Probably said it to a family member, a prospective client, or someone that just started on your team. Johnelle Hunt is a business icon who mainly wanted to be a full-time wife and mom. But she forced herself to carry on building Johnnies dream, and it is what drives her to keep going every day. Hunt in his red pickup truck, Heber Springs, Arkansas© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas, #15: J. B. He recalls one of the speakers saying, Welcome to the J.B. Hunt family. And I thought, Family, that's a strange word." . Mrs. Hunt would be beside him for the rest of his life. I told her: Twenty-six years ago from today, I was shaking your husbands hand and today Im shaking yours. And Im probably going to cry, Weston said. The Hunt family in 1984, from left: Bryan, Johnelle, Johnnie (J.B.), and Jane. The Arkansas-based logistics giant is the 3rd largest trucking company in the country, behind only FedEx and UPS. Her father was in the poultry business and he owned trucks to deliver feed to poultry growers. B. The Arkansas-based logistics giant is the 3rd largest trucking company in the country, behind only FedEx and UPS. Then he would come to our office and tell me what certain people were doing wrong so that I would go and address it. From the time we married I did not work because he worked odd hours. B. It didnt work out that way. [9], In 2016, he was inducted into the Supply Chain Hall of Fame.[2]. But the one that was most consistent among everyone: family. And I always felt like that was the most important thing that he did for the company. Other names that Johnnie uses includes Bryan Hunt, Bryan Johnnie Hunt, Johnnie B Hunt, Johnnie C Hunt and Johnnie B J Hunt. Hunt Transport Services. Johnnie Bryan Hunt has been a part of the Business list.. On this site which analyses celebrities, Johnnie is well known as one of the top stars. I was, therefore, surprised when she said she's thinking about moving. 2008 - 2023 INTERESTING.COM, INC. Hunt; Fayetteville, Arkansas, 2006© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas, #51: Still frame from Pryor Center video interview with Johnelle and J. Number of Founded Organizations 1. five trucks and seven trailers, starting their venture as a trucking company. The foresight and willingness to take an expensive risk earned Johnnie Hunt a spot in the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals' inaugural Supply Chain Hall of Fame class. J.B. and Johnelle were married for nearly 55 years until his death in 2006. Esper is an officer at the council and has been involved with the group for 20 years. Some have been with us since the beginning. _____________________________________________. B. Together, Mr. and Mrs. Hunt, along with our first-generation leaders Wayne Garrison and Kirk Thompson, would define the values of our company, values that still ring true today: that we honor our commitments; regularly challenge ourselves and our approach in how we serve our customers; watch costs closely; and strive to treat one another as family. "A significant portion of that is because we've put trailers on the railroad.". After the graduation ceremony, Johnnie stayed around to tell her parents what he had done. "He always was thinking. Haverty also faced skepticism from his peers, though it quickly faded. Our culture is one where we care about people, we care about our employees and we care about our communities. knowledge, experience as an over the road truck driver and entrepreneurial Johnelle Hunt: One of the Original Women of Trucking, bought five tractors and seven trailers to cement his place in the trucking industry. the nation. J.B. and Johnelle Hunt on their wedding day, January 19, 1952. Johnnie Bryan Hunt Sr., a former truck driver who founded one of the nation's largest trucking companies, died Thursday, the . Hunt on their wedding day© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas, #22: It remains in operation today, still using the same machines Johnnie Hunt designed and patented. Hunt had been in critical condition at a hospital in Springdale, Ark., after hitting his head on ice in a fall Saturday. His entrepreneurial legacy lives on at our company and continues to motivate us to achieve greatness. Save $25 when you book your first LTL shipment. If so, login to add it. J.B. Hunt 360 technology helps you find the right load at the right time. Also, the J.B. and Johnelle Hunt Family Ozark Highlands Center in Springdale, Arkansas, has been established . [1][2] He lived in Fayetteville, Washington County. Johnelle Hunt agreed, saying resilience and lack of fear of failure were key to her late husband's success. He let everybody