his family, which continues to control the company. Florida Governor Lawton Chiles stated, "George made a tremendous contribution to our business climate, but perhaps more importantly, he was a true civic leader who had a deep dedication to improving our communities." Philanthropy Jenkins established the George W. Jenkins Foundation in 1966 to "improve Publix communities." After Jenkins' death, the foundation's name became Publix Super Markets Charities. Jenkins' daughter, Carol Jenkins Barnett, served as its president. In addition to local charities, the corporation supports five national campaigns: Special Olympics, March of Dimes, Children's Miracle Network, United Way of America, and Food for All. Honors Jenkins received an honorary Doctorate of Law from Florida Southern College in 1956, and the University of Tampa in 1963. Stetson University conferred an honorary Doctorate of Humanities in 1977, and he was awarded a Doctorate of Science in 1979 from the Florida Institute of Technology. Jenkins was elected president of the Supermarket Institute in 1961 and served through 1963. The article, "The Grocer the Girls All Love – George Jenkins, Lakeland, Florida" appeared in the October 16, 1954, issue of The Saturday Evening Post. In 1966, Jenkins received the Golden Plate Award of the American Academy of Achievement and was the Host of the 1977 Achievement Summit in Orlando, Florida. The George Jenkins Arena in the Lakeland Center opened in 1974 as a multipurpose entertainment facility with seating for 10,000. George W. Jenkins High School in Lakeland was named in his honor in 1993. Jenkins received the Horatio Alger Award in 2007, and was inducted into the Junior Achievement U.S. Business Hall of Fame in 2009. The state of Florida named him a Great Floridian in 2011, and the Florida Independent Business Association named him a "Florida Business Legend" for September, 2011. References External links 1907 births 1996 deaths 20th-century American businesspeople American businesspeople in retailing American grocers Burials in Florida Businesspeople from Florida Businesspeople from Georgia (U.S. state) Georgia Tech alumni People from Lakeland, Florida People from Meriwether County, Georgia American United Methodists 20th-century Methodists