‘We can all be proud’: Jordan Carriers celebrates new headquarters
Published 6:58 pm Thursday, March 28, 2024
A racecar sponsored by Jordan Carriers and driver Kye Kelly are parked in front of the new headquarters for the ribbon cutting.
Jordan Carriers CEO Charles Jordan cuts the ribbon in front of the company’s new 36,000-square-foot headquarters building on Thursday morning.
(Sabrina Robertson | The Natchez Democrat)
(Sabrina Robertson | The Natchez Democrat)
A racecar sponsored by Jordan Carriers and driver Kye Kelly are parked in front of the new headquarters for the ribbon cutting. Kelly, left, stands in front of the racecar with Jimmy Allgood.
Natchez Mayor Dan Gibson, at right, presents Jordan Carriers CEO Charles Jordan and Vice President Doug Jordan with a certificate of appreciation for 32 years of successful growth in the company. (Sabrina Robertson | The Natchez Democrat)
(Sabrina Robertson | The Natchez Democrat)
(Sabrina Robertson | The Natchez Democrat)
(Sabrina Robertson | The Natchez Democrat)
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NATCHEZ — Jordan Carriers celebrated the grand opening and ribbon cutting of its 27,000-square-foot headquarters building Thursday morning with hundreds of stakeholders, elected officials and company employees in attendance.
“We just hope that this building represents Natchez,” said CEO Charles Jordan. “When people come through town, I hope it’s something we can all be proud of.”
The building sits just off of the highway at 188 U.S. 61 South.
During the ribbon-cutting celebration, a large American flag was raised by U.S. Veterans on the front of the property.
With just under 1,000 employees and growing more each day, Jordan Carriers employs 150 locally in addition to its drivers and support staff across Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Tennessee, Georgia, Washington and Indiana.
Additionally, 80 drivers are brought to the Natchez campus every month for orientation and are housed in local hotels, will likely dine at local restaurants, and are seen by local medical professionals for physicals.
The new headquarters features state-of-the-art conference rooms and offices, an outside courtyard and dining area, showers, laundry and break rooms for employees and a training classroom on the second floor for the accommodation of all on-site staff for continuing education.
Local architects and interior designers were used for the building during its construction and the artwork of local artists is displayed throughout, the company said.
“What we see today speaks for itself,” Natchez Mayor Dan Gibson said.
He added while the new 36,000 square foot headquarters and $9 million investment in Natchez is something to celebrate, the most important thing to celebrate is the number of jobs Jordan Carriers supplies to the community, and with those jobs the boost that comes to the local economy.
“When I first became mayor in 2020, we came out here and we had a visit with Doug and Charles and we did a recruitment video because they needed drivers. Their goal was to reach as many as they could. I’ll say they’re on their way to 1,000 but at that time, just to hit 800 would have been a great, great accomplishment,” Gibson said. “We have recorded over 1000 jobs created in this city and county since 2020. But I want to tell you a big number of those are the jobs that have been created here. They’re high-paying jobs. They’re jobs that circulate over and over in our local economy.”
Gibson presented a certificate of appreciation to Jordan Carriers for its successful growth in 32 years of business in counting.
“They have now grown since 1992 from one truck to over 800. That’s not a small feat. It’s a huge accomplishment. And truly Jordan Carriers, Charles, Doug, your family and your dad Kenneth before you, you are the finest example of ‘Natchez Strong.’ May God bless you and thank you for what you mean to Natchez.”
Company Vice President Doug Jordan said in 32 years of business, the company’s goal was only to outlast the competition and survive from one year to the next.
“I think this is a symbol of all the hard work and sacrifice that was done over the years,” he said.
He recalled the company’s growth from a small office on Canal Street near where the Natchez Grand Hotel sits today. Growth led owners to expand to Liberty Road near the Dutch Ann pie shell factory and then to just down the hill from where the new headquarters stands today.
“It’s just such a testament to what all of our employees, how hard they work, what they go through every day to keep all these trucks moving,” he said.
Doug Jordan added that the new facility probably won’t be the last built by Jordan Carriers — because in the time it took to build it, “We’re about to outgrow this one,” he said.
“This year, we’ll move over 110,000 loads of freight. Jordan Carriers has become a national treasure in the transportation industry, serving all the biggest Fortune 500 companies to make sure that their product is moved efficiently out of their mills, keeping all the other people working throughout America. It’s amazing that right here in Natchez, Mississippi, where there’s no other trucking company around, you can hire people with experience. It’s a testament to what kind of people live in Natchez and what people in Natchez can do not only for Natchez but the rest of the world.”
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