Lockwood Holmes, Sr.

Financially successful businesses are built every day; but great businesses—the ones with lasting effect and meaningful impact—are harder to find. Building those businesses is Lockwood’s passion: fueling companies that prioritize their people, equipping leaders to lead well, and creating a work environment that retains employees long-term, because they are valued as family and empowered to serve customers well.

The son of an entrepreneur in Jacksonville, FL, Lockwood grew up in the lumber industry working alongside his father, developing a work ethic that drove him to succeed. Splitting time between the University of Florida and Valdosta State University, he served as a leader in his fraternity and focused on academic excellence, earning a degree in accounting and finance. He eventually put it to work back in his father’s business, Holmes Lumber Co. 

Lockwood went on to become the top salesman in the business, began training the sales team, started overseeing operations for the company, and eventually went on to purchase the company from his father. As owner of Holmes Lumber Company, Lockwood worked to serve both his employees and customers in a meaningful way and build the largest lumber business in Northeast FL. During that time, his leadership style developed from hustler to servant leadership, seeking to serve and empower other leaders, a passion that would shape every business decision in his future.

Lockwood grew the business and eventually sold it to a national building supply company in 1999. In doing so, he created the opportunity to serve even more people through the advent of Poole Management Company, a holding and management company that endures as a family workplace—including his two sons as partners—and now is reflected through Holmes Equity.

He founded or partnered with a number of companies within the construction industry, and experienced the ups and downs of the economic downturn in the mid-2000s. But his determination and work ethic undergirded his efforts, and his companies continued to thrive and grow in the decade that followed. He continued to build and invest in highly successful, integrity-filled, faith-driven companies and is now chairman of Holmes Equity, overseeing the firm with more than a dozen portfolio companies and counting. 

Entrusted with great success in the business world, Lockwood’s passion for serving others took on a different form as steward of the resources he gained, and his attention turned back toward the people of his church and city, based in Jacksonville. He’s building a legacy that’s not really about companies but about his approach to people. He raises up leaders. He has also counted it a privilege to support hundreds of ministries and nonprofits in the area, sitting in leadership on the board of several over the years. And he raised his two sons, Lockwood, Jr. and Austin, to serve with the same passion and commitment to excellence and service.  

But ask Lockwood a question about what he does and I doubt you’ll hear much about those businesses, at least, not right off the bat. Instead, he’ll tell you about the incredible things his wife and best friend, Tricia, has accomplished, having pursued a Master’s Degree in Biblical Counseling and serving many in need. Or he’ll tell you about the mission and ministry work and successful business ventures of his two sons. Or he might tell you one of many, many stories regarding leaders he’s had the privilege of mentoring. Or he’ll tell you of the opportunity he has had to invest in others as a Bible Study Fellowship leader.

No matter the purpose of the conversation, you’ll undoubtedly hear about his Lord. He’ll regale you with tales of how Christ saved him and gave him the opportunity to serve others. And when he does enter into conversations about his business successes, he’ll quickly remind you how and why his business success was birthed—when he decided to follow Christ’s example to serve others and aligned his businesses with that practice. 

That is how Holmes Equity and every partner company is directed; and that is how Lockwood is building generational companies with strong roots and an unstoppable work ethic that will serve others well into the future.