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Harold Edwards, CEO of Limoneira Co. (center), presides over Wednesday’s Nasdaq opening bell with (right) Nasdaq Vice President David Wicks. (Inset) Harold Edwards, CEO Limoneira Company holds up the companies signature product, a lemon. (Photos by (c) 2010, The NASDAQ OMX Group, Inc.) |
Limoneira CEO rings NASDAQ opening bell
August 06, 2010
By Peggy Kelly
Santa Paula News
Limoneira lemons took a bite out of the Big Apple Wednesday when President/CEO Harold Edwards rang the NASDAQ opening bell in honor of the Santa Paula-based company’s new listing on the exchange. The 117-year-old agribusiness went public May 27, and its stock has risen nearly 19.6 percent in the days since.
Edwards and his wife Carla, along with other Limoneira officials and their families, cheered and applauded as Edwards rang the bell at NASDAQ’s MarketSite in Times Square, a ceremony broadcast throughout the city and on national television. “It was one of those really incredible days, a lot of fun,” said Edwards in a telephone interview from New York just hours after the bell ringing ceremony.
“It was just the biggest thrill... we had a celebration dinner last night and when we were greeted at NASDAQ this morning all over the walls was the Limoneira logo, and our most recent trade pre-opening” was also posted. The ceremony was visible around New York’s famous Times Square on giant screens “all through the day, continuing to show our team on those huge TV screens with the Limoneira brand.”
Edwards met NASDAQ President/CEO Robert Greifeld and then made remarks centered on Limoneira. “All of our team was invited on stage and about a minute prior to the bell ringing we were clapping... as the countdown came down I pushed the button” and the group was showered with lemon yellow confetti.
“It was,” said Edwards, “a huge, historic day for our company, really exciting. The people at NASDAQ were really great and it was a great way to tell our Limoneira story to the investor community.”
The Limoneira group arrived at NASDAQ at about 8 a.m., rang the bell at the 9:30 a.m. opening, and stayed about another hour. And of course they were greeted by the rerun of the ceremony replayed throughout Times Square for the rest of the day.
“It was one of those self-pinching things.... I never dreamed we would be up there on the giant TV in Times Square,” where Edwards said several people recognized him.
Amid the celebration was also some reflection: “I looked at where Limoneira was before, a of lot things have taken place... we used to pray the weather would be good” for crops. Edwards said he thought of how “We’ve positioned the company now for almost limitless growth,” including real estate development and a lifestyles enterprise, as well as embarking on direct marketing and sales when the company breaks away from Sunkist Growers, Inc. later in the year.
“Our destiny is in our hands,” and Limoneira’s agricultural operations remain the company’s priority. With its departure from Sunkist, Edwards said, “That takes our team to the next level, not only from the tree,” but through the entire process ending in the consumer’s hands.
“We want to see every human on earth not have one lemon, but two lemons,” and world growth offers a built in market expansion. “Limoneira is producing two of the most super foods produced, lemons and avocados” and, noted Edwards, “the world is going crazy for that... and it’s the place to be.”
Headquartered in Santa Paula, Limoneira is one of the premier integrated agribusinesses in the world. Limoneira is a dedicated sustainability company with approximately 7,300 acres of rich agricultural lands, real estate properties and water rights throughout California. Limoneira is a leading producer of not only lemons and avocados, but also oranges and other specialty crops for the international market.