know how much he cared about them, what a good job they were doing.. It gives us financial potential but it more importantly gives our people potential, it helps us hire, it helps us retain because you come to work here like I did and you can have a career. Despite her continued involvement in many projects, including an ever-expanding real estate operation, Mrs. Hunt said her heart will always be with the former rice hull litter company in Stuttgart, Arkansas, that grew into a transportation industry leader that employs more than 32,000 people nationwide and is based in Lowell, Arkansas. Hunt; Fayetteville, Arkansas, 2006© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas, #52: Still frame from Pryor Center video interview with Johnelle and J. Hunt and Johnelle DeBusk (Hunt) (right) with their friends on Petit Jean Mountain, Arkansas© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas, #20: J. "It's not just because they think of these ideas; it's because they have a culture that encourages them. August 05, 2021 3:30 PM. It wasnt just a little quick Hi, how are you? Gender Female. One way to do that is ensuring people can bring their whole selves to work, where they feel like they are being care for personally and professionally, says Shelley Simpson, chief commercial officer and executive vice president of people and human resources. Hunt has about 10,000 trucks, 70,000 containers/trailers and 11,000 drivers, but Johnelle still goes to meet as many as she can. B. Johnnie Bryan Hunt was born on February 28, 1927, in Heber Springs, Arkansas. I'm doing other things now. It reflects the name of one of the co-founders of the company - Johnnie Bryan Hunt, equal parts truck driver and dreamer. We got up the next day, and we just kept working," Johnelle Hunt said. The industry is making progress in adding female employees, and J.B. Hunt in particular is committed to diversifying its workforce. From the Associated Press. Thinking outside the box ultimately led to one of the best decisions in the history of J.B. Hunt Transport.". Johnnie Hunt eventually did, and the family moved to Stuttgart where, in 1961, they founded J.B. Hunt Co. Their first year in business they lost $19,000. She would try to be his voice of reason, but it only inspired him to keep pushing forward. . After visiting them in Lowell in 1988, he invited Johnnie Hunt and then-President Kirk Thompson to see how it could work by riding a passenger car on a freight train from Chicago to Kansas City. Johnnie Hunt is 64 years old today because Johnnie's birthday is on 06/21/1958. May 4 Ballet Arkansas Presents "New Works" at Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts, May 6 Be a Part of the Cure Walk benefiting the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, May 7 Cirque Over Broadway presented by Arkansas Circus Arts, May 10 Equip Small Business Series: Creating a Promotional Video Script for your Business, May 12 Little Rock Hope CARE Workshop with Alzheimer's Arkansas, Enews Unsubscribe | About Us Weve learned that three core ideals drive everything we do: People you trust. Why is Frank McCourt really pushing it? It reflects the name of one of the co-founders of the company Johnnie Bryan Hunt, equal parts truck driver and dreamer. Learn more about our 60th anniversary celebration. Soon, he met Johnelle, a 16-year-old from Heber Springs. [3] He left school after the seventh grade to work at his uncle's sawmill and later found other work picking cotton and selling lumber. Lowell, Arkansas, is the company's headquarters. Weve investedmore than a billion dollarsin capacity solutions and continue toinvest in containersand trailers to better serve the needs of customers while also using some of the newest, most modern tractors available. Hunt, who inspired the J.R. Ewing character on the long-running TV series "Dallas." His eldest children, the late Margaret and H.L . Our company came from a family and that family had beliefs and a system of values that it brought to our foundation, says John Roberts, president and CEO. Born the daughter of a poultry farmer in Heber Springs in 1932 in the Great Depression, today she is worth $2.3 billion and has become one of the most successful businesswomen in American history. Want to receive more stories like this in your inbox? The son of a sharecropper, Hunt was born in Heber Springs on Feb. 28, 1927. "Many truckers and truck lines scoffed at this new operation and said we would fail. Hunt joined the Army at 18 and was recruited for officer training school. and St. Louis. Hunt began J.B. Hunt Transport Services Inc. in 1969 with five tractors and seven trailers. Over the few hours I spent interviewing Mrs. Hunt, 84, I learned a great deal about her husband, the early days of trucking in NW Arkansas and that she has an admitted weakness for shoes (as her husband had one for cowboy hats). It really does feel like a family.. Her husband died on Dec. 7, 2006, from injuries sustained in a fall six days earlier. J.B. Hunt has grown exponentially over the last 60 years, and a driving force behind this growth has always been . I would type letters to potential customers and financial statements.. