Carol Jenkins Barnett

Carol Jenkins was the daughter of Anne MacGregor and George W. Jenkins.^[2] Jenkins Barnett is one of six children: Howard, David, Julie, Nancy and Kenneth.^[2] Barnett attended Emory University but later transferred to Florida Southern College in Lakeland, Florida.^[3] Her father, George W. Jenkins, founded Publix Super Markets. Carol was born in 1956 when Publix was in its heyday. Carol and her five siblings worked at Publix beginning at the age of sixteen.^[4] She said: "The way I grew up, everything was about Publix. We'd go to store openings. I remember attending the 100th store opening when I was eight. I was there for the glory years."^[4]

Jenkins Barnett was a member of the Publix board of directors from 1983 to 2016.^[1] During her time at Publix, the company grew into the largest supermarket chain in Florida, expanded into five other states, and recorded $32.5 billion in sales in 2015.^[1]

Publix Super Markets Charities strives to provide the communities it serves with funding for housing with Habitat for Humanity.^[5] The charity also supports other causes such as food assistance, education, and youth programs.^[5] Between 1991 and 2016, Jenkins Barnett was president of Publix Super Market Charities.^[1] Jenkins Barnett helped lead the organization to donate $25 million to nonprofit organizations each year.^[1] She helped lead the organization to donate over $10 million to Habitat for Humanity.^[6]

In 2011, Florida Southern College announced an undisclosed contribution from Jenkins Barnett in honor of her husband, Barney Barnett, a graduate of Florida Southern. The funds were used to establish the Barney Barnett School of Business and Free Enterprise.^[7] The Barnetts also gave a reported $10 million to Florida Southern College to establish the Barnett Residential Life Center that was designed by Robert A. M. Stern.^[8]

In 2012, the Barnetts were the primary donors in a funding drive for the construction of a $5.5 million, 18-classroom learning facility at All Saints' Academy in Winter Haven, Florida. They gave $1 million to help launch the Carol J. and Barney Barnett Learning Center, which opened in 2014 at the Florida Aquarium in Tampa. To promote environmental conservation, the Barnetts donated $3 million to Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium in Sarasota, Florida in 2015.^[9] The Barnetts have donated millions of dollars to the United Way.^[1]

In 2016, the Lakeland Regional Health Foundation received a donation from the Barnett family in honor of Carol Jenkins Barnett for the Pavilion for Women and Children at the Lakeland Regional Health Medical Center Campus. The gift was the largest donation received to date by the Foundation. The new building was named the Carol Jenkins Barnett Pavilion for Women and Children.^[10] In 2025, the hospital announced the development of the Carol Jenkins Barnett Pavilion for Women and Children - South. The outpatient facility will expand on the original pavilion. The project was funded by a lead gift from Barnett's family to increase access to pediatric and maternal specialty care in South Lakeland.^[11]

Also in 2016, the Barnetts gave $800,000 to the Drug Free Florida Committee, an organization leading opposition to Amendment 2 to the Constitution of the State of Florida, which legalized marijuana for medical use in Florida.^[12]

Barnett had two sons with her husband, Barney Barnett.^[13]

In 2016, Barnett was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's disease. She died from complications of the disease on December 7, 2021, at the age of 65.^[13]