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Publix promotes Malinda Renfroe to VP of marketing
Company veteran Mark Irby slated to retire early next year
Russell Redman
December 20, 2021
2 Min Read
Plans call for Renfroe to take the marketing VP reins from Irby when he retires in February, according to Publix.Publix
Malinda Renfroe has been appointed vice president of marketing at Publix Super Markets, succeeding Mark Irby, who plans to retire next year.
Publix said Monday that the 66-year-old Irby, whose career at the Lakeland, Fla.-based grocer spans 48 years, is slated to retire at the end of February 2022, at which time Renfroe, currently director of marketing operations, will take the reins as VP of marketing.
Renfroe (left), 42, started at Publix in 2005 as a marketing support associate in Lakeland and, the following year, became a field marketing coordinator. She was promoted to category marketing manager in 2010 and then to manager of marketing brand management in 2016. Renfroe has served as marketing operations director since 2019.
“Malinda is a strong leader with extensive experience across all marketing functions,” Publix President Kevin Murphy said in a statement. “Her ability to foster collaboration and team building, along with her passion for developing associates, will be instrumental as she takes this next step in her Publix career. We are excited to see the contributions she’ll continue to make in her new role.”
Irby (left) began his Publix career in 1973 at the sign shop in Lakeland. After serving in various roles within that department, he transferred to the advertising department in 1983 as a marketing and research manager. Then in 1988, he was elevated to director of marketing and advertising, followed by a promotion to his current position as marketing VP in 1989.
“Mark’s dedication to helping build, promote, protect and bring to life the Publix brand has made us a better company,” according to Murphy. “He’s given meaning to our ‘Where Shopping Is A Pleasure’ slogan and shaped opportunities for customers to connect with us in authentic ways, creating memorable moments with ‘my Publix’ stories. He’s made our brand a part of the fabric of our communities, building loyal and raving fans in existing markets and introducing us in new areas. We are grateful for all his years of dedicated service.”
Overall, Publix operates 1,294 stores in Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, South Carolina, North Carolina and Virginia.
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