Nino Jefferson Lim
Founder in Walnut, CA, US
Nino Jefferson Lim, a resident of Walnut, California, spent most of his young life in family-owned markets, specifically ones catering to the Filipino community. His mother even owned one for a period of time, and during high school he worked at his cousin's seafood market. However, when another Filipino market moved into the community, his mother found herself bankrupt due to competition. Seeing her pain, Nino vowed to one day win back the market and beat out the competition.
Nino Lim graduated with an Associates from Marymount California University and, later, with a Bachelor's in Accounting from the University of Southern California. Following his undergraduate education, he decided it was time to bring the promise he made his mother to life. He founded Island Pacific Market in March of 2000, and in 20 years has built the business to span 16 locations and an expansion into Las Vegas.