Our Team
The Genuine Georgia team is a collection of fifth-generation peach farmers whose families came to the fertile clay soil of Middle Georgia in search of promise. As their peach
farms flourished, the pecan trees around the farm did the same. Because peaches are cultivated in the summer and pecans in the fall and winter, it became obvious that pecans
were the perfect complement to a peach farm. With the passing of each generation, the holdings in pecan acreage grew to the point where we are now perfectly balanced in
peaches and pecans. Today, our families farm over 7,000 acres of pecans and are involved in every step of the process of bringing the best pecans available to market.
Will McGehee
Partner
Will McGehee, the original founder of the Genuine Georgia Group, grew up driving his dad’s truck around the pecan orchards trying to run the squirrels out of the trees. After graduating from Wake Forest University with a degree in Marketing, he eventually found his way back to his family’s farm in 2008. Today, Will is in charge of new product development, marketing, and sales for the pecan business. He can be seen most weekends around town over-ordering food off the menus in local restaurants.
Kent Hoots
Partner
In 2011, Kent Hoots joined the team but was no stranger to peaches and pecans. Like Will, Kent is another fifth-generation peach and pecan farmer who was called back home. Kent graduated from Georgia Tech with a degree in management and brings a very specific, mechanical skillset to the team. He is the operations guru who tirelessly keeps our shelling equipment running and our customers happy with fresh pecans. Kent can be found on weekends remodeling anything. Literally anything.
Duke Lane III
Partner
Duke Lane was added as the final piece of the puzzle to the Genuine Georgia bunch in 2014. After graduating from the University of Georgia, Duke was working solely for his family’s farm, Lane Southern Orchards, handling internal sales. When we formed the Genuine Georgia partnership, he came on board as the director of sales and sourcing. We simply call Duke “the Man.” Duke knows everybody everywhere we go, and he can be found most weekends doing burpees, carb-loading, and then feeling guilty.