Vision Statement:
Leading agriculture and land stewardship for future generations since 1900.
Our executive team plays a vital role in shaping the future of Florida’s agricultural, natural resource, and business sectors by serving in leadership positions across a broad array of organizations that support our vision.
Johnnie James joined Lykes Bros. after a 30+ year career in public accounting, during which he was a tax partner at national firms KPMG and RSM, serving large agricultural family businesses throughout the Southeast. In addition to serving as a member of the Company’s Board of Directors since June 2018, James has extensive executive and board-level leadership experience across diverse industries. James’s knowledge and experience in developing and running high-growth, high-profit businesses helps the fifth-generation, family-owned Lykes Bros. develop new strategies and ventures to become market leaders. James most recently served as the President of Resource Consulting Group, an integrated wealth management firm. Before that, Johnnie was the Chief Operating Officer of Oakley Transport Group in Lake Wales, FL, and the Eastern Region Leader for RSM McGladrey. He currently serves on the Board of Florida’s Natural, where he is Chair of the Restructuring Committee; the Florida Chamber Board, where he is a member of the Policy Committee and Chairs the Political Committee; and the Florida Land Council, where he serves on the Executive Committees and as Vice Chair. He received both his B.A. degree and his Master of Accounting degree from the University of Florida. Johnnie is a sixth-generation Floridian.
Christopher Carrere brings extensive sales and business knowledge to the Board. Since 2003, he has been employed by Galati Yacht Sales in Anna Maria, Florida, where he has been a consistent top performer. He is a Certified Professional Yacht Broker specializing in Viking Yachts, Valhalla Boatworks, Princess Yachts, and mega yacht sales. Galati Yacht Sales is the largest privately-owned yacht sales company in the world and is the Boating Industry’s number one company. He previously served as a Purchasing and Product Development Manager for eAngler.com in Tampa and as a Trust Associate for SunTrust Bank in Atlanta. Carrere graduated from The University of the South, Sewanee, in 1999 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics. He is the past Chair of the Lykes Bros. Inc. Governance Committee and member of the Lykes Fifth Generation Committee. He also served as Chairman of the Board of Directors for the National Pediatric Cancer Foundation in Tampa, where he currently serves on the Executive Committee. In addition, he is a board member of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Foundation and was appointed by Governor DeSantis in 2025 as a Commissioner of the Tampa Port Authority.
Christopher R. Cimini, CPA serves as Chief Financial Officer, bringing more than 20 years of experience in financial leadership, land management, and strategic asset management. In his role, he oversees all financial operations including capital markets strategy, financial modeling, acquisitions and dispositions, and long-term financial planning. Prior to joining the organization, Cimini served as Chief Financial Officer and Partner at Whitestone Development Partners LLC and Commercial Street Partners LLC. Earlier in his career, Cimini was Chief Financial Officer and Partner at Buckingham Properties LLC, a family-owned real estate development and property management firm. He led the company’s financial and operational strategy, and played a key role in acquisitions, asset management, and long-term strategic planning. Cimini began his career at Davie Kaplan, CPA, P.C., where he spent over a decade advising clients across real estate, construction, and manufacturing industries, ultimately serving as Senior Manager, and leading the firm’s business valuation practice. A Certified Public Accountant, he holds degrees in Accounting and Business Administration from Nazareth University and has been actively involved in community leadership through board service with several nonprofit organizations.
Cari Roth is a veteran government affairs professional and land use and environmental lawyer who joined Lykes Bros. Inc. in January 2020 after 16 years of advising and assisting the company from private law practice. Her role is to bring her broad knowledge of Florida government and the people in it to bear on Lykes’ many activities which intersect with state and regional government.
For most of her extensive career, Cari worked in private law firms, assisting both public and private sector clients in state-level lobbying and navigating the complexities of state agency regulation. Her experience also includes four years in the public sector as General Counsel and Assistant Secretary of the Florida Department of Community Affairs, where she played a lead role in negotiating major growth management legislation and implementing many inter-agency efforts. She has also served on the State’s Environmental Regulation Commission by Governor’s appointment for 20 years, recently reappointed by Governor DeSantis as Chair.
