Todd Jenkins

Bow tied to hope

I’m going to loosen my bow tie a bit, get a little comfy,” says Dr. Todd Jenkins with a laugh as he settles into a 90-minute phone interview. He doesn’t have a lot of trouble “getting comfy”: The gregarious Jenkins — the senior diversity, inclusion and innovation lead at J.B. Hunt Transport Services, as well as the founder and CEO of Bowtie Leadership and Development — has built his brand on traits that make him a great conversationalist: open mindedness, warmth, wit and a genuine interest in what makes other human beings tick.

“He was unlike any student

I had worked with before,” says Dr. Becka Neary-DeLaPorte, who served in the student affairs office while Jenkins was attending the University of South Carolina. “One thing was for certain: Todd thrived in meeting new people and building relationships. He always had something to learn, and, for him, formal education only satisfied one aspect of his quest for knowledge. He also relied on the human experience and learning from others.”

“Learning from others” is primary to the Bowtie ethos. Throughout his life, Jenkins has deliberately stepped into environments and roles that were unfamiliar to him — but instead of finding discomfort, he learned from these experiences, constantly stretching the boundaries of his empathy and understanding. Consider his involvement in Rotary as an example: When Jenkins came to Fayetteville to study at the University of Arkansas, he found himself yearning for more social interaction. Upon the urging of Chancellor David Gearhart, whom Jenkins counts as a mentor, he attended a meeting of the Fayetteville chapter of Rotary International. Most members did not look like him, but instead of feeling out of place, Jenkins fell in love with the organization. He was 24 years old. Today, his Rotary resume is as long as that of someone twice his age: he has served as the former Rotaract adviser, Interact sponsor,

“He is a tremendous listener. He helps people be seen and be heard. Many of us are walking on our respective paths, feeling unappreciated, unheard and unseen — he has a way of engaging people, and giving them the space and time to open up. I think that helps him foster authentic relationships with individuals.” — Ana Claudia Aguayo

Photo by Novo Studio