Jeffery Levitetz

Jeff Levitetz attended Deerfield High School where he was coached by Hall of Famer Steve Combs. In 1974 Jeff earned a trip to the Illinois High School Association State Finals by winning the IHSA Sectional title at 105 pounds. Following his graduation from Deerfield in 1975, Jeff continued his educational and wrestling pursuits at the University of Alabama. Jeff’s collegiate coach was yet another Hall of Famer, Pat Milkovich.

Jeff’s entrepreneurial skills surfaced in a big way while at Alabama when he raised $10,000 for cancer research by doing 10,000 consecutive sit-ups. Additionally, while attending Alabama, Jeff turned a borrowed$300 into a successful business venture – University Marketing.

However, Jeff’s greatest entrepreneurial success came after he left Alabama. In 1982, Jeff founded Purity Wholesale Grocers, Inc. Purity Wholesale Grocers has since become a nationwide network of companies with headquarters in Boca Raton, Florida. Purity Wholesale Grocers companies specialize in products ranging from frozen foods to health and beauty care, dairy, dry goods and candy. Holding a significant share of an annual five billion dollar industry, Purity Wholesale Grocers is currently one of the largest private companies in Florida as well as one of the largest wholesalers in the country. PWG has been listed in Forbes top 150 privately owned companies; its annual sales have been estimated to range from $750 million to $1.5 billion. In 1986, in recognition of his achievements, Jeff was named as the Chivas Regal Regional and National Entrepreneur of the Year.

Although his corporate executive position places a heavy demand on his time, Jeff still found time to make numerous contributions to the sport of wrestling.

He serves as a member of the USA Wrestling’s Board of Directors; he serves as a member of the Governor Associates, an advisory board for the National Wrestling Hall of Fame; he founded the Boca Raton Wrestling Club, a non-profit youth wrestling program m(the clubs slogan is “Wrestling: Training for the Rest of Your Llife”; he is involved with the Gator Wrestling Club which trains and supports talented senior-level wrestlers in all three styles; he developed the JRC Memorial Scholarship Fund which extends financial support to individuals to attend summer camps; he has served as Team Leader of the 2004 U.S. Olympic Greco-Roman Team, as well as the 2003 Senior Greco-Roman Team, the 2003 Pan-American Games Greco-Roman Team, the 2002 Senior Freestyle World Team and the 1999 Senior Freestyle World Team.

In recognition of Jeff’s tireless support and service to wrestling the National Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum honored him as an Outstanding American in 2002 while USA Wrestling named him its Man of the Year in 2004.

Awards:

Year
2022
Award
Lifetime Service to Wrestling
Chapter/Region
Florida
Year
2011
Award
Outstanding American
Chapter/Region
Illinois
Year
2002
Award
Outstanding American
Chapter/Region
National

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