McCall Service Welcomes its Third Generation Into the Business

Pictured: Four generations of Cookseys from left to right: Jennings Bryan Cooksey IV, J. Bryan Cooksey Jr., Jennings Taylor Cooksey, J. Bryan Cooksey III. Cooksey IV is the 3rd generation of Jennings Bryan Cooksey to work at McCall Service.

Editor's note: The Cooksey family, long-time owners of McCall Service, Jacksonville, Fla., recently welcomed the third-generation of Cookseys into the business with the addition of Jennings Bryan Cooksey IV. The company submitted the following profile of the Cookseys.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Jennings Bryan Cooksey IV starts off his mornings in the same fashion as his father and grandfather before him, with a cup of coffee, a quick read of the paper, and spending a little time with his wife and children before heading off to work. Another similarity has recently begun for the three generations of Cooksey men; Jennings now gets into his truck and drives to work at McCall Service. This makes him the first person in the third generation of Cooksey family members to work at this family owned and operated business.

Jennings’ grandfather, Jennings Bryan Cooksey Jr., grew up not to far away from the office where Jennings works now, in Lamont, Florida. In fact, the Cooksey’s roots run very deep in Florida, spanning back to the 1820s. The first of the Cooksey family members arrived during this time when Florida was beginning to transition from Spanish to American control. Jennings’ great-great-grandfather was born in Monticello and settled in Jefferson County after the Civil War and became a farmer. Many generations of Cookseys farmed in Jefferson County until the 1950s when farming was no longer a sustainable way of life for them. It was at this point that Cooksey Jr. went off to college at the University of Florida to study entomology. After serving in the United States Army, he returned to Florida, and settled in Jacksonville to work in this field. In 1960, he was hired by McCall to start its lawn care division. By 1969, Cooksey Jr. was running the day-to-day operations of McCall Service. In 1978, he opened the company’s first branch office in Tallahassee, the very office where his grandson works now, 40 years later. Cooksey Jr. obtained 100% ownership of McCall Service in 1999.

Cooksey Jr. might not have known it at the time, but his work ethic, innovation, and perseverance laid a precedent for those who followed in his footsteps. Cooksey Jr.’s three sons, Jennings “Bryan” Cooksey III, David, and John all now work for McCall Service at its headquarters in Jacksonville, Florida. J. Bryan Cooksey III serves as President and Chief Executive Officer, David Cooksey as Chief Financial Officer, and John Cooksey as Chief Operating Officer. Bryan and David also served in the United States Army and Air Force, respectively, before joining McCall Service. David continued to serve in the Air Force after joining McCall Service until his recent retirement as a Colonel. The third generation is no different: Cooksey IV obtained his undergraduate degree from Auburn University, served in the United States Army, worked in the transportation industry, obtained his law degree from the University of Florida, and practiced law before joining McCall Service. Cooksey IV’s two brothers are in the United States Army as well, and so is one of his cousins.

Transitioning from a second generation to a third generation family owned business is notably the most difficult transition to achieve. When Cooksey III was asked when succession planning began he mused, “The day they were born.” For this reason, the second generation of Cooksey brothers worked with an outside firm to establish a succession plan for the next generation to one day run and own this business, not knowing how many of their children would want to take on this challenge. They implemented an ownership path with multiple requirements, such as a college degree and a minimum of three to five years of professional experience outside of the company, in hopes of bringing new perspective and vision into the company when they join McCall Service.

As the transition from a second generation to a third generation company begins, McCall Service is continuing to grow. For instance, McCall Service recently acquired four companies, and has several acquisitions in the works to further expand the company throughout Florida and Georgia.

When asked what McCall Service values most, Bryan replied, “hard work, caring for others, integrity, and service to country.” The first generation and second generation of Cookseys at McCall Service are excited to see where McCall Service will go, and what its future will hold.