John A. Leipold Jr.

Class of 2009

John A. Leipold Jr., says a strong work ethic, integrity and the ability to get things done are what made him successful, but he also says many people in the industry contributed to his career. He was born September 1, 1951, in Blossburg, PA, but moved to upstate New York at an early age. He attended Corning East High School and Corning Community College in Corning, NY, where he earned an Associate of Applied Science degree with distinction in marketing. He served with the U.S. Navy from 1969 to 1973 working in Naval intelligence. Married in 1973, he and his wife Shirella (Sher) have two children, Keri and Jaki. John entered the confectionery industry in 1976, joining Nestlé USA and working in various marketing and sales management positions, culminating as division vice-president. While at the company he won the Centurian Award seven times, recognizing the top sales managers in the company. In 1997 he accepted a position as vice-president, client development for Supermarket Promotions Inc., and in 1999 he joined Just Born, Inc. as vice-president of sales. In 2005 he took on his current role, national sales manager for Goetze’s Candy Co., Inc. John has been an active member of the National Confectioners Association, serving on the international steering, broker advisory and trade relations committees and the magazine task force. He has been a panelist and presenter at various NCA conferences. In 2005 John received the Doc Reed Silver Candy Dish Award, given to the sales manager who has made the biggest impact on candy sales during the year. John is also a member of the board of directors of the NCSA and serves on the fundraising and board selection committees. He appreciates the companies he has worked with because they allowed him to learn, grow and contribute. He notes customer consolidation has been dramatic over the years and that buyer/seller interaction has diminished. He advises others in the industry to “love what you do and lead with integrity and motivation, not manipulation.” Outside the office, John enjoys playing and watching baseball, golf and pool. He also spends time swimming and growing tomatoes.