J.B. Hunt
Johnnie Bryan
Hunt was born
in Cleburne
County,
Arkansas during
the depression
and like many
men of his
generation was
forced to
sacrifice his
education in
order to work
for his
family's
survival. He
left school
after the 7th
grade, at the
age of 12 to
work in his
uncle's
sawmill. In the
years that
followed he
picked cotton,
harvested
grain, sold
lumber,
auctioned
livestock,
drove a truck,
sold lawn sod,
invented a rice
hull press,
designed and
built a
specialty
poultry truck.
He started
several
businesses,
lost thousands
of dollars, yet
made millions
more.
J.B. Hunt
Transport
Services, Inc.
Mr. Hunt is the
founder of J.B.
Hunt Transport
Services, Inc
which began in
1969. It is the
largest
publicly held
truckload
transportation
company in
North America
with annual
revenues of
more than $2
billion. The
company employs
over 16,000
people and
operates more
than 10,000
trucks and
approximately
45,000 trailers
and containers.
Appointed
Senior Chairman
in May 1995,
Mr. Hunt
retired his
position as
Chairman of J.B.
Hunt Transport
Services, Inc.
Never one to
sit idle, Mr.
Hunt can
sometimes be
found booking
hunting
retreats at his
Big Horn Lodge
in Southwest
Missouri, but
more often than
not he is fully
engaged in one
of many new
business
ventures.
Developer
Mr. Hunt began
his foray in
the world of
real estate
investment in
1998 as
financier of a
300-lot housing
development in
Lowell,
Arkansas for
developer Tim
Graham. His
first
investment was
followed by
hands-on
experience in
the development
of a 33-lot
subdivision in
Springdale,
Arkansas.
Spurred by
concrete supply
shortages, Hunt
also formed
Central RediMix
with Graham in
early 2002. The
company now
delivers over
1,000 yards of
concrete daily
with a 95%
on-time record.
Staying
Involved
Mr. Hunt
remains
dedicated to a
number of other
community,
state, national
and
international
organizations.
He is a member
of the American
Studies
Institute
Advisory Board
at Harding
University and
a director of
the American
Trucking
Association
Foundation. In
1993, he was
named to the
board of
directors of
the Texas
Mexican
Railroad, a
subsidiary of
Transportacion
Maritime
Mexicana
(Mexico's
largest
steamship
company). In
February 1998
he became a
member of the
board of
directors for
the Gospel to
the Unreached
Millions. In
August 1998 he
became a member
of the board of
directors for
the Intermodal
Transportation
Institute at
the University
of Denver. Hunt
and his wife
Johnelle are
the co-founders
of the
Washington
County Alexes
de Tocqueville
Society of the
United Way, and
Johnelle Hunt
was selected in
1999 by Gov.
Mike Huckabee
for a
three-year term
on the Arkansas
Economic
Development
Commission.
The Future
Foreseeing
rapid growth,
Hunt was
instrumental in
bringing
together area
business
leaders to
participate in
the assemblage
and acquisition
of land parcels
in the western
portion of
Rogers near
Interstate 540
and Pinnacle
Hills Parkway.
Complete and
nearing full
occupancy is
the J.B.Hunt
Tower, a 96,220
square foot
Class A office
building on
Pinnacle Hills
Parkway which
began
construction in
January 2001.
Much of the
vacant land now
commonly
referred to as
PINNACLE HILLS
is controlled
by Hunt, Bill
Schwyhart, and
Tim Graham
through their
ownership of
partnerships
and limited
liability
companies.
Future plans
include a
400-acre
development
that will house
a
state-of-the-art
hospital, a
medical
professional
building,
restaurants, a
retail center,
and high-end
multi-family
residential
communities.
The multi-use
development is
slated for
ground-breaking
in 2004.