Celebrates 70 Years of Business By Emily Pazel
Tammy Johns Photography
There are many things that attribute to making a company successful—pursuing a mission, employing a great team and retaining talent, focusing on customers and exceeding their expectations and even adapting to new technology in this ever-changing society. For decades, Odom, Moses & Company, LLP has climbed the latter of success and continues to go above and beyond for their clients and community as they celebrate 70 years of business. Odom, Moses & Company, a certified public accounting and financial advisory brokerage firm, planted its roots in Lake City on June 1, 1951, in the People’s Hardware Building on Marion Street in downtown Lake City. When the firm first began, it was originally called Darby, Darby and Odom, which was named after the founding partner, Drakon B. “Hayes” Odom, and his two initial partners, C. Dwight Darby and Richard E. Darby. Ralph Abrahamsen, LeRoy T. Knapp and Fredrick E. Fisher were added as partners later that same decade. In the following years, James Lackey, Earl Gause, Philip J. Moses, Jr. and G. David Brewer were admitted as partners.
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“When I was offered the job in August of 1972, the company at the time was named Darby, Darby, and Odom,” says Philip J. Moses, Jr., Managing Partner of Odom, Moses & Company. “The firm was very prestigious and well respected throughout North Florida. In the beginning, we served many business clients in the Lake City and Live Oak area as well as performed the audit for the University of Florida.” Philip explains that Columbia County, at the time, was a very small community and began to grow when the two interstates began to attract more business to the area. Many of the businesses during this generation were owned by World War II Veterans that had come home to start their businesses and firms. “These men and women were of high moral character and worked very hard to provide for their families,” Philip says. “I believe they established the foundation and integrity that has made Lake City a desirable place for us to live.” In 1980, the firm was reorganized and renamed to Odom, Moses & Company and continued as a certified public accounting firm until the business
