John Cooksey Elected President of Board of the Mandarin Museum & Historical Society

John Cooksey, vice president and chief operating officer of McCall Service, Jacksonville, Fla., has been elected president of the board of directors of the Mandarin Museum & Historical Society.

The board made the announcement following the board's annual meeting on Jan. 8. Cooksey joined the board in 2006 and has served as vice-president for the past year.

"John brings many talents to the board," said Beth Meyer, outgoing president. "Having grown up in Mandarin, he has a special commitment to the area. He has been active in programming, introducing Firefly Night and coordinating plans for the society's first Old Mandarin Biathlon scheduled for March 29. As a businessman, he is able to share his special perspective and expertise with the board."

Cooksey, the son of Bryan and Jane Cooksey, grew up along Mandarin Road. His strongest memories involve "spending most of my childhood fishing off a neighbor's dock,” he said.

Cooksey earned a bachelor's degree in chemical science from Florida State University in 1993 and a master's degree in entomology from the University of Florida in 1996. After working as a research and analytical chemist, he joined McCall Service in 1994 as a management trainee.

He became manager of the company’s Neptune Beach office in 1996 and in 1998 moved to the corporate office as vice president and partner. He has been chief operating officer since 2005.

Cooksey's other community involvements include serving on the board of directors of the Orange Park Rotary Club and the board of trustees of Grace Episcopal Day School. He is past president of the Oil Fuel Institute of Florida and past regional director of the Florida Pest Management Association.

Cooksey and his wife, Leyda, have three children: Caroline, 10, Kate, 8, and Jack, 6.