John Jones, executive vice president/director of store operations for Food City’s retail grocery chain, has been named the 2020 Retailer of the Year by Tennessee Grocers & Convenience Store Association. Each year, TGCSA selects one Tennessee retailer who exemplifies the standards of integrity and efficiency upon which the organization was founded to be named Retailer of the Year.
The Nashville-based trade organization represents the interests of the Tennessee food market. The association’s primary function is to educate and promote the welfare of its business members, which are comprised of retail grocery, convenience and food industry suppliers throughout the state of Tennessee. Jones will receive his award in May 2020 at TGCSA’s annual convention in Nashville.
John Jones
“I am honored to have been chosen,” said Jones in a prepared statement. “It is a very humbling experience to be counted among the ranks of such a great assembly of industry leaders. I would like to thank Tennessee Grocers & Convenience Store Association for the great work they do and the tremendous impact they have upon our industry.”
Jones joined Food City in 1980, working as a courtesy clerk in Johnson City, while attending Hampton High School. What began as a part-time job, soon became his career and Jones moved quickly through the ranks.
He was store manager in Newport and Bristol; then became district manager for several counties. In 2003, he was promoted to executive vice president of store operations for Food City’s Knoxville-based division. During this time, he and wife Jennifer lived in Halls. Their children, Tyler and Brianna, attended and were active leaders at Halls High School.
After college, Tyler opted to live in Knoxville and is currently a Food City pharmacist in Fountain City.
Brianna graduated from the University of Tennessee in Chattanooga and is a senior at Lincoln Memorial University-DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine.
In 2014, John Jones was promoted to his current position with Food City and the family moved to Blountville. Jones is responsible for guiding store operations for the company’s entire chain of 132 supermarkets, including 105 fuel centers and 108 pharmacies.
He is active in both community and industry organizations, including service on the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Board of Directors.