Oklahoma businessman and rancher, Bob Funk Sr., died Tuesday at his home in Yukon. He was 85.
Funk co-founded the Oklahoma City-based Express Employment International in 1983. Since then, the company boasts it's helped employ 11 million people worldwide.
In Central Oklahoma, he owned several subsidiaries including Express Ranches, Express Clydesdales, Express Sports, Funk Companies and Express UU Bar Ranches.
"My father was a trailblazing entrepreneur who loved the American West and lived true to its values of honesty, respect, ruggedness, self-reliance, loyalty and hard work," said Bob Funk, Jr., CEO, President and Chairman of Express Employment International. "For more than four decades, he remained committed to putting people to work and offering hope through employment."
Funk was born and raised in Washington state and worked on a family-owned dairy farm. After graduating from Seattle Pacific University, he continued graduate studies at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland.
He joined Acme Personnel Services in 1965, and was transferred to Oklahoma City four years later to start a new territory for the company. After Acme went bankrupt in 1983, Funk co-founded Express Temporary Services, the start of his many business subsidiaries.
As a rancher, Funk's companies were named the largest registered beef producer and largest registered Angus cattle producer in the U.S.
His Express Clydesdales competed internationally and were named the 2015 World Champion Six and Eight-Horse Hitch at the World Clydesdale Show. They also marched in multiple parades, including the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, and chauffeured the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Prince William and Kate, during a 2011 visit to Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
Funk gathered many accolades throughout his life and career. Gov. Mary Fallin proclaimed Sept. 25, 2015, as "Bob Funk Day." The next year, a life-sized statue of Funk on a horse was unveiled and dedicated at the Funk Express Ranch near Yukon, along the Chisholm Trail. In 2017, Funk was inducted into the Oklahoma Hall of Fame with the help of actor Tom Selleck.
He served on several boards, including the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum and the Oklahoma Youth Expo. He's credited with helping the latter grow into the largest annual junior livestock show in the country.
"Witnessing over 7,500 4-H and FFA members come together every spring filled Bob with immense happiness," said Tyler Norvell, Executive Director of the Oklahoma Youth Expo. "Bob was optimistic about Oklahoma's future because he saw firsthand the potential in these fine young men and ladies participating in the Oklahoma Youth Expo."
Funk also owned or co-owned several Oklahoma City sports franchises, including the Oklahoma City RedHawks baseball team, Oklahoma City Blazers and Oklahoma City Barons hockey teams and Energy FC soccer team.
Funeral details for Funk were not immediately available.
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