COLLEAGUE HIGHLIGHT – LEO FRANCO

Meet Leo Franco: Colleague of The Morning Star Company since 2007

For Leo Franco, a career at Morning Star has been about much more than processing tomatoes. It’s been a journey of learning, embracing challenges, and building meaningful relationships. Nearly 20 years after joining Liberty Packing Company in Los Banos, California, Leo still brings the same curiosity and enthusiasm that first drew him to the industry.

Leo’s connection to tomatoes runs deep. His father farms processing tomatoes, his mother worked sorting tomatoes on a harvester, and his siblings have all worked in the industry. His sister Maby has been with Liberty Packing since its very first season. It’s safe to say tomatoes are a family tradition!

In 2007, Leo joined Liberty Packing as a seasonal Evaporation runner, expecting to stay for just one harvest. But within a month, he was hooked. “I enjoyed the excitement and adrenaline of making product flow changes on the fly and learning under pressure,” he recalls. Having previously worked in automotive collision repair, Leo enjoyed hands-on technical work, but it was the intelligence and expertise of Morning Star’s mechanics that inspired him to pursue a full-time career.

Today, Leo describes Morning Star in three words: “Challenging, Opportunity, Fulfilling.” A strong believer in Mission-Focused Self-Management, he credits the philosophy with helping him grow professionally and personally. His own mission reflects that mindset: “To promote an environment where human and electrical energy can reach their full capabilities.”

That enthusiasm for growth continues as Leo takes on new technical challenges, including Morning Star’s APEX pilot plant project. This year, he began learning programming to support the project while developing a deeper curiosity about the quality attributes of tomatoes and tomato paste. “I feel invigorated by a new technical challenge,” he shares. Even after 19 years, Leo continues to approach his work with curiosity, determination, and a genuine excitement for learning.

Outside of work, Leo’s greatest joy is spending time with his daughter, Karmela, and his life partner, Kara. Becoming a father has brought a new perspective to his life, and his number one goal for the next decade is to be the best father possible. He describes the day Karmela was born as especially meaningful, sharing that he fell in love with Kara all over again through their new bond as parents.

Leo also enjoys reading novels, cheering on the Los Angeles Dodgers, and dreaming about future adventures. A third-generation Dodgers fan, he proudly admits, “I definitely bleed Dodger Blue.” One of his bucket-list goals is to watch the Dodgers play at all 30 Major League Baseball stadiums. He’s visited five so far! His other dream is to visit the Great Pyramids of Giza, a place that has always filled him with wonder. And a few fun facts? His favorite food is pizza, his favorite season is fall, and he doesn’t like chocolate or cheese, unless that cheese is on pizza!

Despite his accomplishments and the challenging projects he continues to embrace, what Leo values most about Morning Star isn’t the technical work. It’s the people.

“After working at Morning Star for 19 years, I have come to realize that the things that I cherish the most from those years are the experiences with exceptional people.”

From quick conversations to yearlong projects, Leo appreciates the talented, creative, and intelligent colleagues he’s had the opportunity to learn from. As he puts it, “I can genuinely say I have met some really, really cool people.”

For those who know Leo, the feeling is mutual. His humility, kindness, encouragement, and enthusiasm make him not only a valued colleague but also a wonderful example of the people who make Morning Star special.

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