'Too stubborn to quit'

A surprise gift for OOIDA President Jim Johnston. OOIDA
officers Todd Spencer and Bob Esler on the left.
(Photo by Nikohle Ellis)

OOIDA President and CEO Jim Johnston got a surprise during the VIP barbecue event on the Kansas Speedway infield Oct. 17. He was presented a portrait by the OOIDA Board of Directors and Association employees.

OOIDA Executive Vice President Todd Spencer set up the surprise.

“There are years in the past where we never thought anything like this would have happened and we are thrilled you are all here to share our 40th anniversary,” Spencer told attendees.

“I’ve been around for a long time, but this guy standing beside me – Jim Johnston – started this thing. … I can say tenacity and things like that, and those words are appropriate. But the truth is, he just a lot like other truck drivers. He’s so damned hardheaded.

“He decided to start something to represent truckers. He stuck with it. … When virtually everyone else was gone, he was there alone and could not admit defeat. He built an organization. People say all the time truckers can’t get together. Hell yes, truckers can get together and they can represent themselves in a business-like manner.

“We may be kind of a strange family at times, but when we stick together, it works better for all of us.”

At that point, Jim was still thinking it was a welcome speech to guests. Truckers cheered as Board Members Gary Green and Robert Esler edged up on the left with the portrait, a token of recognition, appreciation, for the many years Jim has dedicated to truckers.

Jim’s smile said it all, but he did get in the last words.

“Todd had it partway right,” he said. “Actually, I was too dumb to know I couldn’t do it and too stubborn to quit.”

Jim Johnston's speech

It arrived a day later than initially planned due to weather, but OOIDA President Jim Johnston addressed the truck show crowd on Saturday evening.

Introduced by Executive Vice President Todd Spencer on the truck show’s main stage, Jim spoke about the need for truckers to take their concerns to Washington, D.C., all those years ago. There were some real eye-openers for the truckers once they arrived and saw what they were up against.

“We decided the only way to deal with this was to start an organization capable of giving truckers a strong voice,” Jim said. And that’s precisely what they did.

Jim and Todd were joined on stage by OOIDA Chief Operations Officer Rod Nofziger, who led the crowd in singing “Happy Birthday” to OOIDA – 40 years strong.

We captured the speech in a video, and I must make a personal apology for the shaky camera in a few places. I was juggling two cameras and a backpack. But the important stuff is here, which is of course the speech, the thank-yous to members and OOIDA staff.

Rod summed it up for the crowd: “This celebration has been all about you, it’s been all for you.”