Clarence Mccormick

James (Jim) McCormick was a national trucking industry figure and a dynamic civic leader Clarence James (Jim) McCormick, 92, passed away at his long-time family home inVincennes, IN. McCormick was a towering figure in the American trucking industry during thelast half of the twentieth century. Rising from the fertile farmland of southwest Indiana, Jimascended to prominence as a civic, political and industry leader.Born on a Knox County farm on January 3, 1925 to Emma and Clarence J. McCormick (whoserved as Assistant Secretary of Agriculture during the Truman Administration), Jim attendedPurcell Grade School and Decker High School where he graduated as valedictorian of the Classof 1942.Enrolling at Purdue University, Jim joined the Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity, played on thefreshman basketball team and was elected class president. When Purdue was converted to awartime Naval training facility in 1943, Jim returned home to help his mother manage the familyfarm during his father's absence working for the Department of Agriculture in Washington.As the war wound down, Jim seized on an enterprising opportunity that would set his careerpath for life. He scraped together his life's savings, purchased a used International Harvester 10-wheeler truck and started hauling fresh produce from Florida to markets in the midwest over thewinter months. The shoestring venture was a success and by the time McCormick was 21, heowned a fleet of five tractor-trailer trucks.After selling his produce-hauling business, in 1954 Jim purchased the INDIANAPOLIS ANDSOUTHERN MOTOR EXPRESS company, a common carrier with 100 employees and an equalnumber of vehicles. In 1967, I&S, as Jim's company was known, purchased MCDANIEL FREIGHTLINES, a Crawfordsville, IN carrier. With the purchase of J.A. GRANT TRUCKING two years later,I&S-McDaniel became a major regional competitor with 500 employees operating in five states.In the mid-1970s, Jim accurately foresaw the coming federal deregulation of the truckingindustry. He wisely sold out to BRIGGS TRANSPORTATION of St. Paul, MN in 1977, just before theindustry was deregulated and forever changed.Concurrent to building his trucking empire, Jim was an active auto and truck dealer. In 1948,while still in the produce-hauling business, he founded MCCORMICK INC., an authorized seller ofWhite Trucks. Over the ensuing 55 years, MCCORMICK INC., based in Vincennes, IN, served as afranchised dealer of INTERNATIONAL, AUTOCAR, FREIGHTLINER and VOLVO trucks; KINGHAM semi-trailers; GALION tank trailers and PACKARD automobiles. The company was awarded 1997"Business of the Year" by the Knox County Chamber of Commerce.Jim was instrumental in involving his children and grandchildren in the trucking business. In1981, he acquired a small trucking company that became BESTWAY EXPRESS. Jim's sons, Pat andMac obtained ownership positions and managed the business successfully. It has grown over theyears and is today operated by Pat and three of Jim's grandsons: WiIl, Ry and Eli.Other InterestsJim's devotion to golf led him to become a major shareholder and eventual Board Chairmanof Golf Hosts, Inc., which at the time owned and operated the Innisbrook Golf Resort in PalmHarbor, FL and the Tamarron Golf Resort in Durango, CO.During his long and distinguished career, Jim served as Chairman of countless state andnational trucking and transportation organizations including: American Trucking Associations,Indiana Motor Truck Association, Indiana Motor Rate and Tariff Bureau, Central States Rate andTariff Bureau, Indiana Motor Carriers Labor Relations Association, and National Highway UsersFederation.A High Octane LifeJim's affection for all things fast and powerful found him speeding across lands, sea and airin the most highly powered form of transportation available. His love of flying, with over 50years and 6,500 hours of aircraft piloting, was evidenced by his ownership of more than a dozenaircraft and his role as Chairman of the Indiana Aeronautics Commission. He also served as VicePresident of the Automotive Hall of Fame and enjoyed skippering his motor yachts in the GreatLakes and Atlantic Ocean with a full Sea Captain rating. Jim was a member of several crosscountrymotorcycle clubs. Aside from his family, there was little that Jim loved more thanexperiencing the beauty of our great nation astride one