I received an email today about an 85 year old man I knew nothing about who passed away on 29th October 2012. His name was Dempsey Boyd, Chairman and founder of Boyd Bros. Transportation located in Clayton, Alabama in the United States.

The email described his values that he founded his business on. On reading this I was shocked but inspired at how much it resonated with our own company. It drew an immediate admiration for Mr Dempsey, whether he grew to become one of the biggest flat bed operators in the USA or not. He managed the former of course and here is a short history.

Dempsey started the business in 1956 with his brother based upon principals, ethics and integrity. He was a man of simple means, but was by no means a simple man, being successful in anything he did.

He always embraced his humble beginnings and was one of those individuals that could laugh at himself, always believing that his business succeeded because of the people he surrounded himself with.

His mission statement epitomized everything that Dempsey stood for in his personal and business life. It was :-

· Value, respect and trust our people

· Do what we say we will do

· Require high standards

· Spend wisely

· Communicate, communicate, communicate

· Work hard, work smart and enjoy life

Boyd Bros. Transportation was built by him and his family on :-

1. Personal relationships

2. Values, based upon putting other people first

3. The power and strength of Boyd employees

Dempsey said if you focused on your people and you got them to focus on their pride in their work, that a company can achieve anything. Throughout the years Boyd Bros received numerous trucking awards growing it’s fleet to 1,000+ tractors; but that’s not the real story. The real story is about a man with humble beginnings that;

Built a business based upon honesty, integrity and hard work, and; the ore successful Dempsey became, the more humble he became.

With a zest for life and being able to laugh at himself, he once said of his 65 year marriage to his wife Francis when asked, how does his marriage survive? Dempsey responded; Francis has patience.

I’m sure the trucking industry in the States will miss Dempsey Boyd and I am very grateful, if a little late, to discover this wonderful gentleman with principals and values we here at Jordon admire and wholeheartedly believe in.

On a final note, an article quoted Mr Boyd saying “there is nothing so rewarding as to make people realize that they are worthwhile in this world”. I think those few words sum up who Dempsey Boyd was as an individual, a husband, a grandfather and as an employer.

We raise an aspiring transatlantic glass to Mr Dempsey Boyd and all at Boyd Bros. Transportation.