2022 BGC's Jones WEOY

The Shelby Report’s 2022 Southwest Woman Executive of the Year

EVP – Chief People Officer/Legal for Brookshire Grocery Co.

2022 Southwest Woman Executive of the Year

Six years in, her impact has been immediate, far reaching

‘Thereisn’t any doubt about the level of commitment that she has’ to BGC

by Jack R. Jordan / content creator

Rosemary Jones, The Shelby Report of the Southwest’s 2022 Woman Executive of the Year, has a long history of connecting with the local community. She finds it to be some of the most important work she has done throughout her three decades in Tyler, Texas.

In that same vein, Brookshire Grocery Co. also prides itself on being a pillar of the community. Perhaps it’s no surprise then that the company and Jones, its EVP, chief people officer/legal, have been such a great fit over the past six years.

Jones’ previous career as a private practice attorney in labor law had established her among Tyler’s leaders. Through the years, she has held leadership roles in many professional and civic organizations.

“She was always involved with our education and human resource committee,” said Henry Bell, president of the Tyler Area Chamber of Commerce. “She was involved in human resources most of her career before she went on to Brookshire’s HR.”

Bell, who has known Jones for about 25 years, has immense respect for Jones and her dedication to the community. Her passion professionally and civically is obvious.

“Besides being involved with us, which has her involved much with the local community, she was involved in other various activities. I would say many were business education related…she never stops working,” Bell said.

“It was like the Lord was opening my eyes to that area,” Jones said. “We had pulled that policy out and we had already begun hearing about COVID-19 coming. We thought, ‘Wait a minute. We should really start getting ahead of this.’ We put in a lot of time, money and effort into developing our procedures for handling COVID. Brad and the whole executive team were so supportive…we were pretty much ready to go when it hit.”

Jones and the rest of the executive team made the quick decision to provide COVID pay to their partners. That included sick leave, appreciation pay and other bonuses.

“She was a big advocate for that,” Brookshire said of Jones. “She and the rest of the executives wanted to make sure their partners were covered.”

According to Jones, BGC and the Brookshire family have always been big supporters of their people and giving back to the community.

“They make a big deal about giving back to the communities where we serve,” she said. “And it is a priority for us to give back in our communities. I’m just one of many that serve out in the community.”

“When I work with volunteers, I work with some who will provide leadership and then some who are what I call ‘grunt workers,’ who will be out on the front lines setting up things. She runs the full game. There isn’t any doubt about the level of commitment that she has. She’s very tenacious.”

Much like Bell, BGC CEO Brad Brookshire had known Jones long before she came to work for the grocery chain. To him, it was a bit surprising when the previous head of HR recommended Jones as her successor. When Jones came aboard, Brookshire wanted her help to shift the culture within the corporate office. She began with small changes, such as making the work environment more relaxed.

Along with the culture shift, Jones had a hand in creating or adjusting many programs within BGC. Within her first year as EVP, she helped revamp the benefits program, which saved the company an estimated $3 million.

Then, while attending a risk management meeting with the company’s board of directors in December 2019, the idea of a pandemic policy surfaced. The policy in place at the time was outdated. Fast forward a few months and an actual pandemic hit.

Cares about BGC, its people, those around her

“I think Rosemary’s very deserving of this [honor]. I think it’s a great recognition for her in terms of what she’s done to make a big transition in a career going from law – a practicing attorney – to an executive of a company. That takes a very different skill set. And I think she’s adapted to that very well…she cares about the company, the people and those around her.”

The company made a nearly $33 million investment in employee wages throughout the pandemic. At the same time, BGC confronted many of the same challenges – supply chain woes and labor shortages – that the grocery industry at large is facing.

To combat this, Jones and her team held hiring events throughout the pandemic to bring aboard new partners, according to a September 2020 article by The Tyler Morning Telegraph.

In February 2021, while still in the throes of the pandemic, Winter Storm Uri knocked out power and made roads impassable across much of the state. But that didn’t stop Jones or the rest of BGC.