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, What the work-from-home era has done to office politics, Regulators seize First Republic Bank, sell to JPMorgan Chase, First Republic up in air as regulators juggle banks fate. Today, his company is one of the largest employers in the state, with nearly 15,000 employees and a . The J.B. Hunt logo, content or images may not be used or reproduced by any means without express, written consent. The J.B. Hunt logo, content or images may not be used or reproduced by any means without express, written consent. J. Bryan Hunt Jr. is the son of Johnnie Hunt, the founder of J.B Hunt Transport. They found the best talent, shared their vision, got buy in and motivated all of their employees to execute said vision.. [7], In the 1960s, he began producing poultry litter and selling it to poultry companies in Arkansas. Johnelle recounts how she really wanted to be a full-time mother and homemaker, but Johnnie must have seen her business potential and her magical way with people. I heard from his widow and business partner Johnelle Hunt for the occasion, as well as many others from the company and industry about how intermodal happened, and why it's such a big deal. career with a company that is always finding new ways to grow, search jobs to find an opening near you, Linked companies : J.B. Hunt Transport Services, Inc. - PowerBand Solutions Inc. Summary. The couple met in Heber Springs, Arkansas. In this multi-part series, we dive into the key components driving our mission to create the most efficient transportation network in North America - thinking big and taking risks, building a talented workforce unlike any other, and offering stellar customer service. Hunt at her side© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas, #23: Friends decorating J. Our growth into a Fortune 500 company is a direct result of the hard work of the 33,000+ employees who consider J.B. Hunt more than just a place to work. They were in school, so Johnnie wanted me full time on the business. B. If there was something that the company could do better, after all, drivers would be among the first to know. To Mr. and Mrs. Hunt, employees were family. I wish I could have hugged everyone.. By completing this web form, you are agreeing that your information will be used in accordance with J.B. Hunt Transport's. Hunt with his daughter, Jane Hunt, in front of their Pontiac, 1958© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas, #26: Johnelle Hunt with her daughter, Jane, and her son, Bryan; 1959© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas, #27: J. Johnelle Terria Hunt is an American billionaire, the widow of Johnnie Bryan Hunt, and co-founder of J.B. Hunt Transport Services, the company they started in 1961. In 2015, that number was down to 8.5 percent, he said. He set up a company in Stuttgart, Arkansas County in 1961. We engineer innovative technology that accelerates our growth and is disrupting the transportation industry. Or, as Mrs. Hunt put it, Johnnie was looking through the windshield and I was always looking through the rearview.. -- the center of the universe,'" Johnelle Hunt recalled. Johnnie and I have always felt like, Be fair to the people, care about the people, Mrs. Hunt says. Through this expansive array of company-owned assets and access to additional capacity through a pool of qualified third-party carriers, J.B. Hunt offers mode-agnostic, customizable solutions to meet modern transportation needs. When Johnnie retired, he started drawing out his Social Security pension and people would say, he is so rich, he doesnt need it. But he would carry his Social Security money in an envelope in his pocket and by the end of the month he would have given it all away to people who were in need., On Oct. 13, Johnelle will be honored by the Childrens Advocacy of Central Arkansas as a Woman of Inspiration. In her typical, humble manner she says, I dont know why they chose me, there are so many more people who deserve to be honored, who have done so much more than I have, but I said that if it will help then I would do it. I mean, I've worked in a lot of