J.B. Hunt has grown exponentially over the last 60 years, and a driving force behind this growth has always been . Today, JB Hunt is a Fortune 500 company with over 29,000 employees and a fleet of more than 12,000 trucks. 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. I always collected the money. She laughs and says, I always say that Johnnie was the man in the white hat (he wore a trademark white cowboy hat) and I was the wicked witch. Hunt sitting in an Adirondack chair© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas, #17: Johnelle DeBusk (Hunt) in a Heber Springs letter jacket with J. career with a company that is always finding new ways to grow, search jobs to find an opening near you, We brought together shippers and carriers into adigital marketplacemore than five years ago. At that time, as today, the two industries competed intensely for freight. The couple met in Heber Springs, Arkansas. He set up a company in Stuttgart, Arkansas County in 1961. Hunt at her side© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas, #23: Friends decorating J. Hunt; Fayetteville, Arkansas, 2006© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas, Links to important University of Arkansas pages, © Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas, Coastlines & People (CoPe) Virtual Symposium Project, Sharon Killian and Jami J. Lockhart - Revealing Fayetteville's Hidden Cultural Landscape, Dr. Ariel Ortiz-Bobea - How Climate Change Is Affecting US Agricultural Productivity, J. Bryan Hunt's house in Springdale, AR (Google Maps) - Virtual Globetrotting However, on arrival to Rogers Johnelle realized that the truckloads of company paperwork that had been moved from Stuttgart were in disarray and wouldnt make sense to the new team, so she decided to go in for just a few weeks to get everything organized and orient the new employees. He implemented many cost cutting efforts that allowed him to increase profits dramatically. Charged with assault in accident case by Tracy Neal | October 6, 2015 at 5:45 a.m. BENTONVILLE -- Johnnie Bryan Hunt Jr. pleaded innocent Monday to assaulting a motorist. With an audience of 96,000*, Little Rock Soire is THE most-read monthly magazine in central Arkansas. Johnnie Bryan Hunt Sr., a former truck driver who founded one of the nations largest trucking companies, died Thursday, the company announced. 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. The criteria for admission? He quit school at 12 to help support his family, earning $1.50 a day at his uncles sawmill. Johnelle Hunt, who co-founded J.B. Hunt with her late husband, Johnnie Bryan Hunt, said that when they moved the company to Northwest Arkansas over 50 years ago, its major industry was poultry . J.B. Hunt Has Big Plans for the Future. I'm developing, I'm building buildings, I'm building apartments, I'm doing all those things, but J.B. Hunt Transport will always be my baby and it will always be the one that touches my heart when I'm included, Mrs. Hunt said as the company turned 60 years old last August. I had a landline installed next to my bed so that I could help them any time, day or night., Today J. Eight years later, the couple bought . 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. B. Privacy Policy | Terms, Conditions & Notices | Comment Policy. If not, see our friends at Ancestry DNA. If there was something that the company could do better, after all, drivers would be among the first to know. Johnny A. Isenhour Obituary (1958 - 2023) | Newton, North Carolina I was hungry once. B. ), We spoke in the penthouse office he had designed, which remains much as he left it, featuring panoramic views, much memorabilia and "J.B. Hunt" embedded in the marble floors. People you trust, technology that empowers, and capacity to deliver are the ideals J.B. Hunt uses to help us keep moving freight forward. He's also a generous guy with a great sense of humor. It's helped him deal with some misinformed reactions to his latest business venture. Because if you're afraid of losing, you'll never make it.". circulation@abpg.com. He started his own hugely successful chicken litter company using rice hulls in 1961 in Stuttgart, but Johnelle says hed had the idea 15 years before it started. Read Also: Kurt Rappaport Net Worth 2023. He and his wife, Johnelle, remained the largest shareholders of J.B. Hunt stock. B. and Johnelle Hunt's getaway car before their wedding© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas, #24: Johnelle Hunt's parents, Johnie J. and Ollie Jane DeBusk, 1953© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas, #25: J. Historical records and family trees related to Johnnie Hunt. The Arkansas-based logistics giant is the 3rd largest trucking company in the country, behind only FedEx and UPS. Mrs. Hunt once said of her husband, Theres an imaginary sign outside this building. Johnelle Hunt throwing her wedding bouquet with J. Its just a thrill to help people, and theres a reason why people are put in front of you. Hunt and Johnelle DeBusk (Hunt) He was not yet a teenager when he began gathering up wood shavings from his uncle's sawmill . But we knew that wasnt enough. Skip Ancestry main menu . today, to focus on the trucking side of the business. Three years later, the company went public and by 1983 it had $63 million in revenue. After completing seventh grade, Hunt worked at his uncle's sawmill and sold lumber. That was 42 years ago, and she has been working full time ever since. 