“We had four-wheel drive pickup trucks with about 40 leaders and family members

– Michael Arnett, EVP, CFO at BGC

Rosemary Jones and Brad Brookshire with corporate office Halloween costume contest winners.

R osema Ry Jones

2022 Southwest Woman Executive of the Year

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loading and delivering products such as milk, bread and eggs to help stock our stores,” she said. “There really was a sense of pride that you walked away with, knowing you work with such people in a company that cares so much about its customers as well as their employees.”

Also during the pandemic, BGC’s Focus on the Future scholarship campaign provided $1 million to help establish scholarship endowments at dozens of colleges and universities in the company’s market area. Scholarship recipients don’t have to be connected to BGC in any way. They just need to meet academic and community-centric requirements.

Alternatively, the Dollars for Scholars Scholarship is the company’s internal scholarship program for partners. And it’s not the only form of employee aid that Jones has helped establish since joining BGC.

When she was first brought on, the company asked her to “look into” establishing some form of employee assistance program. Set up in 2017, the Partner Care Fund has helped many employees as they deal with natural disasters, serious illnesses and family deaths.

Partners can contribute to the fund via payroll deduction. Fundraisers are also held throughout the year to help support it. Participation is not required to receive grants.

In its first year, the fund raised about $450,000. As of Aug. 1, it stood at $1.72 million, according to Ellen Reynolds, executive communications at BGC.

Suzanne Vance Osbourn, BGC’s VP, partner relations and development, noted one instance in which the fund helped an employee whose home was destroyed by fire.

“We’re very proud to be able to help because your heart hurts…we were able to immediately help,” she said. “And that’s for everybody. If that happens to any employee, they can immediately get some support.”

She explained further that it is “just the culture” that Jones has helped create. “That is something we do at BGC. It’s really about that culture, that community. It’s really just about helping people.”

The fund is managed through a partnership with the United Way of Smith County as a 501c3. Contributions to the Partner Care Fund are tax deductible. Jones said it’s one her proudest accomplishments – and one that was not accomplished alone.

“It’s not me. So many others deserve credit…it’s the goodwill of the partners who want to help each other,” she said. “You see the lives that we’ve touched each year. During our year-end review, we tell those stories…the lives that we have been able to help and change with it. It’s phenomenal. It’s something that we’re really proud of.”

Jones is part of many other community outreach and charitable organizations. Within BGC, that includes the Heroes Flight program, which has flown more than 500 military veterans, mostly from World War II, on two-to-three-day trips to the nation’s capital. She also volunteers at company events, including BGC’s epic FRESH 15 road race in Tyler.

In addition, Jones helps with the company’s Community Kitchen, a program that

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Chip and Rosemary Jones with a veteran on one of BGC’s Heroes Flights.

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Jones

2022 Southwest Woman Executive of the Year

responds to natural disasters with bagged ice, bottled water and hot meals for those affected.

“Brookshire Grocery Companies is a marquee company here in Tyler. It’s just a great hometown success story,” said Scott Martinez, president and CEO of the Tyler Economic Development Council and CEO of the Tyler Area Chamber of Commerce. “Brookshire is such an important part of our community and within the business world and involved with so much within the community…our new conference center is named after Mr. W.T. Brookshire. It’s a hometown company and the community appreciates them.”

Along with the accolades from Tyler, Jones’ efforts have been recognized inside and outside the company. Most recently, her work to establish the company’s partner-first culture resulted in BGC being certified as a Great Place to Work for the third consecutive year, based on employee feedback in an anonymous third-party survey. The company was one of 25 large companies featured on the 2022 Fortune Best Workplaces in Texas and one of only 15 large companies featured on the 2020 Fortune Best Workplaces in Retail list.

In 2018, Jones received the Louise Brookshire Spirit Award, which honors women in company leadership who demonstrate the namesake’s “qualities of integrity, professional work ethic, service to partners, high level of energy and unwavering loyalty to Brookshire Grocery Company.”

