Jeff was born and raised in Plymouth, Wisconsin where the Gentine family is firmly established in the cheese industry. His grandfather, Leonard Gentine, Sr., founded Sargento Foods in 1953. His father, Leonard “Butch” Gentine, Jr., following a successful career at Sargento, founded what became Masters Gallery Foods in 1974.
In 1993 Jeff graduated from Bryant University in Smithfield, Rhode Island with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management. He began his career as a private label buyer for grocery wholesaler Richfood, Inc. located in Richmond, Virginia.
Jeff joined the family business in the fall of 1996 as a Regional Sales Manager. In addition to sales, he has held multiple positions over the years in both procurement and manufacturing operations. He most recently served as the company’s Executive Vice President for over 10 years before assuming the President & CEO position in January 2017.
