Meet the Virginia Beach Independent Agent – Jessie Booker
With a dozen years of experience in the Mercer network, Agent Jessie Booker now runs the JVB agency in Virginia Beach, VA and is loving it. She’s been an agent with Mercer for over 3 years now and enjoys working with both Mercer drivers and her friends back at headquarters in Louisville, KY. Let’s get to know a little more about our new agent Jessie and the JVB agency.
Twelve Years with Mercer Transportation
Born in Louisville, Jessie Booker grew up in Lagrange, KY. She was the youngest of 6 siblings and continued her education through college. During college she started looking for a job that would challenge her, with a company she could grow with. Enter Mercer Transportation. Booker’s first six years at Mercer were spent as a load coordinator at Mercertown HQ, taking care of drivers, booking loads, and getting to know the different agents. Booker said that after a few years, “I felt I’d gotten as good as I was going to get in that position, and I wanted to grow more.” Moving from load coordinator to LK2 meant professional growth and travel opportunities.
Eventually, there were rumors about an agent position opening up. Lynn Nelson, the previous agent in Virginia Beach, wanted to retire, and was looking for another woman to take her place. Jessie Booker reached out about the opportunity, even though it meant moving away from friends and family, and worked out a deal to take over the agency. “I definitely miss all my friends, my people there in Louisville at the home office,” Booker said, “But this was just an amazing opportunity that I couldn’t pass up.”
Unfortunately, the move from Louisville to Virginia Beach came right at the beginning of the pandemic. Booker said, “I moved to VA and worked with Lynn for about 4 months, to learn the ropes, the customers, get through UPS season, Covid and such. That was quite the year!”
The Virginia Beach Agency
The two-person team at JVB now consists of Agent Jessie Booker and Angie Close. A native of Virginia Beach, Angie Close worked with Lynn before Booker’s arrival. Angie has been with Mercer for about 15 years.
The JVB office is located near the surprisingly scenic Mount Trashmore. Don’t let the name fool you, this landfill converted into a park now has hills, lakes and is beautiful. Jessie said, “People fly their kites there, fish, skate, and feed the ducks. We feed the ducks every morning here, right outside our office.”
Business-wise, Booker gives credit to Ron McCreary, International Business Development – Port Operations at Mercer, for helping expand JVB’s opportunities in the Port of Virginia. McCreary recently landed a bid for a new project with Toyota, carrying loads arriving at the port. Although the exact start date depends on the port, Booker said, “we are going to need like 7-10 trucks a day starting in August of 2024.”
The Mercer Transportation Difference
Reliable drivers make it easier for JVB to serve the Newport News Shipyard and the 59 military bases nearby. The Mercer network is its own selling point, as Booker said, “The customers really like Mercer. They like this office, how we communicate, etc. It’s pretty big.”
After taking over the JVB office, Jessie Booker still feels supported by friends back in Mercertown. “I can call Tyler Johnston, a manager…Robbie?, John Fallot, etc. and they are just THERE. They helped me get a sales rep, they helped me figure out my move here, they’ve helped me grow in every way possible.” For all that, she is extremely appreciative.
OceanGate Search and Rescue Response
One JVB customer is a Navy contractor who responds to maritime disasters. In the summer of 2023, a trailer was loaded with emergency dive equipment for the OceanGate submersible accident. Initially, they called JVB to get a pair of trucks ready for a transport to Canada. Jessie recalled, “they found out they needed it quicker, so they had us take the equipment to JFK Airport, load it on a plane, and they ended up flying it to Nova Scotia.”
News stories at the time covered the speed of the search and rescue response. Co-founder and chair of Horizon Maritime Services, Sean Leet said, “I’ve never seen equipment of that nature move that quickly.” Leet added, “The response from the U.S. Coast Guard, the U.S. Military, folks at the airport, the people here, and the various companies who were involved in the mobilization of that equipment…it was done flawlessly.”
The Baltimore Bridge Collapse
The same contractor responded with emergency dive equipment to the Baltimore Bridge collapse. Jessie Booker said, “our contact called and put us on alert…just be ready, I’m going to be calling you and needing a truck.” Without knowing when the actual call might come through, Booker relied on her contacts with local drivers. She said, “Mercer has some really reliable drivers in our area so when there is urgency like with these, I have a few I know I can count on. We are always looking for more like them!”
Both drivers and agencies play an important role in serving shippers, especially in situations like this where a high quality of service is a must on such high priority loads. One of Mercer’s General Managers, John Fallot said, “Sometimes what we do may not seem that important. Hats off to Jesse Booker (JVB) for covering a load that many people were depending on. Well done, Jesse!!” Ron McCreary said, “Great Job, Jessie!!!!”
Remembering Family Time
When Booker first started as a load coordinator, one of the perks was living closer to Lo uisville family. Now she’s 667 miles away. Running a two-person agency, it’s hard to travel back home to see nieces and nephews. Booker said, “I want to be here and help cover freight, book freight, and help these drivers move.” Her mother will visit Viginia Beach in a couple of weeks, and Jessie made it home to watch the Superbowl with her father.
As the youngest of 6 kids, Booker has about 15 nieces and 6 nephews. Without kids of her own, Jessie enjoys being the “favorite aunt” and “a dog mom”. Her husband of 12 years moved from Audubon Hospital in Louisville to work at Norfolk General in VA. The couple enjoys exploring Virginia Beach on electric scooters and going to the beach during the short summer months.
Whether it’s competing for new contracts or responding to emergencies, Jessie wants the Mercer drivers to know that they are the ones that make it all possible. Agents like Jessie Booker work around the clock to make those connections, but it’s the drivers who take care of our customers by moving every load safely.
For more stories like this one, make sure to visit our blog to learn more about Mercer Transportation.