“The Louise Brookshire Spirit Award – I will tell you that was probably the highlight of my career just because I know the Brookshire family,” Jones explained. “And to hear Brad talk about his grandmother and the behind-thescenes role she played in the business. It was just an honor to even be associated with someone like that.”

Jones was previously recognized by Shelby Publishing as a 2021 Woman of Influence. In the special section for honorees, she advised up-and-coming professionals to work hard, respect others and stay true to their values.

“Success comes at the right time for those who make it a priority to develop others rather than focus on their personal career growth,” she said.

Jones specifically mentioned that women can achieve anything if they commit to doing the “hard work it takes to achieve great things.”

Coming from the legal ranks, she had become accustomed to working within a male-dominated field. But that never stopped her, and she hopes that by continuing to work with the community both within BGC and beyond she will be able to open new opportunities for more people.

Encourages co‑workers to reach goals

“Rosemary is extremely deserving of the award…I know Rosemary on a personal level and think highly of her. But in the last five or six years, I’ve had a chance to work directly with her on a professional level. My respect for her is equally as high…she’s done a lot to help us further some things along that we weren’t able to accomplish in the past…if there is a goal or a task, she’s going to see it through to the end. She encourages all of us to do that.”

“We now have good, new diverse candidates moving up through the ranks,” she said. “People don’t all of a sudden just go from a manager to an EVP or a CEO or something like that. But there are many opportunities here and throughout BGC and the industry that will continue to bridge that gap.”

Jones assists a veteran on one of BGC’s Heroes Flights.

– Terrence Dixon, SVP, administration and communication at BGC

Jones 2022 Southwest Woman Executive of the Year

She engages, ‘shares opinions and ideas’

“Rosemary’s a force and makes an impact on this company. She’s very passionate about what she does. I’m glad to see she’s being recognized…there are many ways that we work together. She’s Rosemary. She’s got a lot of energy. She’s the kind of leader that leaves a wake in her path, in a positive way. She engages, she has opinions, she has ideas. You don’t have to wonder what Rosemary is thinking…she’s got that style of making an impact on the things that she’s involved in.”

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Jones has earned respect of everybody

“I think Rosemary’s very deserving of [this honor] because, for one thing, the grocery business is historically a maledominated industry. And she walked in and earned the respect of the executive committee…that’s why she’s getting the award. It’s the respect of everybody. And she’ll keep saying, ‘It’s not me, it’s my team.’ That’s great, but you have to have been a great leader for them to value and respect you in that way. They feel confidence and trust in you when they’re excelling because of you in that leadership role.”

– Shawn Sedate, EVP, chief information officer at BGC

– Suzanne Osbourn, EVP, partner relations and development at BGC

2022 Southwest Woman Executive of the Year

Core values drew veteran attorney to grocery retailer

She continues to work toward

by Jack R. Jordan / content creator

Rosemary Jones, the EVP, chief people officer/legal for Brookshire Grocery Co., is The Shelby Report of the Southwest’s 2022 Woman Executive of the Year. A longtime attorney, mother of two and grandmother of one, Jones was raised in Longview, Texas, about 30 miles from Tyler, which she and her family would eventually call home.

Jones is the third of Roger and Dale Sage’s four

Sister is a ‘champion’ for Brookshire

“One of the keys to Rosemary’s success at Brookshire’s– and really throughout her life – has been that she believes in the whole concept of the stores and the family-run business. She really likes and respects the Brookshire family…Rosemary has always been a champion for whatever she’s working on. Right now, she’s a champion for Brookshire’s – not just for the upper echelon of the company but the whole range of employees, from the newest hires who are learning to stock shelves all the way up to working with Brad. She believes in Brookshire’s.”

– Judge Robin Sage, Jones’ sister

betterment

of the company, its partners

children. Oldest sibling, Roger Jr., works in Baxter Sales, a wholesale cleaning supplies business their grandfather founded. Second in line is sister Robin, a retired judge who continues to practice family law in Longview. Youngest sibling Raymond is a professor of musical theater at Penn State University following a successful career on Broadway.

