My profession: Old-world produce business fits modern age

My Profession story for The Commercial Appeal

March 18, 2009

Mike Palazola is a peddler.

Despite his 55,000 square feet of mostly refrigerated warehouse space, the 30 trucks that bear his name, the three states he services and the 100 people he employs, Palazola is, at heart, a peddler of onions, apples, bananas and tomatoes.

M. Palazola Produce is a business based in the Old World that has adapted to the new world of corporations, virtual meetings and convenience.

Family is at the core of M. Palazola Produce, where three brothers work with their mother and a son-in-law. Inside the mammoth warehouse with its wood- and-glass offices, when Palazola introduces employees, he mentions where they went to high school … (read more)