For George Deese, “The Flowers Way” is always about trying to do the right thing. It’s about going beyond the call of duty, beyond what’s expected and asking, “How can I help?”

“At Flowers, we’re in business to support others — not just those who rely on our products but also those who rely on our company to be successful — our shareholders, our team members and associates, and the communities in which we operate our business,” explained Mr. Deese, chairman of the Thomasville, Ga.-based company, in an exclusive interview with Baking & Snack magazine.

Mr. Deese, who will be inducted into the Baking Hall of Fame in March, remains very positive about the future of the baking industry.

“The challenges and opportunities we face today are really not that different from those of the past. It’s all about understanding what consumers want and then finding a way to meet those needs,” he said. “That sounds easy, but it’s not. People have been consuming bread for thousands of years — how do we keep it an important part of today’s meals? How do we keep the products we make relevant to today’s consumers?”

For more on Mr. Deese’s interview, check out the exclusive Baking Hall of Fame coverage in the February issue of Baking & Snack magazine.