# Ryals McMullian

> Ryals McMullian is chairman and CEO of Flowers Foods. He joined the company in 2003 as associate general counsel, moved through acquisitions, strategy and operations, became CEO in May 2019, and chairman in May 2023. His work includes leading acquisitions of Dave’s Killer Bread and Canyon Bakehouse, centralizing corporate processes, and overseeing the expansion into snacking through Simple Mills.

- **Role:** Chairman and Chief Executive Officer at Flowers Foods, Inc.
- **Organizations:** Flowers Foods, Inc., Jones Day, American Bakers Association, Consumer Brands Association, Georgia Research Alliance, Florida TaxWatch
- **Education:** Bachelor’s degree in finance and real estate, Florida State University, Master of Business Administration, Florida State University, Juris Doctor, Florida State University
- **Known for:** Led acquisitions of Dave’s Killer Bread and Canyon Bakehouse, as credited in the Flowers Foods 2025 proxy statement., Directed Project Centennial transformation work before becoming CEO., Advanced corporate centralization, organizational realignment and supply-chain optimization.

## Career timeline

- **Before 2003** — Corporate associate in the Business Practice Group at Jones Day.
- **2003** — Joined Flowers Foods as associate general counsel.
- **2011** — Became vice president and associate general counsel.
- **2015** — Became vice president of mergers and acquisitions and deputy general counsel; led the Dave’s Killer Bread transaction.
- **2017** — Became chief strategy officer.
- **2018** — Became chief operating officer.
- **2019-05** — Became president and CEO of Flowers Foods.
- **2019-08** — Joined the Flowers Foods board.
- **2023-05** — Became chairman while continuing as CEO.
- **2025-02** — Flowers completed the Simple Mills acquisition during his tenure as chairman and CEO.

## Achievements

- Led acquisitions of Dave’s Killer Bread and Canyon Bakehouse, as credited in the Flowers Foods 2025 proxy statement.
- Directed Project Centennial transformation work before becoming CEO.
- Advanced corporate centralization, organizational realignment and supply-chain optimization.
- Elected to the American Bakers Association 2026-28 Executive Committee as an at-large member.

## Latest updates

- **2026-08** — Flowers reported second-quarter net sales of $1.193 billion, down 4.0%, and lowered its full-year outlook. McMullian emphasized brand investment, innovation and improved execution.
- **2026-05** — Described the Nature’s Own relaunch and an ongoing review of the brand portfolio, supply chain and financial strategy. Flowers reset its quarterly dividend to $0.125 per share to prioritize debt reduction and investment.
- **2026-04** — Elected an at-large member of the American Bakers Association Executive Committee for 2026-28.
- **2026-03** — Michelle Lorge became Simple Mills president, reporting directly to McMullian.

## Links

- Website: https://flowersfoods.com
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryals-mcmullian

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/ryals-mcmullian
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Last updated: 2026-10-21