James (Jim) William Brooks grew and converted his family’s bottling business into real estate.
Jim, born in 1948, is the second of James F. and JoAnne VanderVelde Brooks’ three children. On his mother’s side, he is the great, great-grandson of Jacob Den Herder and Harmon Bosch, early Zeeland settlers. He is also the third generation of Brooks in the beverage business.
In 1934, Jim’s grandfather Phillips Brooks founded the 7up Bottling Company of West Michigan. When Jim’s father James F. became president in 1953, the 7up Bottling Company was active in 13 counties. When Jim, a graduate of Culver Military Academy (like his father), and Michigan State (BA and MBA in Food Marketing) became president in 1983, the company had a new name, more beverage lines, and covered the state.
In 1977, the year Phillips Brooks passed away, Brooks Products became the first bottler to purchase a soft drink franchisor when it acquired the international trademark rights and formula for the #2, #3, and #3 soft drink brands in Costa Rica, Mexico, and Panama respectively, flavor extract production facilities in Arizona and Mexico, and grapefruit orchards in Arizona, Texas, and Mexico. It then changed its name to Squirt and Company.