Business Visit Spotlight: Cusumano & Sons 🍎🚛

Our CEO students had the opportunity to visit Cusumano & Son’s, where we were hosted by Rex Cusumano for an engaging and insightful look into a fourth-generation family business rooted right here in our community.

Rex shared the powerful story of his grandfather, Joe Cusumano, an Italian immigrant who began the business by selling overripe bananas. From those humble beginnings, the company has grown into a regional operation serving customers within a 100-mile radius of Mount Vernon, supplying produce to grocery stores, restaurants, and schools. Last year, they expanded their offerings into proteins and meats, continuing to evolve with customer needs and strengthen their position in the market.

What stood out most to our students was Rex’s passion for entrepreneurship and his honesty about the journey. He emphasized that entrepreneurship is not for everyone, but for those willing to commit, it can be incredibly rewarding. Rex himself has never had another job, dedicating his career to building and growing the family business.

Students also had the opportunity to participate in a hands-on taste test, comparing two different varieties of apples to see if they could identify differences in flavor and quality. It was a simple but powerful way to reinforce how product knowledge and quality play a role in customer experience.

Students learned that Cusumano & Son’s is not just in the produce business, but in the service industry. Their success is built on three key factors: quality, price, and service. From forecasting inventory needs 7–10 days in advance to maintaining strong relationships with partners like bankers, lawyers, accountants, mechanics, and HVAC professionals, every detail matters.

Rex also shared valuable life and business lessons that left a lasting impact:

• Do more than you get paid for. The return will come back tenfold
• If you love what you do, you will never feel like you are going to work
• How you present yourself matters. Someone is always watching
• As you find success, it is your responsibility to give back

He also encouraged students to invest in their mindset and personal growth, referencing influences like Earl Nightingale and Jim Rohn, reminding them that success starts with how you think.

One of the most interesting takeaways was how the business adapted during COVID, creating a unique opportunity to serve customers directly and expand their reach in new ways.

We are incredibly grateful to Rex for taking the time to invest in our students and share both the history and future vision of Cusumano & Son’s. Experiences like this continue to show our young entrepreneurs what it takes to build, sustain, and grow a successful business over generations.