In for the Long Haul: The Life of John Ruan [Hardcover]

William B. Friedricks (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0813825318 | ISBN-13: 978-0813825311 | Publication Date: September 2003 | Edition: 1

Driven by grit and determination during the Depression, John Ruan parlayed a one-truck business into Ruan Transportation Management Systems, one of the nation’s leading trucking, leasing, and logistics companies. The trucking business made John Ruan one of the wealthiest and most influential people in Iowa and was the foundation for his vast fortune which included interests in insurance, banking, financial services, international trade, and real estate.

 

In the 1970s and 80s, Ruan led Des Moines’s renaissance with the construction of the 36-story original Ruan Center, the Marriott Hotel tower, and the Two Ruan Center office complex. But his contributions reached far beyond the confines of Iowa. As a philanthropist, Ruan was a long-time sponsor of the World Food Prize, which recognizes the importance of a nutritious and sustainable food supply for all people.

 

Based on extensive interviews with Ruan, family members, business associates, friends, and colleagues, as well as privately held papers and archives, In for the Long Haul presents a discerning portrait of this hard-charging yet compassionate businessman.

 

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

William Friedricks is professor of history at Simpson College and director of the Iowa History Center. He was recently named the inaugural winner of the Iowa History Prize, awarded by Humanities Iowa to help support and promote awareness of and interest in Iowa history. He is the author of several books, including Investing in Iowa: The Life and Times of F. M. Hubbell and Covering Iowa: The History of the Des Moines Register and Tribune Company, and editor of the book series Iowa and the Midwest Experience.

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 293 pages
• Publisher: Iowa State Press; 1 edition (September 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0813825318
• ISBN-13: 978-0813825311
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.3 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,048,743 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Biography of an Exceptional Person, July 22, 2003

By 

Stephen Fletcher (Chicago, IL United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: In for the Long Haul: The Life of John Ruan (Hardcover)

Let me first disclose that I am a little biased in my review because the subject of this biography is my grandfather. For those of you considering reading this book I highly recommend it if you're interested in learning about a spectacular story of entrepreneurial success. I am an avid reader of business-related biographies and I can attest that this is near the top. In addition, the biography accounts for John Ruan's entire life to date, with details of his childhood, his family and related hardships, the founding of his many business, details on the inner-workings of those businesses and his many community/charitable efforts (the most notable of which is the World Food Prize). In all, the book sums up a man of tremendous impact in both Iowa, the U.S. as well as the world. John Ruan, as you will come to note after reading this book, is a unique individual whose 90+ years have had an exceptionally positive impact in our community, and in business. In my opinion, John Ruan truly embodies some of the fundamental principles upon which the United States was founded; the opportunity to achieve through hard work. On a final point, upon picking up the book, I read it straight through in four hours. Again, I highly recommend reading the book.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars wonderful......especially the index, July 28, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: In for the Long Haul: The Life of John Ruan (Hardcover)

An exceptional book about an exceptional man. The great index helps immensely to make this a quality product.