Industry & Services >> CEO Interviews >> October 30, 2000
W. MARVIN RUSH, Chairman and CEO of Rush Enterprises, Inc., became
familiar with the transportation industry early in life. His father
privately owned and operated a public bus company in Houston, Texas. Mr.
Rush's after-school hours and summers were spent learning the business.
His training from the bottom up equipped him well to take over and serve
four years as the Vice President and General Manager of Pioneer Bus
Company. In 1961, Mr. Rush joined Hausman Bus Sales as Vice President of
Sales. Hausman Bus Sales was the largest exporter of used buses in the
world, and he traveled extensively in Central and South America. Mr.
Rush left this position in 1965, after receiving a truck franchise from
GMC Truck and Coach Division of General Motors. He founded Rush
Enterprises in 1965. The company operates a regional network of truck
centers that provide an integrated one-stop source for the trucking
needs of its customers, including retail sales of new Peterbilt and used
heavy-duty trucks, parts, service and body shop facilities; and a wide
array of financial services, including the financing of new and used
truck purchases, insurance products, and truck leasing and rentals. In
June 1996, Rush Enterprises was the first auto or truck dealer
organization in the United States to complete a successful IPO. Also in
1996, Mr. Rush diversified Rush Enterprises, Inc. to include John Deere
heavy-duty construction equipment dealerships. In 1998 he again led the
company to diversify by entering the farming and ranching market with
the purchase of D & D Farm and Ranch Supermarket in Seguin, Texas. And
in September 2000, Rush Retail Centers purchased Smith Brothers, Inc. of
Denton, Texas, and has integrated its catalog and Internet service into
D & D, Denton/Smith Brothers. Currently, Mr. Rush serves on the Board of
Directors of Mission National Bank. Profile
Mr. Rush: We are in the Peterbilt truck business, operating under the
name of Rush Truck Centers. We have 34 retail locations in our
