Page 56 - South Mississippi Living - August, 2015

BUSINESS & INDUSTRY a legacy of hard work
John Fayard Moving&Warehousing
SucceSS Through Legacy, FamiLy, LoyaL empLoyeeS and hard Work
The Fayard name has been associated with moving, transportation and storage on the Mississippi Gulf Coast for over
100 years. Whether area residents have used the services of Fayard businesses, have known the family or have
seen the long stretch of John Fayard Moving & Warehousing equipment and facilities along Interstate 10
in Gulfport, John Fayard is a well- respected name for good reason.
The first Fayard family business, OK Transfer & Storage, was founded in the early 1900s as a local moving and storage company that served the Mississippi Gulf Coast. During
the 1960s, that business evolved into Fayard Moving & Transportation, which is the business that inspired Johnny Fayard, Jr., Founder and President of present-day John Fayard Moving & Warehousing, to carry on the family legacy in his own special way.
From the age of six or seven, Johnny, Jr. was a sidekick to his Dad, Johnny Fayard, Sr. At the warehouse, in the front seat of a truck or helping move household goods, he learned every aspect of that business, and as he grew older, he couldn’t get enough
of working around trucks, movers and warehouses. It was in his blood. He worked after school, summers, holidays and continued to learn by watching and doing.
As Johnny, Jr. got older, seeing broader opportunity in the transportation industry, he started his own company
called John Fayard Fast Freight with two trucks in 1982. That business transitioned over the years into John Fayard Moving & Warehousing,
a diversified transportation and warehousing company that has expanded well-beyond the words in its name.
Key Influences
His dad, Johnny, Sr., passed away
in 2010, but his influence is ever- present. “Dad is remembered most for his warm and inviting personality and his respect for his employees. We are a company that is deeply rooted in treating our employees like family because of him,” said Fayard, Jr.
“As I grew up, I watched as my dad would walk through the doors and check on staff, have a cup of coffee and a few morning conversations before
56 SOUTH MISSISSIPPI Living • August 2015
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OK Transfer & Storage, founded by the Fayard family, started in downtown Gulfport in the early 1900s. Inset: Offices at main facility in Gulfport on Fastway Lane.