Hall, Jody

Jody Hall, a seventh-generation Texan, grew up in South Texas, in Refugio, Victoria, San Patricio, and Wilson counties where his family farmed and ranched. He graduated from Woodsboro High School in 1983 and began school at Texas A&M University where he majored in Animal Science. During his undergraduate career, he was a Rotary International Scholar of European Agricultural Policy and he spent September of 1986 to June of 1987 studying at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland. Jody graduated in August of 1987 from Texas A&M with his BS in Animal Science. He immediately began a master’s program at A&M, graduating in May of 1989 with his Master’s degree in Agricultural Economics.

During his time at A&M, Jody was named the Outstanding Freshman in College of Agriculture, was an officer of the National Agri-Marketing Association (NAMA), was a committee chairman in the Saddle and Sirloin Club, was an officer of the MSC Traveling Aggies Club, and was an officer of the International Honor Society Phi Beta Delta. Jody also participated in several intramural sports and was a graduate teaching assistant.

Jody began his career with H-E-B Grocery Company in San Antonio as a Store Management Trainee (SMT/SORL) in January of 1990. He was promoted to Store Director in Eagle Pass during 1992, where he stayed until transferring to Store Director in Uvalde in May 1993. He was promoted again to Regional Grocery Director in Waco in 1994. In September 1995, he moved to the corporate H-E-B office in San Antonio, where he became Grocery Procurement Advertising Manager. In 1996, he was promoted to Business Development Manager of Grocery Procurement. In August of 2004, Jody became the Director of Global Sourcing, a position that he still holds today.

As Director of Global Sourcing, Jody is responsible for leading a team of sourcing managers in the identification, development, and sourcing of both Own Brands and international brands for H-E-B’s more than 350 stores in Texas and Mexico. These responsibilities include setting the strategic vision for local sourcing along with direct imports of food and beverage products internationally for the Grocery, Produce, Bakery, and Deli Departments. In addition, Jody serves as H-E-B’s liaison with foreign governmental and ambassadorial contacts as with respect to developing international trade.

During his time with H-E-B, Jody’s career has spanned store operations along the US/Mexico border and has led him to testify before the United States Federal Trade Commission and the Sub-Committee on General System of Preferences in Washington DC.  He participated in the World Economic Forum in Dalian, China as part of the Young Leaders Delegation. Jody has also worked closely with the Texas Governor’s Office and the Texas Enterprise Fund in aiding the process of bringing hundreds of jobs to Texas. Through Jody’s long career with H-E-B, he has partnered with the Texas Department of Agriculture’s GO TEXAN Program, working with local producers to identify suppliers for the annual H-E-B’s Quest for TEXAS Best event.

In April 2015, Jody was presented the San Antonio’s Free Trade Alliance’s International Visionary Award.  He currently serves as the Honorary Commander of the 24^th Air Force, helping to promote the Mission of the Air Force’s component of U.S. Cyber Command (USCYBERCOM) in the local community. For the past seven years, Jody has served as a Global Scot and in this capacity he works with Scottish Food & Drink Companies as a business consultant and advocate. Jody is also currently a member of the World Affairs Council of San Antonio, and routinely teaches as an Executive Professor in Texas A&M University’s Mays Business School, in the Texas A&M College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, at Army-Baylor MHA / MBA Program on Joint Base San Antonio-Ft Sam Houston, at Texas A&M San Antonio, and at St Mary’s University-San Antonio. He also serves as 4-H Adult Leader in Bexar County. In the past, he has served on the Executive Board of Directors for the Free Trade Alliance of San Antonio and as elder and chairmen of several committees as well as an AWANA leader at his church, and is a current member of the Texas A&M Association of Former Students.

Jody is a frequent “prof-for-a-day” at A&M, often bringing international suppliers along to speak to classes. He is a routine campus recruiter for H-E-B and is an active member of the San Antonio A&M Club. Jody and his wife Marion live in San Antonio and are the parents of Joshua ’18, a current Ag-Business major in the Corps of Cadets, and Benjamin ’20.