Investing in People: Continuing the Legacy of Bill Honeycutt Through the WDT Community Investment Program

At Western Dairy Transport, community has never been a slogan written on a wall. It has always been part of who we are.

Founding the company in 1967 with just ten milk trucks in Cabool, Missouri, J.W. “Bill” Honeycutt, Jr. built Western Dairy Transport on something bigger than transportation. He built it on relationships, integrity, service, and taking care of people.

Bill Honeycutt was known for his strong work ethic, humble leadership, and belief that a handshake still meant something. Long before Western Dairy Transport became the nation’s largest dairy hauler, Bill was a businessman who believed success only mattered if you used it to help others along the way.

After taking ownership of his family’s Chevrolet dealership in the 1950s, Bill eventually saw an opportunity to help dairy producers in the Ozarks by hauling milk for Mid-America Dairymen. That decision in 1967 laid the foundation for what WDT has become today.

But those who knew Bill best will tell you his legacy was never measured only in trucks, terminals, or growth.

He quietly helped people.

He supported families during difficult times. He gave generously — often anonymously — because he genuinely cared about the communities and people around him. He believed businesses should create opportunities, strengthen communities, and invest back into the people who helped build them.

That spirit continues to guide WDT today through our Guiding Principles:

• Community – Investing In People

• Integrity – Maintaining Trust Through Uncompromised Honesty

• Safety – Driving Our Decisions, Protecting Lives

• Service – Humbly Serving All Those On Our Path

As part of our continued commitment to “Community – Investing In People,” Western Dairy Transport is proud to continue the WDT Community Investment Program.

The WDT Community Investment Program

The Community Investment Program was created to encourage and support our employees as they give back to the charitable causes and organizations that matter most to them.

Beginning in 2025, WDT employees who make a personal donation to a qualifying 501(c)(3) organization may receive a company match equal to 50% of their contribution, up to $50 annually.

This program is one more way we can partner together to strengthen the communities where we live and work.

How the Program Works

• Open to all WDT employees

• Employees may donate to any verified 501(c)(3) charitable organization

• WDT will match 50% of the donation amount, up to $50 annually per employee

• Employees must submit proof of donation, such as a receipt or confirmation letter

• Donation receipts may be emailed to Crystal Dixon at crdixon@wdtmilk.com

• Once verified, matching funds will be added to the employee’s payroll check during the following pay period

Eligibility Requirements

• The organization must have verified 501(c)(3) nonprofit status

• Donations must be made during the current program year to qualify

• Employees may receive up to $50 in matching contributions annually

At WDT, we believe investing in people extends far beyond the workplace. Whether it’s supporting local schools, churches, youth programs, medical foundations, food banks, veterans organizations, or causes close to home, every act of generosity matters.

More than fifty years after Bill Honeycutt started this company, his example still shapes the culture of WDT today. His belief in hard work, servant leadership, generosity, and community continues to influence how we operate and how we support one another.

The trucks may be larger now, and the company may serve customers across the country, but the foundation remains the same: Take care of people. Support your communities. Do the right thing. That legacy still drives us forward every day.