Ex-Con, Livermore's Vericool Founder, Gets 'Business Of Year' Nod

LIVERMORE, CA — Livermore-based Vericool has been named as the California Senate 7th District’s "Small Business of the Year," it was announced Wednesday. Senator Steve Glazer (D-Contra Costa), who represents the district that includes the Tri-Valley, made the selection. Started in 2015 by founder Darrell Jobe, the company delivers sustainable coolers made from renewable and post-consumer materials and compostable insulation.

While Vericool is a very interesting company, Jobe is equally intriguing. Raised in Richmond, he dropped out of school in the 8th grade, joined a gang and was incarcerated at age 14 for stealing cars and later for possession of a stolen handgun. He was in and out of trouble during most of his younger years, but by age 23 he wanted to turn his life around and be a better dad to his kids than his absentee father had been to him.

Eventually he found work, landing a job in the packaging industry. That gig turned out to be crucial, because it led him down the path to creating Vericool. In building the company, the now 40-something-Jobe works to give former convicts second chances—a quarter of Vericool’s approximately 45 employees have served time.

Giving people a new lease on life has proven to be a successful business strategy. Over its four-year history, Vericool has announced partnerships with several companies, including a multiyear, multimillion-dollar deal with Pleasanton-based Proof Smart Food Inc.

“This is really a great product that does its part in protecting California’s environment,” Glazer said. “And Darrell Jobe has shown that people who have had a tough upbringing can succeed with innovative ideas, perseverance and a buy-in to the American Dream. Congratulations to Darrell Jobe and the company he founded, Vericool!”