companies and you hear Welcome to the company, Welcome to the team, Welcome to the organization., I've never heard Welcome to the family. And whats really interesting is I've experienced that every day since. To get a more detailed understanding of what that means, we met with several company leaders and influencers to discuss our culture, its evolution over the past 60 years, and the spirit of the people who give it life. Hunt said his most desperate time came in 1949, when the sawmill went broke, leaving him $3,600 in debt. Transportation Industry Leader. B. and Johnelle Hunt, March 9, 2006© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas, #49: Hunt family © Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas, #50: Still frame from Pryor Center video interview with Johnelle and J. As our founder, Johnnie Bryan Hunt, once said, "Today is going to be better than yesterday." . Johnelle Hunt dubbed it "our golden goose.". Johnnie passed away on December 7 2006, at age 79. Johnnie Bryan Hunt was a truck driver in Little Rock when he suggested to his wife, Johnelle, that he quit to start a new business in Stuttgart. Johnnie drove a red Ford truck with his name on the side of it and hauled livestock to his sale barn. He grew up picking cotton, says Johnelle. 2023 Five Legged Stool LLC. She had hoped to save us the journey by coming to us, but her grueling schedule wouldnt allow it. A few years after what began as a rice hull operation, J.B. Hunt purchased five trucks and seven trailers, starting their venture as a trucking company. He and Johnny Cash used to pick cotton together as kids, later on Johnny and June would come up and stay with us from time to time.. The Arkansas Business Hall of Fame inducted them as a couple in 2001. In 1969, he established a trucking company with five trucks and seven trailers as a sideline to his poultry feed business. Powered by our people, the opportunities at J.B. Hunt are endless. Johnelle Hunt throwing her wedding bouquet with J. Sign up for free today. She attended Arkansas State Teachers College in Conway before marrying Johnnie Bryan "J. And a life with Johnnie meant a life around trucks, too. Streamline your operations with smart shipping and end-to-end load management. We also bring our readers the best of Little Rock's cultural offerings, cuisine, events, party photos, and attractions, and the most comprehensive event calendar in the city. She continued as his partner in business and life until his death and afterward. And once youre hungry, youre different, he told Forbes magazine in 1992. The late Johnnie Bryan "J.B." and philanthropist Johnelle Hunt, the chairman of Hunt Ventures in Rogers, co-founded Lowell-based carrier J.B. Hunt Transport Services Inc. Jane Hunt Meade and . The Early Years. Brad Hicks, president of highway services and executive vice president, recalls one such story particularly well. [6] He married Johnelle Terria Debusk on January 19, 1952 in Heber Springs, Cleburne County. That was 42 years ago, and she has been working full time ever since. When they used to do investor "road shows" to present the company to potential shareholders, "The first thing he would say, is 'We are from Lowell, Ark. Throughout our storied history, J.B. Hunt has always been a company deeply rooted in growth and innovation. Johnnie Hunt eventually did, and the family moved to Stuttgart where, in 1961, they founded J.B. Hunt Co. Their first year in business they lost $19,000. Streamline your operations with smart shipping and end-to-end load management. He also sold the mills wood shavings to poultry farmers for ground cover in their chicken coops. And because she broke into the industry and forged her path, others could follow in her footsteps. I did shipping and generally anything that needed to be done. He had worked 45 weeks and earned $500. We have always been this way, and I learned this from my parents because they went through the Depression. Mr. Hunt always dreamed big, and Mrs. Hunt provided the Today, J.B. Hunt is an industry leader in transportation and logistics, offering Dedicated, Intermodal, Truckload and Final Mile solutions to customers in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Drivers use on-board computers to communicate with fleet managers, ending the search for telephones to find out about the next load. Thats the power of the platform. While crisscrossing the U.S. to meet with customers and drivers alike, he loved dropping into terminals and hearing directly from drivers. He grew up on a farm and learned the value of hard work at an early age. The criteria for admission? Innovative, driven, disruptive, integrity all terms we