Values
- continuous
improvement - value people
- do things the
right way - customer focus
OUR HERITAGE
-
1913
South Georgia Pecan Company founded in 1913 as a small pecan shelling plant owned by the Pearlman family of Valdosta. Pearlman’s small family-operated business ran by brothers William & Sidney Pearlman.
-
1967
South Georgia Pecan Company became part of the Beatrice Food Group. Beatrice Foods Company was a major American food processing company focused on candy, snacks, processed meats, beverages, and other food products.
-
1971
Jim Worn came to work at SGP as an assistant manager in 1971.
-
1983
Beatrice was converting smaller cash businesses to fund the purchase of Hunt Wesson/ Tropicana. With the breakup of Beatrice Foods, Jim Worn and Ed Crane, purchased the company with a commitment to quality and service that has formed it into the industry leader that it is today.
-
1988
Jim Worn become President and CEO
-
1992
First pecan company to have a resalable zipper package partnering with Kroger
-
2015
Worn Family became solo owners of South Georgia Pecan Co.
-
2016
SGP builds the most state of the art shelling plant in El Paso, Texas, to be in the heart of Western supply.
-
2017
Jim Worn recognized the need for expansion and purchased the Levi Strauss building owned by Levi's corporation and which offered more than 200,000 square feet as well as easy accessibility from on a major highway.
-
2020
Jeff Worn become President and CEO. SGP Eastern Facility moved into the new Levi shelling plant in Valdosta, Georgia.
-
2021
Built a new hyper efficient bulk storage, first of its kind in the pecan industry, in El Paso
-
2023
New El Paso Shelling Plant is ready to start shelling pecans with innovative processes and state of the art building.
OUR HERITAGE
-
1913
South Georgia Pecan Company founded in 1913 as a small pecan shelling plant owned by the Pearlman family of Valdosta. Pearlman’s small family-operated business ran by brothers William & Sidney Pearlman.
-
1967
South Georgia Pecan Company became part of the Beatrice Food Group. Beatrice Foods Company was a major American food processing company focused on candy, snacks, processed meats, beverages, and other food products.
-
1971
Jim Worn came to work at SGP as an assistant manager in 1971.
-
1983
Beatrice was converting smaller cash businesses to fund the purchase of Hunt Wesson/ Tropicana. With the breakup of Beatrice Foods, Jim Worn and Ed Crane, purchased the company with a commitment to quality and service that has formed it into the industry leader that it is today.
-
1988
Jim Worn become President and CEO
-
1992
First pecan company to have a resalable zipper package partnering with Kroger
-
2015
Worn Family became solo owners of South Georgia Pecan Co.
-
2016
SGP builds the most state of the art shelling plant in El Paso, Texas, to be in the heart of Western supply.
-
2017
Jim Worn recognized the need for expansion and purchased the Levi Strauss building owned by Levi's corporation and which offered more than 200,000 square feet as well as easy accessibility from on a major highway.
-
2020
Jeff Worn become President and CEO. SGP Eastern Facility moved into the new Levi shelling plant in Valdosta, Georgia.
-
2021
Built a new hyper efficient bulk storage, first of its kind in the pecan industry, in El Paso
-
2023
New El Paso Shelling Plant is ready to start shelling pecans with innovative processes and state of the art building.
GROWER STANDARDS
“I’ve been involved and usually made our pecan sales decisions for 50 years. Jeff Worn, Brandon Stuart and South Georgia Pecan have been the best of my experience; always honest, fair and true to their word.”
Leslie S. (Les) Fletcher II
President, Fletcher Farms, Inc.
Las Cruces, N. M.
OUR TEAM
Here at South Georgia Pecan we value our team members more than anything, and we know that their work is the reason for our success.
JEFF WORN
President & CEO
BIO
As SGP’s chief executive officer, Jeff oversees the company’s corporate strategy, manages shareholder and government relations, and is responsible for forming new business partnerships. Before being named CEO in 2020, Jeff led the company’s sales, procurement and operations department’s as President and COO. He also traveled the country promoting Pecans and other tree nuts to expand our distribution channel after joining the company in 2008.
JEFF HOLTON
Chief Financial Officer
BIO
Jeff was named chief financial officer in 2011. His career at SGP has focused on overseeing the company’s accounting, financing, and financial reporting processes. Since joining the team Jeff has completely changed the way the company makes data driven decisions to ensure profitability year in and year out.
