Mike Demont is the president of Suddath Relocation Systems. He was promoted to that position in June.
WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS AS PRESIDENT OF THE SUDDATH RELOCATION SYSTEMS?
“My primary goal is to continue in the efficient growth of our core business as it relates to household good moving, office moving, warehouse services and asset management,” said Demont. “We’re also engaged in a controlled expansion into existing and new markets by diversifying our services as they relate to our current asset and knowledge base.
“I’m fortunate to stand on the tall and broad shoulders that built this company— Quinn Bell, Barry Vaughn and the Suddath family.”
Demont also heads the company’s Risk Management department.
WHERE HE STARTED
Demont began his career as an attorney with Smith, Hulsey & Busey. He was a partner in the law firm of Kirschner, Main, Graham, Tanner & Demont, which has since merged with Holland & Knight.
The group represented Suddath, and Demont acted as their primary outside counsel for 12 years.
“Then Barry Vaughn, the current CEO of the holding company, asked me to consider leaving my law practice and getting into executive management of one of the Suddath Company subsidiaries,” said Demont. “I was happy practicing law, but I knew the company to be a leader in its industry, financially sound and, most importantly, I thought the company possessed executive leadership of a caliber that equaled or bettered any that I had seen in any institution or company that I represented.
“I was 40 at the time, and I thought, ‘What an opportunity to get into something totally different.’”
NEXT STEPS
In 1996, Demont joined Suddath as vice president of operations for its Mayflower subsidiary known as American Heritage Relocation Systems. He was promoted to CEO of Suddath’s record storage company, Data Storage Centers.
“The record storage centers had operations in 14 different sites throughout the U.S.,” said Demont. “My mission was to clean up any contingent liabilities, grow revenue and poise the company for sale to Iron Mountain, which we did in May of 2000.
“I was then promoted to Senior Vice President of Operations for the core subsidiary known as Suddath Relocation Systems. We operate 16 branch offices around the country plus an additional business area known as Suddath Logistics Group.”
EDUCATION
Demont earned his first undergraduate degree in zoology and chemistry at the University of Florida. He was on his way to being a marine biologist and had enrolled as a master’s student, but the bleak job prospects changed his mind.
He moved back home, to Tallahassee, and worked for his father’s insurance agency while he earned a second degree in government at Florida State University.
He made up his mind to go to law school, and went back to UF.
DOES SUDDATH HAVE A COMMITMENT TO SEEING DOWNTOWN GROW?
“As a company, we’re conscious of the fact that we want to see downtown grow,” he said. “We’re excited about residences in the area, and we’ll do what we can as part of a business community to support the revitalization effort.”
The company is hosting the Downtown Council’s Corporate Art Tour on Nov. 13.
WORDS TO LIVE BY
Always be complete, honest and accurate in all that you say and do.
“I learned these words from my father,” said Demont. “And with them you can’t go wrong.
“I’d like to instill this in everyone at our company. Our reputations rest on the men and women moving furniture and driving the truck, because they often make the first impression.”
ON THE ROAD
With 16 branch offices in the Suddath company, Demont finds himself traveling a lot.
“I probably spend an average of one week a month on the road,” he said. “But I managed to coach my son’s baseball team this past spring.”
Demont and his wife, Elizabeth, have three children. They live in Ortega. Demont enjoys boating and golf.