United Fresh 2019

Leslie Simmons
Vice President
Dave's Specialty Imports, Inc.


Leslie Simmons graduated from the University of Tampa with a BA in Communications and was awarded the communication department’s prestigious Visual Aesthetics award in 2004. Simmons moved to New York City in 2005 and began a career in marketing and advertising. Over several years she worked her way up to Account Supervisor in a Manhattan agency. She joined Dave’s in 2011 to become the third generation in her family's business. In 2013 she was named as one of The Snack magazine’s “Women to Watch” and in 2015 she was awarded Produce Business magazine’s 40 under 40 award. Leslie was honored in the Women in Produce issue of The Packer in May 2019. She is a graduating member of the United Fresh’s Produce Industry Leadership Program, Class 24. She volunteers on Southeast Produce Council's Marketing Committee and is the co-chair of the Women's Fresh Perspectives Advisory Board for the Center for Growing Talent by PMA. As the Vice President at Dave's, she focuses on new business development, branding, strategy, and general sales and marketing efforts for the company.

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