JOHN RUAN RENAI SS ANCE MAN John Ruan may not have considered himself worldly wise, but that’s how he approached the business. He brought a work ethic to thought that saw innovative ideas through to execution. When the Great Depression struck in 1929, his resourcefulness paid dividends. Many of Ruan’s customers could only afford to purchase small batches of coal, compared to full truckloads. To avoid hauling semi-full trucks, he crafted a divider for the truck bed that allowed several pre-measured units of coal to be shipped as a single load. This way he could still deliver to multiple customers in a single run. During the War, he developed the “key-
Christine handling the office, their three sons–John, Vincent, and Louis Jr.–drove when school allowed. When a load of freight arrived in Houma, the brothers would remove the backseat from the family automobile to deliver small pack- age shipments to their customers. Still other trucking pioneers found their inspiration in the school of hard knocks. A shoddy, mismatched suit and date- less senior prom stirred James Ryder to do something with his life. He started out as an unskilled laborer for CR Clark Construction in Miami, toiling six days a week and earning 25 cents an hour. While working one day, Ryder had a conversation with a former classmate who was delivering materials to one of the contractor’s sites. “He learned he could make 35 cents driving a truck, then wondered what he might make if he actually owned the truck,” shares David Bruce, vice pres- ident of corporate communications, Ryder. “So he made a $35 down pay- ment and paid $25 per month for a black 1931 Ford Model A.” Eighteen-year-old John Ruan left Iowa State University in 1932 to earn money for a family struggling during the Great Depression, says his son, John Ruan III, now chairman of Ruan Transportation. “When he discovered a road builder needed gravel at his work site, Ruan traded the family car for a truck and hauled his first load on July 4.” A cracker of an idea popped in his head. Ruan soon discovered a talent for selling and a passion for business that exists to this day. On February 11, 2009, he celebrated his 95th birthday. The Great Impression The 1920s and 1930s produced their fair share of trials and travails as com- panies struggled to gain a footing in the grip of the Great Depression. But through adversity, motor freight carri- ers gained credibility and respect and grew their businesses the old fashioned way – by earning it. They expected as much and more from themselves and their employees, and they val- ued the merits of self-sufficiency and enterprise.
stop system”– a time-saving innovation bor- rowed from the railroads for the tank truck industry. It allowed drivers to pick up or drop off petroleum day or night using their own keys to unlock necessary valves at unattend- ed facilities, says John Ruan III. If Ruan wasn’t exploring better ways to move things, he was finding better things to move. Just a few months after starting the business, carrying his first load of gravel, Ruan bought two more trucks, hired driv- ers, and switched to hauling coal. When he learned he might have a chance to carry goods for Western Grocer, Ruan secured
John Ruan
a loan for 10 new trucks, which he had customized specifically for groceries. Eventually, when demand for petroleum spiked during World War II, he turned his attention to that and became a leading player in the industry. His thought leadership didn’t end there. As a hands-on leader of his thriving transport business, Ruan keenly understood the art of politics and advocating for legislation that would benefit his business and customers, while persuading legisla- tors to forgo measures that would not. “I’ve always found that good work gets good results–that people are the center of any successful enterprise,” says the man himself. “The more we invest in the improvement of our society, the more we’ll succeed in making our own lives more satisfying. Underlying the success of the Ruan companies is our strong desire to make things better, not only for ourselves and our nation, but for people through- out the world.”
38 Inbound Logistics • September 2009
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