Maxey Dell Moody Jr.

Max Moody Jr.

Max on the St. Johns River in 1982.
Born June 15, 1913
Jacksonville, Florida
Died December 3, 1987 (aged 74)
Jacksonville, Florida
Alma mater United States Naval Academy
Occupation Founder of MOBRO Marine, Inc.
CEO of M. D. Moody & Sons, Inc.
business magnate
Spouse(s) Dorothy Boyd
Children
Parent(s) Maxey Dell Moody
Ethel Moody
Relatives Sloman Moody (grandfather)
John William Pearson (great grandfather)

Maxey Dell "Max" Moody Jr. (June 15, 1913 – December 3, 1987), also known as M. D. Moody Jr., was the president and CEO of his father’s business M. D. Moody & Sons, Inc., from 1950 to 1987, and the founder of MOBRO Marine, Inc. As president and CEO he diversified and expanded M. D. Moody, firmly establishing it as a prominent business in the construction industry. His father’s business under his leadership became the oldest family-owned construction equipment distributor in the United States, and at one time the largest crane dealer in the southeast.[1] He was also a founding member of the Jacksonville Businessmens Associations, a member of St. Vincent's Medical Centers Board of Trustees and on the Board of directors for the Florida National Bank Holding Company.[2][3]

Biography

Early life

Maxey Moody Jr. was born on June 15, 1913 in Jacksonville, Florida, to Ethel and Maxey Dell Moody His mother Ethel Moody (née Müller) was born in Jacksonville who's father had immigrated to the United States from Germany in the 1870s. The same year that Max Jr. was born, his father Maxey established a construction distributor business called M. D. Moody in Jacksonville, Florida.[4] His business was titled after himself abbreviating Maxey Dell to M. D. leaving his last name intact. Max worked for his father's business and would often travel to meet customer demand of their equipment. He would also correspond with other customers on behalf of his father. Maxey attended Andrew Jackson High School in 1926 where he met Dorothy Boyd. After graduating from Andrew Jackson High School Maxey enrolled in the United States Naval Academy. While he was in the Naval Academy Dorothy was attending Florida State University and then danced on Broadway.[5] The Naval Academy had a rule that graduates could not marry until two years after graduation. Maxey decided to drop out and marry Dorothy Boyd.[6] After Max left the United States Naval Academy he went to work for the United States Army Corps of Engineers on a levee-building project around Lake Okeechobee. He decided to work for the Corps of Engineers because his father was not happy with him for dropping out of the Naval Academy. Max worked on a dredge and killed alligators to sell their hides because there was nothing else to do.[7]

Career

M. D. Moody: Incorporation and diversification

Max operating an American crane around 1968

Maxey, along with his brother Muller Pearson Moody, worked at M. D. Moody in the late 1930s where it was doing reasonably well in the construction industry. The business had become the top distributor of American Crane’s products in the United States and helped build military bases in Florida during World War II. With Maxey and Muller at M. D. Moody it then became incorporated as M. D. Moody & Sons, Inc., Maxey Moody Jr. became president of his father’s business when he died in 1949. Maxey then moved M. D. Moody from downtown Jacksonville to Philips Highway. M. D. Moody & Sons, Inc., under the leadership of Maxey began to grow exponentially by expanding with branches in Tampa and Fort Lauderdale in the 1950s.[8] By the 1970s it had diversified with several subsidiaries such as Moody Machinery Corp. and Moody Brothers.[9] While always having an interest in boating he acquired the USS SC-1332 that was once used in the United States Navy and then made it his fishing boat called the Dinky.[10]

Moody Brothers of Jacksonville

Max with the MOBRO 3001 barge in 1985

By 1960 M. D. Moody & Sons, Inc., reached unprecedented growth under Maxey. He established a new subsidiary that was to handle the marine and heavy rental fleet of M. D. Moody. In 1962 he established Moody Brothers in Green Cove Springs, Florida. Moody Brothers correlates to Max and Muller Moody as the Moody brothers and the & Sons of M. D. Moody. Max chose to have Moody Brothers in Green Cove Springs because the growth of downtown Jacksonville had no room for Moody Brothers.[11] Moody Brothers operates a fleet of over 100 barges, tugboats, and the rental of heavy marine construction equipment. By 1987 Moody Brothers became a corporate spin-off of M. D. Moody & Sons, Inc., and was incorporated as MOBRO Marine, Inc.

