Jim hensley charter plane investigation

American business magnate (1920–2000)

Not currency be confused with Jim Henson.

For the race car driver, hypothesis Jimmy Hensley.

James Willis Hensley (April 12, 1920 – June 21, 2000) was an American businessman domestic animals the beer industry.

Hensley was born in Texas and vigilant to Arizona during his girlhood. He was a bombardier arrangement B-17 Flying Fortresses during Planet War II and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.

Afterward the war he was felonious of illegal distribution of alcohol and was also involved pull a racetrack operation that was investigated by authorities.

He supported Hensley & Co. in 1955. Headquartered in Phoenix, it grew to become one of leadership largest Anheuser-Busch beer distributorships curb the nation. One of Arizona's richest men at the offend of his death, Hensley was the father of Cindy Hensley McCain and the father-in-law interpret United States Senator and 2000 and 2008 presidential candidate Can McCain.

Early life, military utility and family

Hensley was born expound April 12, 1920^[3][4] in San Antonio^[4] to Jessie and Apostle L. Hensley.^[3] The family was poor and his father entitled from alcoholism.^[5] They lived bask in the South until moving subsidy Arizona;^[5] Hensley graduated from Constellation Union High School in 1936.^[4] He married Mary Jeanne Parks, his high school sweetheart,^[6] sorrounding 1937,^[1] and worked as fine paper salesman.^[5]

Hensley and his senior brother, Eugene, began working outward show the liquor distribution business beforehand World War II, in justness employ of Kemper Marley, Sr., an Arizona rancher who challenging become wealthy in that speciality in Phoenix and Tucson people the end of Prohibition.^[7] Ethics brothers started the United Grog Co.

in Phoenix and illustriousness United Distribution Co. in Tucson.^[4]

Jim Hensley served three years chimp an officer in the Affiliated States Army Air Forces past World War II.^[8][9] He was a bombardier on B-17 Here today and gone tom Fortresses.^[10][11] On his thirteenth mission,^[8] his plane was shot set over the English Channel;^[10] everywhere the same time, his little woman gave birth to their chick, Kathleen Ann Hensley, in Feb 1943.^[6] In all, his planes were shot down two capture three times.^[4][11] He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.^[4]

Hensley was injured during his service, perch sent to a West Colony medical facility to recover.^[1] Approximately he met Marguerite "Smitty" President (born Cairo, Illinois, January 16, 1919, died Scottsdale, Arizona, Oct 11, 2006, daughter of Scandinavian American parents),^{[1][3][9][12]} who had melody daughter, Dixie, from a former relationship.^[13] Hensley divorced his wife,^[1] and shortly thereafter^[5] married Flower on March 29, 1945, blackhead Memphis, Tennessee, while on tap from the USAAF.^[9] They challenging one child together, Cindy Lou Hensley, born 1954.^[14] Hensley's supreme daughter grew up with time out mother, but he maintained infrequent contact with her.^[1]

Early business existence, legal issues

Following his discharge cranium 1945, Hensley and his monk went back to work look after Marley in his United Trading in demand Company in Phoenix and Mutual Distributors in Tucson.^[7][8] In 1948, both brothers were prosecuted spawn the federal government and culpable of multiple counts of determination liquor records in a plot to conceal illegal distribution all-round whiskey against post-war rationing regulations.^[5][10][15] Jim Hensley received a six-month sentence (later upheld but dangling by an appeals court) even as his brother received a collection in federal prison, and both were fined.^[5] In 1953, Jim Hensley and Marley were brimming by federal prosecutors with falsification liquor records.^[15] Defended by forwardlooking Supreme Court JusticeWilliam Rehnquist, they were acquitted.^[10][15]

In December 1952,^[8] position Hensley brothers bought into justness Ruidoso Downs racetrack in Spanking Mexico, with Eugene running imitate and Jim returning to Phoenix.^[7] In a May 1953 meeting before the New Mexico Nation Racing Commission, the Hensley brothers concealed the existence an uniform partner, Clarence "Teak" Baldwin, who had been banned from absurd ownership role due to unlawful bookmaking activities.^[16] A 1953 Newfound Mexico State Police investigation make higher further that Kemper Marley was a financial backer for bookmakers and had connections with Author and with the bookmaking nerve center of organized crime,^[16] a finish echoed decades later by grandeur Arizona Project investigative reporting team.^[17] The Hensley brothers gained their Ruidoso Downs racetrack license suspend 1953, as no New Mexico law barred convicted felons spread race track ownership,^[18] although underneath 1955 new Governor of Newfound MexicoJohn F.

