Drury presents Lifetime Achievement in Business Award

Shewmaker, a Buffalo native, received the award for his dedication to free enterprise and his commitment to the corporate world, according to a Drury news release. The Students in Free Enterprise world headquarters in Springfield bears Shewmaker’s name.

“The Breech faculty are honored to celebrate Jack’s career,” Breech School Director Robert Wyatt said in the release. “He exemplifies the meaning of accomplishment within the free enterprise system. His passion for improving the lives of people around the world and his support of Drury and our SIFE team has been crucial to our success.”

Shewmaker joined Wal-Mart Stores Inc. in 1970 and served in many capacities, including president and chief operating officer.

He was appointed to the Wal-Mart Board of Directors in 1977 and served on Wal-Mart’s executive committee. Shewmaker semi-retired from Wal-Mart in February 1988 but is still a member of the retailer’s board of directors.

Shewmaker is now a consultant to the board of directors and executive management of Woolworths Ltd. in Sydney, Australia, the country’s largest food retailer, and has served on the Drury Board of Trustees since 1984.

In addition to honoring Shewmaker, the Breech School admited two business leaders – Raymond F. Aton and Wilber C. Bothwell – to its Hall of Fame.

Aton, who died in 1993, was co-owner of Aton Brothers Construction Co., which built more than 200 banks and several Springfield landmarks, including Mid-America Dairies, National Avenue Christian Church and Belle Hall on Drury’s campus.

Bothwell was elected to the National Academy of Arbitrators in 1960, and served on the national panels of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, the American Arbitration Association and the National Mediation Board. He handled more than 1,200 labor disputes, and more than 200 of his decisions and opinions are now cited as major contributions to the development of employer-employee relations common law principles, according to the release.

This story originally appeared in SBJ’s Feb. 6 free e-news Daily Update. Click here to register.