J. Kenneth Cooper

J. KENNETH COOPER

FOUNDER

"It was always important to me that Cooper Steel be a family company. We worked hard from the beginning to build it that way. When you're with Cooper, you're with family."

James Kenneth Cooper was born in Bedford County, Tennessee on October 7, 1932. At the age of five, he suffered an 85% hearing loss from surgery to remove tonsils and adenoids. He attended schools in Bedford County. As a result of his hearing disability and very little help for the hearing impaired, he quit school in the tenth grade.

He began to work summer jobs at the age of twelve, including a rock crusher. When he turned 18, he got a job at the Florence Stove Company in Lewisburg and worked there until an economic downturn resulted in his layoff in 1957. That setback turned into great opportunity when he enrolled in and completed the welding curriculum at the very reputable Nashville Auto Diesel College. This educational achievement lead to a job at the Uniroyal plant in Shelbyville and a fateful moonlighting opportunity.

Specifically, the shift at Uniroyal was from 6:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m., so he bought a truck and welding machine and started a moonlighting welding business that he worked afternoons, evenings, and weekends. In 1960, he gave up his "day job" and opened Cooper Steel (then called Cooper Welding and Steel Erection). He has served as President throughout its history. In 1988 he was in a car accident that broke his back. After healing from the accident he oversaw the erection part of the business until the mid 90's when he reduced his hours to part-time. If you go to the plant today, you will still see him around looking for improvements to processes and quality of the product because he still has the same passion for the steel business. Without James Kenneth Cooper, there is no Cooper Steel.

He married the former Faye Waggoner in 1952, and they celebrated 60 years of marriage in March of 2012. He has two sons, Barry and Gary. Barry served as the company’s CFO for nearly 30 years before retiring in early 2017 and Gary is Cooper Steel’s acting CEO and Chairman of the Board. He also has six grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. He remains active at his church and in various food distribution programs and other benevolent activities in Shelbyville and Bedford County.
Share by: