Florida land and agribusiness CEO plans retirement

Lykes Bros. Inc. is searching for a new CEO as President and CEO Johnnie P. James Jr. prepares to retire after more than seven years leading the Tampa-based agribusiness.

James, who also serves on the company’s board, will remain in his current role until a successor is appointed, the company announced Wednesday. Lykes has hired executive search and leadership consulting firm The Goodwin Group to conduct the search alongside its board.

James will also work with the board and leadership team during the transition, the company says.

James joined Lykes Bros.’ board as an independent director in 2018 and became president and CEO in July 2019. He leads a sixth-generation family business whose operations span cattle ranching, citrus, farming, forestry, recreational hunting and land and water resource management.

Founded in 1900 by Dr. Howell Tyson Lykes and his seven sons, the company grew from a 500-acre cattle operation near Brooksville into an enterprise managing more than 610,000 acres in Florida and Texas, the release says. 

Its Florida ranch encompasses about 339,000 acres, primarily in Glades and Highlands counties, with additional land in Polk County. Its holdings also include the roughly 272,000-acre O2 Ranch in West Texas, according to the company’s website.

“Johnnie’s leadership has made a great positive lasting impact on Lykes,” board Chair Christopher M. Carrere says in the statement. “He brought a unique combination of business acumen, strategic thinking and deep appreciation for our company’s heritage.”

Lykes’ business extends beyond agricultural production to projects that use its land to store and treat water. The company partners with the South Florida Water Management District on three projects — Brighton Valley, West Waterhole and Nicodemus Slough — aimed at improving water quality and managing water levels in the Lake Okeechobee watershed, according to its website.

Before taking the top job at Lykes, James held leadership positions in accounting, transportation and wealth management, the release says. He was a tax partner at KPMG and RSM, advising large family-owned agricultural businesses throughout the Southeast. His executive roles included president of Resource Consulting Group; COO of Lake Wales-based Oakley Transport Group; and Eastern Region leader for RSM McGladrey.

“It has been an honor to lead Lykes and work alongside an extraordinary board, leadership team and employees who care deeply about this company and its future,” James says in the statement.