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. He briefly served in the army before working as a truck driver for Superior Forwarding Company. 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. Johnelle Hunt dubbed it "our golden goose.". Book loads in Carrier 360 to get savings and earn rewards on thethings you need most to keep your fleet moving. It reflects the name of one of the co-founders of the company - Johnnie Bryan Hunt, equal parts truck driver and dreamer. Hunt Transport Services" was shipping goods across the country and would become the largest publicly held trucking company in America. None of us can see it, but the people that are passing by can. B. Find loads for owner-operators, fleets, power only carriers and home delivery carriers. B. I also did the hiring, but that was when we were smaller. It's a long story, but trust me, a lot shorter than I could have written, given all that people wanted to say on the subject. [1][2] He lived in Fayetteville, Washington County. [4] He enlisted in the Army on January 9, 1946 and was stationed at Camp Joseph T. Robinson in Little Rock, Arkansas. He did a good job with communicating with people. I wish I could have hugged everyone.. Johnelle Hunts late husband, J.B. Hunt, will be honored Tuesday by the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals inaugural Supply Chain Hall of Fame class. J.B. Hunt provides a variety of freight transportation services to customers throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico. Then Michael Haverty from the Santa Fe Railway Co. approached Johnnie Hunt with a new idea. We got up the next day, and we just kept working," Johnelle Hunt said. We collect and match historical records that Ancestry users have contributed to their family trees to create each person's profile. In 1969, the Hunts relocated to Northwest Arkansas, where we are headquartered Find loads for owner-operators, fleets, power only carriers and home delivery carriers. [1][2], In 1945, he lived in Miller, Arkansas. I said, 'What's the deal?' He quit school at 12 to help support his family, earning $1.50 a day at his uncle's sawmill. [6] He married Johnelle Terria Debusk on January 19, 1952 in Heber Springs, Cleburne County. "A significant portion of that is because we've put trailers on the railroad.". Her husband died on Dec. 7, 2006, from injuries sustained in a fall six days earlier. 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 B. and Johnelle Hunt at the Walton Arts Center, Fayetteville, Arkansas© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas, #46: J. Hunt in his red pickup truck, Heber Springs, Arkansas© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas, #15: J. There were a few other women employed by the company when it was founded, but not many. Johnelle Hunt is a true American icon. B. Johnnie was born on February 28, 1927 in . "J.B. Hunt said, 'I'm willing to forgo my driver, truck and trailer and share that with the railroad, because I think it's more valuable for the U.S. economy and my customers,'" said John Kent, director of the supply chain management research center at the Walton College of Business at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. 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. The Arkansas-based logistics giant is the 3rd largest trucking company in the country, behind only FedEx and UPS. They found the best talent, shared their vision, got buy in and motivated all of their employees to execute said vision.. During the event, Mrs. Hunt made a point to tell Weston how much he meant to the company. With our scale and fleet density, we are equipped to deliver. Throughout our storied history, J.B. Hunt has always been a company deeply rooted in growth and innovation. While crisscrossing the U.S. to meet with customers and drivers alike, he loved dropping into terminals and hearing directly from drivers. We started selling stock so we could raise enough money to start the business. [1][2], In 2004, he stepped down as chairman of the company and retired from running the company's daily operations. Kirk Thompson, then president and current chairman of the J.B. Hunt board, called it "one of the best decisions in the history of J.B. Hunt Transport." Johnnie Bryan Hunt, Sr. - Date of Death Unknown - Tributes.com . This site and all content is copyright 2020 J.B. Hunt Transport, Inc. We offer career After a bank loan, the Hunts were officially back in the trucking business, and they moved to Northwest Arkansas. Ignoring advice to close up shop, the Hunts . Johnnie B. Hunt, 79, Trucking Company Owner, Is Dead "We never lost any money in the rice hull business after that. J.B. Hunt provides a variety of freight transportation services to customers throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico. As our founder, Johnnie Bryan Hunt, once said, "Today is going to be better than yesterday." . Johnnie Bryan Hunt - Wikipedia Johnnie Bryan "J. B." Hunt Sr. was born on February 28, 1927, in Heber Springs, Cleburne County, Arkansas. Little Rock, Arkansas 72201 They were a perfect pair. 