Ron Edwards
Ron Edwards has spent over 40 years in the Florida agri-business sector. Originally from Jacksonville, Florida, he received his BSBA in Accounting from the University of Florida in 1970. From 1971-1975, Ron was a CPA with the accounting firm Ernst & Ernst (now Ernst & Young) aduting agri-business and beverage companies such as Tropicana Products, Inc. and the Coca Cola Company.
In 1975, he joined Tropicana as Chief Accountant and rose to Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer during an eleven-year span. In 1986, he joined ConAgra, Inc. as President of their Juice Division seeking international acquisitions and trading opportunities.
In 1987, Edwards joined Evans Properties, Inc. as President and Chief Executive Officer and continues to serve in that capacity. Evans is a closely held family owned agri-business and real estate company based in Vero Beach with cattle and citrus operations in eight Florida counties encompassing 40,000+ acres.
Edwards has served on numerous citrus industry committees and organizations throughout his career. He has recently served a term on the Atlanta Federal Reserve’s Small Business, Agriculture and Labor Advisory Committeee and as a commissioner on the Florida Century Commission for a Sustainable Florida and on the steering committee for Florida Wildlife Conservation Commission’s Cooperative Conservation Blueprint Taskforce. Edwards is a member of the Florida Land Council, and also serves on the Board of Florida Family Growers Association, an agriculture marketing co-operative.
Edwards has been involved in several entrepreneurial endeavors throughout his career. He was a founding investor and managing member of the South Beach Beverage Corporation (SOBE Brand), which was sold to Pepsi Co. in 2000. He was a founder and managing member of Blue Buffalo Pet Products which was recently acquired by General Mills Corporation. Edwards also serves on the Board of Orlando, Florida based Viewpost, LLC, is Chairman of the Board of Oakland, California based Terviva Bioenergy, Inc., is on the Board of Fellsmere, Florida based Parabel, Ltd. and is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of AquaFiber Technologies Corporation, based out of Orlando, Florida.
He served as a trustee of St. Edward’s Independent School in Vero Beach, Florida beginning in 2002 as Chairman of the Board from 2009 to 2015. Edwards currently serves as a board member of the Indian River Community Foundation and the Florida Chapter of the Nature Conservancy, as well as the University of Florida Foundation.
Ron is a native Floridian, residing in Vero Beach since 1987.