The sale of McDougald Oil Company a few months ago to Bulloch County natives Greg Sikes and Chris Thompson marks the end of McDougald family ownership as one of Bulloch County's oldest family owned businesses.
When A.B. McDougald, Jr. founded the company in 1929, the country was entering into the Great Depression. Even though it was not the best year to start a business, he saw a need in supplying the vast number of area farmers with much needed fuel. Obviously, his model worked and the company has continued to thrive for three generations.
His son Al McDougald ran the company until his death in 2005 and his daughter and son-n-law Sidney and Brad David took over the business.
"Over the past decade, we have seen a tremendous amount of consolidation in farming operations," Brad David said. "This combined with new technology and efficiencies in the farm operations and increased regulations have made the business more complicated and competitive than ever. The timing was good to sell the company and fortunately we had buyers who know the market and our customers and are committed to continuing the level of service our company is known for."
The David's also wanted to ensure that long time McDougald Oil employee Ralph Mock continued with the new owners.
"Ralph is like family, he worked for my grandfather, my father and helped teach Brad and me the business," Sidney David said. "He is family to us and we felt it was imperative that he stayed involved in the operation. This was a very emotional decision for us, but it is much easier knowing Ralph was taken care of and clients who had been loyal to us for generations would be taken care of too."
The David's plan to stay active in the community as owners of Southern Growlers and Brad plans to reestablish his career as a builder that he put on hold to run the family business.
Sikes and Thompson have been friends since high school and began their farming operations as business partners. In 2004, they divided the interest in the company, but remained close friends. Even though they are not business partners in the farming operation, both of their individual operations continue to grow. Combined, they farm almost 9,000 acers of peanuts and cotton, ranking them as two of Bulloch Counties' largest farmers.
Sikes also owns a trucking company and Thompson shares joint ownership of a few of the trucks. The trucking company has module trucks for cotton and semitrailers that haul fertilizer, chemicals and commodities for them and other farmers.
Last year, they purchased another long established and highly regarded company, Hagin and Olliff Oil Company, from Deborah Hatten and Fay Hagan. They promoted another longtime friend Luke Williams to general manager of that company.
"When Deborah approached us about buying Hagin and Olliff Oil Company we felt that it was a great fit," Sikes said. "Luke was working with us in the farm operations already and having someone with his talents in place made the acquisition a natural fit for us. We really needed a little more volume to get the profitability where we needed it and the acquisition of McDougald Oil Company should put us right where we need to be."
With McDougald Oil, they purchased the bulk plant and the fuel port on Hill Street. They will continue operating the two companies out of the Hagin and Olliff offices at 310 North Zetterower Avenue.
"We are in the process of legally merging the two companies and once this is complete we will be operating under a new name, Southeast Oil," Williams said. "Hagin and Olliff and McDougald Oil customers can expect the same great service they have grown to expect. We are in the process of upgrading the technology at the fuel port and hope to grow that part of the business as well. The fuel port is an excellent tool for businesses with a fleet of vehicles. We have competitive fuel prices and give them additional management tools through the system that will make monitoring their fuel cost a lot easier."
It is impressive to see how aggressively Sikes and Thompson have grown their companies and the tremendously positive role they have in shaping the agribusiness community considering they are both first generation farmers.
"I grew up around farms but neither of my parents were farmers," Sikes said. "After college I went to work with Blanchard Equipment and worked with them for five years. During this time, I continued working with legendary Bulloch County farmers Chuck Lee and Jackie Brannen. They have both served as great mentors for Chris and me. Thanks to them, I am a great example of the opportunities available in agribusiness in Bulloch County."
In February, Sikes was named Bulloch County's 2014 Conservationist of the Year by the bankers and supervisors of the Ogeechee River Soil and Water Conservation District. Dedicated to the lifestyle of farming, he constantly tries to better the industry.
He is active on the Bulloch County FSA Committee, the chairman of the board of Venture Cotton Cooperative and a shareholder in Bulloch Gin. Sikes is always there to offer his services to improve research, including providing test plots for Deltapine and several test plots each year for the University of Georgia Extension service.
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40 East Grill and The Hall in downtown Statesboro is under new ownership and management. Brian Carter, former owner of McDonald's restaurants in Statesboro and current owner of South Beach Tanning, and Woody Pumphry, owner of Southern Boy's Bar-B-Q, along with Woody's Shirts and Scrubs, acquired the popular restaurant and meeting facility. Stephen Maenpaa, former manager of 40 East Grill and current manager of Southern Boy's Bar-B-Q has returned to manage 40 East. Look for new additions at dinner including Mahi-Mahi, shrimp and grits, filet's and gluten free selections.