Johnelle Hunt
Mrs. Hunt was born in Heber Springs,
Arkansas. She attended the University of Central Arkansas in Conway where she
majored in elementary education. She met Johnnie Hunt when she was a junior in
high school and four years later they were married. She and J. B. were married
over 54 years and have two children, Jane Hunt Hardin and Bryan Hunt, as well as
seven grandchildren.
In 1962, the J. B. Hunt Company, a rice hull packaging company, opened its doors
in Stuttgart, Arkansas. Mrs. Hunt worked part-time to help her husband get
started in the business. As the company grew, she found herself working more and
more - helping with correspondence, financial statements and doing bookkeeping.
Before long she was working full time. In 1969 the couple co-founded and built
J.B. Hunt Transport from the ground up, and its success is a tribute to the
Hunt’s entrepreneurial spirit and hard work. J.B. Hunt Transport is one of the
largest transportation logistics providers in North America and is the largest
truckload, dry-van carrier in the United States. Among Mrs. Hunt’s jobs was the
position of credit manager, which she held until 1986 and the board position of
Corporate Secretary which she held until 2008. At her retirement from the Board
of Directors of the company in 2008, Johnelle was recognized as being an active
and important partner contributing to the company’s development and success.
She currently holds a seat on The Harvey and Bernice Jones Eye Institute
Advisory Board. She is a member of the Advisory Council for the Ozark Affiliate
of the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. Mrs. Hunt is the founding
chairman of the United Way Alexis de Tocqueville Society for Washington County.
In May of 2000, she accepted the position of Campaign Treasurer for the
University of Arkansas’ Leadership Team entitled Campaign for the 21st Century,
a major fundraising drive that raised over one billion dollars. Following the
Campaign for the 21st Century, an Advisory Board was formed which Mrs. Hunt now
serves on the Executive Committee. In 2003 she accepted the invitation to serve
on the Board of Directors for The Beau Foundation benefiting prenatal care in
Northwest Arkansas.
In 1990, she and Mr. Hunt were chosen as the Arkansas Easter Seal Arkansans of
the Year, the first couple to receive this award. In 1992 she was one of four
women to receive the Worthen Professional Women of Distinction Award and has
been included in “The Top 100 Women” list for Arkansas from 1994-1998. In 1996
the March of Dimes honored the Hunts as Citizens of the Year. In 2001 she and
Mr. Hunt were inducted into the Arkansas Business Hall of Fame.
Since the passing of her husband in December of 2006, Mrs. Hunt has taken a very
active roll in projects developed and managed by The Pinnacle Group. The
Pinnacle Group is an office and retail development partnership founded by Mr.
Hunt in 2001. The group is primarily responsible for the conception and
development of the more than 600 acre project in western Rogers known as
Pinnacle Hills. Mrs. Hunt is also actively involved with many other ongoing
projects and companies started by Mr. Hunt including The Central Group,
Northwest Arkansas Quarries, Haskell (Oklahoma) Sand and Gravel, Central Mortar
and Grout (Muskogee, Oklahoma), J.B. Hunt Gas and Oil Drilling and a new rock
quarry project in Honduras, Central America.