Jones grew up competitive, a trait that would follow her throughout life. She was a cheerleader in high school, as well as a member of the volleyball and track teams.

“Rosemary has been very competitive in anything she does and wants to be the best,” said Judge Robin Sage. “She was the main cheerleader for the school. I remember that back then the cheerleaders would throw out little footballs into the crowd and the crowd would always say that Rosemary should be playing quarterback – she could throw better than the boys.”

That competitiveness paid off as she received a volleyball scholarship to Baylor University. While she played collegiately for just one year, she went on to graduate cum

Please see page 36

Education

  Baylor University School of Law, J. D., cum laude

  University of Texas at Tyler, M. Ed., magna cum laude

  Baylor University and University of Texas at Tyler, B. S., cum laude

laude from Baylor with a bachelor’s degree in education. Following graduation, she taught for four years while aspiring to become an administrator. She returned to school, graduating cum laude with a master’s in education from the University of Texas at Tyler. But ultimately the world of academics was not “as fast paced” as she had hoped.

R osema Ry Jones 2022 Southwest Woman Executive of the Year

“I was young and naive. I realized it was going to be years before I could get into administration. I didn’t want to wait that long,” Jones said with a laugh.

Her sister had already begun a legal career, which appealed to Jones’ sense of challenge.

“I think she quickly realized that not only was what I was doing very lucrative, but she would be happier practicing law,” Sage said. “I think she saw what I was doing

Professional associations

  State Bar of Texas: Labor and Employment Law Litigation Sections

  Texas Association of Business, Board of Directors 2010-13

  Smith County Bar Association – Former Board Member and Women’s Division, Past Chairman

  American Bar Association

  Federal Bar Association for the Eastern and Northern Districts of Texas

  Texas Association of Defense Counsel, Defense Research Institute

  College of the State Bar of Texas

  East Texas Human Resources and Southwest Human Resource Management Associations

  Texas Bar Foundation Fellow

  American Board of Trial Advocates

and saw some of the challenges that come with practicing law.”

Added Jones, “Watching [Robin] and seeing her made me realize that if I put hard work into it, I could do it too. It was her role model that got me into that.”

While attending law school at Baylor, Jones worked as the executive director of the Baylor Law Review and won the school’s moot court competition. After graduation, she took a job at a large law firm in downtown Dallas. She stayed there for three years before a cousin practicing law in Tyler invited her to join his firm.

“There were a lot of requirements and pressure and I really was kind of starting to focus on my family,” she said of the transition. “I realized I couldn’t have the best of both

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Rosemary Jones with her sister, mother and daughter at the 2018 Texas Rose Festival

Chip and Rosemary Jones

From

page

worlds in a job like that,” Jones said.

Board certified as a labor and employment law specialist and a personal injury defense attorney, Jones had options. She moved to Tyler and began working at Ramey & Flock, which was situated in the heart of Tyler. She and her future husband, Walter “Chip” Jones, met at church not long after her arrival.

Together for 29 years now, the couple has two children. Their son lives in the Dallas area with his wife and son; a second child is on the way. A graduate of Southern Methodist University, he works as a financial analyst. Their daughter is following in her mother’s and aunt’s footsteps, pursuing a law degree at Baylor.

After settling down in Tyler, Jones made it clear that being involved in the community was important. She became active in many local civic groups, including the Tyler Area Chamber of Commerce and the Tyler Economic Development Council, among others.

According to Sage, this sense of community had been instilled in Jones by their mother, who served on the Longview School Board and Parks and Recreation Board.

