Lee began his Publix career in 1987 as a part-time meat cutter apprentice. He was promoted into management in 1989 and transferred to support in 1997 as a meat merchandiser. After holding various roles in the meat retail business unit, he was promoted to his current position in June 2013, where he supports the bakery and produce retail coordinators and retail improvement specialists.
Where were you born?
Petersburg, Virginia
What brought you to Publix?
My best friend’s father was a longtime Publix associate. He helped me get hired when I was in high school, and I learned quickly it was a special place to be. Publix became my high school hangout because of the people and the mentoring my early leaders provided.
What do you enjoy most about your job?
Interacting with our support staff and our retail partners to support execution of our Publix strategy
What’s your favorite Publix memory?
Spending a few minutes with Mr. George at the closing of #6, Orlando, Florida, the night before we opened its replacement. I’ll never forget the emotion he showed and the memories he shared about the store. That memory has really stuck with me.
What’s your favorite book?
Tom Clancy’s The Hunt for Red October
What are your favorite Publix products?
Publix GreenWise beef and our Chocolate Ganache Supreme decadent dessert — you can’t have one without the other!
What’s your work or life philosophy?
Be open minded to new ideas, and teach others to do the same. More importantly, enjoy what you do and look for the positives, even when you’re up against difficult challenges.
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What did you want to be when you were little?
When I was young, I wanted to race cars or motorcycles. As I grew older, I thought I wanted to be an attorney like my father.
What do you enjoy most about working at Publix?
I enjoy being both a student and a teacher of the business and the life lessons we experience together as a team.
What are your immediate goals for your position?
Quality is a key strategic differentiator for Publix, especially in our fresh departments. My goal is to help our store teams drive Publix quality and support superior execution.
What has changed most about Publix since you started here?
Technology is the one thing that comes to mind. Everything our associates use — whether it’s PASSport, procurement systems, inventory systems, scheduling systems or other programs — helps them in their everyday tasks.
How has Publix influenced you?
Quite simply, doing the right thing for our associates and our customers. Being transparent to both is critical, as we can never jeopardize the credibility of ourselves as leaders. Although we all make mistakes in our journey through life, learning from the mistakes and sharing those lessons is key to growing and maturing.
What’s your favorite TV show?
The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, although I have a hard time staying up that late very often. Luckily, there’s DVR.
What are your favorite sports teams?
The Florida Gators and the Tampa Bay Rays
What are your favorite movies?
Any James Bond 007 movie, or Le Mans with Steve McQueen
What’s your proudest moment?
No question: the birth of my two sons
What are your hobbies?
Attending baseball games, diving and snow skiing with my family
What’s playing in your iPod right now?
Everything from U2 to Fleetwood Mac. I have just about all genres.
