Page 28 - ATR 1 2012 web 2

the test kitchens for new products. He
points out some of his favorite items
in the product display case as well as
some new products that have proven
“most of the time you’re iNtegratiNg your to be a hit. “The fun part is when you

competitioN. i’ll use a baseball aNalogy. get invited to be in the focus group,”
Keene joked.
you haVe to take the st. louis cardiNals aNd It is no coincidence Keene, who
the chicago cubs, put them oN oNe team enjoys cooking in the roomy kitchen
aNd tell them iN six moNths they’re goiNg of his Springdale home, uses company
to be happy as oNe.” products in his recipes.
“He does cook a lot,” said Jackie
while playing with their four-month-old
grandson Landon, daughter Ashley’s son
and a frequent visitor.
“I’d say I do creative cooking,”
Keene said. “I’ll have a recipe and my
daughter will say ‘What did you change
about it?’”
After the discovery center, Keene
moved back into the Tyson headquarters
wing and into the front office complex.
He noted the commodity buying room,
where his son Rex works, and points out
the eclectic collection of paintings and
sculptures acquired by former company
head Don Tyson—son of founder John
Tyson—who died in 2011 after building
the company into the Arkansas institu-
tion it is today.
Grandson John H. Tyson is currently
part of the company’s leadership, serving
as chairman of the board of directors.
Anyone doubting the Tysons’ place
asked to describe his style. “It’s more integrate the transportation operations in Arkansas history should note that for-
of a servant-leadership style. I believe of newly acquired companies, just as mer President Bill Clinton spoke at Don
everybody has their job to do on our he experienced when Tyson purchased Tyson’s funeral and copies of the pro-
team. You’ve got to let them do what Tastee Bird. gram, with Clinton’s eulogy, are available
they do and I see my job as removing “Most of the time you’re integrat- in the Founder’s Room.
obstacles so they can.” ing your competition,” he says. “I’ll use “Don set the tone for a very unique
Like most leaders in the trucking a baseball analogy. You have to take the company,” Keene said.
industry, Keene deals with a glut of state St. Louis Cardinals and the Chicago Keene recalled a time when Don
and federal regulations which have left Cubs, put them on one team and tell dropped in on the Russellville terminal.
him grappling with things like hours- them in six months they’re going to be There were some railroad tracks on the
of-service rules, the implementation of happy as one.” backside of the company’s property that
electronic on-board recorders, hiring With lunch finished, Keene heads employees were prohibited from cross-
guidelines and other safety measures. over to headquarters. Though it is cold ing. But those rules didn’t apply to the
“Truck drivers have not been and windy enough to draw tears, he owner. So Don Tyson took Keene on a
real bold about embracing those new chooses not to pull rank and parks far ride across the tracks to explore the rest
things,” Keene admitted. from the door. of his property.
But while Keene, like many, would “They’ll yell at me if I park in “He’d show up over at the distribu-
like to see the regulation flow slowed, reserved parking,” he smiled. tion terminal on a Sunday afternoon,”
he says the real challenge in his job Keene makes a quick stop in the
has been determining the best ways to discovery center to show off one of 

28 arkansas truCking rePort | issue 1 2012