Professional Pilot, March 2016

Founder Jack Henry L and Partner Jerry Hall drove endless hours to visit banks and install their software solutions before buying the companys first airplane a 4 seat Piper Arrow in 1979 PROFESSIONAL PILOT March 2016 59 In the early days because commercial airline travel was so difficult given their base location in rural southwest MO Jack and Jerry would drive endless hours to visit clients With so many hours wasted in transition Henry knew there had to be a better way Finally in 1979 while Jerry Hall was on an install job Henry used every penny they had to buy their first plane a 4 seat Piper Arrow A pilot himself since 1966 Henry became the companys first pilot transporting install teams to customer banks The aircraft quadrupled their productivity As the demand on Henrys time increased he hired pilots to take his position in the cockpit Jack Fox the former bank president from Gillioz and former Air Force fighter pilot joined the team and later became JHAs first chief pilot Monett airport JHA was instrumental in reviving HFJ Monett Regional Airport MO While the company was getting its start drug runners were using the small private strip for illegal drug drops and teenagers used it for a drag strip JHA worked with city officials and received grants to improve the airport They also contributed company funds and workers to help with the project Today HFJ uses a 5000x75 ft 18 36 runway both with RNAV approaches and is home base for over 30 aircraft including JHAs Phenom 300s From Monett JHA pilots can transport teams to just about anywhere in the continental US within a few hours and bring them home at night Executive leadership JHA Chairman and CEO Jack Prim began his career in the financial industry in 1977 as a sales representative for Burroughs Corporation He has a masters degree in business administration from Queens University in Charlotte NC Prim was appointed CEO in 2004 For 20 years he has helped grow the company by refreshing existing lines of business investing in new applications and improving efficiencies Today JHA has over 6000 employees in 40 locations and customers in every state Moving employees and customers around with business aircraft greatly enhances our efficiency and employee satisfaction says Prim Prim likes to be involved in improving the communities where JHA employees live and work In 2013 the company was instrumental in renovating the Monett YMCA by adding a large indoor pool with water slides and kids play area CFO Kevin Williams joined JHA as corporate controller in 1998 He became CFO and Treasurer in 2001 Previously he worked as a CPA for BKD and Jack Henry was one of his clients Williams travels 2 to 3 times per month typically to meet with large shareholders Reaching remote destinations is a challenge but using the company aircraft he can accomplish in 3 days what would take 4 to 5 days using commercial transportation JHA pilots Travel GM Brian Hunter joined JHA in 1989 when he was only 20 years old and fresh out of the School of the Ozarks Jack Fox hired him to fly both the Cessna 182 and the Beech King Air 90 In 1994 he was promoted to chief pilot In 1999 Hunter helped JHA expand and improve its flight ops by adding a travel agency Doing so was a game changer The combination was named Travel The synergy reduced deadheads by 56 and significantly reduced expenses in commercial airline tickets and hotels Hunter oversees a 4 member management team of chief pilot DOM travel ops mgr and safety coordinator Im very proud of this company We have so much talent and everyone works well together Hunter comments He still manages to fly about 250 hrs yr Chief Pilot Mike Whannell joined the team in 2012 and was appointed to establish the current FOQA program in conjunction with delivery of the 1st Phenom 300 Whannell Chairman CEO Jack Prim joined JHA in 2004 and has helped grow the S P 400 company for over 20 years