George W. Jenkins

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This does not adequately cite its references or sources.
Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. (help, get involved!)
Any material not supported by sources may be challenged and removed at any time. This article has been tagged since June 2006.

**George W. Jenkins**
Born:	1907 Warm Springs, Georga
Died:	1996 Lakeland, FL
Occupation:	Founder, Publix Super Markets

George W. Jenkins (Warm Springs, Georgia in 1907- Lakeland, FL 1996). In 1930, despite the Great Depression, Jenkins risked everything he had, including a stable career, to start a new grocery store, a store in which the associates would be treated with utmost respect and dignity and the customers would receive friendly and efficient service every time they visited. He named this chain Publix.

Jenkins was affectionately called "Mr. George" by his associates, who all had a good relationship with him. He returned their goodwill and hard work by giving them stock in the company.

After changing Publix from an ordinary market to a supermarket and moving the company's headquarters to Lakeland, Florida the business grew. In the 1950s, bakeries were added to the stores. In the 1980s, Publix added pharmacies. In the 1990s, the chain started to expand for the first time outside of Florida, starting in Georgia.

In 1993, a new high school (George W. Jenkins Senior High School) in Lakeland was named after him. Jenkins died in 1996, leaving the his wealth to charity and his family, which continues to run the company.

Publix Super Markets now operates in Florida, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina and Tennessee. It is now one of the largest privately owned companies in the country.