heard often with great passion. Bryan serves on the board of J.B. Hunt and also is Chairman of Global Dealer Group, a private company with operations in motor . J. Required fields are marked *. And then, he would show me how he could get out there and get it done, and he would go after it. Ignoring advice to close up shop, the Hunts kept going. He would go through and he would speak to everybody in the company before he came to his office, Mrs. Hunt recalls. Save time on shipping and get reliable service with Shipper 360. info@littlerocksoiree.com, Toll Free: (888) 322-6397 So, too, have the J.B. Hunt drivers who put in mile after mile to make sure our customers shipments get to the right place at the right time. Tired of being home alone, she made him promise one thing: "that we will never own another truck.". Let me tell you, women can get things done, Mrs. Hunt once said. To say that Johnelle was bereft would be quite an understatement. Subscribe to Soire Today! Sorry about that, she says. Johnelle Terria DeBusk Hunt was born on January 4, 1932, in Heber Springs, Cleburne County, Arkansas. Supply chain professionals who have "changed the world we live in," said Brian Hancock, a member of the council's board and chairman of the hall of fame development committee. Spoiler alert - it's been 60 years in the making. At 84, Johnelle is still the beating heart of the Hunt empire. The conversation meant so much to the employee, Hicks says. When we arrive at her Rogers home for our interview and photo shoot, she immediately apologizes for making us drive all the way to her from Little Rock. It says, If you have a crazy idea come here, theres a man thatll listen to you.. You pick up newspapers and read about a child that is being abused or hurt, and as I learned more about it I realized how much we need this organization and what great things they do. Little Rock Soire is central Arkansas' most-read monthly magazine that celebrates all that's good in Little Rock-good people, good parties, good food and good culture. The deal would have macroeconomic effects, too. Our more than 60 years in the logistics industry have taught us what keeps freight moving forward. J.B. Hunt 360 technology helps you find the right load at the right time. And she goes, You go ahead and cry. Have you taken a DNA test? or connect with us on LinkedIn. He briefly served in the army before working as a truck driver for Superior Forwarding Company. All rights reserved. More than 30,000 employees is a long way from the early days when Mr. and Mrs. Hunt worked days and nights at their rice hull processing plant in Stuttgart, Ark. today, to focus on the trucking side of the business. When Johnnie Hunt died suddenly, she came out of retirement to take the helm of his real estate development company, Hunt Ventures. Save $25 when you book your first LTL shipment. Comment * document.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id", "a78bdd01176ef76187c4fac8f0afef5b" );document.getElementById("c08a1a06c7").setAttribute( "id", "comment" ); By clicking subscribe, you are giving J.B. Hunt your express consent to receive blog updates and information about any employment or Hunt's mother, Alma Naomi Everett Hunt© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas, #4: J. His first year of operation, he lost $20,000, but eventually turned things around and made a profit, and began shipping poultry throughout the United States. A decade later, his company "J. They had two children and seven grandchildren. That consistency helps lay the path for the next generation of J.B. Hunt leaders. Last year, J.B. Hunt Transport made about $3.7 billion in revenue from its intermodal segment, comprising about 1.8 million loads and about 60 percent of its total business. He quit school at 12 to help support his family, earning $1.50 a day at his uncle's sawmill. We collect and match historical records that Ancestry users have contributed to their family trees to create each person's profile. CB Rank (Person) 528,540. Hunt, standing beside her on the driveway© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas, #45: J. B. 08. Youve heard it hundreds of times from leaders and co-workers. Streamline your operations with smart shipping and end-to-end load management. Its late founder is being inducted into the Supply Chain Hall of Fame tomorrow (alongside Henry Ford and Malcolm McLean) for his industry-changing deal with the Santa Fe Railway Company, which made intermodal transportation work for the first time. Age : 63. In each issue, Soire features Little Rock residents - through compelling stories and captivating photography - who are leading the pack