Charles B. Jimerson is committed to building a strong association of construction professionals.
Charlie, as he is known to his friends and fellow members at NEFBA, is founder of the predecessor firm to Jimerson & Cobb, P.A., the business litigation practice he continues to lead with Christopher Cobb.
“It’s easy to join a trade association such as NEFBA when the economy is strong, but membership is even more important now,” Jimerson said. “Members typically have more time to devote to the association during downturns. More members and their extra effort will help lead the industry back to a position of strength.”
That can-do attitude was shaped early in Jimerson’s life. As a teenager, he left a troubled home situation before high school graduation. That was the beginning of a lifelong commitment to improve his own life and the lives of others along the way.
Working at odd jobs to support himself, he graduated from Venice (Fla.) High School and then joined the Air Force. He continued his education attending schools near the bases where he was stationed and earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration, graduating summa cum laude from Campbell University while stationed at nearby Fort Bragg in North Carolina.
“And, then I was able to realize my dream of attending the University of Florida,” he said. “I had always wanted to be a Gator.”
It was while attending law school there that Jimerson met his wife, Ashley. But they didn’t meet in Gainesville.
“I was in London participating in a legal consortium, and Ashley was there with another group of students. We were both attending school at the University of Florida, but we didn’t know each other,” he said. “We met when one of my friends met one of her friends.”
They visited the British Museum on their first date. And, a few years later, they returned to that museum for a private after-hours dinner — that’s when Jimerson proposed.
He was offered a job in Jacksonville upon graduation from law school and since has formed his own firm with Cobb.
Even with his heavy work schedule and family responsibilities, he believes in making time to invest in NEFBA committees and projects. He is involved in energizing the membership drive. He’s also involved in government affairs and the Political Action Committee.
“I believe it is incumbent upon those of us in construction and real estate businesses to be plugged in with the industries we serve,” he said. “We need to know and understand the issues from economic and political points of view.”
He says NEFBA also provides advocacy in legislative matters and an opportunity for informal friendships that strengthen common ground and purpose.
“Our firm offers continuing education through NEFBA as one way to give back to the association and its members,” he said. “Many members need classes for certification, and we are able to provide classes in legal issues related to the industry, such as construction lien and bond law, asset protection, environmental regulations and real estate law, for example.”