About Jim Thornburg
Former Division Manager, Publix Super Markets | 23+ Years
Who Is Jim?
I started at Publix in 1985 as an Assistant Produce Manager in Sarasota, Florida. Over the next 23 years, I worked my way up through nearly every level of the company — from managing a single produce department to overseeing 200+ stores across four states with $750 million in annual sales.
I was there during the biggest expansion in Publix history. I’ve seen how the company works from the inside out — including PASSport. That’s why I write about it. Not from documentation. From experience.
Career at a Glance
| Years at Publix | 23+ years |
| Last Role | Division Manager |
| Stores Managed | 200+ stores |
| States Covered | AL, GA, SC, TN |
| Annual Sales | $750 million |
| Location | Atlanta Division |
Publix Career
Assistant Produce Manager — Sarasota, FL (1985–1987) Started at store level. Learned inventory management and what it means to run a department the right way.
Produce Manager — Atlanta, GA (1987–1994) Transferred to Atlanta during Publix’s multi-state expansion. Managed inventory, trained associates, promoted team members.
Retail Improvement Specialist — Atlanta Division (1994–2000) Assessed and trained produce operations across 60 stores in GA and AL. Led new store openings and helped build Publix’s first standardized store-opening playbook.
Buyer — Atlanta Division (2000–2002) Managed 1,200+ SKUs of perishable inventory for 150+ stores. Handled vendor relationships and helped transition the division to a computerized ordering system.
Division Manager — Atlanta Division (2002–2010) Oversaw 200+ stores across AL, GA, SC, and TN. $750M in annual sales. Led teams, managed P&L, and was part of the largest expansion in Publix history.
Show Image Jim Thornburg — Former Division Manager, Publix Super Markets
Education & Credentials
| University of Memphis | Attended 1975–1976 on a full baseball scholarship |
| ServSafe Certified Instructor | Issued by National Restaurant Association — ANSI & CFP accredited |
Why PASSport?
I spent 23 years watching associates struggle with the same questions — where’s my pay stub, why is my account locked, how do I check my benefits.
PASSport is where all of that lives now. The guides on this site come from someone who was inside Publix for over two decades. Not a tech writer. Not someone who read the help page. Someone who managed the people using this system every single day.
Connect: LinkedIn | Canton, Georgia
Jim Thornburg is a former Publix Division Manager. All content on this site reflects his firsthand experience inside Publix — including the systems associates depend on every day.