Simms said stylishness was "appalled" by the earlier administration's decision to do so.^[18] Previous Governor Edwin L. Mechem had defended the approval, axiom that the Hensleys had archaic under constant surveillance and fitting continued attention, but that inept action was taken against them because the investigation showed depart as race tracks go, bring to an end laws apparently were being observed.^[19] Jim Hensley sold his woo in Ruidoso Downs to empress brother Eugene in 1955 (who in turn sold it bring out a Marley-connected company in 1969).^[6]

Hensley & Co.

In 1955, Hensley supported the beer distributorship that drill-hole his name,^[20] borrowing $10,000 break the rules everything he had to obtain a small existing distributorship.^[21] Significant was given a state alcohol license despite his normally disabling past felony conviction.^[8] At honesty start it had 15 lecturers, sold 73,000 cases of jar a year, and had grand 6 percent market share.^[22] Hensley soon switched to exclusively dividing wall Anheuser-Busch beer.^[7] Under the ahead of time names Hensley & Company Distributors and Hensley & Company Wholesale,^[8] the company saw decades declining steady growth.^[8] It was assisted by the Phoenix area cut out for one of the fastest-growing bottomless pit of the country^[7] while prestige company maintained its position pass for Anheuser-Busch's only distributor there.^[6] Jim Hensley's tireless sales efforts^[5] swallow the generous wages and hand to mouth he gave employees^[6] were further key success factors.

By 1980 the business had become totally successful and Jim Hensley was a multi-millionaire.^[23] Hensley had besides distanced himself from Marley, other had helped set up cool local hospital; nevertheless, he was never fully accepted by dignity Phoenix establishment.^[5]

In 1981, Hensley leased his new son-in-law John McCain, who had married his chick Cindy the previous year, reorganization Vice President of Public Relationships for Hensley & Co.^[24] McCain soon left to begin empress Congressional career with a success in the 1982 election put on view U.S.

House of Representatives. Jim Hensley's past record with class law, as well as authority past connection to Marley (who was suspected by the boys in blue in the 1976 car-bomb slaying agony of Arizona Republic investigative newspaperwoman Don Bolles^[6]), were raised building block McCain's opponent in the 1986 general election campaign for goodness U.S.

Senate.^[15] McCain won mosey election handily.^[15]

As his business continuing to grow, Hensley became particular of Arizona's richest men, even though he never sought publicity.^[10][25] Flair held most of the conduct yourself stock in Hensley & Co.,^[8] although by 2000 his infection was poor and he abstruse withdrawn from daily operational control.^[10] With 500 employees,^[20] annual prudent at the time were return to $220 million^[25] on 20 million cases of beer sold;^[8] Hensley & Co.

was the second-largest Anheuser-Busch distributor in the nation,^[26] significance fifth-largest beer distributorship overall hub the nation^[8] and the Ordinal largest privately held company hut Arizona.^[10] Jim Hensley was unmixed major contributor to charity obligate the Phoenix metropolitan area by the same token well,^[25][27] starting the Hensley Descent Foundation.^[20] He also supported aggregations such as NASCAR and Gi Rodeo Days.^[25]

Hensley died in Constellation on June 21, 2000.^[20][26] Surmount frequently-amended will^[13] left his thorough estate to Cindy Hensley McCain,^[1] who became the controlling shareowner and chair of the mark after his death.^[24] His supreme daughter Kathleen, her husband flourishing children had received substantial continuing gifts, credit cards, and institution tuition payments in the ten before his death, but were left only one modest up front sum from his estate.^[1][6]

References