Jody Porter: Built on Relationships, Guided by Legacy

If you ask Jody Porter what matters most in his career, he’ll tell you: relationships.

May 18 marks 31 years since Jody first joined E.O. Habhegger. What began as a temporary supporting role quickly evolved into a lifelong career of purpose, mentorship, and meaningful connection.

In 1994, Jody was a 29-year-old soon to graduate finance major, with a résumé that included pizza delivery and carpentry. His brother, who worked at Habhegger, mentioned the company needed help with a major project: supporting the massive conversion of 2,700 ARCO stores to Sunoco following the merger. Jody joined as a temp and found himself working directly with then-president Ken Hagman.

E. O. Habhegger's 90th Birthday party (also Jody's birthday) with our vendor family, October 2017.

“Ken took me under his wing,” Jody says. “He taught me that while we buy and sell stuff, what we really provide is value, and that comes from relationships. On both sides; vendor and customer. Our job is to add value in the middle.”

Six months in, after helping Ken manage his largest account, Jody told him the system was running so smoothly he felt like he was stealing. Ken responded by assigning him another major account. Three years later, when the VP of Sales retired, Ken offered Jody the position.

Jody stayed because of Ken. “Ken was a mentor, a boss, and a father figure,” he says. “I miss him dramatically, even now.” The two shared side-by-side offices for 25 years. “Even today, I still want to pop in to bust his chops and realize he’s not there.”

One of the most enduring lessons Ken passed on was the value of making things seamless for customers. “Create a plan so that they feel nothing,” Jody says. “I don’t want you to know we exist.” That philosophy became the foundation of his leadership.

Jody Porter, Jeff Harris (Gateway Services branch manager) and Nick C (a vendor and partner) at Tulips 4 Tatas golf outing.

Since Jody joined, Habhegger has grown from 13 to 49 employees, expanded through several acquisitions, and added a wave of new talent. That growth has been astronomical and, at times, stressful. The first acquisition was a true trial by fire. But through it all, Jody has stayed focused on preserving the culture, mentoring new hires, and helping people adapt to what he calls “the Habhegger way”, a culture grounded in trust, accountability, and shared success.

Jody Porter and Mike Pepe at a charity golf outing in MA 2017

A longtime advocate for collaboration, Jody has chaired the PEI Young Executives group and served on the PEI Board, elected by both peers and friendly competitors. “People who are successful understand that we’re all friendly competitors,” he says. “We’re all partners. That’s what makes this industry great. We believe in PEI because of the relationships it builds.” He adds, “It’s like the mafia. Once you get in, you can’t get out.”

Some of Jody’s proudest moments come from mentoring others and carrying forward the values that helped shape him. Five years after Ken’s passing, Jody still asks himself: “Would Ken be proud?” One way he’s tried to answer that is by helping dedicate a facility in Ken’s name through Habhegger’s sponsorship of Medford Strikers FC, a premier New Jersey youth soccer club. The complex was renamed the Kenneth T. Hagman Memorial Soccer Complex, honoring the values Ken championed: community, mentorship, and development.

Jake Porter and his proud dad at an Eagles/Bucs game, 2019

For Jody, there’s never been a hard line between work and life. The relationships he’s built over three decades of vacations, dinners, holidays, and golf trips have removed those limiting boundaries. “This isn’t just a job,” he says. “It’s a network of people who’ve become family.” And Jody makes everyone feel like family.

Outside of work, Jody and his wife Donna have always prioritized experiences that matter. “Donna and I both worked a lot. But when we were together, we made it a point to create the stories—the ones you’ll laugh about later. That’s what life is about.” So they take the trips. They spend the time. Ken helped teach him that too.

Jody often reflects on one of the last things Ken told him: “When Mr. Habhegger retired, he said, ‘All I’m really giving you is my name. Don’t screw it up.’ When Ken passed the reins to us, he said the same thing.”

As Habhegger approaches its 100 year birthday 2027, he hopes he’s done that name justice.

Would Ken be proud? We think so.

The Porter Family: Donna, Jake and Jody in Tampa at the Gasparilla Festival, 2023.