Publix exec, pillar of Plant City community dies at 58

They called him “Mr. Publix” — a man known throughout the Tampa Bay community as not only one of the public faces of the grocery giant, but also the physical embodiment of its founding principles and philosophies. Invest in others. Give back. Prepare for opportunity. Be there. 

And Brian West was always there. For his family, his church, his job and his beloved Plant City community. 

West, a longtime community relations manager for Publix Supermarkets Inc. and devoted civic leader, died unexpectedly June 22 after suffering a fall the day before Father’s Day. The 58-year-old husband and father of three was at home, preparing to throw a going-away party for his son, who was recently admitted into West Point, at the time of the accident, friends say. His wife, Cork Elementary School principal Jennifer West, took to social media on Monday requesting privacy for her family to grieve in the coming days.

So too did hundreds of others impacted by West’s passing – a mix of friends, coworkers, elected officials and numerous community organizations throughout central Florida. 

“Brian never met a stranger,” Hannah Herring, media relations manager for Publix Supermarkets says in a statement to the Business Observer. “His warmth, compassion and genuine love for people defined who he was. He lived life with joy, never taking it too seriously, and inspired others to do the same.”

West was a Plant City native with a quick, dry wit, a keen ability to connect with others and a servant’s heart, friends say. After graduating from Plant City High School, West remained deeply rooted in his community and earned a bachelor’s in human resources and finance management from nearby Florida Southern College. He started his career with Lakeland-based Publix in the deli department and worked his way up the corporate ladder for more than 35 years, eventually landing in a position that friends and family say was tailor made for his kind, generous spirit. 

“The reason so many people feel such a deep loss is because Brian had an extraordinary ability to make each of us feel like we mattered,” says friend Michelle Patten Clark. “Whether you had known him for 20 years or 20 minutes, he gave you his time, his attention, and his belief in you.”

Even when off the clock, West stayed busy working to strengthen his community and lift up others through volunteer work with numerous community service and nonprofits. 

He was associate director for the Florida Strawberry Festival and sat on the board for the East Hillsborough Law Enforcement Appreciation Association; the South Florida Baptist Hospital Foundation; and Special Olympics Florida. He was a past president of the Plant City Lions Club, past president of the Florida Public Relations Association and past chairman for the United Food Bank Plant City. He was also deeply involved with both the Plant City and Lakeland chambers of commerce. 

“Some people leave footprints. Others leave a legacy,” the Florida Strawberry Festival wrote in a Facebook tribute to West’s life. “Brian West's impact cannot be measured by the positions he held or the accomplishments he achieved, but by the people he encouraged, the friendships he cultivated and the difference he made simply by showing up and caring deeply for others.”

And West always showed up, says his childhood friend Pat Simmons. No matter how many hats he wore, no matter how many commitments were on his calendar, West was never too busy to take a phone call, help someone in need or cheer on his children, Simmons says. He loved golf games with friends, woodworking and Chick-fil-A. He was an occasional writer for Plant City's Focus Magazine and a beloved father-figure to students at the Chris Welbon Karate Club, where his children practiced karate. West also remained a faithful member of First Baptist Church of Plant City. 

“He always, always came through with whatever was asked of him,” Simmons says. “But the other thing is he always made himself available and when you make yourself available God will use you to do wonderful things.”