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Publix board elects Joe DiBenedetto as director

Ex-Atlanta division VP spent 44 years at Southeastern supermarket chain

Russell Redman

April 15, 2020

2 Min Read
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Lakeland, Fla.-based Publix operates 1,242 stores in Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, South Carolina, North Carolina and Virginia.Publix Super Markets

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.

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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.

Related:Publix Atlanta division veteran to retire

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.

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About the Author

Russell Redman

Senior Editor
Supermarket News

Russell Redman has served as senior editor at Supermarket News since April 2018, his second tour with the publication. In his current role, he handles daily news coverage for the SN website and contributes news and features for the print magazine, as well as participates in special projects, podcasts and webinars and attends industry events. Russ joined SN from Racher Press Inc.’s Chain Drug Review and Mass Market Retailers magazines, where he served as desk/online editor for more than nine years, covering the food/drug/mass retail sector. 

Russell Redman’s more than 30 years of experience in journalism span a range of editorial manager, editor, reporter/writer and digital roles at a variety of publications and websites covering a breadth of industries, including retailing, pharmacy/health care, IT, digital home, financial technology, financial services, real estate/commercial property, pro audio/video and film. He started his career in 1989 as a local news reporter and editor, covering community news and politics in Long Island, N.Y. His background also includes an earlier stint at Supermarket News as center store editor and then financial editor in the mid-1990s. Russ holds a B.A. in journalism (minor in political science) from Hofstra University, where he also earned a certificate in digital/social media marketing in November 2016.

Russell Redman’s experience:

Supermarket News - Informa
Senior Editor 
April 2018 - present

Chain Drug Review/Mass Market Retailers - Racher Press
Desk/Online Editor 
Sept. 2008 - March 2018

CRN magazine - CMP Media
Managing Editor
May 2000 - June 2007

Bank Systems & Technology - Miller Freeman
Executive Editor/Managing Editor
Dec. 1996 - May 2000

Supermarket News - Fairchild Publications
Financial Editor/Associate Editor
April 1995 - Dec. 1996 

Shopping Centers Today Magazine - ICSC 
Desk Editor/Assistant Editor
Dec. 1992 - April 1995

Testa Communications
Assistant Editor/Contributing Editor (Music & Sound Retailer, Post, Producer, Sound & Communications and DJ Times magazines)
Jan. 1991 - Dec. 1992 

American Banker/Bond Buyer
Copy Editor
Oct. 1990 - Jan. 1991 

This Week newspaper - Chanry Communications
Reporter/Editor
May 1989 - July 1990

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