Joe DiBenedetto, former Atlanta division vice president at Publix Super Markets, has joined the Southeastern grocer’s board of directors.
Publix announced DiBenedetto’s election yesterday during its annual stockholders meeting. After 44 years with the company, he retired as Atlanta division VP at the end of 2019 and was succeeded by Kris Jonczyk, the division’s regional director.
On Publix’s board, DiBenedetto fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Tom Hough, who served as a director for five years.
“We are pleased to have Joe rejoin the Publix family in a different capacity,” Publix Chairman Ed Crenshaw said in a statement. “His more than 44 years of Publix experience, including being instrumental in the continued growth and success of our Atlanta division, will make him a strong addition to our board.”
DiBenedetto started his Publix career in 1975 as a front service clerk in Cape Coral, Fla. After working in roles at several stores in southwest Florida and Orlando, Fla., he was promoted to store manager in 1986 and district manager in 1992. DiBenedetto also was named as the retailer’s first district manager in South Carolina. In 1995, he was promoted to regional director in the Atlanta division, before being elevated to divisional VP in 2011. He also served on the Georgia Food Industry Association’s board of directors from 2011 through 2019.
Hough was elected to Publix’s board in April 2015 upon the retirement of Sherrill Hudson. Before joining the board, he spent 36 years at Ernst & Young, retiring form the accounting and management consulting firm in 2014.
“We are thankful for Tom’s service to our board,” Crenshaw stated. “His strong financial background helped support our continued growth and his dedication to community service supported our focus on giving back.”
Lakeland, Fla.-based Publix operates 1,242 stores in Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, South Carolina, North Carolina and Virginia. An employee-owned company, Publix doesn’t publicly trade its shares, which are available for sale only to current associates and board members.
