Jay Cox Celebrates 40 Years With Acme Brick

Words: Anonymous Anonymous

September 26, 2017 — Jay Cox has reached a milestone that few individuals ever do with one company. He has now served Acme Brick for 40 years.

Jay Cox
Jay Cox has been with Acme Brick for 40 years.

Cox was hired by Bob Marks and Harrold Melton in June 1977 as a management trainee. In 1977, he assumed the sales representative position for the Southwest territory at Oklahoma City Sales. In the summer of 1979, he was promoted to the district sales manager position at Oklahoma City. Cox held that position until 1991, when he replaced Bob Marks as the regional sales manager for Acme’s Midwest region.

Bill Lemond, Acme’s senior vice president of sales, said, “Jay is a recognized leader and authority on masonry throughout our Midwest region of Oklahoma, Kansas and Colorado. He has been deeply involved in major projects in this area for four decades. Some of these include Bricktown in Oklahoma City as well as campus development at OU and OSU and other universities.”

Bruce Cargill, district sales manager of Acme’s Tulsa office, has worked closely with Cox for many years. He commented, “My dad always said, ‘Whatever you choose to do in life, always strive to be the very best at what you do,’ and Jay Cox is one who truly embraces that philosophy, both in his personal work ethic and his teachings and mentoring. He sets high expectations and goals for himself and his associates, lays out the boundaries, and provides the tools where needed…then it’s up to the associate to pursue those goals and meet or exceed those expectations. Jay Cox is a competitor and expects excellence…and so the motivation and respect came easy for me.”

Acme Brick Company has many long-term employees, and the company attributes its longevity to that ability to train and keep associates.

Acme Brick Company, founded in 1891, is the nation’s largest brickmaker. Acme owns 25 brick plants and has 69 company-owned sales offices across 14 states, plus a nationwide network of independent distributors. For more information, visit www.brick.com.

What gives with head protection? Why workers want to keep their hard hats and ditch safety helmets.
April 2025

Last August, I took my pickup to the dealership for a nagging check engine light. While it was being looked over, I chatted with the salesman I normally deal with, and he told me about the latest and greatest 2025 models. He told me how the twin turbo inl

Government Affairs: Bringing North Carolina to Washington, D.C. and Hopefully Young People to Your Jobsites
April 2025

For you long time members of the Mason Contractors Association of America you likely remember our Annual Washington, D.C. Fly-In where MCAA members from around the country would come to Washington, D.C. meeting with Members of Congress from their home sta

Contractor Tip of the Month: The Tough Calls That Define a Leader
April 2025

In construction, every project balances a delicate trio: coordination, precision, and timing. However, beyond blueprints and schedules, leadership demands something far greater—the ability to lead and make difficult decisions that shape the future of a co

Fechino Files: Cell Phones
April 2025

Twenty years ago, I would have never thought cell phones would be such a crazy, over-the-top item that everyone has, but I guess I should have known better. When I was a kid, the Citizen Band Radio was a crazy fad. "Breaker-breaker 19," I bet you could he