Page 26 - ATR 3 2012 web 2

TruckiNg

Heroes

garrison Young Hunt

By eric francis
Contributing Writer

What are the odds that some-
body from a small, under-populated,
rural state like Arkansas could make
an impact—a real, lasting, nation-
wide impact—on a multi-billion dollar
industry?
One in a million—we’ll take those
odds. Because Arkansas, with its popu-
lation of around three million, has of ABF Freight System. Arkansas Freightways which would
th
indeed produced its share of successful To mark its 80 anniversary, the become American Freightways before
businessmen in retail, banking, timber, Arkansas Trucking Association recently being acquired by FedEx Corporation;
poultry and the list goes on. recognized the founders of those three and Robert Young Jr., a Fort Smith
But Arkansas is also home to companies as ‘heroes of the Arkansas attorney who acquired a fledgling
some of the largest and most success- trucking industry’—for creating thou- trucking company in the 1950s and
ful trucking companies that began as sands of jobs, providing an essential built ABF Freight System into one of
small entrepreneurial businesses and service to the U.S. economy and evoking the most resilient freight carriers in the
grew to become major corporate players the entrepreneurial spirit that inspires nation.
in the freight transportation industry. others to emulate their success.
Three notable examples are J.B. Hunt These three people meet that So, WHy arkaNSaS?
Transport, FedEx Freight (formerly criteria—J.B. Hunt, the co-founder with “The question I’ve probably been
American Freightways) and Arkansas his wife Johnelle of J.B. Hunt Transport; asked more during my career than any
Best Corporation, the parent company Sheridan Garrison, who founded is, ‘What’s in the water down there?’”

26 aRkansas TRucking RePoRT | issue 3 2012