The Florida Citrus Hall of Fame has announced its Class of 2024 inductees. They are Robert M. “Bob” Behr of New Smyrna Beach, George H. Streetman of Vero Beach and Leland K. Young, formerly of Bartow. They will be inducted March 1, 2024, along with the Class of 2023 inductees.
The induction ceremonies and a luncheon will be held at Florida Southern College’s George W. Jenkins Fieldhouse in Lakeland. Florida Citrus Mutual and the Florida Department of Citrus cosponsor the event. The Florida Citrus Processors Association will host an OJ Meet and Greet afterward.
BEHR
Behr’s career in the citrus industry began in 1987 with the Florida Department of Citrus, where he served as the economics/market research director. He joined Citrus World, now Florida’s Natural, in 1994, ultimately becoming chief executive officer in 2015 and retiring in 2022.
Behr championed the use of citrus under protective screen (CUPS) systems and personally maintained considerable CUPS plantings.
He was a member of the Florida Citrus Commission and assisted Florida Citrus Mutual with many issues, including leading the fight against Brazil in an anti-dumping case involving imported orange juice. His leadership role resulted in the U.S. Federal Trade Commission taking punitive measures against Brazilian processors.
STREETMAN
During his career, Streetman served as president and general manager of Hogan & Sons, where he was instrumental in the development of size regulations that helped maintain a profitable and orderly market. He was a leader in initiating and implementing the Partners in Quality (PIQ) inspection for packinghouses.
Streetman served on the Florida Citrus Commission from 2005 to 2011. He served on the inaugural board of directors for the New Varieties Development & Management Corp., chaired the Citrus Administrative Committee and served as president of Florida Citrus Packers from 2003 to 2005. He has a reputation for being innovative, reliable, industrious, fun-loving, gracious, ethical and tenacious.
YOUNG
Young, the son of a sharecropper, started working in groves as a young boy. He worked for Kraft Foods and Evans Packing before starting Peace Valley Enterprises, a citrus business caretaking his own groves and those of many others in south Polk County.
He bought a plastics injection mold machine in the early 1980s and manufactured the first low-volume emitters in Florida via his company, Nu Jet. He invented the Stabilizer Buckle Stake, designed to hold tubing in place for proper placement of jets. Nu Jet and the Stabilizer Buckle Stake were widely used within the industry, eventually becoming Maxi-Jet, Inc.
Young shared his workspace — The Barn — with the citrus industry for numerous large industry events, fundraisers, Miss Florida Citrus promotions and political campaigns.
Source: Florida Citrus Hall of Fame
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