10 Things You Didn’t Know about Oshkosh CEO Wilson R. Jones
Chances are, you have seen trucks made by Oshkosh Corporation, even if you didn’t realize it at the time. The truth is, they routinely manufacturer large apparatus such as fire and emergency vehicles. While they manufacture vehicles that can traverse virtually any type of area and are often used in municipalities, the company also has a segment that focuses exclusively on designing Fire & Safety apparatus for airports. As you can imagine, this is something that is of extreme importance, so the company has to have a leader that’s capable of understanding that and getting the job done. In this particular case, that person is CEO Wilson R. Jones. While you might know a thing or two about the company, you may not know nearly as much about the man running it. If you want to know more, keep reading these 10 things about Wilson R. Jones that you probably never knew before.
1. He hasn’t really been CEO of the company for very long-
He was appointed during the winter of 2016, which means that he has just about three years on the job at the current time. That might seem like a lot, but imagine what it takes to run an entire corporation, especially one the size of Oshkosh Corporation. This is no easy task and it is one that requires a great deal of forethought, not to mention a lot of good judgment and even better business sense.
2. This isn’t his first position within the company
A person doesn’t typically get to be the CEO without first proving themselves, not just in the business world as a whole, but within that particular corporation. This was the case with Mr. Jones. Before he became the company’s chief executive officer, he served for quite some time as both Chief Operating Officer and president of the company. By the time they had chosen him as their CEO, they knew what his work ethic was like and how he would probably run the company if he were chosen to head it up. In fact, you could even say that is specifically why he was chosen.
3. He’s held different positions with the company for years
Long before he even became president of the company, he was still working for Oshkosh Corporation in one capacity or another. As a matter of fact, he’s been there for a little more than a decade. He’s worked his way up through the ranks, and it just so happens that one of the positions he held throughout that time was working with that special segment of the company that deals with developing fire and emergency vehicles for airports.
4. He understands the needs that come with designing emergency vehicles
In one way or another, he’s been working in this type of industry for a quarter of a century. He definitely understands that when designing emergency and other types of specialty vehicles, there are very specific things that must be followed. It’s definitely not like designing a typical vehicle that will be nothing more than a Sunday driver. As a result, he has worked tirelessly to ensure that the vehicles his company is responsible for are capable of getting the job done, no matter what needs to happen in order to get them to that level.
5. He went to college in Texas
As a matter of fact, he has a bachelor’s degree in Business from the University of North Texas, something that he has put to good use. Since that time, he has gone on to specialize in this type of vehicle construction and has become one of the most well-respected businessmen in that particular industry.
6. He doesn’t only lend his talents to Oshkosh Corporation
He also serves on the board of directors for a number of specialty vehicles organizations, not the least of which include one dedicated to fire and emergency apparatus in another to ambulance construction. He believes that he should share the things that he has learned throughout his professional life with everyone in a way that makes designing and building these types of vehicles safer for everyone involved. He considers this to be one of his more important missions in life and something that he has dedicated himself to for a number of years.
7. He makes a great deal of money
What CEO doesn’t make a great deal of money? You might think that this is a blanket statement that could fit virtually any CEO of any company out there, but it would be fair to say that Mr. Jones makes a considerable amount of money, even compared to most CEOs. As a matter of fact, the most recent figures available indicate that in a single year, he made well over 10 million dollars, with more than 1 million dollars of that being paid out as a bonus alone. It’s hard to imagine what it would even be like to make that much money in a lifetime, much less in the mere span of only 12 months.
8. He also works hard for the money he makes
For some, it might seem like it’s all ponies and rainbows for someone that makes this much money but you have to understand what a CEO of a company like this has to give up in order to do that. It means a lot of long hours at work, often spending so much time there that it’s easier to just sleep at work than it is to go home. It means putting in 20-hour days, often seven days a week. It also means missing important family functions and not being available on holidays. The point is, it’s important to remember that everything in life is a trade-off and you don’t make that much money without having to sacrifice a great deal of yourself in order to do it.
9. He’s not like a lot of other CEOs
Despite the long hours and being in the business world, which can be cut throat a lot of time, Mr. Jones isn’t like a lot of other CEOs. In fact, he has been credited with being one of the most fair and kind individuals in this position throughout the entire business world. That’s a high honor, especially in a type of profession where values and morals seem to be few and far between.
10. He makes an effort to live his life a certain way
He has long contended that he doesn’t want to be like everyone else and that he hopes he never gets to a point where he just stops trying to be the best he can be on a daily basis. That doesn’t just transcend to being a good CEO, but also to treating people fairly and doing what’s right for the majority of individuals, not just for his own personal bank account.
