After almost 30 years of owning a family business, Haun Potato Co., David Haun is closing the company and retiring.

Haun announced this move in an email to industry friends on the evening of Dec. 6.

The next morning, he commented to The Produce News: “What a run!”

Rick Ward, David Haun, and David Palermo of Haun Potato.The potato and onion distributor will officially close at the end of December. Haun said he was busy collecting some outstanding invoices and paying accounts due. Haun will be continuing to work on the business into early 2019 before he fully retires.

Haun is connecting his suppliers and customers to fill the coming void of his brokerage business. He said those individuals long-known each other but have continued to work with him over the years because of the intermediate problems he has always solved to ease their operations.

Haun’s letter to the trade indicated that he had been approached by would-be buyers of Haun Potato in recent years, but his father and he held the position “that our business with our family name should remain in family hands.”

He noted that Haun salesman David Palermo and Rick Ward joined him in appreciating their many trade relationships.

Haun plans to enjoy his family, grandchildren and travel in retirement.

Started in Kansas City by David’s late father, Richard (Spud) Haun in 1965, Haun Potato has been in the Kansas City suburb of Lenexa, KS, for many years. David Haun bought the firm in 1990.

Haun Potato has been a Blue Book Trading Member and Red Book Business Character Award winner for 50 straight years, Haun indicated.

Spud Haun, a longtime U.S. potato industry leader died at age 91 in June 2016. His military service included Okinawa, Japan in the Pacific Theater.