Clarence James (Jim) McCormick

Clarence James (Jim) McCormick, 92, passed away at his long-time family home in Vincennes, IN.

McCormick was a towering figure in the American trucking industry during the

last half of the twentieth century. Rising from the fertile farmland of southwest Indiana, Jim

ascended 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 (who

served as Assistant Secretary of Agriculture during the Truman Administration), Jim attended

Purcell Grade School and Decker High School where he graduated as valedictorian of the Class

of 1942.

Enrolling at Purdue University, Jim joined the Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity, played on the

freshman basketball team and was elected class president. When Purdue was converted to a

wartime Naval training facility in 1943, Jim returned home to help his mother manage the family

farm 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 career

path 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 the

winter months. The shoestring venture was a success and by the time McCormick was 21, he

owned a fleet of five tractor-trailer trucks.

After selling his produce-hauling business, in 1954 Jim purchased the INDIANAPOLIS AND

SOUTHERN MOTOR EXPRESS company, a common carrier with 100 employees and an equal

number of vehicles. In 1967, I&S, as Jim’s company was known, purchased MCDANIEL FREIGHT

LINES, 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 trucking

industry. He wisely sold out to BRIGGS TRANSPORTATION of St. Paul, MN in 1977, just before the

industry 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 of

White Trucks. Over the ensuing 55 years, MCCORMICK INC., based in Vincennes, IN, served as a

franchised 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. In

1981, he acquired a small trucking company that became BESTWAY EXPRESS. Jim’s sons, Pat and

Mac obtained ownership positions and managed the business successfully. It has grown over the

years and is today operated by Pat and three of Jim’s grandsons: WiIl, Ry and Eli.

Other Interests

Jim’s devotion to golf led him to become a major shareholder and eventual Board Chairman

of Golf Hosts, Inc., which at the time owned and operated the Innisbrook Golf Resort in Palm

Harbor, FL and the Tamarron Golf Resort in Durango, CO.

During his long and distinguished career, Jim served as Chairman of countless state and

national trucking and transportation organizations including: American Trucking Associations,

Indiana Motor Truck Association, Indiana Motor Rate and Tariff Bureau, Central States Rate and

Tariff Bureau, Indiana Motor Carriers Labor Relations Association, and National Highway Users

Federation.

A High Octane Life

Jim’s affection for all things fast and powerful found him speeding across lands, sea and air

in the most highly powered form of transportation available. His love of flying, with over 50

years and 6,500 hours of aircraft piloting, was evidenced by his ownership of more than a dozen

aircraft and his role as Chairman of the Indiana Aeronautics Commission. He also served as Vice

President of the Automotive Hall of Fame and enjoyed skippering his motor yachts in the Great

Lakes and Atlantic Ocean with a full Sea Captain rating. Jim was a member of several crosscountry

motorcycle clubs. Aside from his family, there was little that Jim loved more than

experiencing the beauty of our great nation astride one of his supercharged Boss Hoss bikes.

Financial and Educational Leader

Alongside his various transportation businesses, Jim also became active in the banking

industry. These interests led to his active participation in numerous savings institutions and

membership 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 Bancorp

of Vincennes; and Director of German American Bancorp of Jasper, IN.

Jim’s commitment to athletics and to his faith was manifested by his national chairmanship

of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. He was also a devout supporter of higher education

having served for six years as Chairman of the Vincennes University Board of Trustees. In

addition, he also served on the board of the University of Evansville and was a member of the

Indiana Academy Board of Regents.

Public Service

A complete listing of Jim’s countless civic activities is too long for inclusion, but featured

service on the Indiana Bi-Centennial Commission and his stint as First Vice Chair of the Indiana

Chamber of Commerce should be highlighted.

Jim firmly believed in the concept of “Pass It Forward” and this led to his active support and

philanthropy 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 of

YPO/WPO Indiana Gold; Quiet Birdman; Vincennes Masonic Lodge #1; Evansville Scottish

Rite 33; Knights of Malta; and Hadi Temple Shrine.

An untiring community leader, Jim served as the founding board chairman of the Red

Skelton Museum Foundation. He was president of the Vincennes Kiwanis Club as well as the

Vincennes Country Club and was a long-time member in good standing of the Congressional

Country Club in Washington D.C., the Evansville Country Club, the Innisbrook Golf Resort in

Palm Harbor, FL; and the Tamarron Golf Resort in Durango, CO.

Recognition

Over 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 Hall

of Fame Distinguished Service; Sagamore of the Wabash from four different Indiana governors;

Kentucky Colonel; Indiana Transportation Man of the Year; Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of

the Year; and WPO Legacy.

In 2005, Jim authored a well-received memoir book titled: “HIGH OCTANE; A REARVIEW

MIRROR RETROSPECTIVE (Big Britches Books, 544 pages),” chronicling the first eighty years of

his extraordinary life.