Cari has been recognized by her peers for her work in government relations and administrative areas of practice, including being named to the prestigious Legal Elite Hall of Fame by Florida Trend magazine. Last year she was also honored as a Florida Trend Legal Elite Notable Real Estate and Land Use attorney. She has an “AV Preeminent” lawyer rating by Martindale-Hubbell, as generated by surveys of both her peers and judges. She is a proud double ‘Nole, receiving both her undergraduate and law degrees from Florida State University.
John Bertram joined Lykes Bros. Inc. in 1998 in the credit and collections department of the former Lykes Consumer Brands Division. Various roles of increasing responsibility within Accounting & Finance have provided broad experience in all facets of corporate finance and a tight integration with operations across a diverse portfolio of businesses. This experience led to a promotion to Vice President of Finance in 2018. In this role, John strives to advance the organization through an understanding of key performance drivers, delivering results through sound financial strategy and execution. He has emphasized technology and the integration of data sets to consider business predictors, creating value-added business insights in support of corporate strategy.
John holds his undergraduate degree from the University of Florida (class of ’95) and a Master of Business Administration from the University of South Florida (2001). He is an alumnus of Leadership Tampa (2010) and the Wedgworth Leadership Institute for Agriculture and Natural Resources (2018). Additionally, John received a professional certification in real estate finance & development from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (2019).
Noah Handley joined Lykes Bros. Inc. in 2011 after a seven-year career as an engineer in the private sector. He started as director of engineering, focusing on the company’s permitting, construction management, and environmental compliance needs. In 2017, his responsibilities expanded into land management, including the real estate aspects of managing the company’s land assets. In 2023, he started his current role, where he is responsible for engineering, regulatory compliance, real estate land management, ecosystem services, agricultural leasing, hunting, as well as operations at the Texas O2 Ranch.
Handley is a 2003 graduate of the University of Florida with a dual degree in Agriculture and Biological Engineering and Agricultural Operations Management. He is also a member of Class IX of the UF/IFAS Wedgeworth Leadership Institute for Agriculture and Natural Resources and has served on the Advisory Council for the Wedgworth Leadership Institute. His professional life has led him to leadership roles in the Florida Section of the American Society of Agriculture and Biological Engineers and the Treasure Coast Chapter of the Florida Engineering Society. Noah was recognized by his peers with the Outstanding Professional Engineer Award from the Florida Section of the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers in 2019.
Hal Duncan joined Lykes Bros. Inc. in 2001 as the Production Supervisor for the Citrus Division. His broad range of responsibilities and leadership experience have contributed to his extensive knowledge of Florida agriculture and prepared him for his current role as Vice President of Ranch & Agricultural Operations. In this position, Duncan oversees the company’s cattle, forestry, citrus, and agricultural operations while continuing to focus on operational excellence, long-term sustainability, and strategic growth across the division.
In 1999, Hal graduated from the University of Florida with a Bachelor of Science degree in Agricultural Operations and Management. He is a Certified Crop Advisor through the American Society of Agronomy and serves as a board member of the Highlands County Citrus Growers Association and the Highlands County Farm Bureau.
Karen joined Lykes Bros. Inc. as Corporate Controller in May 2026. In this role, she oversees and optimizes accounting operations across the company’s diverse business divisions, supporting long-term strategic and financial initiatives.
Karen brings more than 12 years of progressive accounting and financial leadership experience across public accounting and private equity-backed organizations. Throughout her career, she has specialized in financial reporting, GAAP and IFRS compliance, internal controls, tax compliance, ERP implementation, and process improvement. She has extensive experience leading multi-entity accounting operations, supporting mergers and acquisitions, and developing high-performing finance teams.
Prior to joining Lykes Bros. Inc., Karen served as Corporate Controller – Americas for Genscape Inc., a Wood Mackenzie company, where she directed financial reporting for 27 legal entities across the United States, Canada, and international regions. During her tenure, she played a key leadership role in multiple ERP implementations and major M&A transactions while driving operational efficiencies and strengthening financial reporting processes.
