John Willoughby: Greene Publishing, Inc.
In December of 2015, the vision to bring economic development to Madison County began when Ann Vickers, then President of Certified Towing, and her nephew, Greg Vickers appeared before the Madison County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) to discuss a lot on Dale Leslie Dr., in Lee, that had not been utilized, nor had it generated revenue for Madison County since 2004. It was later acquired by the Madison County Development Council in 2007.
Vickers proposed a three-year strategic business plan which included a NAPA Auto and Truck Parts store, a Penske Truck Rental Center, and an Enterprise Rental Center for travelers and local residents. Vickers also conveyed plans to build an automotive and diesel repair center, specializing in RVs and heavy-duty trucks.
Madison County is Ann Vickers' hometown. She is the CEO of Charles River CFO, Inc., a professional services firm in Boston, Ma., and is a Certified Public Accountant in both Florida and Massachusetts. She is the President of Certified Service Center, Inc. which was incorporated on Jan. 1, 2017, in preparation for the new facility. Other officers include: Jennifer Harper, who serves as Vice President and Chief Financial Officer; Vickers’ brother, Doug Vickers, who serves as Vice President of the Diesel Repair Center; and Vickers' nephew, Greg Vickers, who serves as Vice President, Operations.
Greg Vickers and Ann Vickers informed Greene Publishing, Inc. that “We are on track to meet the pre-closing requirements deadline on Saturday, March 31, 2018.”
To satisfy the pre-closing requirements, back in July of 2017, Certified Service Center, Inc. received a Letter of Commitment, indicating the approval of its loan request for the proposed new facility located on Dale Leslie Dr. The loan was approved, subject to a Small Business Association (SBA) Guarantee and all conditions contained within the SBA Authorization for the SBA Loan. This loan was turned down by Certified Service Center “because it wasn't financially prudent,” said Ann Vickers, CPA. She stated that the funding to construct the facility is now being self-funded with her own financial resources.
Construction projects of this magnitude take time, but a lot of progress has been made. Some of the accomplishments that have been made since the land was identified include developing the three-year strategic business plan to bring economic growth to Madison County on land that has not generated revenue for the County in more than a decade; development of site plans, architectural plans, and detailed architectural drawings; the bid and proposal process for project building costs; and the approved partnership with NAPA Auto and Truck Parts. In addition, all permitting has been obtained for the project.
“The Board of County Commissioners has worked brilliantly to bring economic growth to Madison County,” said Ann Vickers. “The effort to attract the big name brands like NAPA, Penske and Enterprise to the community is no small feat.”
According to Ann Vickers, there are no plans to pull out of the contract, and the officers of Certified Service Center, Inc. are proceeding with plans to begin construction as soon as the new March 31 pre-closing requirements deadline is met. They are hopeful that construction will be completed by the end of 2018.