Our Story

Gilmore was founded by James (Jim) Gilmore in 1955 the old-fashioned way: With one truck and one employee. Although the company has grown considerably since its humble beginnings, Gilmore is still a family-run business, passed down through the generations to Jim’s son, Ronnie, and today by Jim’s grandsons, Jacob and Lucas. The Gilmore family (which includes our 50-employee team) continues to deliver the standard of exemplary customer service which the business was founded on over sixty-five years ago. In 2021, we renewed our commitment to our values, rebranding ourselves visually to better honor our legacy of customer service, and reaffirm our position of people-centered security.


Our People

When you choose Gilmore, you’re choosing members of your own community—local people who genuinely care about you and what’s important to you. We’re proud to have stood the test of time and to have employees who have weathered the storms—literally and figuratively—with us, some of whom have been with us for 20+ years. When Hurricane Michael ravaged the Gulf Coast and damaged our Marianna facility in 2018, we worked harder than ever, banding together to help our friends and neighbors with vital document recovery and hurricane relief efforts. If you haven’t worked with us yet, you may have seen us around town, serving the businesses that you patronize or taking part in community events. Get to know our leadership team below.

Gilmore (10 of 75)

Our Team

Lucas Gilmore, VP of Operations and Facilities 

Gilmore7605-crop-lucasFor Lucas Gilmore, nothing makes him happier than hearing from happy and impressed customers about the quality of service they received from Gilmore. Since age 11, he’s been a part of the fiber of the Gilmore family business, spending summers on pack crews and running his own moving crews as soon as he could drive. Today, he works closely with the director of operations and other Gilmore managers to ensure things run smoothly between Gilmore’s fleet of equipment and facilities. 

There is no job that Lucas would ask his team to do that he wouldn’t do himself—his employees know he’ll be right alongside them whenever duty calls. He still gets excited when he gets to spend a day out on the truck, seeing firsthand how the Gilmore service professionals work together to make customers happy. This attitude extends into the community; Lucas was a part of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwest Florida for five years and served as a NAID board member for two years. His hobbies outside of work include boating, camping, rock crawling his Jeep and spending time with his wife, 15-year-old stepson, and admittedly spoiled goldendoodle, Allie. 

 

Jacob Gilmore, VP of Purchasing and Finance

Gilmore8690-crop-jacobJacob Gilmore isn’t much for titles—and that’s part of what makes him a great leader. He’s worked almost every role at the company since starting out in the shredding and moving warehouse as a teen. After working in the records storage warehouse, he transitioned into sales and then his current position.

Jacob brings a certain approachability and care to the job that comes from a deep level of understanding what it takes to do the work, and do it at the highest level of customer service excellence that his father instilled in him many years ago. He has enjoyed seeing the company evolve, grow and flourish through his contributions—but believes he owes much of the success to the people who make up Gilmore and the loyal customers who have trusted the company time and time again.

Outside of Gilmore, Jacob enjoys hunting and fishing and the quiet life on the farm, raising registered angus cattle with his wife and twin daughters. He is the co-owner of Gizmo Angus Farm in Molino, FL, and serves as President of the Escambia County 4-H Foundation board and is a past board member of Farm Credit of Northwest Florida. 

 

Steve Surles, Director of Operations

Gilmore8850-crop-steveSteve Surles has been part of the team at Gilmore since 2007, working his way up through the company to eventually become Director of Operations. He manages and optimizes the daily operations at Gilmore, providing supervision and assistance to shredding, records and moving personnel, warehousemen and plant operations staff. Steve believes that any job worth doing is worth doing right, and in that spirit, customers and employees often see him pitching in to whatever needs doing. 

As a former small business owner, Steve knows firsthand the challenges that many of his customers at Gilmore face, and has trained his team to meet the unique needs of the people behind the businesses. He prides himself on being a fair leader who enjoys seeing his customers and employees happy. His passions outside of work include old hot rods, drag racing and all types of mechanical work, big to small. He also enjoys spending time outdoors with his wife, young son and black lab, Suzie. 

