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Who am I?
I am 33-years old soon to marry (later this summer). And like most, much of what I do and how I think is shaped by my family and my overall life experiences. Many who know me say I am also defined by an insatiable appetite for knowledge and thirst for travel. I continue to sign-up for travel and food publications which I knowingly will not have the time to finish. I fundamentally believe that if one is not open to trying new things, one is automatically barred from accomplishing great things. In short, family, wanderlust, and a compelling desire for discovery are drivers which define me. Like all of you, I had - and continue to have - choices regarding what to pursue in my career.
Why did I choose this industry?
My answer is simple. No matter one's nationality, faith, and background, we all must eat. The differences in how food is produced, prepared, and consumed, culture-to-culture, has always interested me and I believe there is no better way to get to know a person than to share a meal together.
Why did I choose PRIMEdge?
Well, for several immediate reasons, it allowed me the opportunity to travel, share meals with people all over the world, and follow this passion of mine. But more importantly, I saw clearly from the start the values of our company differ substantially from those of most other companies. We treat our customers and suppliers as true business partners. We treat our colleagues as sisters and brothers. While many companies talk this talk, WE actually walk this walk. It is in our 'PRIMEdge DNA' to help empower each other to greatness, making lasting and inspiring imprints on our customers and the markets we touch. And this is precisely the inspiration which drives me today.
So where do we go from here?
While we have already experienced great success, make no mistake, we are headed for greater places — because as technology evolves, our job is to ensure we evolve with and ahead of it. "We need to believe in the impossible and remove the improbable," says Oscar Wilde, who also advises, "Be yourself; everyone else is already taken."
How do we do this?
First, we will continue to prioritize innovation which is central to our core value of high-quality products and services. It is the very lifeblood of our customer-first mentality. Next, every one of us needs to do our best work to lead and help drive growth. We sometimes underestimate what we each can do to make things happen and overestimate what others need to do to move us forward. We must change this mentality wherever it exists. Every person within this company should feel comfortable to be themselves and voice their ideas. Every person should give each other the respect of listening to every idea. The only bad ideas are ones not shared. And a great idea does not care who has it.
Finally, because of our complementary, proven, and effective management team leading our amazing group of incredibly talented employees, we are proving the old proverb, "the whole is greater than the sum of its parts". We have earned a great reputation as a trusted partner to our customers, and we want our reputation for excellence to spread to other areas within our communities, potentially into other markets. It is an incredible feeling to know, when I visit customers - both existing and potential - it is impossible to oversell the competency and commitment of the PRIMEdge Group of companies.
Together, let us build on the robust foundation Ivo has created and take it to even greater heights. There is truly no limit to what this team can accomplish.
Sincerely & Excitedly,
Alexander Cozzini