Hunt has served on the Harvey and Bernice Jones Eye Institute Advisory Board, the Beau Foundation Board of Directors, and the Advisory Council for the Ozark Affiliate of the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. "If you look at companies historically, when they focus on delivering value to customers, they wind up doing these things that seem counterintuitive. [1] [2] In 1930, he lived in Peter Creek Township, Cleburne County. He is also ranked in the richest person list from United States. Streamline your operations with smart shipping and end-to-end load management. But when the soon-to-be Mrs. Hunt outraced all of her friends to his truck one day, she claimed the seat beside him. 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. It makes me feel so great because this will always be my baby. With an audience of 96,000*, Little Rock Soire is THE most-read monthly magazine in central Arkansas. But whats not going to change is that culture where we take care of our people.. Privacy Policy | Terms, Conditions & Notices | Comment Policy. Today, JB Hunt is a Fortune 500 company with over 29,000 employees and a fleet of more than 12,000 trucks. All rights reserved. Linked companies : J.B. Hunt Transport Services, Inc. - PowerBand Solutions Inc. Summary. B. B. and Johnelle Hunt's son, Bryan Hunt, 1st grade© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas, #32: Johnelle and J. Mr. Hunts passion for thinking outside the box can be felt in all we do at J.B. Hunt as we seek to create the most efficient transportation network in America. Esper is an officer at the council and has been involved with the group for 20 years. ", "I think it's a representation of the kind of people we produce here in Arkansas.". B. Hunt introduced computers to truck drivers in the 1990s. The deal began with a handshake in October 1989, and they signed the official contract in June 1991. Skip Ancestry main menu . B." Johnnie Bryan Hunt was born on February 28, 1927, in Heber Springs, Arkansas. B. So, I guess those little words of mine drove him a long way, she said. B. Heber Springs, Cleburne, Arkansas, United States, Springdale, Washington, Arkansas, United States, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/16959483/j-b-hunt, 1930 US Census, Cleburne County, Arkansas, West Peter Creek Township, Cleburne County, Arkansas, 1950 US Census, Cleburne County, Arkansas, Giles Township, Cleburne County, Arkansas, Pinnacle Memorial Gardens, Rogers, Arkansas. "A significant portion of that is because we've put trailers on the railroad.". "It's not just because they think of these ideas; it's because they have a culture that encourages them. Spoiler alert - it's been 60 years in the making. Youve heard it hundreds of times from leaders and co-workers. It was just what we did, things like that. Before he and his wife Johnelle Hunt started this company in 1961, Mr. Hunt was a driver with a regular route between Little Rock, Ark. Or, as Mrs. Hunt put it, Johnnie was looking through the windshield and I was always looking through the rearview.. He shifted his focus to trucking and created J.B. Hunt Transport Services in 1969. Ill cry right along with you. Im so glad I got to meet that lady.. Want to receive more stories like this in your inbox? So much so that they used to host company picnics in their home in Springdale, just down the road from headquarters. In 1969, he established a trucking company with five trucks and seven trailers as a sideline to his poultry feed business. She is a detail-oriented pragmatist who dealt with whatever followed, who left college to marry the love of her life, the business newspaper said of their Legacy of Leadership honoree. the nation. Every morning, Mr. Hunt made a point of walking through the company headquarters, from the ground floor to the top floor, to check in with folks. J. 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. B. opportunities in driving, technology, and office jobs, both at our corporate campus and at field locations across Despite the overhead cost of new containers and equipment to enable the transitions from tractor to rail, "After a year of business there was $30 million worth of revenue. Johnnie Hunt currently lives in Springdale, AR; in the past Johnnie has also lived in Rogers AR. B. B. It begins with a surprise visit. Johnnie was born on February 28, 1927 in . And we feel like we really did.. Johnelle Hunt throwing her wedding bouquet with J. Lowell, Arkansas, is the company's headquarters. At 84, Johnelle is still the beating heart of the Hunt empire. Although shes no longer involved in day-to-day operations at the company, Mrs. Hunt continues to be an inspiration at J.B. Hunt and a major part of the companys legacy. If we don't grow, if we don't get bigger, then we may put that at risk., Simpson agrees: Many people in our organization have had the opportunity to leave, but they stay because they believe that there is even more opportunity inside J.B. Hunt more opportunity to be successful, to love their career, to really build something that's different and unique.. We got up the next day, and we just kept working," Johnelle Hunt said. 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. People you trust, technology that empowers, and capacity to deliver are the ideals J.B. Hunt uses to help us keep moving freight forward. J.B. and Johnelle were married for nearly 55 years until his death in 2006. J. Bryan Hunt Jr. is the son of Johnnie Hunt, the founder of J.B Hunt Transport. Her father was in the poultry business and he owned trucks to deliver feed to poultry growers. He was able to carry more freight and provide more work for the drivers. To say that Johnelle was bereft would be quite an understatement. Overview. Today, his company is one of the largest employers in the state, with nearly 15,000 employees and a . After completing seventh grade, Hunt worked at his uncle's sawmill and sold lumber. 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. After completing seventh grade, Hunt worked at his uncle's sawmill and sold lumber. 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. 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. 