JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — Johnny Morris, the founder of Bass Pro Shops, was inducted into the Hall of Famous Missourians Tuesday.
Morris, from Springfield, started Bass Pro Shops in the early 1970s from the back of his father’s liquor store. There are now more than 200 stores and marine centers around the world.
Gov. Mike Parson, Lt. Gov. Mike Parson, and former House Speaker Elijah Haahr were on hand for the unveiling of the bust in the House Chambers.
“One of the greatest honors as speaker of the House is the chance to select someone for the Hall of Famous Missourians,” Haahr said. “Representing the 134th district, where Bass Pro and Wonders of Wildlife reside, made the decision easy. Johnny Morris is not just a Missouri legend; he is a national treasure.”
Morris is an avid conservationist. He’s sparked national initiatives as well as partnered with a variety of like-minded organizations. He was awarded the Audubon Medal in 2019 and the Teddy Roosevelt Conservationist Award, presented by former President H.W. Bush in 1990.
Last year, Annie White Baxtor was inducted into the Hall of Famous Missourians as only the ninth woman. She was the first woman elected to public office in Missouri and the first female county clerk in the U.S.
Kaitlyn Schallhorn was the editor in chief of The Missouri Times from 2020-2022. She joined the newspaper in early 2019 after working as a reporter for Fox News in New York City.
Throughout her career, Kaitlyn has covered political campaigns across the U.S., including the 2016 presidential election, and humanitarian aid efforts in Africa and the Middle East.
She is a native of Missouri who studied journalism at Winthrop University in South Carolina. She is also an alumna of the National Journalism Center in Washington, D.C.
Contact Kaitlyn at kaitlyn@themissouritimes.com.
