Dave began his Publix career in 1983 as a computer programmer. He was promoted to strategic project manager in 1992 and business development manager for dairy, processed meats and DSD items in 1994. In 1998, he was promoted to Vice President of Grocery/Non-foods and in April, he was promoted to his current position.
Where were you born?
Daytona Beach, Fla.
What did you want to be when you were little?
A doctor or racecar driver
What are your hobbies?
Taking care of classic sports cars; the ones with no air conditioning, heaters, radios or tops like the Shelby Cobras. I enjoy attending car shows with family and friends.
What’s your favorite sports team?
Florida Gators
What is your favorite movie?
Tomorrow Never Dies
What is your favorite book?
I’m currently reading The Oz Principle. It’s about individual and group accountability.
What’s the most exciting part of your job?
I really enjoy working with my team to deliver customer-facing improvements and to improve processes and tools for our store associates.
What has not changed about Publix since you started here?
Our focus on a few extremely important things: superior and consistent customer service, total customer value, and an appreciation for our associates and a desire to support them however we can.
What’s your work or life philosophy?
Always maintain integrity and tell the truth even when it’s hard to admit. Our company operates with a great deal of integrity, and that earns us the respect of our associates, customers, suppliers and others in our industry.
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What’s playing in your iPod right now?
Classic rock from Tom Petty, Stevie Nicks and Don Henley to Aerosmith
What’s your favorite Publix product?
Publix Deli Italian Sub with Publix brand meat
What’s the most challenging part of your job?
Determining where to allocate resources to best support our store associates while continuing to deliver increasing value to our customers.
What’s your favorite Publix memory?
I got to meet and talk with Mr. George on two occasions, and remember walking away from the conversations feeling confident that if we do what’s right, serve our customers and take care of our associates, everything will be fine.
What’s your proudest moment?
In the late 80s, we centralized our buying resources and learned what great things we could do when we put people together and equip them with common tools and procedures. By leveraging the total volume from all of our stores, we were able to negotiate the best funding for Publix and deals for our customers. And, because of the efforts of our store associates who sell so much product, we continue to reap the benefits today!