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. IMPORTANT PRIVACY NOTICE & DISCLAIMER: YOU HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO USE CAUTION WHEN DISTRIBUTING PRIVATE INFORMATION. His first name is "Johnnie" and his last name is . spirit to make the company a leader in the transportation industry. Hunt Sr. She cofounded J.B. Hunt Company with her husband in 1961, and in 1969 they created J.B. Hunt Transport Services. At the time my son was 7 and my daughter was 11. ", Print Headline: J.B. Hunt to be bestowed hall of fame seat, If youd like a notification when I file a new blog post, J.B. Hunt to be bestowed hall of fame seat. B. LOWELL, ARK. Hunt and Johnelle DeBusk (Hunt) on Petit Jean Mountain, Arkansas© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas, #21: Johnelle and J. Were building a technology platform for everyone and creating a digital space where previously unconnected networks can come together to drive out the inefficiencies and waste within the industry. Johnnie Bryan Hunt Sr (1927-2006) | WikiTree FREE Family Tree Johnnie Hunt currently lives in Springdale, AR; in the past Johnnie has also lived in Rogers AR. JB Hunt- Early Life, Real Name, and Family. 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. A J.B. Hunt driver had stopped at a terminal to do laundry and eat when, unannounced, Mr. Hunt rolls through into the break room and sits right down with him, says Hicks. He eventually borrowed $80 from his aunt and bought an engagement ring. B. I'm doing other things now. Ill cry right along with you. Im so glad I got to meet that lady.. Johnelle Hunt: One of the Original Women of Trucking, bought five tractors and seven trailers to cement his place in the trucking industry. Categories: United States, Philanthropists | Arkansas, Notables | Business Owners | Salesmen | Arkansas County, Arkansas | Stuttgart, Arkansas | 1930 US Census, Cleburne County, Arkansas | West Peter Creek Township, Cleburne County, Arkansas | 1950 US Census, Cleburne County, Arkansas | Truck Drivers | Giles Township, Cleburne County, Arkansas | Miller, Arkansas | Cleburne County, Arkansas | Fayetteville, Arkansas | Washington County, Arkansas | Pinnacle Memorial Gardens, Rogers, Arkansas | Business Leaders | Notables, WIKITREE HOME | ABOUT | G2G FORUM | HELP | SEARCH. I can rent that out for a lot!". While drivers are perhaps the most visible employees of J.B. Hunt, a large group of people including thousands of office and field employees and our maintenance team works behind them. The one thing I did not want was to move. Haverty also faced skepticism from his peers, though it quickly faded. He headquartered his company in Lowell, Benton County. But being a business tycoon was never part of her plan. He had worked 45 weeks and earned $500. the nation. He devoted the remainder of his life to pursue other investments, philanthropic activities, and real estate development. "I always turn everything into humor," he said. [1][2], In 1980, with deregulation of the industry, he became a major player in the trucking business. Johnnie would come home from a day in the office and pitch a new endeavor to her. 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. 114 Scott Street She had lost her lifelong partner and best friend. Such remarkable stories are just part and parcel of Johnelles more-incredible-than-fiction life. Mrs. Hunts steady presence in our organization has helped establish us a welcoming company. Bryan Hunt is heir to one of the largest transportation companies in North America. [1] [2] In 1930, he lived in Peter Creek Township, Cleburne County. Johnelle and J.B. Hunt stand in front of one of their trucks in 1988. His education was driving those trucks all those years, because he had so much time alone.". 2021. In fact, she did some of the intimidating herself. It wasnt just a little quick Hi, how are you? encouragement to turn those dreams into reality. Johnnie Bryan Hunt Sr., a former truck driver who founded one of the nation's largest trucking companies, died Thursday, the company announced. 