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. The Hunts have passed the torch on to todays J.B. Hunt leaders, who continue to stress the core of the companys culture. "We were both determined it was going to work, and we told our people to make sure that it did work," Haverty said. Cooking Up Down-Home Dishes for Youth Ho Voices Carry: Sharing Stories of Addicti Accents: Highlights of the March Issue Ballet Arkansas Presents "New Works" at Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts, Be a Part of the Cure Walk benefiting the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, Cirque Over Broadway presented by Arkansas Circus Arts, Equip Small Business Series: Creating a Promotional Video Script for your Business, Little Rock Hope CARE Workshop with Alzheimer's Arkansas, Little Rock Soire Head of the Class 2023, Little Rock Soire Mental Health Resource Guide 2023, Life Cycle: Pedaling Out a Passion for Cancer Care, Mental Health Resource Guide: Pinnacle Pointe Behavioral Healthcare System. . We offer career Hunt in his red pickup truck, Heber Springs, Arkansas© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas, #15: J. Johnnie Bryan Hunt was born on February 28, 1927 in Heber Springs, Cleburne County, Arkansas. In 2005, Springdale Public Schools opened a new elementary school named after Hunt. From the Associated Press. 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 . Capacity to deliver. Going Off the Tumbling Shoals Bridge - 1:11, Johnelle's Introduction to Johnnie - 4:11, The Building of the Dam in Heber Springs - 3:54, AUDIO-HUNT-JB-Johnelle-20060516 - 2:13:37, TRANS-HUNT-Johnnie-B-and-Johnelle-Memories-20060519-FINAL, Pryor Center Interview with Johnelle Hunt. Known as JB Hunt, Johnny Bryan Hunt, Sr. was an entrepreneur from the United States and the founder of JB Hunt Transport Services, the nation's largest public trucking company. 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. Johnnie Bryan "J. B." Hunt (1927-2006) One of the most successful entrepreneurs in Arkansas history, Johnnie Bryan "J. B." Hunt rose from humble beginnings to found one of America's largest trucking firms, J. No one had ever managed to find a way to pack them because rice hulls are difficult to compress. Hunt with his son, Bryan, (left) and a friend© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas, #36: Stuttgart Bridge Club: Dr. Jack and Bonnie Pritchard, unidentified couple, Don Underwood, Dr. Dean Laird, Johnelle Hunt, Anne Laird, Betty Underwood, J. That's all I had to say. Our culture is one where we care about people, we care about our employees and we care about our communities. He and his wife, Johnelle, remained the largest shareholders of J.B. Hunt stock. 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. Johnnie Bryan Hunt, Sr. (February 28, 1927 - December 7, . Arkansas Business Publishing Group B. 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. [1][2], In the 1990s, the company grossed over $1 billion annually, employed thousands of people, and operated in Mexico and the United States. The couple met one evening when he was driving through Heber Springs and offered a ride to Johnelle and her friends the Dirty Dozen, they called themselves. © Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas, #16: Johnelle DeBusk (Hunt) and J. The ERGs also support the advancement of women, African Americans, Latinos, veterans and individuals who identify as LGBTQIA+. By cherishingthe logo, weensurethat as wedream ofnew ways to innovate and grow, westay grounded inthetrust, integrity and purpose onwhich we were founded. J.B. Hunt 360 technology helps you find the right load at the right time. 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. We engineer innovative technology that accelerates our growth and is disrupting the transportation industry. Thats regardless if they are man or woman, in Lowell or located in a field location, whether they drive for us or they're in an office setting, in one of our maintenance shops, introverted, extroverted, person of color or not.. [1][2] He lived in Fayetteville, Washington County. August 05, 2021 3:30 PM. Hunt had been in critical condition at a hospital in Springdale, Ark., after hitting his head on ice in a fall Saturday. [9], In 2016, he was inducted into the Supply Chain Hall of Fame.[2]. 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. 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. Johnnie Bryan Hunt was born on Feb. 28, 1927, in rural Heber Springs, in north-central Arkansas. WIKITREE PROTECTS MOST SENSITIVE INFORMATION BUT ONLY TO THE EXTENT STATED IN THE TERMS OF SERVICE AND PRIVACY POLICY. It has gotten so large now, but I love to go and see everyone, I really enjoy it. 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. knowledge, experience as an over the road truck driver and entrepreneurial Save $25 when you book your first LTL shipment. "We got down to Galesburg, Ill., and J.B. walked over to me and said, 'Haverty, we've got a deal.' 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. We hold a big celebration for each driver when they pass a landmark distance like 100,000 miles., When asked what she is proudest of, she says: Im proud of everything about my family and all the people we work with. Because of her instrumental role in the development of J.B. Hunt Transport Services, her later business endeavors, and her ongoing philanthropic investments, Mrs. Hunt has been named to the Arkansas Business Hall of Fame, the Arkansas Womens Hall of Fame and was awarded Arkansas Business Legacy of Leadership Award in 2021. Throughout our storied history, J.B. Hunt has always been a company deeply rooted in growth and innovation. Book loads in Carrier 360 to get savings and earn rewards on thethings you need most to keep your fleet moving. See our, 2021 J.B. Hunt Transport. She attended Arkansas State Teachers College in Conway before marrying Johnnie Bryan "J. Hunt with their children, Jane and Bryan© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas, #33: J. As our founder, Johnnie Bryan Hunt, once said, "Today is going to be better than yesterday." . I can rent that out for a lot!". To supplement his income, he sold lawn sod. B. B. 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. He devoted the remainder of his life to pursue other investments, philanthropic activities, and real estate development. The 10-year-old had to go to work cutting timber at his uncle's sawmill. 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. LOWELL, ARK. Hunt on their wedding day© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas, #22: They had two children and seven grandchildren. "He always was thinking. 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. She had lost her lifelong partner and best friend. Find loads for owner-operators, fleets, power only carriers and home delivery carriers. 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. While driving down the road, he handed her the ring on the way to her high school graduation. He implemented many cost cutting efforts that allowed him to increase profits dramatically.