Drury University Athletics

Bass Pro Shops Founder and Chief Executive Officer Johnny Morris accepted his invitation to be inducted into the Drury Athletics Hall of Fame in 2021. Morris was inducted in the Lifetime Achievement category as one of the world's leading entrepreneurs in the sporting goods retail industry. 
 
After graduating from Drury in 1970, Morris revolutionized the destination retail business with Bass Pro Shops. Bass Pro Shops launched in Springfield and has grown to nearly 200 locations in North America and hosts more than 200 million visitors annually. His company, Bass Pro Group, owns the White River Marine Group, which, by volume, is the largest boat manufacturer in the world.
 
As his business empire has grown, Morris has emerged as one of the nation's leading conservationists. His efforts have helped ensure natural habitats, wildlife, and keeping the outdoors healthy for future generations. Bass Pro Shops' business partnerships enhanced the sports world locally through the creation of the Bass Pro Shops Tournament of Champions and nationally through sponsorships in NASCAR and other endeavors. Morris' vision also created golf destinations in Branson with courses designed by PGA legends Gary Player, Jack Nicholas, and Tiger Woods.
 
In 2003, Morris was inducted into the first class of the Drury Breech Hall of Fame that honors alumni and faculty for outstanding achievements in the field of business. He received the Missourian Hall of Fame Award in 1996, was inducted into the National Sporting Goods Industry Hall of Fame in 1998, was the Retail Innovator of the Year in 2008, and was inducted into the Missouri Tourism Hall of Fame in 2014. In 2016, Morris was inducted into the Springfield Public Schools Hall of Fame, and he was honored with an induction into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame in 1997.