in the arts, business, fashion and philanthropy. J.B. Hunt Elementary School in Springdale is named in his honor. Privacy Policy | Terms, Conditions & Notices | Comment Policy. Over the past few years, we have developed new capabilities that improve the experience of our drivers and automate efficient carrier solutions for our customers. J.B. Hunt provides a variety of freight transportation services to customers throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico. However, on arrival to Rogers Johnelle realized that the truckloads of company paperwork that had been moved from Stuttgart were in disarray and wouldn't make sense to the new team, so she decided to go in for just a few weeks to get everything organized and orient . He will be inducted alongside Henry Ford, the founder of Ford Motor Co., and Malcom McLean, the developer of the modern shipping container and a friend of Johnnie Hunt. In the following decades, as the two built the company into one of the largest and most influential transportation providers in the nation, Mr. Hunt never took his finger off the pulse of the road. opportunities in driving, technology, and office jobs, both at our corporate campus and at field locations across (At the time he was involved in close to 90 projects. "There's not anybody in the trucking or rail industries, as far as intermodalism is concerned, more deserving of a hall of fame [than J.B. Hunt]," said Haverty. With the company's growing success, he moved the base of operations to Lowell. Overview. These drivers, all of whom have driven two or more million miles accident-free, walk through the building as fellow employees cheer and high five them. Being with the drivers is one of my favorite things. He and Johnelle DuBusk were married that year and settled in Texarkana. Its just a thrill to help people, and theres a reason why people are put in front of you. Mrs. Hunt, as it turns out, was born for her role. We are working on a mining operation in Honduras, so people need me to make decisions. When I speak with Johnelle just a few weeks later, she has already sold that company. B. Johnnie Bryan Hunt Sr., a former truck driver who founded one of the nation's largest trucking companies, died Thursday, the company announced. All rights reserved. Technology that empowers. 2021. He briefly served in the army before working as a truck driver for Superior Forwarding Company. You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times. J.B. Hunt Transport Services Inc., the company it has become, last year boasted $6.2 billion in revenue, making it the fourth-largest for-hire trucking company in the country. [1][2], In the 1990s, the company grossed over $1 billion annually, employed thousands of people, and operated in Mexico and the United States. It makes me feel so great because this will always be my baby. [3] He left school after the seventh grade to work at his uncle's sawmill and later found other work picking cotton and selling lumber. © Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas, #16: Johnelle DeBusk (Hunt) and J. "The thing that I know for sure about J.B. Hunt is that they really pride themselves on being innovative," said Esper. He implemented many cost cutting efforts that allowed him to increase profits dramatically. We celebrate her on International Womens Day, and we value the contributions the women who have followed her have made within our company and the industry at large. I did all the collecting for many years because I knew we couldn't make payroll if I didn't call a person at 10:00 at home at night or I'd call a person at 5:00 in the morning, Mrs. Hunt said in an interview discussing J.B. Hunts 60th anniversary. About Johnelle Hunt. "I think that's the secret -- don't be afraid. Most of us humans won't do it, but for entrepreneurs, it's part of being an entrepreneur.". Johnnie Bryan "J. None of us can see it, but the people that are passing by can. We know that Johnnie's political affiliation . What makes J.B. Hunt so unique - in our industry, community, even the country - is our people. . When we started our own business he asked me to help out part time. Johnnie Bryan Hunt Sr., a former truck driver who founded one of the nations largest trucking companies, died Thursday, the company announced. "Sometimes I would say, well he never did go to school and learn that you can't do it," Johnelle Hunt said of her husband's entrepreneurialism. We have made great strides throughout our company history, but this is truly just the beginning. "With any innovative company, there will always be things you try that don't work.

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