Where it all began.
James Harper
Founder
1916 - 2013
Our Proud History
In 1946, after serving four years in the U.S. Navy during WWII, James Harper, joined by his brother, Olin, and cousin, Ernest, pooled the little money they had and started the first butane (propane) retail gas and appliance business in Jesup, GA, “Service Gas and Electric Company,” the 13th LP gas dealer in the state. Fresh out of the Navy, James went to New York City and Chicago, buying every gas heater, water heater and range he could find and shipped them back to Jesup.
Jodi Ammons
President
2013 - Present
Growth & Success
On the same trip, he called on manufacturers and was able to get an allocation of appliances. This gave the Harpers about 10 times more gas appliances than their competitors; so with a long list of anxious buyers, growth was easy. With the success of the Jesup store, the Harpers opened a second store in Baxley, GA. Later, they acquired LPG companies in Waycross, Kingsland, Glennville, GA.
Over the next 10 years Harper started several other retail propane companies, and in 1955 he established Southern Propane Company and grew it from little more than a dream to a conglomerate of 34 retail propane outlets in Georgia and Florida. Southern Propane employed over 280 and provided propane and gas appliances to thousands of customers throughout the Southeast. By the time he was 40 years old, James served as president of 27 corporations, all in the propane gas sales industry.
Expansion to Wholesale
Through these years, James built strong, lasting relationships across the industry and, in 1973, established Harper Industries, Inc. as a wholesale supplier of propane.
While the retail side of the business evolved through mergers and acquisitions, Harper Industries, Inc. has remained proudly family-owned and operated.
Since 2013, the company has been led by James Harper’s granddaughter, Jodi Ammons.
“Harper takes pride in being a small business,” Jodi Explains. “Our success comes from the strong relationships we build with our customers and our ability to make decisions quickly to meet their needs.”
The Tradition Continues
Today, Harper Industries is poised to be a Southeast industry leader in propane supply, combining decades of experience with a forward-looking approach to service and growth. The company has expanded its team to include dynamic outside sales professionals serving customers across eight states —while still maintaining its home office in the same original location in Jesup, GA where it all began.
At the end of the day, it’s all about people and relationships at Harper Industries. We believe in win-win partnerships, doing business with integrity, and treating others the way we want to be treated. The Golden Rule isn’t just good business—it’s how we try to live and lead every day.
Nearly eight decades later, the values that built Harper Industries—hard work, integrity, and relationships—continue to guide everything we do as we look toward the future.