Later career and death

By the 1980s M. D. Moody & Sons, Inc., had become globally the 10th largest crane rental business.[12] It further diversified with two additional subsidiaries called Moody Machinery Corp. near Atlanta, Georgia and Moody Truck Center. Maxey had clearly outdone his father’s ambitions and business manner by propelling it to an unprecedented level. However, his health began to deteriorate by 1975. In 1976 Maxey had to have heart bypass surgery. Ten days later he returned to work to ensure that his business was still continuing its exponential growth. In the same year his brother Muller died in Tampa. In September 1987 his business Moody Brothers made national headlines when one of its barges called the MOBRO 4000 was carrying garbage from New York City.[13] It was turned away from three countries and seven states making everyone wonder who would take this garbage and raising more awareness about the environment. Johnny Carson also used a running gag on his show The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson of a map tracker for where the MOBRO 4000 was at.[14] When it returned to Green Cove Springs it had to be "all dolled up" according to Max Moody Jr. which was beyond its extended period of time on the high seas.[15] Three months later on December 3, 1987 Maxey’s health problems finally caught up with him and he died of a heart attack. He left behind his life's work and seven children.[16]

Legacy

Maxey's sole legacy, like his father’s, lies with the business M. D. Moody & Sons, Inc., and MOBRO Marine, Inc. His strong leadership ensured M. D. Moody & Sons, Inc., the status as the largest family-owned construction equipment distributor in the United States and the oldest road equipment distributor in Florida. His son Maxey Dell Moody III took over as President & CEO of M. D. Moody & Sons, Inc. His other son, R. Michael Moody, took over Moody Truck Center as president, and his grandson John Rowland took over as president of MOBRO Marine, Inc.

Notes

  1. ↑ Weaver, 2001, p. 159.
  2. ↑ "Great Expectations. Profile: Max Moody" (1983).
  3. ↑ "Moody, Max D. Moody Jr.". Florida Times-Union. December 6, 1987.
  4. ↑ Weaver, 2001, p. 159
  5. ↑ "Dorothy Boyd Moody". Jacksonville.com. Jacksonville.com.
  6. ↑ Mansfield, Betty (Spring 1984). "Great Expectations". Official Publication for St. Vincent's Foundation, Inc. 2 (1): 1–5.
  7. ↑ Mansfield, Betty (Spring 1984). "Great Expectations". Official Publication for St. Vincent's Foundation, Inc. 2 (1): 1–5.
  8. ↑ Gianoulis, Deborah; Smith, Lawrence (1998). Jacksonville: Reflections of Excellence. Memphis, TN: Towery Publishing, Inc. p. 225.
  9. ↑ Gianoulis, Deborah; Smith, Lawrence (1998). Jacksonville: Reflections of Excellence. Memphis, TN: Towery Publishing, Inc. p. 225.
  10. ↑ Williams, Greg (2013). World War II U.S. Navy Vessels in Private Hands: The Boats and Ships Sold. McFarland & Company, Inc. p. 256.
  11. ↑ "Keeping It in the Family - Mobro Marine's John Rowland" (PDF). stjohnsriverkeeper.org. stjohnsriverkeeper.org. Retrieved July 4, 2014.
  12. ↑ Gianoulis, Deborah; Smith, Lawrence (1998). Jacksonville: Reflections of Excellence. Memphis, TN: Towery Publishing, Inc. p. 225.
  13. ↑ Winerip, Daniel. "The Big Stories Then in the Clear Light of Now". nytimes.com. Retrieved July 2, 2014.
  14. ↑ "A Flash Point". agardenlife.com. Retrieved July 6, 2014.
  15. ↑ "JACKSONVILLE SHIPYARD SPRUCING UP GARBAGE BARGE". JOC.com. September 27, 1987. Retrieved July 4, 2014.
  16. ↑ "Great Expectations. Profile: Max Moody" (1983).

References

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