Coke Florida Appoints Gerald Charles, Jr. as Chief Information Officer

Gerald Charles, Jr., Senior Vice President, Chief Information Officer

TAMPA, Fla., April 9, 2025 (WHERE & WHAT TO EAT) — Beverage distribution company, Coca-Cola Beverages Florida, LLC (Coke Florida), has announced the appointment of Gerald T. Charles, Jr. as Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer.

Charles joins Coke Florida with experience in technology and IT strategy across multiple industries, having previously held positions at Capital One, Under Armour, Cisco, TRW, and OAO Technology Solutions.

"We are excited to welcome Gerald to the Coke Florida family. His deep IT experience and collaborative business approach will help us build innovative capabilities and solutions to drive profitable growth. His reputation as a thought leader demonstrates the spirit of collaboration that aligns with our customer-centric approach," said Troy Taylor, Chairman and CEO of Coke Florida.

"I am excited to build upon the success of the team and deliver on the next set of competencies for even greater customer experiences and long-term scalable growth," said Gerald Charles, Jr., Chief Information Officer of Coke Florida.

The company also announced that Terrence Gee, who has led Coke Florida’s IT function since its founding in 2015, will transition to an Advisor role. Gee will focus on warehouse automation initiatives in Tampa, Orlando, and Broward County.

"I have worked with Terrence for over 20 years, and he has played a key role in the strategic initiatives that have helped transform Coke Florida’s operations for growth. He will now provide guidance on our warehouse and delivery automation activities to create a better working environment for our associates, a better customer experience for our business partners, and better business outcomes for our company," said Taylor.

Coca-Cola Beverages Florida, LLC is the sixth largest Coca-Cola bottler in the United States. The company serves 47 counties in Florida, including the Miami, Tampa, Orlando, and Jacksonville metropolitan areas. Headquartered in Tampa, it operates four GreenCircle certified manufacturing facilities and eighteen sales and distribution centers. Coke Florida employs over 5,000 people and is certified as a Minority Business Enterprise.

For more information, visit www.cokeflorida.com.

Source: Coca-Cola Beverages Florida, LLC