Stephanie Stuckey is Chair at Stuckey’s, known as a highway oasis serving up pecan log rolls, rubber alligators and snow globes to generations of Americans. Founded in 1937 by her grandfather, W.S. Stuckey, Sr., in Eastman, Georgia, Stuckey’s grew into over 350 stores nationwide by its peak in the 1970s. The company was sold and sadly declined for decades under a series of outside corporate owners. Fortunately, Stuckey’s returned to family hands in 2019 when Stuckey acquired the then-failing brand. In 2020, she joined forces with her business partner, R.G. Lamar, Jr., a pecan farmer from middle Georgia, and brought on a third co-owner, marketing professional, Ted Wright, a year later.
Stuckey’s acquired a pecan shelling and candy plant in Wrens, Georgia, in January of 2021. Since then, sales of Stuckey’s pecan snacks and sweets have grown from $2 to $14 million. Retail outlets selling Stuckey’s products—including TA, Wawa, and Food Lion—have increased from several hundred to several thousand. Stuckey’s also operates a distribution center, a fundraising business, a corporate gift program and an online store.
Stuckey received both her undergraduate and law degrees from the University of Georgia. She worked as a trial lawyer, was elected to seven terms as a state representative, served as director of sustainability for Atlanta, and taught at the University of Georgia School of Law. Her achievements include being named one of the Most Admired CEOs of 2022 by the Atlanta Business Chronicle, 100 Most Influential Georgians by Georgia Trend magazine and a graduate of Leadership Atlanta. She serves on the corporate board for Bealls, a Florida-based retailer with more than 550 stores.
The Stuckey’s story has been featured recently in the New York Times, on the TODAY Show, in The Washington Post, and in a tweet by Martha Stewart. When she’s not running Stuckey’s, she enjoys road tripping across America, pulling over at every boiled peanut stand and the World's Largest Ball of Twine.
Session
Unstuck: Reviving and Reinventing an Iconic Family Brand
Tuesday, March 26
4 to 4:30 p.m.