MILLEN, GA - John Mackey has been in a number of headlines throughout his retail career, most recently as Whole Foods shifts under its new acquisition by Amazon. The Co-Founder and CEO of the retailer helped raise the $14 billion Fortune 500 company from a single Austin, Texas, store in 1978. And you will get to hear his expertese at the Southeast Produce Council’s (SEPC) 2018 Southern Exposure in Tampa, Florida, on March 3, 2018.
“We are honored this year to have John Mackey share his insights on how the landscape will change and remain the same with the Whole Foods and Amazon merger,” said President and CEO David Sherrod. “This exciting Keynote session should provide relevant information for all of our attendees, no matter what sector they represent.”
Now a top U.S. supermarket with more than 400 stores and 87,000 team members in three countries, Austin’s worst flood in history actually almost bankrupted the original store in 1981. According to a press release, community efforts to save it shaped Mackey’s leadership philosophy to “do right by your stakeholders, and they’ll do right by you.”
For 18 consecutive years, Fortune Magazine has included Whole Foods Market on its “100 Best Companies to Work For” list. Other accolades include:
- America’s Healthiest Grocery Store by Health Magazine
- Top retailer for seafood sustainability by Greenpeace
- One of “America’s 25 Most Inspiring Companies” by Forbes
- No. 20 overall for Fortune’s “Most Admired Companies” list, and first in the food and drug store industry
In addition to devoting his career to providing shoppers with high-quality natural and organic foods, Mackey has focused on building a more conscious way of doing business. He led the company through more than 20 acquisitions, the release noted, took Whole Foods Market public in 1992, and still plans to grow the company to 1,200 stores.
A staunch advocate of healthy eating education, he laid the foundation for health and wellness programs for team members and customers. Most recently, Mackey has focused on returning to the company’s healthy eating and lifestyle choices roots.
Out of his respect for equity among team members, Mackey implemented a salary cap for all executives, cutting his own salary to $1 annually in 2006 and forgoeing stock options and bonuses.
SEPC said that Mackey continues to work for Whole Foods Market out of a passion to see the business realize the potential for deeper purpose, for the joy of leading a great company, and to answer the call to service he feels in his heart.
Registration numbers for Southern Exposure 2018 are quickly climbing. To register, visit southernexposure.seproducecouncil.com.
