Jim Jenkins
About the Jenkins Family
For brothers Jim and Dan Jenkins, community and family go hand in hand. As leaders of Jenkins Diesel Power, Inc.—Southwest Missouri’s oldest truck dealership founded by their father, Ed Jenkins, in 1956—they’ve built their success by leaning into each other’s strengths. Jim brings mechanical expertise, Dan leads on the technology front, and their late brother, Joe, was the heart behind their mission to serve others.
“Everyone always comments on how well we got along, being in business together,” said Dan. “But we all had different areas of expertise, and that seemed to benefit the company.”
Joe Jenkins joined the family business after a 20-year career in the U.S. Army and brought with him a passion for public relations, philanthropy, and community service. His dedication to helping others left a lasting legacy—one that his brothers are determined to carry forward.
“A few years back, Joe created this booklet—called Joe’s Bike Shop—on how to run a business,” Jim said. “We thought it would be fitting to give back to OTC in his honor.”
Impact
Joe Jenkins’ commitment to education and community advancement is deeply rooted in his relationship with Ozarks Technical Community College. He served on the OTC Foundation Board from 2010 until his passing in 2017, though his support of the college began well before that.
In 1999, Joe and his brothers established the J.E. (Ed) Jenkins Memorial Scholarship to honor their father and support students in OTC’s Diesel Technology Program—a fitting tribute to the family’s roots in the trucking industry. In 2024, the scholarship was renamed the Jim & Ed Jenkins Scholarship, recognizing not only their father’s legacy but also Jim’s ongoing commitment to student success at OTC.
Joe and his wife, Pat, also created the Joe and Pat Jenkins Memorial Scholarship Fund, designed to support single mothers and their children as they pursue higher education. As Jim shares, “Joe supported a lot of causes over the years, but he especially loved helping people who were working toward a better education and a brighter future.”
Most recently, Jim and Dan honored their brother’s legacy by matching a gift to the OTC Foundation Student Emergency Fund in partnership with the Community Foundation of the Ozarks. This contribution was made through Joe’s Bike Shop, a nod to Joe’s entrepreneurial spirit and his desire to see others succeed.
Though their strengths may differ, the Jenkins brothers are united in their mission to support students and give back to the community that has supported their family business for decades. Through their continued generosity, they are ensuring that the values Joe cherished—service, education, and opportunity—live on at OTC.