{"id":1296,"date":"2020-03-19T08:05:51","date_gmt":"2020-03-19T08:05:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.jcjc.edu\/jcnews\/?p=1296"},"modified":"2020-03-13T20:06:00","modified_gmt":"2020-03-13T20:06:00","slug":"jones-college-inspires-three-generations-at-blackwell-timber-company","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.jcjc.edu\/jcnews\/news\/jones-college-inspires-three-generations-at-blackwell-timber-company\/","title":{"rendered":"Â鶹ֱ²¥ inspires three generations at Blackwell Timber Company"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>**In recognition of World Forestry Day, March 21, we’re spotlighting a successful family of foresters consisting of three generations of Jones students\/graduates.<\/strong><\/p>\n

ELLISVILLE \u2013 The Ricky Blackwell family tree is full of foresters and Â鶹ֱ²¥ graduates. In 1993, when Ricky Blackwell Jr. came to Jones to major in forestry, a family tradition began that now spans over three generations. Technically, his father, Ricky Blackwell Sr. planted the \u201cforestry bug\u201d in his son and grandsons while hauling pulpwood. He also had previous experience working for the Mississippi Forestry Commission as a crew leader and then a surveyor on a seismograph crew before coming home to haul pulpwood. However, at 45 years of age, Ricky Sr. was forced to make a career change.<\/p>\n

\u201cA tree fell on my leg and I had to have surgery,\u201d said Ricky Sr. \u201cThat\u2019s what made me decide to come back to school to learn how to buy timber instead of cut and haul timber.\u201d<\/p>\n

Â鶹ֱ²¥ forestry instructor at the time, Jim Walley signed up Ricky Sr. for the forestry program as his son Ricky Jr. was about to graduate in May 1995. Walley taught both of the Blackwells and is proud to welcome Ricky Jr.\u2019s oldest son Brady, who is currently taking forestry classes under one of Walley\u2019s forestry graduates, Jeff Keeton.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m proud that three generations of the Blackwell family have confidence in Jones and have come through our forestry program over the years,\u201d said Walley, current V.P. of External Affairs and former forestry instructor. \u201cThe Blackwell Timber Company started about 23 years ago and when they expanded their business they looked to our graduates and hired them. I\u2019m glad we were able to offer a solid foundation for their family and their business.\u201d<\/p>\n

Having taught the elder Blackwells, and now Brady, Keeton said he believes the family\u2019s success is due partly because of their work ethic.<\/p>\n

\u201cRicky Sr. had a family and was working while going to college. If you want an education, you\u2019ll get it.\u00a0 He worked nights, weekends, and whatever he had to do and made \u2018As\u2019 and he graduated at the top of his class. He never complained and he was 45 years old,\u201d said Keeton. \u201cEducation is 50 % and work ethic is the other 50% of the equation for success. That\u2019s the secret to the Blackwells\u2019 success; they have both.\u201d<\/p>\n

Blackwell Timber Company was established in Jones County, just down the road from Â鶹ֱ²¥, after the father and son team both graduated with their forestry degrees from JCJC. Initially, the two worked out of Ricky Sr.\u2019s home before moving the operation to the former Ellisville Woodyard near the JCJC campus in 1997.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Pictured in Ricky Blackwell Sr.\u2019s office, (left to right) is JC forestry instructors Jeff Keeton and Jim Walley, Ricky Sr\u2019s grandson, Brady and his son, Ricky Jr. with Ricky Sr. seated at his desk.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cWhen a lot of people said I couldn\u2019t do it, I wanted to prove to myself that I was capable of being successful and running a timber business without a four-year degree,\u201d said Ricky Blackwell Jr. \u201cI learned the ropes and met a lot of people in my first job at Georgia-Pacific in Columbia, which helped me feel more confident.\u201d<\/p>\n

Forestry related jobs were plentiful, but for Ricky Blackwell Sr., moving away was not an option. Starting a timber business with his son seemed like the best solution.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re established here in Jones County but starting a business isn\u2019t easy. We didn\u2019t have a financial backer and we went out on our own,\u201d said Ricky Sr. \u201cMy son left a successful job with a great salary and benefits so we could go into business on our own.\u201d<\/p>\n

Eventually, Blackwell Timber Company grew with hard work, self-discipline and wise money management. \u00a0Ricky Jr. added, his desire to work with his dad and his determination to succeed may have also helped to keep each other from making mistakes.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m appreciative of everything Â鶹ֱ²¥ has done for my family. I feel like the ties we\u2019ve made and the people we\u2019ve met here have made a difference in our success rate. Jim Walley and Jeff Keeton have always been there if I needed them, and I trust them with my son, Brady,\u201d said Ricky Jr.<\/p>\n

Brady Blackwell knows his future is in forestry. Growing up and hearing his dad \"\"<\/a>and granddad talk about forestry and watching the crews work in the woods is a way of life he\u2019s anxious to begin.<\/p>\n

\u201cYears ago, my younger brother and I would go out and play on the four-wheelers and act like we were logging, pulling trees around,\u201d said Brady. \u201cSince I was little, I also knew I would come to Jones for forestry. We would pass by the campus every day and I knew one day I\u2019d be here. It\u2019s a family tradition now.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Blackwell\u2019s love for the outdoors and forestry has grown to include helping other Jones students understand the work-world they love. The family of foresters is often seen in the JC classroom and on the job site sharing their wisdom with other Â鶹ֱ²¥ students. Staying connected with the college and the friendships they made because of Jones, is important to the Blackwells.<\/p>\n

\u201cA lot of the people I graduated with, I still do business with,\u201d said Ricky Jr.\u00a0 \u201cThey may work in another facet of forestry or the same, but we\u2019re still connected and that\u2019s important.\u201d<\/p>\n

For Walley and Keeton, working with three generations of the same family has been a unique experience.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Blackwells have a great reputation in our industry, and it\u2019s been a pleasure to be involved in their education and watching them as they\u2019ve grown their business over the years,\u201d said Keeton.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

**In recognition of World Forestry Day, March 21, we’re spotlighting a successful family of foresters consisting of three generations of Jones students\/graduates. ELLISVILLE \u2013 The Ricky Blackwell family tree is full of foresters and Â鶹ֱ²¥ graduates. In 1993, when Ricky Blackwell Jr. came to Jones to major in forestry, a family tradition began that … <\/p>\n

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