Georgia Gallicchio

Class of 2024

Georgia Gallicchio attributes her success in the confectionery industry to her capacity to continuously rethink, reimagine, and disrupt.

Born on September 21, 1968, in Okinawa, Japan, Georgia is the daughter of Andrew and Paraskeve Barclay, and was raised alongside her brothers James and Louis. Her father’s U.S. Army service and her mother’s deep philosophical insights combined to shape her early experiences.

This blend of military discipline and reflective thought fostered in Georgia a respect for the armed forces and a passionate love for her nation. Military life also underscored the significance of camaraderie and a sense of community, which she says left a lasting impression on her values and outlook on life.

She graduated from Paul VI High School in Haddonfield, NJ, in 1986, with dreams of becoming an attorney. She went on to study at Camden County College before transferring to Rutgers University, earning a Bachelor of Arts with a major in History and a minor in Psychology.

On her first day at Rutgers, Georgia met her future husband, Guido. They married on October 21, 1990, at St. Thomas Greek Orthodox Church, and have two daughters, Sofia and Alexandra, and two grandchildren.

Her career in the industry began in 1987 when she was hired by Juan and Maria Gallicchio, her future in-laws, at Thayer Distribution (then Anpesil Distribution Services). She was tasked with launching the vending division, handling sales calls, procurement, and the monthly price list.

The opportunity opened doors for personal success and allowed her to contribute meaningfully to the prosperity of her soon-to-be family’s business. Under her leadership, the division grew annual sales from $3 million to $70 million by 2005.

In 2005, she stepped away from Thayer to co-found OnCourse Systems for Education, a company that develops online lesson plan systems for educators. As CEO, she helped establish the company as a national player in educational technology.

By 2015 Georgia was back at Thayer in the role of COO where she introduced Thayer Connect, a virtual marketplace providing transparency to supplier partners. The platform significantly improved relationships and doubled the company’s sales.

Georgia’s life philosophy is deeply influenced by the Greek saying, “pan metron ariston,” meaning “everything in moderation/nothing in excess.”

Described as loyal, principle-driven, balanced, passionate, intuitive, and a disrupter, she says integrity and values are paramount. She cites one of the building blocks to her success as the philosophy that if it’s not broker, break it and make it better.

Georgia takes pride in mentoring the third generation of leaders, as her daughters are now part of the company, and supports her employees, suppliers, and customers with integrity and mutuality.

She has been a speaker at her alma mater, Rutgers University, participating in its Women Leaders Roundtable and addressing students.

Dedicated to giving back, Georgia is passionate about fostering fair and equitable relationships with customers and suppliers.

Getting To Know Georgia

People would be surprised to learn . . . I am Greek and that Greek was my first language. Greek culture has influenced our family deeply — food, religion, values, etc.

What advice would you give to someone entering the industry? No matter how big or small your role or project is, do it exceptionally well.