When multiple competitors of Publix had not yet been swallowed up or pushed out of Florida, and the green juggernaut was about to begin its march north into Georgia, Todd Jones started working as a grocery bagger.
The year the grocer began to install price scanners at its cash registers, Jones suited up in Publix green and worked his first day at a New Smyrna Beach Publix, a historic timeline on the company’s website shows for the year 1980.
Jones’ tenure spanned a period of sustained growth
Eleven years after Jones started working as a front-service clerk, Publix passed one of many milestones in company history during his career. The enterprise crossed the state line to open a store in Savannah, Georgia, and soon expanded to Atlanta, the company website said.
And after 46 years and an expansion into another six Southeastern states, the grocer announced Jones will retire from the executive chairman position at the end of May.
During his tenure, Publix would eventually expand into a total of eight states throughout the Southeastern U.S. and operate more than 1,400 stores.
Jones was named the sixth president of Publix in 2008, and the following year, Publix opened its 1,000th store.
And Publix announced in June 2008 it had purchased 49 Albertsons stores throughout Florida, with the deal officially closing that September. The acquisition cost about $500 million, giving Publix a significant boost in market share.
In 2016, Jones was promoted to CEO and president and was named executive chairman in 2024. Kevin Murphy replaced Jones in the chief executive role at the beginning of 2024.
Before his ascension to the C-Suite, Jones had steadily risen through the ranks, serving in various roles such as store manager, district manager, and regional director.
Still, Jones found time to participate in industry and community organizations, including the FMI, the Florida Council of 100, and the Fish and Wildlife Foundation of Florida. He was recently inducted into the Tampa Bay Business Hall of Fame.
Publix leaders reflect on Jones’ time at the helm
The announcement about Jones’ retirement came via a company press release and a few days after reporting that its sales growth was dragging and its net earnings had declined, grocerydive.com reported.
Jones could not be reached for comment through a request via Publix’s media contacts. His age in a April 2016 Herald-Tribune report was 53, which would make him 63 today.
In the company press release, Jones made a prepared statement.
“Our founder, George Jenkins, built Publix based on a clear vision, and that vision remains our north star,” Jones said. “It has been my honor to work for the greatest company in the world and a privilege to work alongside our associates to carry forward what George Jenkins created almost 96 years ago.
“As I look ahead, I do so with tremendous confidence in our leadership team and dedicated associates who will continue delivering exceptional service to our customers and communities.”
CEO Kevin Murphy praised Jones for his leadership, calling him an “outstanding operator and mentor” whose integrity and commitment to the company’s mission have had a lasting impact.
Murphy added that Publix is fortunate that Jones will continue offering leadership as board chair.
On May 1, Publix reported that its sales for the first quarter of 2026 were up 2% compared to the same period a year ago, to $16.1 billion.
By comparison, sales were up by more than 5% year over year during the first quarter of 2025 and rose nearly 3% in the fourth quarter of last year.
Publix also said May 1 that its net earnings for the first quarter dropped 21.5% year over year, to nearly $800 million. Excluding the effect of net unrealized losses on equity securities in 2026 and 2025, net earnings in the first quarter would have declined only 3% and come in at $1.1 billion.
On the bright side for shareholders, Publix increased its stock price by about 4% as of May 1, to $20.45 per share. Publix’s stock is not publicly traded and is only available for purchase by employees and members of the board of directors.
Publix remains committed to its founder’s vision
Founded in 1930 by George W. Jenkins, Publix Super Markets Inc.is an employee-owned supermarket chain headquartered in Lakeland.
The original Jenkins passed away in 1996. Jenkins founded Publix in Winter Haven. Not long after opening the story, Jenkins established profit-sharing and employee ownership.
The move was to help ensure the highest level of customer service from each of his associates. The founder believed that sharing the wealth as the business grew would translate into happier employees and help make shopping a pleasure for customers.
From automatic-open doors, marble interiors, and air conditioning, which were novel in a 1930s grocery store, Jenkins also always strived to add the latest innovations and conveniences to his stores to further his vision.
As of June 2025, Publix employed about 260,000 people at its retail locations, cooking schools, corporate offices, nine grocery distribution centers, and 11 manufacturing facilities, which produce dairy, deli, bakery items, and other products.
Publix is one of the 10 largest-volume supermarket chains in the United States. In 2025, retail sales were $62.7 billion.
This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Bagger to top executive: Publix’s Todd Jones retires after 46 years
Reporting by Paul Nutcher, Lakeland Ledger / The Ledger
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