R osema

Jones

2022 Southwest Woman Executive of the Year

In addition, their parents led the special education department at the First Baptist Church in the city for about 35 years. “They modeled community involvement for us as

Civic involvement

  Tyler Area Chamber of Commerce, Chair 2013-14; Chair-elect 2012-13; Business Development Chair 2011-12; Education/HR Committee Chair 2010-11; Tyler Economic Development Council Board/ Officer

  Tyler CAT 100

  Leadership Tyler

  Women’s Fund of Smith County

  Tyler Executive Women’s Network

  Tyler Business/Education Council

  Women’s Symphony League

  South Tyler Rotary Club/Tyler Rotary Club

  Salvation Army Advisory Board

  East Texas Food Bank Board

“I think Rosemary’s definitely deserving [of this honor]. She doesn’t just have one full plate. She has many, many areas that she oversees and does a fantastic job juggling all of them. At the end of the day, her biggest concern is our people, whether it be our employees or our customers. I think just because of all of her responsibilities and how she handles those responsibilities and everything she’s done for the company, she’s very deserving.”

– Sheri Rains, senior director, benefits and compensation at BGC

Rosemary Jones and Brad Brookshire with city officials.

kids,” Sage said.

Throughout Jones’ 27 years at Ramey & Flock, she worked closely with Brookshire Grocery Co. as its outside legal counsel. She tried, mediated and arbitrated hundreds of cases and claims on behalf of the company.

In 2014, she received the highest rating from her peers and was elected to the American Board of Trial Advocates. The following year, she received the Award of Excellence from the Smith County Bar Association. Throughout this time, Jones grew closer to BGC.

“I was lucky. I knew the company through having represented them. They were the only client that I had that I would leave my legal practice for. I loved my legal career,” she said.

After being offered a position at BGC in 2016, she had a difficult decision to make. At the same time, she has never been one to shy away from a challenge.

R osema Ry Jones

2022 Southwest Woman Executive of the Year

From page 38

“It was kind of like a midlife crisis,” she recalled with a laugh. “I left school, then I left Dallas and I liked where I was. Loved it. But I had eventually figured out that I’d done everything in my legal career. What was my next challenge?”

Her long-established sense of community helped guide her. She felt that BGC and the people within shared this quality.

“It’s a matter seeing the importance of giving back to the communities that you serve and Brookshire’s has and continues to,” she said. “That’s the only reason I left a very good law practice to come over is because they had the same core values. Brookshire’s looks at every community they work in and wants to be a significant contributor.”

Her position as EVP, chief people officer/legal encompasses a variety of responsibilities that include people and culture: benefits, compensation, partner relations and development; communications and community involvement; risk management (general liability and workers’ compensation), asset protection and safety. In addition, she is the lead legal counsel for the company. “I wear a lot

Honors and awards

  Louise Brookshire Spirit Award

  Award of Excellence - Smith County Bar Association

  Shelby Report - Women of Influence

  Volunteer of the Year for Tyler Chamber of Commerce

  President, Smith County Bar Association Women’s Division

  Paul Harris Rotary Award

of hats,” she said.

When Brad Brookshire brought Jones on, the company was looking for a catalyst of change. “I think that Brad brought me in to help to continue to develop our culture and our people to make this a great place to work,” Jones said.

One of the biggest additions to the culture within BGC is the Partner Care Fund.

“I’d have to say it was one of the best things we’ve done since I came to BGC. We’ve been able to help so many people. It’s just been amazing,” she said.

Jones continues to work toward the betterment of BGC and its partners, appreciating the challenges the grocery industry brings.

“I think that’s one of the driving reasons behind me making the switch,” she said. “When Brad talked to me about his job, I knew I needed a new challenge because my whole world had kind of changed. But it was a long and great time in life and I’ve enjoyed having the challenge to distract me from the sadness of [the kids leaving home]. And it has really kept me young.

“It has been a great challenge to further my career later in life. I look forward to this whole new career…I know the future is going to be exciting.”

‘No doubt’ about her commitment level

“Rosemary never stops working. She will work at a high level…there is no doubt about the level of commitment that she has. From having worked with her, she’s very tenacious. It seems she always has time. I would talk to her at all various hours of the day, sometimes on weekends. She’s an extremely hard worker.”

– Henry Bell, president of the Tyler Area Chamber of Commerce

Jones received the 2018 Louise Brookshire Spirit Award.

Brookshire Grocery Co. recognized for diversity, equity & inclusion achievements

Brookshire Grocery Co. was a recipient of Shelby Publishing’s inaugural Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Award in 2021 and has been honored again in 2022.

