Celebrating Jim Whitten: A Legacy of Humility and Service

Jim joined the team in 1997, influenced by a family member who worked there and drawn to what he knew to be a solid place to build a career, provide for a family, and do honest work. What none of us could have fully known then was just how much Jim would come to mean to this organization.

Over more than two decades, Jim helped our companies feel and function like a close-knit community, especially across the 200-mile stretch that connected our home office in Memphis with our plant sites in northern Mississippi.

Jim’s formal responsibility as Construction Specialist was to ensure every administrative need was met across the road work and plant divisions, as well as safety. However, many could attest that when it came to Jim, it was never just about the job description. In fact, when asked to define Jim’s role with a single title, many have simply joked, “Jim Whitten was like a Swiss army knife… Capable of meeting the needs for any and all tasks.”

Jim kept things running smoothly, supported operational efficiency, and played a major role in orientation and safety training for new team members company-wide. He willingly lent his experience as a mentor and was always the first to rearrange his schedule around the needs of others.

VP of Project Management Michael Ellis spoke highly of these traits, sharing, “Jim was a shining example of trust, loyalty, and humility. He always took on every task with excellence and a smile, often doing so in the background. Jim’s responsibilities were many… Covering areas of safety, construction, trucking, tack sales, maintenance, employee issues, office administration, and many more.”

In addition to his care for the team, Jim also had a passion for his community, supporting countless company service projects and non-profit relationships, like The Grace Place in Batesville, MS. He frequently helped facilitate service projects, often working behind the scenes to coordinate volunteers, gather resources, and ensure efforts were meaningful and successful.

To Jim, people always came first. No matter the task, he approached each project with the same servant leadership that defined his career. He was a friend before he was a coworker, and that servant-hearted approach earned him deep respect from teammates and the community alike.

As Vice President Jeremy Ramberg shared, “Jim Whitten was truly one of a kind. He was salt of the earth, grounded in unwavering values, and always willing to give his time to help others grow. Honest, steady, and with a heart of gold, Jim had a rare way of holding people accountable without ever raising his voice. You always knew where you stood, and you always left better for it.”

That same spirit extended far beyond our company. Jim continued to invest countless hours mentoring and training the next generation of Eagle Scouts, volunteering his own time and vacation, even long after his sons completed their scouting journeys. The values of the Scout Law, trustworthy, loyal, helpful, kind, and brave, were not just words to Jim. They were a reflection of how he lived every day.

These reflections rang true and were noticed by several, including Director of Environmental, Health & Safety Eric Allen. He said, “Jim was a tremendous leader, mentor, and friend. He truly embodied the Scout Law, living its values every day and applying them not only to his own life, but to the betterment of our company and everyone fortunate enough to cross his path. Jim’s impact would be felt for years to come through the people he inspired and the standards he set.”

Jim, thank you for setting the bar for true excellence within our team. Your legacy was not just the work you accomplished, but the people you shaped, the culture you strengthened, and the countless lives you touched along the way. We wish you a joyous and restful retirement!