The Arkansas native and retired trucking executive died Friday at 79.
"It's a tragic loss for everybody," said Donnie Green with Arkansas Warehouse. "I met H.L. in 1965, and we worked together with the Westark Area Council of the Boy Scouts for many years. He was a true gentleman and I was proud to call him my friend."
Hembree's name is probably best associated with Arkansas Best Corporation, where he served as chairman of the board and chief executive officer from 1973 until he retired in 1988. His connection with the company went back to 1958 when he started as a claims manager with Arkansas-Best Freight System. While he was CEO, Arkansas Best Corporation grew and diversified, including Riverside Furniture, Data-Tronics Corporation and USA Truck among its subsidiaries.
Don Flanders first met Hembree professionally.
"I met him when he was at Arkansas Best and I was running my own furniture company," Flanders said. "He was a fine man ... and a very active supporter of the Boy Scouts. He raised two fine Eagle Scout sons. ... We've lost a wonderful citizen."
Hembree also was an owner and director of Merchants Bank and worked to establish the Arkansas Best Federal Credit Union.
Sister Judith Marie Keith, a past president and CEO of St. Edward Mercy Medical Center, said Hembree played a significant role in the current success of the hospital and the city at large.
"Without H.L., I doubt the hospital would have moved," she said, referring to the St. Edward's 1975 relocation from 1400 Rogers Ave. to 7301 Rogers Ave.
"The question was whether we would close or move, and we didn't have the funding. H.L. stepped up because he believed the community needed two good, strong hospitals," Keith said.
‘Wise Counsel'
Jeff Johnston, CEO of St. Edward for the past two years, said Hembree's loss would leave a big hole.
"He was someone I really admired, and when I came here, he provided me with good, wise counsel," Johnston said.
Hembree served on the hospital board of trustees for many years and was also chairman of the board. In 1994, St. Edward named the Hembree Regional Cancer Center in honor of him and his wife.
The Arkansas Community Foundation named him philanthropist of the year, and he and wife Janelle also turned their attention to the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith.
Paul Beran, UAFS chancellor, recalled Hembree as a mentor and good friend who had a great vision for "big picture" opportunities and supported UAFS dating back to its days as WestArk Junior College.
"He could carry on a lively and spirited conversation. He was a great intellect. ... And he was committed to real and applied learning," Beran said.
One of Hembree's legacies at UAFS was the creation of the H.L. and Janelle Hembree Student Investment Portfolio Fund, a fund with real money that students use to practice financial management and investment skills, Beran said.
Hembree also created a scholarship for Eagle Scouts that several students are using for their schooling at UAFS.
Marta Loyd, vice chancellor for university advancement at UAFS, said Hembree took a real interest in the students, supporting them no matter what their goals were.
"Years later, we have students who've gone on with their careers and continue to thank us for allowing them the chance to have an audience with him. It was a turning point in their lives," Loyd said.
Business Leadership
Cheryl Garner, vice president of economic development at the Fort Smith Regional Chamber of Commerce, said she knew upon meeting Hembree recently that he was a person of great integrity.
"He served on the Chamber of Commerce board in 1985-86, during the time of Paul Latture Sr., and so many industries were recruited and located here under Mr. Hembree's leadership. ... I personally regret that I did not have the opportunity to work alongside him," Garner said.
In a written statement, Arkansas Best credited Hembree with leading the company's extensive growth during and after his 30-year tenure, most of it as chairman and CEO:
"Beginning in the late 1950s, H.L. Hembree served our company in a number of different capacities and he was a key part of ABF's and Arkansas Best's transformation from their beginnings as a small Arkansas trucking company. At the time of his retirement in 1988 his leadership paved the way for the growth and success that followed. We will always be indebted to him for the significant contributions he made to our company. We send our sincere condolences to his sons, Lawson and Scott, and to their entire family."
In an e-mailed statement by the family, Hembree was described as a "titan of the transportation industry" who was deeply involved at the national level of Boy Scouts of American and on the local level with his sons.
Hembree, born Nov. 16, 1931, in Fort Smith, spent his formative years there and on a farm between Paris and Ozark. In adulthood, he pioneered the growing of rice in that part of the state and established cattle herds. The land, Sugar Hill Farms, is still in the family.
His wife of 52 years, Janelle Young Hembree, died in 2009. He is survived by two sons, H. Lawson Hembree IV and Scott Hembree, both of Fort Smith, as well as four grandchildren.
A memorial service will be 11 a.m. Monday at St. John's Episcopal Church, with inurnment at St. John's Columbarium and a reception at St. John's Parish Hall.
**************************
Hugh Lawson Hembree III
In 1958, H.L. became associated with Arkansas-Best Freight System (ABF) as assistant general claims manager. As ABF grew, so did H.L.'s career as he learned the transportation business and then led in the formation of Data-Tronics Corp. To accommodate the growth of ABF into other non-regulated businesses, Arkansas Best Corp. was formed in 1966 with him being elected chairman of the board and chief executive officer in 1973, titles he held until his retirement in 1988. During this time, Arkansas Best Corp. grew to a diversified holding company with many operating subsidiaries, including Riverside Furniture, ABC Treadco, Trans-States Lines and USA Truck. It also sponsored the formation of Arkansas Best Federal Credit Union to provide benefits to the various companies' employees and their families. H.L. was proud of the team of people who worked to make this growth possible and these companies successful. H.L. was also an owner and director of Merchants National Bank of Fort Smith for nearly 30 years. For many years, he was also involved as a member of the board of directors of Oklahoma Gas & Electric Company.
H.L. enjoyed a lifetime of public service and was joined in these efforts by his wife, Janelle. He was especially fond of service to the Boy Scouts of America (at the local, regional and national levels,) St. Edward Mercy Medical Center (serving 30 years and leading the drive to move the hospital to its current campus), and the University of Arkansas (member of the Board of Trustees, Razorback Foundation Board, Alumni Association Board and National Development Council). In addition, H.L. touched countless lives through service with many other local and national organizations and was recognized with many awards and accolades that had deep meaning to him.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Janelle Young Hembree, and his parents, Raymond Hembree and Gladys Newman Hembree.
He is survived by two sons, H. Lawson Hembree IV and his wife Debbie of Fort Smith, and Scott Hembree and wife Karen of Fort Smith; four grandchildren, Lawson Hembree V, Christopher Hembree, Sara Hembree and Katelyn Hembree.
Memorial service will be 11 a.m. Monday at St. John's Episcopal Church with inurnment at St. John's Columbarium. Cremation and services are under the direction of Edwards Funeral Home in Fort Smith.
A reception will follow the memorial service at St. John's Episcopal Church Parish Hall.
Memorial contributions may be made to Boy Scouts of America, Westark Area Council, 1401 Old Greenwood Road, Fort Smith 72903, University of Arkansas Alumni Association, P.O. Box 1070, Fayetteville 72701-1070, Hembree Cancer Center, P.O. Box 17000, Fort Smith 72917-7000, or St. John's Episcopal Church, 215 N. Sixth St., Fort Smith, AR 72901. To sign an online guestbook, visit www.edwardsfuneralhome.com.