Two BGC leaders, Latasha Woodard, district VP – District 5, and Rubi Gonzalez, diversity, equity and inclusion manager, were also featured as 2022 Diversity and Inclusion Award winners in the June edition of The Shelby Report of the Southwest. BGC prioritizes DE&I and continues to make advancements through a multi-year strategic plan.

Brookshire Grocery Co. is proud to be certified by Great Place to Work for the third year in a row. The honor is based entirely on what current employees say about their experience working at BGC. In June, BGC was one of 25 large companies featured on the 2022 Fortune Best Workplaces in Texas list. BGC was one of only 15 large companies featured on the 2020 Fortune Best Workplaces in Retial list.

The company has made year-over-year improvements in DE&I policies and practices, pay scales, education and development opportunities, as well as in practices to honor diverse holidays and celebrations. These and other DE&I initiatives are incorporated as BGC expands into new trade areas and assimilates new employees and communities.

Since January, the company has onboarded 2,000 employees from its new Reasor’s banner of 17 stores in Tulsa and northeastern Oklahoma, as well as teams for the new Super 1 Foods store in Jacksonville, Texas, new FRESH by Brookshire’s store in Fate, Texas, and new Spring Market store in Blanchard, Louisiana.

Examples of BGC’s DE&I advancements this year include:

• Increased leadership diversity at the retail store, district and regional levels and on its board of directors.

• Expanded DE&I Council, established in 2020.

• Updated definition of BGC’s core values to incorporate DE&I.

• Promotion of Rubi Gonzalez to DE&I manager, bringing a broad perspective from her diverse career path and experience in human resources, marketing, banking, logistics and supply chain.

• Expanded retail organizational model introduced in 2021 to increase opportunities and attract diverse candidates through nontraditional leadership roles and career paths. First introduced in Brookshire’s stores, the model is now rolling out to Super 1 Foods stores.

• Re-evaluated pay scales and investments in skilled wage positions, established apprentice programs and various pay initiatives including weekend differentiation and premium pay.

• Featuring employees and leaders in videos, articles and social media posts that acknowledge and honor diverse holidays and month-long observances, including Celebrate Diversity Month, Juneteenth, Asian-American and Pacific Islander Month, National Hispanic Heritage Month, Black History Month, and Women’s History Month. Increased employee discounts were given in conjunction with several national holidays, including Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

• $1.2 million investment in making Memorial Day a new paid holiday, providing the opportunity for paid time off to acknowledge the many diverse men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to this nation. These initiatives and more are contributing to an inclusive culture at BGC.

Chairman offers high praise for ‘indispensable’ honoree

‘Just amazing in all of

by Jack R. Jordan / content creator

the

areas

that she covers’

Brad Brookshire, chairman and CEO of Brookshire Grocery Co., knew Rosemary Jones long before she came to work as the company’s EVP, chief people officer/legal.

“She married Chip [Jones] and our families – the Jones and Brookshires – were close growing up in Tyler, Texas. Chip is younger than I am, but Chip’s parents and my parents were really good friends,” Brookshire said.

Rosemary Jones herself had worked alongside BGC for many years as its legal representative prior to joining the grocer’s leadership team. Brookshire knew her professionally and personally, but it wasn’t until the previous head of HR was set to retire in early 2016 that his company offered her an executive position.

“She represented Brookshire’s and we worked with her and were always impressed. She’s very professional, very thorough and did a great job for the company,” he said.

“When I got to be CEO, the lady that was over HR said she wanted to retire. I told her, ‘No.’ Eventually I told her, ‘I’ll let you retire when you find your replacement.’” Before the end of that year, the former executive had returned to Brookshire with a suitable – if not surprising – candidate.

As Brookshire recalled, “She said, ‘I have my replacement.’ And I asked, ‘Who?’ She said that she had gotten Rosemary Jones. I was really surprised. I didn’t know lawyers would come into a corporate environment like that, not really only as a chief legal counsel but working with HR and everything else. She’s done a fantastic job for the company since 2016 and continues to do so every day. She handles so much in so many areas of the company. We’re very fortunate to have her.”

