Johnny Morris (businessman)

John Luke Morris (born 1948) is an American billionaire businessman, and the founder, majority owner, and CEO of Bass Pro Shops, a hunting and fishing retail chain in the US and Canada.[2]

Johnny Morris
Morris in 2013
Born1948 (age 72–73)
Springfield, Missouri, US
NationalityAmerican
EducationDrury University
OccupationFounder, majority owner, and CEO, Bass Pro Shops
Net worthUS$4.0 billion (January 2020)[1]
Spouse(s)Jeanie
Children4

Early life

John Morris was born in Springfield, Missouri in 1948.[3] Morris was educated at Drury University.[1]

Career

Morris founded Bass Pro Shops in 1972 when he began selling fishing equipment in the back of one of his father's Brown Derby liquor stores in Springfield.[4][5] According to Forbes, Morris has a net worth of $4.1 billion.[1] Morris is also the founder of the White River Marine Group.[1]

Morris opened the Wonders of Wildlife Museum & Aquarium in Springfield, in 2017.[1] The museum helps bring visitors to Bass Pro's store there, with which it shares a location.[6][7] In September 2017, Bass Pro acquired Cabela’s, another retailer of outdoor merchandise, for $4 billion.[8]

Morris and his family were presented with the Audubon Medal in February 2019, in recognition of their conservation efforts.[9]

Personal life

He is married, with four children, and lives in Springfield, Missouri.[1]

References
  1. "Forbes profile: John Morris". Forbes. Retrieved 9 January 2020.
  2. "All Bass Pro Shops Locations - Sporting Goods & Outdoor Stores". stores.basspro.com. Retrieved 14 December 2018.
  3. "IGFA - Johnny Morris". www.igfa.org. Archived from the original on 15 December 2018. Retrieved 14 December 2018.
  4. Moise, Imani (2016-10-03). "Meet the Billionaire Behind the New Bass Pro/Cabela's Empire". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved 2016-12-01.
  5. "Bass Pro Billionaire Building Megastores With Boats, Guns". Bloomberg.com. Retrieved 2016-12-01.
  6. The Commercial Appeal, Bass Pro’s heir apparent saw potential in Pyramid, Memphis, July 09, 2016
  7. USA TODAY, The best new attraction of 2017 is a celebration of conservationism, JANUARY 26, 2018
  8. Hallie Detrick (September 26, 2017). "Bass Pro Just Completed a $4 Billion Deal to Buy Cabela's". fortune.com.
  9. National Audubon Society (2018-10-12). "The National Audubon Society to Honor Johnny Morris". www.audubon.org.
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