FSC's CEO100 Lecture Series hosts Publix CEO Todd Jones, Sr., as featured speaker
Feb 20, 2020
The Barney Barnett School of Business and Free Enterprise at Florida Southern College hosted its 2020 CEO100 Lecture on Feb. 20, welcoming as the featured speaker Todd Jones, Sr., Chief Executive Officer of Publix Super Markets, Inc.
For 23 consecutive years, Fortune magazine has recognized Publix as one of the “100 Best Companies to Work For in America,” also ranking Publix at No. 7 on its list of “Best Big Companies to Work For in America” in 2020. Jones proudly pointed out that Publix has been on both lists since their inception.
Jones began his career with the Lakeland-based company in 1980, working part-time as a front service associate while a high school student in New Smyrna Beach and progressing through the ranks of retail management with Publix for the past 40 years.
During his presentation, Jones discussed many of the principles that have helped Publix become the largest employee-owned supermarket chain in the United States, now operating more than 1,200 stores across the Southeast as it celebrates its 90th anniversary. He outlined two business approaches that might bring a company success—its strategy and its culture.
Jones defined a company’s strategy as the ways it differentiates itself from competitors; it should be rational, logical, simple, and repeatable. In contrast, a corporate culture is how things are done internally, focusing on hearts and minds; a company’s culture affects the attitudes and behaviors of its associates.
“The relationship between strategy and culture is critical,” Jones told those in attendance at the noon luncheon in FSC’s Nina B. Hollis Wellness Center. “Our culture is our strategy.” By attracting, developing, and training quality associates, Publix aims to achieve operational excellence, he explained, in order to produce the desired effect of delighting customers, which in turn helps the company grow and prosper.
“Todd Jones leads a company that is known for its ‘Best in Class’ customer service—a high-value brand with employee recognition as a great place to work and accolades for its philanthropic impact,” said Dr. James Fenton, Jr., Dean of the Barney Barnett School of Business and Free Enterprise and professor of management. “These are characteristics most companies strive to emulate but which are most challenging to achieve. Publix truly is an exceptional company in a very competitive industry.”
At the conclusion of today’s program, Florida Southern President Dr. Anne Kerr and Provost Dr. Brad Hollingshead joined Dr. Fenton to confer upon Jones the honorary degree Doctor of Business. In an accompanying proclamation, Dr. Kerr commended Jones for his distinguished career with Publix, praising him for his ethical leadership, strategic vision, and hands-on approach, as well as his commitment to building healthier communities through Publix Super Markets Charities and for continuing the company’s legacy of “unswerving dedication to excellence in customer service and a ‘people-first’ business model.”
Previous speakers for FSC’s CEO100 Lecture Series have included Chairman, CEO, and President John Ferriola of the Nucor Corporation, Executive Chairman Richard Smucker of The J.M. Smucker Company, CEO Craig Menear of The Home Depot, and Ken Powell, former Chairman of the Board of General Mills.