Brookshire was looking for someone who would help change the culture around the company’s corporate office. At the time, there was a massive shift in personnel and morale wasn’t where he wanted it to be. He needed Jones to bring a warmer atmosphere.

That began with simple adjustments such as more extravagant celebrations for the Fourth of July and Halloween. For the latter, the company now holds a yearly costume contest. Other changes included relaxing the dress code, providing food trucks and gradually creating an environment where Brookshire’s employees felt heard and seen.

“We’ve got a really strong team now,” Brookshire said. “She helped orchestrate that and was an integral part of not just the recruiting and hiring process but retaining the good people we have.

“It’s just a finer place to work and there’s a lot more laughter…she made the culture fun. We tried to make it where our people appreciated coming to work at BGC.”

Jones’ position encompasses many aspects within the business. As the EVP chief people officer/legal, her responsibilities range from asset protection and benefits to individual case management and workplace disputes.

On top of that, she and her team navigated the acquisition of Reasor’s, based in Tulsa, Oklahoma, which was finalized in January.

“She was instrumental in keeping that good core group that we’ve got in Tulsa. That’s very important,” Brookshire said. “She and her group went up there a number of times. We had meetings with the folks in the office, the corporate people, the store directors. She led all that.”

Jones even led a 300-person orientation meeting that involved a variety of Reasor’s personnel. She also spearheaded making Memorial Day a paid holiday at BGC, which previously was a holiday at Reasor’s but not at BGC.

“So far it seems [Reasor’s employees] are satisfied and happy to be a part of BGC and that didn’t just happen. It takes a lot of work from a lot of people, and [Jones] was so instrumental in all that,” Brookshire said.

Before joining BGC, Jones had an ingrained sense of community within Tyler. She had previously held leadership roles with the Tyler Chamber of Commerce, Leadership Tyler organization and the South Tyler and Tyler Rotary Clubs. That had not gone unnoticed

Exemplifies ‘team matters’ to all partners’

“Rosemary has a unique background that puts her in a position where she not only uses her legal experience but all of her years in HR…she not only is making those executive high-level decisions, she’s making those decisions that are affecting all of our partners on a day-to-day basis…COVID19 has really been such a huge part of what we’ve done since I’ve been here, and Rosemary was on the frontline for that…one of our core values is the team matters. Rosemary exemplifies that to her team, her people and all of the partners in this company.”

by Brookshire.

“She knows a lot of people,” he said. “She’s been president of the chamber of commerce. She’s on the board of economic development. She was downtown and among all the leaders of our town for years and years. Nobody knows who the players are like she does.

“The connection with people is important in her role. People connect with her and like to be around her. She’s got a great personality for her role in HR. And from a legal standpoint, she’s developed that area to what it is.”

Prior to Jones’ arrival, the legal department at BGC was comprised of one employee. It now has three full-time attorneys. Going forward, the company recently hired a new SVP of people and culture to help take some pressure off Jones. Brookshire hopes this will allow her to expand on her EVP roles to focus on strategic planning over the next three to five years.

In closing, Brookshire offered high praise of Jones for her recognition as The Shelby Report of the Southwest’s 2022 Woman Executive of the Year.

“She’s here early and stays late and comes in on the weekends and works. She’s got a great personality. She’s always positive and just a pleasant person to be around,” he said. “She’s definitely a big asset for BGC. Where we are today as a company, she’s been instrumental and she’s just a great person. She’s indispensable for BGC.

“She is just amazing in all of the areas that she covers. I don’t believe there’s anyone else that does the legal and all the aspects of HR. If she ever decides to leave, what she does will probably require at least two people to do. It’s amazing what she’s able to accomplish. She deserves so much.”