Karen also previously held accounting leadership positions with Enexio US LLC and Seminole Electric Cooperative, where she gained extensive experience in construction accounting, financial forecasting, regulatory reporting, and large-scale operational finance.
Karen holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from St. Michael’s College and a Master of Business Administration with CPA Focus from Keller Graduate School of Management. She is a licensed Certified Public Accountant in the State of Florida.
Kyle joined Lykes Bros. Inc. as the Forestry Division Manager in 2021 where he currently manages over 30,000 acres of southern pine and Eucalyptus plantation forests. Prior to joining Lykes, Kyle began his forestry career in 2015 as a Genetics Field Test Manager with Weyerhaeuser Company’s southern pine tree improvement program that spanned the entire southeastern United States.
Kyle graduated Summa Cum Laude from Florida Gulf Coast University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Environmental Studies and a minor in Business Management. He also holds a Master of Forest Resources (MFR) degree with a minor in soil and water science from the University of Florida, where he was proud of graduating at the top of his class and earning a Master’s student of the year award from the School of Forest Resources and Conservation. His MFR program had a strong focus on short-rotation woody crop plantation silviculture, tree genetic improvement, and forest finance. Also, during his time at the University of Florida, Kyle assisted researchers with identifying pest-resistant and freeze-tolerant Eucalyptus varieties on the Lykes Ranch.
Kyle continues to stay involved with research and development by co-authoring peer-reviewed scientific research papers related to Eucalyptus plantation growth and yield in Florida and its economic implications. He currently serves as a board member of the Florida Forestry Association.
Nick Swain began his career with Lykes in 2018 as an Agricultural Engineer, where he focused on Dispersed Water Management Projects, construction, and project management. During this time, he earned his Professional Engineering license in Construction Engineering.
In 2023, he transitioned to Equipment Division Manager, leading range management efforts through mechanical applications and land improvement strategies. He now serves as Ranch Manager, bringing a strong background in land and resource management to the role.
Nick holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering with a minor in Biology from the Florida Institute of Technology. Raised in South Florida, he developed a strong foundation in cattle operations early in life, working as a ranch hand on large-scale operations throughout his childhood. He later expanded his knowledge under the mentorship of former Vice President Flint Johns.
He is actively involved in industry leadership, serving on the executive committee and as Environmental and Private Lands Committee Chairman for the Florida Cattlemen’s Association. He is also a graduate of the Florida Cattlemen’s Leadership Association.
Our Corporate Director of Human Resources, Greg Fraley, is a strategic leader with over 25+ years of experience developing and delivering HR services, solutions, and programs across multiple industries. He is a trusted coach and HR advisor with a proven track record of successfully mentoring and managing HR staff. Greg has an M.S. in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from the University of Tennessee – Chattanooga and his B.S. in Psychology from Florida State University. He is a member of the Society of Human Resources Management (SHRM).
Kathy Holmer joined Lykes Bros. Inc. as Corporate Secretary and Legal Coordinator in March 2023. In this role, she attends all Board of Directors and Board Committee meetings, maintains corporate and shareholder records, conducts shareholder transactions, and works with outside counsel on legal matters. Before joining Lykes, Kathy had a 30+ year career as a litigation paralegal specializing in complex commercial cases in state and federal courts, including construction disputes, creditor’s rights, land use, and employment matters. She also worked as the Legal Coordinator for a multi-state construction staffing firm, managing litigation, statutory compliance, and collection processes. Kathy attended the University of Kansas and is a loyal Jayhawk. She is a member of the Society for Corporate Governance.
Jennifer R. Malin is the Director of Communications and Marketing for Lykes Bros. Inc. She has more than 20 years of strategic marketing and communications experience, overseeing integrated marketing activities including branding, advertising, video production, website development, social media, event management, public relations, crisis communications, and corporate communications. She is a graduate of the University of South Florida. Jennifer is passionate about supporting the arts in her community and serves as Vice Chair of the Tampa Arts Alliance, on the Advisory Board of the Gasparilla Festival of the Arts and on the Marketing Committee of the Tampa Museum of Art. She is a member of the American Marketing Association, PRSA Tampa Bay, Davis Islands Garden Club, and a USF Alumni Life Member.