Publix Appoints Doug Harris VP of Manufacturing

Publix Super Markets has promoted Director of Manufacturing Doug Harris to the role of VP of manufacturing, effective May 1. Harris succeeds Jeff Stephens, who will retire the same day.

“Doug has the ability to think strategically about how Publix manufacturing can continue to differentiate us from our competition,” noted Publix CEO Todd Jones. “He creates strong, collaborative relationships that show how much he genuinely cares for his associates and Publix. I’m excited to see him continue to grow his Publix career.”

Harris began at Publix in 1998 as an industrial engineer in the company’s hometown of Lakeland, Fla. He held various roles in logistics within manufacturing before transitioning to the grocer’s Atlanta dairy plant in 2006 as a production operations manager. In 2013, he became general manager of the plant. Harris relocated back to Lakeland last year, when he was promoted to director of manufacturing.

In his new role, Harris will lead Publix’s manufacturing businesses, which encompass seven fresh production plants and printing services.

Privately owned and operated by its more than 200,000 employees, Publix has 1,213 stores in Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, South Carolina, North Carolina and Virginia. The company is No. 5 on Progressive Grocer’s 2018 Super 50 list of the top grocers in the United States.