Publix’s SVP John Attaway to Retire in May

Publix SVP, General Counsel and Secretary John Attaway will retire at the end of May and will be succeeded by Merriann Metz, who will move on to become VP, general counsel and secretary.

Attaway began his Publix career in 1997 as corporate counsel and added the general counsel and secretary roles in 2000. He was named to his current position in 2005.

“John started our corporate legal department and has been instrumental in developing our legal team” throughout his 21-year Publix career, CEO Todd Jones said in a statement. “I’m thankful for John’s contributions to the growth and success of Publix and wish him much happiness in the next chapter of his life.”

Metz, who will begin her new duties upon Attaway’s retirement, graduated from Stetson University College of Law in Gulfport, Fla., in 2002. Prior to joining Publix in 2006, she was an attorney with the Orlando, Fla.-based law firm of Lowndes Drosdick. Metz began her career at the Lakeland, Fla.-based retailer as an attorney in the corporate legal department. She was promoted to senior attorney in 2010 and to assistant general counsel in 2011. She has held her current position since 2016.

“Merriann has a collaborative and thoughtful approach to everything she works on,” said Jones. “I’m excited to see her take this next step in her career.”

With 2018 sales of $36.1 billion, the privately held Publix has 1,213 stores in Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, South Carolina, North Carolina and Virginia.