JOHN KIERNAN

PRESIDENT & CEO, ALICO, FORT MYERS

Alico is a 128-year-old agribusiness and land management company with 20 employees and owns approximately 51,300 acres of land across eight Florida counties. Kiernan joined as CFO in 2015 and became CEO in 2019. While the company announced earlier this year it is winding down its citrus production, it plans to keep about 75% of its land in agriculture with about 25% targeted for near-term and long-term potential development.

EDUCATION: University of Virginia (JD, MBA), Saint Vincent College (BA)

FIRST JOB: I began cutting lawns weekly for our neighbors when I was 9 years old, and soon after also began to deliver newspapers every afternoon and Sunday mornings on my bicycle.

DREAM ALTERNATE CAREER: Screenwriter

SOMETHING SURPRISING: I have decent wilderness survival and emergency first aid skills, which I try to keep refreshed every year with either backpacking, hunting or fishing trips.

HOBBY: Twice each year I gather with friends to test our fly fishing, baitcasting, fire building, canoeing, and rifle, pistol and shotgun shooting skills. It is always humbling to be around such seasoned outdoorsmen, but if my proficiency measures up to my personal potential in each of these areas, it is a very satisfying feeling.

INDUSTRY TREND: The Florida citrus industry is fighting every day to remain economically viable because of the long-term impact of the citrus greening disease on trees that have been affected even further by devastating weather events that have been occurring much too frequently. The fearless people who have faced this decline every day are unquestionably heroic. The leadership of Senator Albritton to champion the cause in Tallahassee is inspiring. The Florida citrus industry just needs a chance to catch its breath.