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as president of ABF Freight System. Over
the next 15 years, Young is generally
credited with guiding his late father’s
“oh, gosh. eVerythiNg.” business through the treacherous waters
of deregulation, beating back a hostile
—guy campbell, arkaNsas trailer takeover attempt of the company in the
wheN asked for for his oVerall perspectiVe of these 1980s and thriving in the highly com-
three meN today, aNd what they meaNt to the iNdustry. petitive business that is the LTL sector
of trucking.
Now chairman of the board, the
son still gives credit to his father for
Young also had built a network Even once Young had begun instilling a corporate culture that he
throughout the state in those days when spending most of his time in Colorado attempted to emulate during his career
many truck lines were limited to a few Springs, where he had a home, he kept with the company. Asked what the elder
terminals. his hand in the business. Young might say on the company today,
“For example, Garrison Motor “He’d come back for executive Young reflected for a moment. “When
Freight had authority from Harrison meetings of the vice presidents and ask Dad passed away, we did about 60 mil-
to Little Rock, but it was closed-door about three or four very provocative lion in revenue and we will do about 2
authority—they couldn’t drop anything questions, then go back to Colorado and billion this year. So he’d be pleased with
off along the way. What that meant let the team work it out,” said Campbell that—I think I’d get an ‘atta-boy.’”
was they had to go to another freight smiling. “And they always did.” Hunt’s constant generation of new
line to get delivery in those places,” said Following his father’s death in ideas was transformative for the indus-
Campbell. “Arkansas Motor Freight had 1973, and at the relatively young age of try. Campbell recalled a conversation
[many] points and places in the state 33, Young III was named president and they had when Hunt decided that inter-
of Arkansas, which meant they could chief operating officer of Arkansas Best modal transport was the future for his
deliver anywhere.” Corporation. In 1979, he also took over company.
“He told me once, ‘I have bad
news, I’m never going to buy another
semi trailer, ever. I’m going to total
rail service.’ I said, ‘J.B., I’m trying to
remember how many trailers you’ve
bought from me over the years and I

Tractor-trailer financing for think it’s that many,’” said Campbell,
making a zero with his thumb and
Arkansas transportation companies forefinger. “‘So that’s not really bad
news to me.’”
Later, while he was visiting Hunt’s
Wells Fargo Equipment Finance offers: headquarters in Lowell, Campbell was
taken down into a huge computer cen-
• Term loans and a variety of lease options ter in the building’s lower level.
• Trailers available for lease directly from
Wells Fargo “There were lights showing railroad
• Competitive rates and structures tracks from east to west, and J.B. asked,
‘Do you want to know where my unit
• Attentive, professional service
number 4277 is?’” An operator punched
up some data and suddenly lights
appeared along one of the railway lines,
Ready to learn more? Call or email today. tracking the progress of that single trail-
Dave Modde • 1-800-670-0408 ext. 18 • david.p.modde@wellsfargo.com er. “That was his shining glory, I think.”
Asked for for his overall perspec-
tive of these three men today, and what
they meant to the industry, Campbell
wellsfargo.com/trucks answered without hesitating.
© 2012 Wells Fargo Equipment Finance, Inc. All applications
subject to credit approval. All rights reserved. MC-4044 “Oh, gosh,” he said. “Everything.”

32 MC-4044_WFEFI_AK trucking association ad.indd 1 4/18/12 12:30 PM aRkansas TRucking RePoRT | issue 3 2012