‘There’s nobody who works harder’

“There’s nobody who works harder or thinks more about work on a day in-day out basis than Rosemary. She lives and breathes it. There’s not a Saturday that you can’t come up here and there’s Rosemary’s car out in front. She’s got the legal side of it, but then all the HR side of it too…she’s a machine. She just keeps on going. Her passion for the company and then for what’s outside of Brookshire’s, it’s fun to see.”

– Jerry LeClair, SVP chief merchant officer at BGC

– Sara Myers, Corporate counsel lead at BGC

Brad Brookshire

Rosemary Jones with Brad Brookshire, chairman and CEO for Brookshire Grocery Co. BGC Executive Committee

Jones helped shepherd in change at time it was needed

Instrumental in diversity, equity and inclusion, other corporate initiatives

by Jack R. Jordan / content creator

Asked to describe their colleague Rosemary Jones, her fellow executives at Brookshire Grocery Co. don’t hesitate, quick to offer terms such as “whirlwind,” “powerhouse of efficiency” and “tenacious leader.”

But what is it really like working with Jones, who held many leadership positions before becoming BGC’s EVP, chief people officer/legal? The consensus: What gives Jones the ability to lead so well is the respect she has earned from peers.

Suzanne Vance Osbourn, EVP, partner relations and development, works closely with Jones on a daily basis. Although the two have known each other for years, Osbourn appreciates the care Jones has shown for people after joining BGC.

“Respect is gained and earned and I think that speaks volumes to her because she has the respect,” Osbourn said. “She has the respect of the executive staff, she has the respect of retail, she has the respect of store directors. It’s earned. It’s nothing you just get. She came into the area of HR and showed she had a heart for the partners.”

Throughout her nearly 40 years with BGC, Osbourn has seen a lot. But she said the changes since Jones came aboard were needed.

“Whenever Rosemary stepped into the HR role, she was a change agent. And it was at a time that we really needed a change agent,” Osbourn said. “She was able to come in and implement procedures, a culture where the partners really had a voice.”

Along with changing the culture, Brad Brookshire wanted more focus on diversity, equity and inclusion within BGC.

That responsibility was first undertaken by Jones but now falls to Terrence Dixon, SVP, administration and communication. He has not forgotten where Jones started with it.

“I knew her when she was our outside legal counsel, before she came in-house and joined the company,” he said. “And we were neighbors for a number of years…right across the street. I knew that Rosemary was being talked to and being considered. I thought it was just an awesome decision for us to bring her on, with all of the familiarity that she had with our company.”

Dixon reflected on a number of policies and procedures that had undergone “a lot of starts and stops” before Jones really pushed them forward. One of those was focusing more on DE&I.

“Under Rosemary’s leadership, we’ve seen a lot of things through to completion, a lot of our recognition programs,” he said. “When Rosemary came to this office specifically, we didn’t have a lot of recognition for our folks in corporate. She was one that was very instrumental in helping guide change.

“She’s very instrumental in helping us to stay focused on our diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives and programs. They weren’t specifically on the forefront before she joined but have been since then and continue to be.”

He explained that working with her helped “maneuver resources” into place that expanded the DE&I focus within Brookshire’s. He said that working with her makes him strive to be better.

“I’ve learned a lot from Rosemary. Working with her and seeing her drive, it’s just something you aspire to be. Her expertise in the legal field has served extremely well and helped us within the scope of what we do. She pushes us all to be better.”

Osbourn and Dixon see Jones’ drive as a steppingstone for women within BGC and throughout the grocery industry.

“Just from observations and being in the industry, from an executive level, I personally have not seen as many women in top levels of leadership. Rosemary is blazing paths,” Dixon said. “She sets a great example for many to follow.

“It doesn’t necessarily have to be just for women. I think anybody who works with her knows her as a shining example for the employee partners of our company. We hope that others will follow suit and follow in her career path.”

Added Osbourn, “The industry itself is very male dominated for the most part. But she comes in and you just feel the way the people around her respect her. She is just hardworking and knows how to get things done…It’s been that way since she came on. She is just a driving force at Brookshire’s.”

Suzanne Vance Osbourn

Terrence Dixon