Faces in business: Gary Bradshaw

Name: Gary Bradshaw

Title: President

Company: SMR Farms LLC, 4715 Lorraine Road, Bradenton

What was the best business advice you ever received?

A farmer's favorite fertilizer should be the footsteps left in the field. In other words, you can't manage the work in a truck you have to get your hands dirty.

If you could choose another profession, what would it be?

I was a professional, right-handed, pitcher for Milwaukee Brewers in the minor league when I tore my right rotator cuff. I would be a professional baseball player again, it was great.

What is the biggest risk you've taken in your career?

Starting my own business. I had a partner with whom I harvested turf but we ran out of places to get turf grass. I wanted to stay in the same field of business so I worked for two turf production centers before going to work at SMR Farms, where I worked my way from production manager to my present position as president.

If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you start?

I would not travel anywhere outside the US but if I'd go anywhere, I would go to Paris and maybe Switzerland.

- Angie Monroe

This story was originally published December 1, 2015 at 6:16 PM with the headline "Faces in business: Gary Bradshaw ."