GOING THE EXTRA MILE
1998 Alumnus of the Year, Bud Hunter ('50)
has a long history of success.
Winter 1998 - Vol. 3. No. 2
Features
Bud Hunter
Homecoming 1998
Preparing Teachers
Violette Hall Renovation
Departments
Around the Quad
Foundation News
Sports
Alumni News
Archives
Summer
1998
Winter 1997
Summer 1997
One of Truman State University's most successful alumni, B.D. "Bud" Hunter ('50) chairman of the board and chief executive officer of Huntco Inc., was named as the 1998 Alumnus of the Year. During Homecoming at Truman State University, Hunter was honored at the Alumni and Friends Celebration banquet.
In 1986, Hunter served as Truman's summer commencement speaker, and in 1994, he was the Homecoming Grand Marshal. He is an accomplished pilot and often returns to the Kirksville area.
The Truman Homecomings hold a special meaning for Hunter who was born and raised in Wilsontown, Mo., near Kirksville, and he attended high school in Brashear, Mo. He also has a special relationship with President Jack Magruder. The first job that Hunter held was working for the Jack Spratt grocery store which was owned by President Magruder's father, Charles Franklin Magruder Sr. Hunter, who delivered groceries in a 1929 Chrysler, said, "I sure didn't think I would be delivering groceries for the father of one of the presidents of this fine institution."
After graduating from high school, Hunter went on to attend college at Truman. "It was a lot smaller institution in those days," said Hunter. His philosophy is that the ones who are willing to put in the extra hours and go the extra mile are the ones who will be successful, and his own determination attests to this outlook on life. In spite of working 48 hours a week, while attending college, Hunter received his degree after only two years and nine months. In 1950, he graduated from Truman with a B.S.E. degree. "It's a great institution," says Hunter, "one that you can travel anywhere and when you say you graduated from Truman State University, they know you are from somewhere."
After college, Hunter entered the Officers Candidate School for Air Force training and became a first lieutenant. He served his tour of duty during the Korean conflict, then after an honorable discharge, Hunter moved to Springfield, Ill. and worked for the S.P. Wright Advertising Co. The company provided advertising and consulting to the funeral industry. As a successful commissioned salesman, Hunter earned 49 percent ownership interest in the company. After purchasing the entirety of the company, Hunter expanded the scope of the business on a national scale.
In the late 1960s, Hunter founded Amedco Inc. The company manufactured burial supplies for funeral homes, made wheelchairs and other medical devices, and eventually expanded into the steel business to make burial caskets. It became the second largest manufacturer of burial caskets in the world and the largest manufacturer and provider of other products and services used by the funeral industry.
In 1986, Amedco merged with Service Corporation International (SCI), the largest owner of funeral homes and cemeteries in the world. As part of the merger of Amedco into SCI, Hunter, through the company, Huntco Inc., purchased the steel processing and health care equipment operations of Amedco. Today, Huntco is a major steel processor headquartered in Town and Country, Mo., and the company was listed as one of the top 50 growth companies in the St. Louis area in 1994.
In addition to his current role at Huntco Inc., Hunter also oversees a substantial group of businesses. He operates a chain of nursing homes, a real estate brokerage and development company in Long Boat Key, Fla., a radio station, commercial real estate, a number of Jiffy Lube franchises, and a large farming operation based just north of Kirksville. Hunter serves on the board of directors of SCI (NYSE), Cash America International (NYSE), Celebrity Inc. (NASD) and Mercantile Bank of St. Louis. He serves as a trustee of the Texas Aviation Hall of Fame and the board of regents of Harris Manchester College of the University of Oxford, and on the Listed Company Advisory Board of the New York Stock Exchange.
President Magruder presented Bud Hunter (right)
with the 1998 Alumnus of the Year Award.
Features | Around the Quad | Foundation News
Spo rts | Alumni News