of his supercharged Boss Hoss bikes.Financial and Educational LeaderAlongside his various transportation businesses, Jim also became active in the bankingindustry. These interests led to his active participation in numerous savings institutions andmembership in banking agencies, such as: Director of Federal Home Loan Bank of Indianapolis;Federal Savings and Loan Association Advisory Council; Chairman and CEO of First Bancorpof Vincennes; and Director of German American Bancorp of Jasper, IN.Jim's commitment to athletics and to his faith was manifested by his national chairmanshipof the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. He was also a devout supporter of higher educationhaving served for six years as Chairman of the Vincennes University Board of Trustees. Inaddition, he also served on the board of the University of Evansville and was a member of theIndiana Academy Board of Regents.Public ServiceA complete listing of Jim's countless civic activities is too long for inclusion, but featuredservice on the Indiana Bi-Centennial Commission and his stint as First Vice Chair of the IndianaChamber of Commerce should be highlighted. Jim firmly believed in the concept of "Pass It Forward" and this led to his active support andphilanthropy directed towards a host of charities and worthwhile causes.He was named a Vice President of the Indiana Society of Chicago; was an active member ofYPO/WPO Indiana Gold; Quiet Birdman; Vincennes Masonic Lodge #1; Evansville ScottishRite 33; Knights of Malta; and Hadi Temple Shrine.An untiring community leader, Jim served as the founding board chairman of the RedSkelton Museum Foundation. He was president of the Vincennes Kiwanis Club as well as theVincennes Country Club and was a long-time member in good standing of the CongressionalCountry Club in Washington D.C., the Evansville Country Club, the Innisbrook Golf Resort inPalm Harbor, FL; and the Tamarron Golf Resort in Durango, CO.RecognitionOver the course of his lifetime, Jim was a frequent recipient of countless civic awards,professional honors and widespread acclaim. A small sampling of awards include:Vincennes University Honorary Doctorate of Business Administration and the Walter A.Davis Memorial Citation; American Academy of Achievement Golden Plate; Automotive Hallof Fame Distinguished Service; Sagamore of the Wabash from four different Indiana governors;Kentucky Colonel; Indiana Transportation Man of the Year; Ernst and Young Entrepreneur ofthe Year; and WPO Legacy.In 2005, Jim authored a well-received memoir book titled: "HIGH OCTANE; A REARVIEWMIRROR RETROSPECTIVE (Big Britches Books, 544 pages)," chronicling the first eighty years ofhis extraordinary life.Survivors and ArrangementsSurvivors include Jim's wife, Marilyn; sons, Mike (Margy), Zionsville, IN; Pat (Lynn),Vincennes, IN; and daughter, Jane (Craig) Wissel, Vincennes, IN; step-daughters, BarbaraHanson, Carmel, IN; Julie (Gerry) Barclay, Olympia, WA; and Margy Hanson, Larkspur, CO.He is also survived by 13 loving grand-children and 25 loving great-grandchildren; as well astwo brothers, Don (Karen), Vincennes, IN; Ed (Lana), Carrollton, TX; and a sister, LoreneBurkhart, Carmel, IN.Jim was preceded in death by his first wife of 50 years and two months, Bettye J.; his son,C.J. III (Mac), who died on October 26, 2006 at the age of 55, and his grandson, Brooks R.McCormick.During his later years, Jim and Marilyn divided their time between homes in Vincennes, INand Palm Harbor, FL.Jim was a life-long Methodist and was a regular attendee at the Community UnitedMethodist church in Vincennes, IN and the Palm Harbor United Methodist Church in PalmHarbor, FL.Visitation will be on Thursday, June 1 from 1 P.M. to 8 P.M. at the McCormick Pavilion ofCommunity United Methodist Church, 1548 S. Hart Street, Vincennes, IN and from 10 A.M. to10:45 A.M. in the church sanctuary on Friday, June 2.The Celebration of Life will begin at 11 A.M. in the church sanctuary on Friday, June 2. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to:The Community United Methodist Church Endowment Fundhttp://www.cumcvincennes.org/contact/The Red Skelton Museum Foundation, http://www.redskeltonmuseum.orgThe Mac McCormick Vincennes University Memorial Scholarship Fundhttp://alumni.vinu.edu/s/1390/start.aspxThe KCARC 1972 Project. http://knoxcountyarc.comFuneral Arrangements by Goodwin Funeral Home, Vincennes, IN