Johnny Morris (businessman)

John L. 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.[1] As of February 2023, his net worth was estimated at US$8.3 billion.[2]

Johnny Morris
Morris in 2013
Born1948 (age 74–75)
Springfield, Missouri, US
EducationDrury University
Occupation(s)Founder, majority owner, and CEO, Bass Pro Shops
SpouseJeanie
Children4

Early life

John Morris was born in Springfield, Missouri in 1948.[3] Morris was educated at Drury University.[2]

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 $8.3 billion.[2] Morris is also the founder of the White River Marine Group.[2]

Morris opened the Wonders of Wildlife Museum & Aquarium in Springfield, in 2017.[2] 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]

Morris also founded the Top of the Rock golf course in Branson, Missouri, which houses one of the largest collections of Native American arrowheads and art in the region.[10] Top of the Rock experienced a 70-foot-wide sinkhole on May 22, 2016.[11]

Personal life

He is married, with four children, and lives in Springfield, Missouri.[2]

References
  1. "All Bass Pro Shops Locations - Sporting Goods & Outdoor Stores". stores.basspro.com. Retrieved December 14, 2018.
  2. "Forbes profile: John Morris". Forbes. Retrieved September 27, 2021.
  3. "IGFA - Johnny Morris". www.igfa.org. Archived from the original on December 15, 2018. Retrieved December 14, 2018.
  4. Moise, Imani (October 3, 2016). "Meet the Billionaire Behind the New Bass Pro/Cabela's Empire". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved December 1, 2016.
  5. "Bass Pro Billionaire Building Megastores With Boats, Guns". Bloomberg.com. Retrieved December 1, 2016.
  6. The Commercial Appeal, Bass Pro’s heir apparent saw potential in Pyramid, Memphis, July 9, 2016
  7. Palmisano, Kae Lani (January 26, 2018). "The best new attraction of 2017 is a celebration of conservationism". USA Today. Retrieved December 3, 2022.
  8. Hallie Detrick (September 26, 2017). "Bass Pro Just Completed a $4 Billion Deal to Buy Cabela's". fortune.com.
  9. National Audubon Society (October 12, 2018). "The National Audubon Society to Honor Johnny Morris". www.audubon.org.
  10. "About Top of the Rock | Big Cedar Lodge near Branson, Mo". Big Cedar Lodge. Retrieved March 24, 2021.
  11. Johnson, Wes. "Drone footage shows 100-foot-deep sinkhole". USA TODAY. Retrieved March 24, 2021.
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