Generosity is Part of Longtime Publix Manager's Business

Brian Singletary started working for Publix at a store in Tarpon Springs in 1962.

He was a bagger and stock clerk, and he thought “That was not what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.”

It turned out to be a temporary stop on a career with Publix that has spanned 50 years and multiple locations in the Tampa Bay area.

His time at Publix has earned him praise for his service to the community and his customers, and a scholarship given to in his honor.

“Selecting Publix as my employer was one of the greatest things to ever happen to me, certainly in my working life,” said Singletary, who is now 71.

Singletary is now store manager of the on U.S. 19 in New Port Richey, where he celebrated his 50^th anniversary March 15. Or rather, his employer threw him a surprise party to celebrate it.

Singletary graduated from high school in Tarpon Springs, enrolled at St. Petersburg College, and then enrolled at University of Florida. He dropped out of UF and started working at the Publix store in Tarpon Springs.

The Tarpon Springs store was the eighth branch opened in the Lakeland-based grocery chain. At the time, Publix did not exist outside Florida. Winn-Dixie was its biggest competitor, and baggers were allowed to accept tips. Singletary remembers the coins in his pockets.

And yet, the job “didn’t have the importance that I wanted for my life,” Singletary said.

Then, George W. Jenkins, founder of the Publix supermarket chain, talked to him and others employees about what they could accomplish, how they were all owners of the company.

“It sparked an interest in me," in finding a place in the business, he said.

Singletary rose to “Third Man,” which was then the name for grocery manager, at the Tarpon Springs store and then in 1965 came to Southgate and worked as Third Man there. 

“We used to work pretty hard in the old days to build this company,” he said.

He went on to do multiple stints at stores between Port Richey and Clearwater, including a stint in the first Publix in Dunedin, which fed the Toronto Blue Jays. He wound up back in Southgate in 1990, which was razed and rebuilt as a modern store in 2004. He said he’s accumulated 22 years in the Southgate Publix alone.

Singletary is well-known and well-regarded for giving back to the community, especially at Gulf High.

“Naturally, I’ve hired a lot of those kids,” he said.

Bill Phillips, a Gulf High alumnus and New Port Richey City Councilman, said Singletary has given to all kinds of things and was involved in Gulf High Phillips attended it.

“My first job in high school was working for him,” Phillips said.

More than that, Singletary's gone to the students’ games. He’s attended their concerts. He’s gotten Publix to assist with school programs and functions. His store has allowed students to hold fundraisers out front

In fact, “Most any school you can name, we contribute to,” he said.

In addition, Singletary’s Publix contributes “admirably” to March of Dimes and United Way, as well as being a major sponsor of Chasco Fiesta, the long -running festival in downtown New Port Richey.

Singletary won Publix’s Mr. George W. Jenkins Award in 2000, Mr. George W. Jenkins Community Service Award in 2001 and Customer Service Excellence Award in 2005.

Gulf High alumni created a college scholarship in Singletary’s honor that Singletary, who lives in Gulf Harbors, contributes to.

"I'm just very glad to help them," he said.

Singletary's scholarship will be presented at Gulf High's Annual Scholarship Night celebration. The celebration is slated to start at 7 p.m. May 22 at Pasco- Hernando Community College 10230 Ridge Rd., in unincorporated New Port Richey,