Grady Leavins is a self-made man. Growing up in rural Bagdad, Florida, he sought out opportunity at every turn. He spent a couple of years at a community college but was anxious to work. He worked part time at the Arizona Chemical Research and Development Laboratory in Panama City and commuted to Apalachicola to work extra hours harvesting oysters. In 1976 Grady moved to Apalachicola. Living there, he immediately recognized opportunity in the oyster industry. He started small, but he was soon selling the oysters that he caught all over the state of Florida. He saw even more opportunity when he opened his own seafood house. With his laboratory experience under his belt, he helped develop a new way to package oysters. His "Frosted Oyster" is an oyster that has been automatically shucked and then flash-frozen, using liquid nitrogen. Although he came into the industry as an outsider, Grady has earned the respect of his employees, his neighbors, and his peers. Today, he is among those leading the industry in production and innovation. And he is just getting started.

Scope and Content Note
In the interview conducted by Amy Evans on January 9, 2006, with Grady Leavins of Leavins Seafood in Apalachicola, FL, the focus was on his development of an automatic oyster shucking process using liquid nitrogen. Leavins shares his background as an oyster fisherman and the challenges he faced as an outsider in the local community. He discusses the design and operation of his oyster processing plant, highlighting improvements to the shucking process and the use of liquid nitrogen to ensure oyster safety. Leavins also mentiones his collaborations with Praxair and his expansion into different markets. He acknowledged the hard work and support of his wife, Alice, and expressed satisfaction with his dedicated staff. The interview touched on various topics, including the number of employees, market demand, incentives for employees, and the future of the waterfront area. Leavins also discusses his contributions to the oyster industry, such as introducing plastic containers and washed half-shell oysters. The interview concluded with his reflections on the oyster lease, hurricanes' impact, efforts to secure funding, and his involvement in associations. Overall, Leavins displayed his passion for the oyster industry and his commitment to innovation and sustainability.