John Giumarra Jr., President of Giumarra Vineyards BB #:111401, died June 30. He was 78.
Described by peers as a dedicated and passionate leader for both Giumarra Vineyards and the broader fresh produce industry, he “worked hard, played hard, and did it all with an admirable grace and zest,” according to a statement from Giumarra Vineyards.
Giumarra is survived by Pamela Giumarra, his wife of 53 years; five children: John Giumarra III, Randy Giumarra and his wife Barri, Juliana Houchin and husband Clayton, Jillian Houchin and husband Morgan and Joseph Cristopher Giumarra; and 15 grandchildren.
“On behalf of the entire Giumarra and Corsaro families, I want to thank all of our friends and partners in the industry for their incredibly heartfelt outreach of love and support in the wake of my father’s passing,” said Randy Giumarra, Vice President of Sales for Giumarra Vineyards Corp., in a statement. “It has been an overwhelming tribute to the man who impacted so many lives and it reinforces how blessed we are to be in this industry. I knew from a young age that my passion was to work with my dad, the man that I admired more so than any other. I am so blessed to have spent my entire career working by his side, learning so much — most importantly to treat every human being with an equal level of respect and to appreciate every day as a gift. His love for life was immeasurable, his energy near endless, his charisma infectious and his commitment to family, friends and the success of our industry his tireless goal. Our family is eternally grateful and we will miss him dearly.”
Numerous industry leaders added tributes to the company’s statement:
“John Giumarra provided me with many life lessons throughout our 35 year relationship. Among the most cherished memories were numerous firsts in my life. Playing golf for the first time, touring a vineyard, learning everything he imparted about grapes and a myriad of shared meals that became celebrated events will resonate with me forever,” said Derrick Jenkins, Director of Produce and Floral for Wakefern Food Corp. “Mr. Giumarra will be sorely missed as an icon in the produce industry and more importantly in this world as a wonderful man. I am indebted to him as a role model and will do my best to pay homage to his legacy by emulating his character in my own life.”
Kathleen Nave, President and CEO of the California Table Grape Commission said he was a “champion for the industry, citing his service to the California Grape and Tree Fruit League, the United Fresh Produce Association, the Produce Marketing Association and his 33-year tenure in leadership of the Commission.
“In his role on the commission he made a significant difference to the industry,” Nave said. “I truly believe that the success the industry has had in exports is due in large part to his leadership. His focus on targeting promotion dollars, on reducing tariffs, on opening new markets all paved the way for individual shippers to sell their grapes into a bigger, better, marketplace. He helped create the patenting and licensing program and was instrumental in helping us sort through legal matters of all kinds. He helped create the health research program and was a big supporter of it and its promise. He never worked on the easy stuff!”
John Corsaro, CEO of The Giumarra Cos., said while Giumarra was a dedicated businessman, he never lost sight of the most important part of his life:
“John Jr. was very charismatic and a diverse leader,” Corsaro said. “His skill set included being an attorney, and he also had a vast understanding of marketing and a vision for the future. This was exhibited by the strong breeding program fostered by Giumarra Vineyards and the varieties that are now in the ground. But at the end of the day, what I most admired about John Jr. was his dedication to his family despite a very busy schedule.”
Tom Kovacevich, CEO of TM Covacevich said:
“John will be missed by so many. I will never forget how he taught us all how to treat people, with respect and a smile. In his kind and gentlemanly way he uniquely encouraged friendships between his growers and customers,” he said. “John’s most admirable quality as a person was his ability to make everyone he met feel important, valued and equal. John’s willingness to share his vast knowledge and experience have become personal core tenets and I hope that I adequately expressed my gratitude to him in our relationship for cultivating this value in me.”
A visitation will take place Thursday, July 11 from 6 to 8 p.m., followed by a celebration of his life on Friday, July 12 at 10 a.m., both at St. Francis of Assisi Parish, 900 H St. in Bakersfield, CA.
