Let’s celebrate our founder’s birthday by taking a trip down memory lane.

Since he opened the first Publix on Sept. 6, 1930, Mr. George made it his mission to be there for his associates and customers. From offering words of encouragement to bagging groceries and providing carryout service, he built the Publix culture we carry on today.

Over the years, moments of Mr. George performing generous acts of service were often captured. Terisa Lingo, administrative assistant to Regional Director Adrian Bennett, always liked the photo of Mr. George helping a woman to her car with a young child in the cart. It wasn’t until she found a box of old photos that she realized she knew the people in the photo — they were her late mom, Jean, and older brother, Roger.

“My mom used to live near the store in Winter Haven, Florida,” said Terisa. “I heard stories growing up about how she would shop there a couple times per week, and Mr. George would often bag her groceries and help her out to her car.”

Mr. George never forgot meeting Jean. More than two decades later, Terisa and her family relocated. She was working at #228, Kissimmee, Florida, when Terisa met Mr. George for the first time.

“He asked me if we had met before because I looked so familiar,” Terisa said. “I told him that he knew my mother about 30 years ago. He immediately said, ‘Jeanie! Your mom is Jeanie!’ She and I looked enough alike that he knew who I was talking about without me having to explain, even after all those years.”

Online Exclusive

“The second time I had the pleasure of meeting Mr. George was at the grand opening of #445, Ocala, Florida. I had just been promoted to second assistant manager. I was making sure everything ran well in the produce area. When Mr. George arrived just before we opened, they asked me to come to the front of the store and greet the customers with him. That’s when he told me we are in the people business, not the grocery business. He said when we lose that, we will lose our business. He told me to take care of the customers and associates, and the rest would take care of itself. I have used that knowledge over the years, and it has helped me understand why Mr. George gave this great company to his associates. I just celebrated my 39th anniversary here, and I could not have been more blessed to make this my career.”

— Store Manager Robert Cook, #537, Gainesville, Florida

“Mr. George always played Santa at our holiday parties. When I walk through the halls at the George Jenkins building in Lakeland, Florida, I can hear him whistling and greeting every person who walked by. Both my daughter and son work for Publix too!”

— Retail Senior Manager of Loss Prevention Faith Clark

Mr. George with Programmer Analyst Kelly Amig at her Publix Child Development Center graduation, Class of 1990

“In 1986, I was a new Publix associate. Store Manager David Connolly took a group of us down to Lakeland, Florida, to tour the manufacturing plant and warehouse. When we finished the tour, we were invited by Mr. George’s secretary to stop by the corporate office and meet Mr. George. I remember getting to shake his hand and talk to him. Anyone could come in and talk to the owner of the company at any time! I said to myself that if I ever became a store manager, my door would always be open for my associates too.”

— Store Manager Chris Sheffield, #1638, Madison, Alabama

Mr. George with Manager of Human Resources Special Projects Candin Ruvolo at her Publix Child Development Center graduation, 1994

Mr. George and District Manager David Fulmer at #300, Tampa, Florida, 1991

“My grandmother told me this story, and I always keep it close to my heart as it reminds me how much Mr. George truly cared. My grandmother and her four children lived in Laurel, Mississippi, with her husband who was an abusive alcoholic. She took her children and moved to Lakeland, Florida. When they got to town, they were eating at a restaurant, and a young man approached her to compliment her well-behaved and beautiful children. This man was Mr. George. They got to talking, and she felt so comfortable with him that she told him their story and why they were in Lakeland. After this conversation, Mr. George had so much compassion that he arranged a place for them all to live rent free. He also gave her a job at Publix where she ended up working for the next 40 years. My whole family — my stepfather, aunts, uncles, sister, nephew, daughters and myself — eventually worked for Publix, all because of Mr. George’s kindness that day.”

— DSD Clerk Debra Meador Fletcher, #1529, Franklin, Tennessee

Mr. George and Store Manager Sid Smith, #1389, Miami, at his 10-year service award dinner, 1987