Carroll Electric Membership Cooperative (EMC) hosted its second and closing agribusiness seminar for the year on Monday, October 30, with Stephanie Stuckey, former CEO and current Chair of Stuckey’s Corporation, as keynote speaker.
The agribusiness seminar, marked by the opportunity it offers local farmers, business leaders and elected officials to connect with one another, is held each spring and fall with the motivating goal to promote agriculture education among the cooperative’s membership. Centering on the business side of agriculture, Stephanie gave a heartwarming presentation of her efforts to revive her grandfather’s brand which could only start with bringing the production of its sweet treats, including the famous pecan log roll, back to Georgia.
An old household name dating back to 1937, Stuckey’s had humble beginnings as a roadside pecan stand in Eastman, GA, but quickly rose to prominence as the place to stop on a road trip through the early 70s, in part because of the interstate highway system but mostly because of the leadership of W.S. Stuckey, Sr. However, when he passed away, the company steadily declined until Stephanie came into leadership.
“When I bought Stuckey’s in 2019, it was six figures in the red,” said Stephanie. “The candy plant and distribution center my grandfather had were both long gone, and all the candy was being outsourced.
“My very first day of buying the company, I got us in the Georgia Grown program,” she continued. “I got a government loan to buy a manufacturing facility in Georgia and started buying 100% from Georgia farmers. I said we’re going to sell products again that we’re making ourselves. We’re going to quit outsourcing, and we’re going to provide jobs and build a community.”
Four years later, Stephanie has completely turned the company around. With more than a thousand retailers selling Stuckey’s products along with owning and operating a distribution center and a pecan-processing and candy-making plant, her grandfather’s legacy lives on because she adopted his adaptability and concern for community.
And much like Stuckey’s, Carroll EMC operates under those same values.
“My grandfather wasn’t just building a company, he was building community,” said Stephanie. “And that’s what Carroll EMC does, right? You’re not just in business to provide power. I see every day what EMCs do in rural Georgia because that is where our company is based. We see that you’re a part of the community you’re building.”
Carroll EMC is a Member-owned cooperative providing electricity to approximately 54,000 homes and businesses. The co-op serves Members in Carroll, Haralson, Heard, Paulding, Polk, Floyd and Troup counties. This institution is an equal opportunity provider and employer. For more information visit the cooperative’s website at carrollemc.com or follow Carroll EMC on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, X and YouTube. Carroll EMC: Community Built. Community Builder.
