“I have been blessed to have been surrounded by countless positive role models – individuals who provided me with a toolbox overflowing with knowledge, wisdom and passion. All I had to do was reach out, take those tools and put them to use…. I am now providing that same toolbox to the younger generation.”
Jeffress recognized two specific individuals – Brent Hilton, who has worked with Jeffress for 22 of his 23 years at Maverick, and Jeffress’ wife Lynn, whom he called “my most cherished mentor of all.”
From duck blinds to Olympic gold?
Mike Jeffress loves to duck hunt. It’s a way of life in Arkansas. And it was only natural that he would take his son, Dustin, to the ponds once the boy was old enough. It was a great way to bond and spend time with his son.
When Dustin was in the 8th grade, he brought home a pamphlet from school for the Arkansas Youth Shooting Sports Program (AYSSP) sponsored by the Arkansas Game and Fish Department. It wasn’t long before Dustin was enrolled and his dad was volunteering as an assistant coach. That year, their team finished 8th in the state, and Jeffress caught the bug and became a full-fledged shooting coach.
Two years ago, Jeffress became a certified Level 1 Olympic Shooting Coach and helped mentor and lead 75 student-athletes as they competed in several different tournaments throughout Arkansas. Six of those student-athletes eventually qualified for Arkansas’ first Junior Olympics shooting meet – with one them finishing 40th out of 275 participants.
Of those 275 kids that participated in the Junior Olympics event, the top 24 in the state went to Colorado to the Olympics Training Center and spent a week with U.S. Olympic coaching squads and the resident athletes. “We are extremely excited about this program and proud of the student-athletes who are competing in it,” Jeffress says. “Our goal in the state is to try to develop at least one Olympic medalist from the State of Arkansas, and I firmly believe that it’s going to happen before too much longer.”
About the Career Leadership Award
Mike Jeffress is the 34th person to receive Commercial Carrier Journal’s top honor for lifetime achievement in fleet maintenance. Safeway Stores’ E. Clair Hill was the first to be so honored in 1977. CCJ’s Technology and Maintenance Career Leadership Award honors a career of dedication to professionalism and excellence in fleet maintenance. Industry involvement, recognitions and awards and reputation among peers figure into the selection. Individuals who made significant contributions to the industry while directly engaged in truck fleet management are eligible even if they no longer work for a fleet operation. CCJ welcomes nominations for the 2011 Career Leadership Award. Contact Avery Vise at avise@ccjmagazine.com.
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