ADI JOVOVIC
Vice President of Operations
BIO
As vice president of operations, Adi has headed all operations since 2020. He oversees production at both our Georgia and Texas plants, contributes to executive-level direction and oversees service, quality, safety and expansion. Since joining the company Adi has made myriad of improvements to the way the company operates from top to bottom.
GARRET FERGUSON
Director of Sales
BIO
Joining SGP in 2021 as the Director of Sales, Garrett is responsible for designing plans to meet targets, developing relationships with clients, and evaluating costs. He holds a bachelor’s degree in finance and an MBA from the University of Mississippi. Married with one son, he enjoys following Dallas sports teams along with taking weekend trips with his family.
CLINT YAGER
Director of Finance
BIO
Clint Yager is a seasoned finance professional with a career spanning over two decades in accounting and financial management. Since assuming the role of Director of Finance in 2024, Clint has been instrumental in driving strategic financial initiatives and ensuring the fiscal health of our organization. Clint is committed to fostering a culture of excellence within our finance team, promoting collaboration and innovation to drive continuous improvement. His leadership style, characterized by integrity and dedication, has earned him the respect and admiration of his colleagues.
PAUL JOSEPH
Vice President of Sales
BIO
A native of Valdosta, GA with a bachelor’s degree in Marketing from Valdosta State University. Starting at South Georgia Pecan Co. in 1983, Paul has worked in many areas of the company including Gift Shop & Mail order Manager, Packaging Procurement, and Commercial sales.
BRANDON STUART
Vice President, Pecan Procurement
BIO
Born and raised in Las Cruces, New Mexico, Brandon has been around pecans his entire life and has been buying pecans since 2008. Leading our procurement in the western United States, Brandon works closely with our western grower network ensuring we have the highest quality pecans year over year.
HUMBERTO REYES
Plant Manager
BIO
Humberto serves as Western plant manager and has been with the team since 2019. He oversees every facet of the El Paso plant and has most recently brought the company’s newest and most state-of-the-art processing facility online. In the pecan industry since 2005, Humberto’s experience combined with his leadership and management skills contribute immensely to the overall success of the team.
MARTHA DURAN
HR & Office Manager
BIO
Currently Office Manager overseeing Office Administration, Accounts Payable, Purchasing and Human Resources. Hired October 27. 2016, the most tenured employee at SWTP, having watched it grow from 7 employees to 100 employees.
LEOBARDO MARRUFO
Production Manager
BIO
Leobardo Marrufo, serving as Production Manager at South Georgia Pecan's Western Facility since 2022, embodies a fusion of technical prowess and strategic leadership. Armed with a background in Industrial Engineering complemented by a Master's in Business Administration, Leobardo adeptly navigates the complexities of production management. With a foundational experience as a Program Manager within the harness manufacturing industry, he brings a wealth of expertise in overseeing intricate processes and driving operational excellence.
ISMAEL GARCIA
Quality Assurance Manager
BIO
Ismael Garcia, an accomplished Quality Assurance Manager, brings over 6 years of extensive expertise in pecan processing plants to his role. His dedication to ensuring compliance with stringent quality and food safety standards has been paramount in upholding excellence within the industry. Armed with a background in Industrial Engineering, Ismael possesses a unique skill set that blends technical proficiency with a strategic understanding of manufacturing processes. His commitment to maintaining the highest standards in quality control is further underscored by his background in the candy confectionery and pecan processing domains.
NATHAN SMITH
Plant Manager
BIO
Nathan joined the team in 2021 as Eastern Plant Manager, and is tasked with building a world-class team to further enhance the company’s market leading position. He has leveraged his degrees in Chemical Engineering and Business, along with his extensive paper Industry experience to drive an innovative, performance-driven culture.
TOCSHA BROWN
HR Manager
BIO
Tocsha, a native of South Georgia, joined SGPC as the Human Resources Manager in October 2023. She has more than 15 years of experience in human resources. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Technical, Trade & Industrial Education concentrating in Workforce Development and a master’s degree in Instructional Technology. Tocsha is responsible for hiring, employee relations, and worker’s compensation management for the facilities in Valdosta, GA.
TOKKIE SHARAR
FSQA Manager
BIO
Tokkie joined SGP as a seasoned Quality professional with a wealth of expertise in ISO standards gained across three diverse industries: Mining, Chemical, and Textile. With her certification as an SQF Practitioner, she spearheads the Quality initiatives within the team. Hailing from South Africa, Tokkie brings a global perspective and a deep understanding of best practices to her role. Her leadership ensures that SGP maintains the highest standards of quality across all facets of its operations.