February 26, 2010McMurray Makes Surprise Appearance at Bass Pro Shops Manager’s Convention
BRANSON, MO. (Feb. 26, 2010) – For 300 representatives from various branches of the Bass Pro Shops corporate hierarchy, comprised mostly of general managers from the network of destination stores. The annual General Manager’s convention is a time for fun, relationship building, awards, and most importantly hard work. This hard work over four days at the Bass Pro Shops property, Big Cedar Lodge, on Tablerock Lake in Branson, MO. helps prepare and propel these store managers into the New Year. It is also a time to reflect on the challenges and successes that the company has experienced over the past year, and like most American companies, Bass Pro Shops finds themselves at a “Crossroads.”
These “Crossroads” can be likened to the rollercoaster ride that most companies have been on, specifically retail, as the American economy has suffered through a tough recession. However, Bass Pro Shops is now looking beyond these “Crossroads,” towards a future that is very bright.
The same can be said of Earnhardt Ganassi Racing driver, Jamie McMurray, whose recent victory has propelled him to the heights of NASCAR’s top series in a matter of weeks. The driver himself was at a sort of “Crossroads” in his career at the end of the 2009 season. Jamie was the odd man out at Roush-Fenway Racing looking to take the next step in his career. That next step would be back, back to the team at which he started his NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Career, Earnhardt Ganassi Racing (then Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates). This also meant that Jamie, a native of Joplin, MO., had been accepted as the driver of the No.1 Bass Pro Shops / Tracker Boats Chevrolet and it just so happened that Bass Pro Shops is headquartered in Springfield, MO. With the stars aligned, McMurray went to Daytona and won the Daytona 500, and is now looking beyond his own personal “Crossroads.”
That is why Johnny L .Morris, Founder/CEO of Bass Pro Shops, invited Jamie to the General Manager’s convention in Branson to tell his story. This story of inspiration and of perseverance brought this group of manager’s and corporate representatives from Bass Pro Shops to their feet as Jamie revved the engine of his replica Daytona 500 winning car, driving it right into the ballroom in which the manager’s were seated for dinner. The Bass Pro Shops family is just that, a family, and the manager’s welcomed Earnhardt Ganassi Racing’s Jamie McMurray into their family with a standing round of applause.
Bass Pro Shops Founder/CEO Johnny Morris then presented Jamie with a set of Indian artifacts, stone axe heads, which were found buried under what is now modern-day Joplin, MO. (Jamie’s hometown). Johnny then brought out numerous large wine bottles, sent from NASCAR team owner Richard Childress’s vineyard in North Carolina, commemorating Jamie’s victory. The next scene was right out of Jamie’s victory lane celebration, in which Jamie went around and poured champagne into the mouth of each of his crew members, as Jamie, Johnny, and Bass Pro Shops President Jim Hagale proceeded to go around to each attendee and pour a sip of red wine in honor of the team effort that it takes to not only go fast on Sundays, but to also run the most successful outdoors company in the world. Once the wine was poured, and with a big cheers to both team’s successes (No. 1 Team and Bass Pro Shops), the crowd raised their glasses and toasted.