James A. Ryder*
Class of 1960
- President Ryder Systems, Inc.
The most important thing is your self-respect. It doesn't matter what people think about you, but what you think about yourself.
Born in 1913 in Columbus, Ohio, James Ryder moved to Miami at the age of six. As a teenager, he worked in construction and hauled concrete. In 1933, fresh out of high school, he bought a $35 Model A Ford truck and starting a trucking business. Within a few years, Ryder began buying trucks and leasing them to customers.
From that early venture, Ryder built his business into the world's largest truck leasing and transportation company. By 1973, sales neared $500 million.
In 1978, Ryder retired from his company and a short time later organized a new company, Jartran, Inc., an acronym for James A. Ryder Transportation, which became the fastest-growing truck rental firm in the history of the business.