Brad Brookshire is retiring as chairman and CEO of Brookshire Grocery Co., concluding a 49-year career defined by servant leadership, community commitment and long-term growth of the family-owned company.
Brookshire Grocery says Jerry LeClair will assume the role of interim CEO. LeClair joined the company as executive vice president, chief merchant officer in 2019 and has more than 40 years in the grocery business. LeClair was promoted to chief operating officer last year and has led retail operations, marketing, category management, merchandising, fuel, logistics and facility services.
“Brad’s leadership has shaped BGC in profound and lasting ways,” LeClair says. “He has led with integrity, humility and a genuine care for people, ensuring that BGC continues to thrive while honoring the company’s heritage. Brad strengthened the foundation laid by our company founder, and we are determined to continue his legacy. As a team, we will remain focused on serving our customers and supporting our employee-partners.”
Leadership Legacy
Brookshire, who is the grandson of company founder W.T. Brookshire, spent 20 years as board chairman and 10 years as CEO during his tenure with the company. Under his leadership as CEO, Brookshire Grocery says it expanded its store count, strengthened its culture of innovation and customer service and deepened its longstanding commitment to the communities it serves across Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas and Oklahoma.
“From growing up in this company and watching my grandfather lead the company to stepping into the shoes myself, it has been the greatest honor to be chairman and CEO of Brookshire Grocery Co.,” Brookshire says. “BGC’s success has always been driven by our employee-partners, our customers and our communities, and I’m thankful for the support that has carried this company forward for nearly a century.”
In his time with the company, Brookshire served in all areas of the business. His roles included store director, vice president, executive vice president and president before becoming CEO.
The company says Brookshire was instrumental in the development of the Super 1 Foods banner over 41 years ago. During his time as CEO, the company established and expanded the banner of Spring Market, acquired the Reasor’s banner in Tulsa, Okla., and expanded the Super 1 Foods and Fresh by Brookshire’s banners. In total, the company grew from 152 stores to 222 stores. Brookshire Grocery says it also improved its stores through numerous remodels, new technology and partnerships with well-known, national companies.
Under Brookshire’s leadership, the company supported its 175 communities through times of celebration and times of crisis, including countless winter storms, hurricanes, tornadoes and the COVID-19 pandemic. He helped establish the Heroes Flight program, which has escorted nearly 600 veterans on 21 all-expenses-paid trips to Washington, D.C., as a way of honoring them for their service and sacrifices. He also spearheaded the Focus on the Future Scholarship program, which was a more than $1 million scholarship endowment to over 45 universities and colleges in communities where Brookshire Grocery has stores.
Brookshire was inducted into the Food Industry Hall of Fame in 2020. In 2024, he received the Food Industry Association’s Sidney R. Rabb Award, the grocery industry’s highest honor. He also represented the grocery industry in Texas on Gov. Greg Abbott’s Strike Force to Open Texas during the pandemic in 2020.
Community Event
Brookshire Grocery says it will recognize Brookshire’s contributions later this spring with a celebration to honor his years of service and to commemorate his retirement.
