National Company Expanding into Prentiss
Published 10:33 pm Saturday, August 24, 2013
Members of the Jeff Davis County Board of Supervisors gathered for a lease signing at their Monday meeting. RAKS Fire Sprinklers will be moving into the Jeff Davis County Complex and has plans to hire 50 workers in a five-year timespan. Pictured (l to r seated) Ben Hamby, Bobby Rushing, RAKS CEO Romero Ali, (standing) John Thompson, Michael Evans, Charles Reid and Corky Holliman.
Prentiss —“God willing, RAKS will help people make money here so people can spend more money here,” states Romero Ali, Chief Executive Officer and Owner of RAKS Fire Sprinkler, LLC in preparation for expanding his national company into Jefferson Davis County.
The company will occupy the Jefferson Davis County Complex on Skating Rink Road and is expecting to employ 50 people within five years.
“This office is very excited about Raks decision to move their business to Jefferson Davis County,” said Ben Hamby, Director of the Jeff Davis County Economic Development District. “I want to thank the County Board of Supervisors for their efforts and their commitment to create jobs for the people of JDC.”
RAKS Fire Sprinkler provides design/installation & maintenance of sprinkler systems. They also offer a complete line of fire protection and life safety products and supplies. Past clients have included Old Navy, Chili’s, Tractor Supply, Winn Dixie and Family Dollar. Current and upcoming projects include Red Lobster, Jackson Mississippi Municipal Airport, New Orleans V. A. Hospital, and Fort Rucker Commissary in Alabama. Currently, RAKS Fire Sprinkler has contracts with the F.B.I., C.I.A., Army Corp of Engineers, T.S.A., and the Department of Defense.
RAKS has plans for community involvement—with an emphasis on youth. In October, RAKS will bring a National Fire Safety Awareness event to the county school district and plans are being made for a program at the county Vo-Tech.
“The potential of this partnership as far as opportunities for children are concerned is immeasurable,” said Superintendent of Education Ike Haynes.
“I have 18 years of experience in construction, having started at the age of 14 working with my grandfathers. One was a master carpenter in the Seattle, Washington area who taught me the importance of cleanliness and safety while performing construction. The other grandfather was a contractor in Mississippi who taught me the importance of hard work. In 2003, I joined the military and served as an engineer with tours in Iraq and Afghanistan and learned how precious life is. In 2008, I started RAKS Fire Sprinkler which helped me to value life, safety, and hard work” says Ali.