Survivors and Arrangements

Survivors include Jim’s wife, Marilyn; sons, Mike (Margy), Zionsville, IN; Pat (Lynn),

Vincennes, IN; and daughter, Jane (Craig) Wissel, Vincennes, IN; step-daughters, Barbara

Hanson, 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 as

two brothers, Don (Karen), Vincennes, IN; Ed (Lana), Carrollton, TX; and a sister, Lorene

Burkhart, 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, IN

and Palm Harbor, FL.

Jim was a life-long Methodist and was a regular attendee at the Community United

Methodist church in Vincennes, IN and the Palm Harbor United Methodist Church in Palm

Harbor, FL.

Visitation will be on Thursday, June 1 from 1 P.M. to 8 P.M. at the McCormick Pavilion of

Community United Methodist Church, 1548 S. Hart Street, Vincennes, IN and from 10 A.M. to

10:45 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.

STREAMS

The General

Memories WAMW FM

Clarence James (Jim) McCormick

Clarence James (Jim) McCormick, 92, passed away at his long-time family home in Vincennes, IN.

McCormick was a towering figure in the American trucking industry during the

last half of the twentieth century. Rising from the fertile farmland of southwest Indiana, Jim

ascended 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 (who

served as Assistant Secretary of Agriculture during the Truman Administration), Jim attended

Purcell Grade School and Decker High School where he graduated as valedictorian of the Class

of 1942.

Enrolling at Purdue University, Jim joined the Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity, played on the

freshman basketball team and was elected class president. When Purdue was converted to a

wartime Naval training facility in 1943, Jim returned home to help his mother manage the family

farm 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 career

path 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 the

winter months. The shoestring venture was a success and by the time McCormick was 21, he

owned a fleet of five tractor-trailer trucks.

After selling his produce-hauling business, in 1954 Jim purchased the INDIANAPOLIS AND

SOUTHERN MOTOR EXPRESS company, a common carrier with 100 employees and an equal

number of vehicles. In 1967, I&S, as Jim’s company was known, purchased MCDANIEL FREIGHT

LINES, 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 trucking

industry. He wisely sold out to BRIGGS TRANSPORTATION of St. Paul, MN in 1977, just before the

industry 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 of

White Trucks. Over the ensuing 55 years, MCCORMICK INC., based in Vincennes, IN, served as a

franchised 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. In

1981, he acquired a small trucking company that became BESTWAY EXPRESS. Jim’s sons, Pat and

Mac obtained ownership positions and managed the business successfully. It has grown over the

years and is today operated by Pat and three of Jim’s grandsons: WiIl, Ry and Eli.

Other Interests

Jim’s devotion to golf led him to become a major shareholder and eventual Board Chairman

of Golf Hosts, Inc., which at the time owned and operated the Innisbrook Golf Resort in Palm

Harbor, FL and the Tamarron Golf Resort in Durango, CO.

During his long and distinguished career, Jim served as Chairman of countless state and

national trucking and transportation organizations including: American Trucking Associations,

Indiana Motor Truck Association, Indiana Motor Rate and Tariff Bureau, Central States Rate and

Tariff Bureau, Indiana Motor Carriers Labor Relations Association, and National Highway Users

Federation.

A High Octane Life

Jim’s affection for all things fast and powerful found him speeding across lands, sea and air

in the most highly powered form of transportation available. His love of flying, with over 50

years and 6,500 hours of aircraft piloting, was evidenced by his ownership of more than a dozen

aircraft and his role as Chairman of the Indiana Aeronautics Commission. He also served as Vice

President of the Automotive Hall of Fame and enjoyed skippering his motor yachts in the Great

Lakes and Atlantic Ocean with a full Sea Captain rating. Jim was a member of several crosscountry

motorcycle clubs. Aside from his family, there was little that Jim loved more than

experiencing the beauty of our great nation astride one of his supercharged Boss Hoss bikes.

Financial and Educational Leader

Alongside his various transportation businesses, Jim also became active in the banking

industry. These interests led to his active participation in numerous savings institutions and

membership 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 Bancorp

of Vincennes; and Director of German American Bancorp of Jasper, IN.

Jim’s commitment to athletics and to his faith was manifested by his national chairmanship

of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. He was also a devout supporter of higher education

having served for six years as Chairman of the Vincennes University Board of Trustees. In

addition, he also served on the board of the University of Evansville and was a member of the

Indiana Academy Board of Regents.

Public Service

A complete listing of Jim’s countless civic activities is too long for inclusion, but featured

service on the Indiana Bi-Centennial Commission and his stint as First Vice Chair of the Indiana

Chamber of Commerce should be highlighted.

Jim firmly believed in the concept of “Pass It Forward” and this led to his active support and

philanthropy 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 of

YPO/WPO Indiana Gold; Quiet Birdman; Vincennes Masonic Lodge #1; Evansville Scottish

Rite 33; Knights of Malta; and Hadi Temple Shrine.

An untiring community leader, Jim served as the founding board chairman of the Red

Skelton Museum Foundation. He was president of the Vincennes Kiwanis Club as well as the

Vincennes Country Club and was a long-time member in good standing of the Congressional