JOSE “JOCHE” SMITH

CEO, COSTA FARMS, MIAMI

Costa Farms started in 1961 when Jose Costa Sr. left Cuba and started growing tomatoes and citrus on 30 acres of land in South Florida. The farm soon switched to foliage plants and has since evolved to be one of the largest horticultural growers in North America. Smith, representing the fourth generation to lead the family business, has a bachelor’s degree and MBA from the University of Florida. His company — headquartered just southwest of Miami — now has thousands of employees across Florida, the Carolinas and the Dominican Republic. They grow more than 1,500 plant varieties across 5,200 acres, from outdoor tropicals to houseplants to perennial garden plants. Along with breeding and trialing different plant species, the company also raises its own beneficial insects to help control pests without chemicals.