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LAPLACE — Quincy Jackson of LaPlace got into the carrier business 25 years ago as an independent contractor throwing newspapers for the Times-Picayune.

Today, she is the only Black female warehouse owner in Louisiana, and Jackson Carrier Services LLC is continuing to soar to new heights under her leadership.

The business currently operates out of a 15,000 square foot warehouse on Industry Road in Kenner, though Jackson plans to return to St. John the Baptist Parish to invest her tax dollars in the community she calls home.

Jackson and her team make more than 300 deliveries a day throughout Louisiana and Mississippi. Packages of all sizes from Home Depot, Lowes, Ashley Furniture, Wayfair and almost every other big box brand imaginable come through Jackson’s warehouse before arriving on a customer’s doorstep.

As a warehousing company and a medical courier service, Jackson Carrier Services also transports critical medical equipment to area hospitals and is equipped to make home deliveries of pharmacy items. The homegrown business continues to serve the St. John Parish School System with monthly deliveries of food products.

Employees are cross-trained in all areas, and even Jackson can be found lifting boxes, operating the forklift and driving the box truck.

“Everybody is important. Just because I’m the CEO of JCS, that doesn’t mean I can’t clean toilets. I want all my employees to know they are part of the reason why JCS is successful. I let them know what they bring to the table every day,” Jackson said.

When it comes to her employees, Jackson is everything from a mother figure to a teacher and an emergency contact. Several employees were referred to her when they needed a second chance at finding gainful employment after battling with drugs.

“We have a lot of young, Black men from St. John Parish who have been in the system. We are teaching them how to make a living the right way, outside of the system. I believe in giving a man a fishing pole and the lessons to fish, and he will be able to eat for the rest of his life,” Jackson said.
According to Jackson, working for JCS requires self-control, problem-solving and excellent customer service skills. Using her business degree, she is able to teach her employees how to handle their finances.

“I want them to be able to move onto something greater. I want them to think outside of the box and have an employer mindset,” she said.

Gregory Richardson is among the JCS employees who is grateful to have a second chance.

“I went through some things in life and self-medicated. I was honest with Ms. Q and let her know that I didn’t want to be driving like that in the trucks,” Richardson said. “I had a few more job offers once I finished treatment, but hands down, I wanted to come back here. It’s a comfortable environment. She’s a good boss. She’s very understanding and she’s very dedicated, especially to the community.”

Kristian Manuel was referred to Jackson Carrier Services by Richardson while in the treatment center. Since then, JCS has been a safe place for him to find his footing and move forward in life.

Roger Boyd considers his career at JCS to be fulfilling, especially since the opportunity is greater than what he had before.
“I love it. The responsibility is more than what I had, and it’s great working for Ms. Q. It’s a steady job that I can come to every day where I am appreciated,” Boyd said.

Jackson is also a devout Christian, and it’s important to her that her actions in the workplace are centered around God.

“People don’t care how much you say you love them or if you go to church every day. People want to see the life you live. There’s got to be something different here at JCS with how we treat people,” she said.

Jackson Carrier Services regularly gives back to the community. When excess pallets of bottled water arrived at the warehouse, Jackson instructed her team to take two cases a day and donate it to senior citizens in need. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the company transported meals to Claiborne to feed the homeless.

Jackson is a member of the Customized Logistics and Delivery Association and the Express Carriers Association. She has been embraced in the industry as a woman of color and a female warehouse owner in a male dominated field.

“I love to meet people, and I love just knowing that I am meeting a person’s need with a delivery. This has been a beautiful ride,” Jackson said.

Jackson Carrier Services is open seven days a week. For more information, call 985-248-5844.