 

Steve Clopton, Director of Sales

Steve Clopton - Director of Sales

Steve Clopton is an accomplished professional with a strong commitment to his native Pensacola community. As the Director of Sales for Gilmore, Steve brings over 15 years of sales experience to his role. Born and raised in Pensacola, he possesses an intimate understanding of the local landscape and a deep dedication to its growth.

With a remarkable career spanning two decades, Steve's journey in sales has been marked by excellence. He has spent 6+ years as a Territory Manager at Gilmore, during which he has honed his expertise and gained comprehensive training in NAID / iSigma protocols. He boasts an impressive 8 years of specialization in the security sector, underscoring his commitment to ensuring the safety and trust of his clients.

Steve's impact extends beyond his professional realm, as he is a notable figure within the Pensacola business community. He has been an ambassador for both the Gulf Breeze Chamber of Commerce and the Pensacola Chamber of Commerce, contributing his insights and fostering collaborative growth. Additionally, during his 10 years as an Ambassador for The Greater Pensacola Chamber he has been recognized through his selection as a three-time "Ambassador of the Year" by The Greater Pensacola Chamber, demonstrating his steadfast commitment to promoting local business endeavors. His leadership skills were further cultivated as a graduate of the esteemed "Leadership Pensacola" program in 2018.

Dedicated to community service, Steve was a proud member of the Pensacola North Rotary club, where he has actively served for 6 years and held the position of Past President. His contributions to the Rotary club also earned him the Pensacola North “Rotarian of the Year” for 2021 – 2022.

Steve's passion for community enhancement and support is further evidenced by his involvement in various organizations. He has served on the board of directors for Crimestoppers and currently serves as a board member for the Gulf Breeze Chamber of Commerce, where he holds the role of Incoming Chair. Through his active participation, Steve remains dedicated to fostering a safer and more prosperous environment for all.

Outside of his professional and civic responsibilities, Steve finds joy in spending quality time with his family and friends. He is an avid sports enthusiast and enjoys the thrill of motorcycling. His spiritual connection is also evident through his active involvement with his church.

With 36 years of marriage to his high school sweetheart, Lisa Clopton, Steve embodies values of commitment and loyalty. He is a staunch advocate for the Sheriff's Foundation and is driven by a genuine desire to contribute to the betterment of his community and the success of small businesses.

Steve Clopton's multifaceted journey is defined by his unwavering dedication to Pensacola, his impressive sales acumen, and his steadfast commitment to community service. As Director of Sales at Gilmore, he will continue to shape the business landscape and inspire positive change in the region he calls home.

Our Services

Gilmore is the only data management company in the region that offers a single source solution for a variety of comprehensive information security services. 

 

  • Shredding Services
  • On and Off-Site Data Destruction
  • Scanning and Imaging
  • Warehousing
  • Secure Document Storage
  • Residential & Commercial Moving
  • Off-site Records Management

 

Our Mission

Gilmore was built on a strong ethical foundation with an entrepreneurial spirit. Our goal is to help our clients, fellow businesses, find solutions to their security, storage, documentation and moving challenges to enable them to focus on their day-to-day operations. We serve to eliminate the worry that comes with the storage, destruction and moving of confidential and important files and records.

The Gilmore team commits each day to remain true to our founding tenets—genuine care and concern for people: employees, customers, and our community.

We live each day with an unyielding dedication to bring to life our mission:

  • To grow as a customer-focused and employee-centered company
  • To treat everyone we serve the way we would want our family treated.
  • To bring the very best of ourselves to each customer and colleague, every day.

At Gilmore, our business is our family, and we would like to have you join us as a part of our extended family where you’ll experience a people and service first commitment.

Listen to more about Gilmore's story in the Gulf Coast Business Advocate podcast below.