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| Historic Hotels of America is the official program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation for recognizing and celebrating the finest Historic Hotels in the United States, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia. The Historic Hotels Annual Awards of Excellence honors historic preservation and timeless hospitality at historic hotels in various categories each year. The 2025 Historic Hotels of America Legacy of Innovation and Inspiration Award recognizes the extensive accomplishments of Stephanie Stuckey, Chair of Stuckey’s Corporation, in pioneering innovative concepts, achieving uncommon success, for being an inspiring leader, and whose vision has resulted in restoring the iconic brand, legacy, nostalgia, charm and celebration of Stuckey’s, an American Icon since 1937 known for delicious candy and warm hospitality on highways across the United States. The
2025 Historic Hotels of America Legacy of Innovation and Inspiration Award
will be presented to Stephanie Stuckey during the 2025
Historic Hotels Annual Conference at the Fairmont
Olympic Hotel Seattle on October 29, 2025, in front of an audience
of owners, general managers, and other senior decision makers representing
many of the finest historic hotels from across the United States of America
and from around the world.
 Stephanie Stuckey will deliver a special keynote talk to attendees on Wednesday, October 29, about the lessons she learned from the turnaround of a family-owned business, reclaimed from decline. Her talk will cover how she has drawn inspiration from her grandfather’s business model, leveraged nostalgia, re-centered growth on the brand’s core pecan products, and focused on manufacturing. “On behalf of Historic Hotels of America, we are honored to recognize Stephanie Stuckey for her extensive accomplishments in pioneering innovative concepts for achieving uncommon success, being a thought leader on exceptional service, and for being a force of inspiration in the hospitality industry” said Lawrence P. Horwitz, Executive Vice President, Historic Hotels of America and Historic Hotels Worldwide. “With admiration, we recognize Stephanie Stuckey’s savvy business leadership, innovation, entrepreneurial approach, and dedication to creating new jobs, investing in local communities, manufacturing in the United States of America, and engaging third-party retailers.” “I want to thank Historic Hotels of America and Historic Hotels Worldwide for this honor. I am overwhelmed with pride that our team at Stuckey’s delivers on our company values every day and that you – hospitality professionals and family business owners see and recognize our efforts. I look forward to joining you in Seattle and sharing some pecan treasures” said Stephanie Stuckey, Chair of Stuckey’s. Stephanie Stuckey is Chair of Stuckey’s, known for generations as a highway oasis serving up pecan log rolls and kitschy souvenirs. Founded in 1937 by her grandfather, W.S. Stuckey, Sr. in Eastman, Georgia, Stuckey’s grew into over 350 stores nationwide by its peak in the 1970s. The company was sold in 1964 and declined for decades under a series of corporate owners. Stuckey’s returned to the family in 1985 under the leadership of W.S. Bill Stuckey, Jr. and is now led by Bill’s daughter, Stephanie. When W.S. Stuckey, Sr., founded the company nearly 90 years ago, he approached the business with the stated principle that “every traveler is a friend.” Stephanie Stuckey says she upholds her grandfather’s time-honored wisdom at Stuckey’s today and it remains key for solidifying the customer relationship. In January 2021, Stuckey’s acquired a pecan shelling and candy plant in Wrens, Ga., and has scaled production of the Stuckey’s branded snacks and sweets—such as the iconic pecan log roll—to be sold in almost 5,000 retail stores nationwide. (View Stuckey’s Behind the Scenes at Stuckey’s Candy Plant in Wrens.) Stuckey’s also operates a distribution center in Eastman, Ga., a fundraising business, a corporate gift program, and has an online store. Stephanie Stuckey received both her undergraduate and law degrees from the University of Georgia. She worked as a trial lawyer, was elected to seven terms as a state representative, ran an environmental law firm, served as Director of Sustainability for Atlanta, and taught as an Adjunct Professor at the University of Georgia School of Law. Stephanie Stuckey purchased Stuckey’s in November of 2019 and subsequently brought in other partners and co-owners. Stephanie’s achievements include being named one of the Most Admired CEOs of 2022 by the Atlanta Business Chronicle, 100 Most Influential Georgians by Georgia Trend Magazine and a graduate of Leadership Atlanta. She also serves on the corporate board for Bealls, a Florida-based retailer with more than 550 stores, and the National Confectioners Association Board of Trustees. In recent years, the story of Stuckey’s turnaround has been featured in The New York Times Sunday Business Section, the TODAY Show, Forbes, and The Washington Post. When she’s not running Stuckey’s, Stephanie Stuckey enjoys traveling by car to explore the back roads of America and pulling over at every boiled peanut stand and the World’s Largest Ball of Twine. Prior recipients of the Historic Hotels of America Legacy of Innovation and Inspiration Award include:
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Previous Release: The 2025 Top 25 Historic Hotels of America® Culinary Heritage and Traditions List Is Announced (09/25/25) |
