Mutual, Florida Citrus Packers, the Florida Citrus Commission and what...

Bernard A. Egan, the youngest of nine children and the son of an Irish emigre, was born on June 7, 1914, in Elizabeth, N.J. A product of the Great Depression who majored in pre-law at New York’s Fordham University, Egan devoted his successful 64-year career to the expansion of export markets for fresh Florida citrus...

Bert Edward Roper became part of a citrus family tradition when he was born Nov. 7, 1923, in Winter Garden. Though he has devoted his life since then to running the family citrus business, Roper Growers Cooperative, and other citrus interests, Roper is perhaps best known for developing a revolutionary electronic device that has made...

Al Bellotto He is a respected leader in much of Florida’s agriculture industry, but Al Bellotto will always be known as one of the state’s renowned cattlemen and citrus growers. Born February 15, 1925, in a Dundee, Florida, log house, Bellotto started his cattle herd at age 11. Working for 50 cents a day, he...

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...

Bert J. Harris, Jr. Known as a champion of private property rights in Florida, former State Representative Bert J. Harris Jr., made the promotion of agriculture his life’s avocation. A 1943 honors graduate of the University of Florida with a degree in agriculture, Harris served as a corporal in the U.S. Army Air Corps during...

J.R. “Jack” Spratt was a native of North Carolina whose accomplishments spanned all aspects of Florida agriculture, from citrus groves to cattle ranches, forestry projects, mining operations and vegetable production. Spratt graduated from North Carolina State University with a degree in forestry and he became assistant state forester after serving in the Navy during World...