I was born and spent almost 45 years of my life in South Florida. My family was a part of the farming, produce sales, and distribution business. I learned early to work hard and serve others. In 1995 I bought the company, Cee-Bee Produce Inc., that was founded by my father and his partner. My wife, Jill, and I still own this business and as administrator, she is a vital part of the company to this day. In 2001 we faced a tough decision to leave Florida and head north to Georgia to be near family.
Jill is originally from South Georgia and two of our three children were attending VSU at that time. Her parents lived in Worth County so we chose Lowndes County to be near both of our children and her aging parents. In our first year in Valdosta I opened Bed’r Mattress. Our grand opening was phenomenal, and I will say, THE REST is history. We spent the next years continuing to serve folks in a new capacity.
I became involved with the Valdosta North Rotary Club, VSU-Students In Free Enterprise (SIFE), Chamber of Commerce/Moody Air Force Base Honorary Program, and Charity Baptist Church in Hahira. It was the newfound relationships in the Valdosta, Lowndes and surrounding communities, plus the friendly people that made our move from South Florida such a rewarding experience.
I sold the Bed’r Mattress business in 2016 with no desire to retire. In one of my favorite books, The Bible, I couldn’t find the word retirement…not even once. Thus, starting a new chapter in my life, but where and what would it be? How would I continue to serve and meet new people? Having been a real estate investor, I decided to pursue and grow that interest. Long ago, I realized that it is not the products that you sell but the people that you serve. To do that, you must genuinely care about others first.
As I was searching for a real estate brokerage company, I found a new upstart with a highly experienced group, Mercer Hughes Real Estate Group. I didn’t know Larry Mercer or Dedra and Jerry Hughes, but I knew of them. They were at the top of their game as REALTORS with names that have been synonymous with real estate sales for over twenty years. If you want to be the best, you have to learn from the best. SOLD! Our team at Mercer Hughes Real Estate Group are all REALTORS. We subscribe to the highest standards and code of ethics in our profession. Whether you are searching to buy/sell homes, land, or commercial property; “Land your business with us—We work for you!”
