Our Founder: George W. Jenkins (1907 – 1996)

George Jenkins, founder and Chairman Emeritus of Publix Super Markets Inc., was born in Harris City, Ga., Sept. 29, 1907. Growing up, he worked in his father's general store. In 1925, he headed to Tampa, Fla., at the age of 17 with hopes of making his fortune in the Florida real estate boom. Instead, he took a job as a stock clerk in a Piggly Wiggly grocery store. After only a couple of months, he was promoted to manager of the Piggly Wiggly in St. Petersburg and was later transferred to manage the chain's largest store in Winter Haven, a position he held from 1926 to 1930. It was that year that he resigned from Piggly Wiggly to start his own grocery store.

On Sept. 6, 1930, George Jenkins opened his first store, called Publix Food Store, in Winter Haven. In 1935, he opened a second location across town. He closed these first two stores to open his dream store, the first Publix Super Market, on Nov. 8, 1940. A "food palace" of marble, glass and stucco, this store included innovations such as air conditioning, fluorescent lighting, electric eye doors, frozen food cases and piped-in music. In 1945, he acquired a warehouse and 19 All American stores from the Lakeland Grocery Co. He began replacing these small stores with larger supermarkets. He continued his never-ending expansion, bringing the Publix standard of clean stores, friendly service and quality merchandise to customers throughout Florida.

Mr. George was a leader within the supermarket industry, having served several three-year terms on the board of the Super Market Institute, including two years as president. He also served two terms as vice president of the National Association of Food Chains and was president of the National Association of Food Research from 1961 to 1963.

Active in civic affairs, he served as president of the Winter Haven Rotary Club and the Chamber of Commerce. He was a 33rd Degree Scottish Rite Mason and Shriner. He served two terms as a member of the board of directors of the Federal Reserve Bank in Atlanta and also served on the board of directors of the First National Bank of Miami, Peoples Bank of Lakeland, and Pinellas Central Bank & Trust Company of Largo. He was a member of the Southern Advisory Board of Arkwright-Boston Insurance and a member of the board of trustees of the University of Miami.

Mr. George set the standard for giving back to the community, and his philanthropy was legendary. In 1966, he established the George W. Jenkins Foundation, allowing him to meet the needs of people in the foundation's communities through charitable organizations. In January 1996, the name of the foundation was changed to Publix Super Markets Charities Inc. Today one of Publix's top honors, the George Jenkins Community Service Award, is presented annually to one Publix associate from each retail division and one support associate who best exemplify the charitable community involvement of George Jenkins.

Mr. George received many honors and recognitions throughout the years, including honorary doctorates of law degrees from Florida Southern College in 1956 and the University of Tampa in 1963. He was also an honorary member of Beta Gamma Sigma, a business administration fraternity. He received an honorary doctorate of humanities in 1977 from Stetson University in Deland, Fla. In 1979, he received an honorary doctorate of science degree from the Florida Institute of Technology in Melbourne, Fla. He received the "Grocer of the Year Award" from the Retail Grocers Association in 1979. He received the Sidney R. Rabb Award of the Food Marketing Institute in 1978 for his contributions to the food industry and the community. He was also presented the Boy Scout Silver Beaver Award in 1964, the Silver Antelope Award in 1975 and the McKenzie Statue in 1980.

His hobby was golf, resulting in the development and opening of Lone Palm Golf Course, an 18-hole championship course in Lakeland, Fla., in March 1965.

Mr. George was chairman of the board until August 1988 when he suffered a severe stroke. He was named Chairman Emeritus Jan. 2, 1990. He passed away April 8, 1996, at the age of 88.