The Jackson Drive

David Jackson is teaching his 15-year-old daughter Makenna how to demolish things. It’s the family business. You see, David is the owner of Jackson Demolition Services in Rochester, Ind. He’s been crushing it since 1998 when he graduated from high school and took over the business that his dad began in 1970. He hopes his daughter Makenna will eventually take over for him, keeping the business all in the family.

“That would be third generation with my daughter,” said Jackson. “I just want to make sure she is able and prepared to get on job sites, even if she doesn’t work with me. I want to make sure she understands the machines and how they must perform on the jobs.”

The demolition business is full of heavy equipment often operated by men. It’s not an industry where you typically see a lot of women. Makenna would like to knock down some of those walls and the stereotypes associated with demolition work.

“Ever since I was little, I’ve always loved tractors and stuff and so has my sister,” said Makenna. “I’ve always looked up to my dad and the jobs he does and the different types of jobs he does around the area. I love being here on the job sites, seeing what actually goes down. I would love to take something over that’s been in the family for years.”

“I want to make sure my daughters, being black females, have every opportunity to do whatever they want, as long as it’s positive,” said Jackson.

Jackson’s mother Beverly helps David manage the demolition business. She takes care of the accounting and administrative work so David can focus on what he loves.

“He actually has the passion for demolition and he’s good at what he does, it’s in him,” said Beverly. “He wants it all to go right and most of our work comes by word-of-mouth. When people need demolition work, they say ‘go get David, he’ll do a good job.’”

That passion has driven the business to success. Jackson Demolition Services has built a great reputation in the Rochester area, and is doing more and more work across the state, including recent jobs for the Indiana Department of Transportation.

“1st Source has been great for us, especially when it comes to getting money when you need it, “said Jackson. “They have a great department that knows and understands machines as far as equipment, heavy equipment. So, when you mention the word excavator, they know exactly what you’re talking about and they make sure you can get the job done with the right equipment. It’s also personal service. I can always get someone on the phone who knows me and is willing to talk with me.”

“We’re just so proud to have the Jacksons as customers because they represent what 1st Source embodies, giving back to the community, being a good citizen, said Community Banking Region Sales Manager Mindy Overmyer. “They’re pretty amazing people.”

The Jacksons are a family of entrepreneurs. David has two sisters who both started businesses of their own. 1st Source Bank has been there with them, in what could be described as a long and happy marriage. It’s personal. It’s good communication. It’s mutual respect. It’s caring for each other.

“I think of them as family,” said Community Banking Region President Connie Lemler when talking about the Jacksons. “It’s not every day that we’re interacting, but when we do, we just pick up right where we left off. That’s what good friends and family do, that’s what it’s about. It’s the culture we’ve built at 1st Source.”