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. To that end, J.B. Hunt has developed personal enrichment resources and employee resource groups that can help all employees grow their professional networks and give back to the community. In 1969, he established a trucking company with five trucks and seven trailers as a sideline to his poultry feed business. Johnelle Terria DeBusk Hunt was born on January 4, 1932, in Heber Springs, Cleburne County, Arkansas. At the time he registered for the draft, he was described as 5 feet and 11 inches tall, 146 pounds, Blonde hair and gray colored eyes. They did not sell the rice hull business until 1983, when the company went public. The key is to find out how to maintain a degree of resilience that allows you to keep on moving," said Terry Esper, associate professor in the department of supply chain management at the Walton College. He declined and later called that his biggest mistake. Our more than 60 years in the logistics industry have taught us what keeps freight moving forward. 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. Innovative, driven, disruptive, integrity all terms we heard often with great passion. "We were both determined it was going to work, and we told our people to make sure that it did work," Haverty said. Book loads in Carrier 360 to get savings and earn rewards on thethings you need most to keep your fleet moving. I was actually driving a truck when I was in high school, she recalled in a July 2017 interview. These ideals have fueled our growth for more than 60 years and will continue to propel us into the future. But whatever it took, I stayed on that phone all day long, being not a very nice person to those people that wouldn't pay, but I had to because that's how we paid the bills.. Bryan Hunt's house. Hunt family - Forbes Nearly 60 years later, J.B. Hunt has grown from that small fleet of a few trucks into a Fortune 500 company. Nearly 1,000 of them are members of the female-focused employee resource group named GROW that aims to recruit and develop leaders with diverse backgrounds, experience and unique points of view. Haverty had written a thesis in business school about how a railroad and a trucking company should team up to provide door-to-door deliveries, but when he first promoted the idea, people said, "this guy doesn't understand that railroad companies and trucking companies hate each other," Haverty recalled. Some people came there right out of high school and college and now are retired., Inevitably for such a big-hearted woman, philanthropy is a huge part of Johnelles life, as it was for Johnnie. Stuart Scott, chief information officer and executive vice president, saw that firsthand during a new employee orientation in 2016. The J.B. Hunt logo, content or images may not be used or reproduced by any means without express, written consent. Johnnie Bryan Hunt was born on February 28, 1927 in Heber Springs, Cleburne County, Arkansas. That's all I had to say. 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. Lowell, Arkansas, is the company's headquarters. With the company's growing success, he moved the base of operations to Lowell. I did shipping and generally anything that needed to be done. 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. Hunt introduced computers to truck drivers in the 1990s. B. And thats been true since the very beginning of our company. B. She tells the story with a laugh because years later, in 1969, Johnnie Hunt bought five tractors and seven trailers. Johnelle Hunt: Notes on Leading a Billion-Dollar Company, Raising a Family The deal would have macroeconomic effects, too. It makes me feel so great because this will always be my baby. In many cases, this helped both drivers and the company. And once youre hungry, youre different, he told Forbes magazine in 1992. info@littlerocksoiree.com, Toll Free: (888) 322-6397 He was able to carry more freight and provide more work for the drivers. Hunt with Baltimore Colts quarterback Johnny Unitas, 1980s© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas, #41: Jane and Johnelle Hunt© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas, #42: Bill Clinton with J. His entrepreneurial legacy lives on at our company and continues to motivate us to achieve greatness. At J.B. Hunt, our people When the company went public in 1983 "millionaires were made in one trading day," his son Bryan wrote in a letter marking his father's retirement from the company in 2005. If so, login to add it. The 10-year-old had to go to work cutting timber at his uncle's sawmill. Aside from his business success, Hunt was known for his kindness to others. Capacity to deliver. Or, as Mrs. Hunt put it, Johnnie was looking through the windshield and I was always looking through the rearview.. [8], J. B. At the company she was very involved, collecting debt, keeping the books and paying bills. B. knowledge, experience as an over the road truck driver and entrepreneurial Also, the J.B. and Johnelle Hunt Family Ozark Highlands Center in Springdale, Arkansas, has been established .