Elite Speakers, John Hanes and John Hanes come from a long line of “John Hanes.” To prevent confusion, we will call the younger of the two, John Wesley, which is what his mom and dad often call him anyway. John Wesley (Hanes) and his dad, John Hanes, are truly a great example of what a father and son should be. There is a sense of respect but there’s also laughter, appreciation for their differences, and even friendship. The Hanes family seems to practically breed men who are leaders. Yet, they lead differently and they choose different careers. John Hanes, the dad, is a Princeton graduate and an attorney. His son, is exactly what you’d expect from a successful millennial. He likes to travel and be free and move around wherever he feels he’s making a positive impact.
“Of course we know about The Hanes Brand. People have jokingly called us the Hanes underwear people without ever knowing that it really is our relative, John Hanes, that started the Hanes clothing line. And we knew that his son was a Senior partner at Smith Barney who played a role in helping FDR create the Securities & Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) but, truly…neither of us ever knew that one of our relatives was in a picture getting appointed to office by FDR! When we were asked about the picture of Franklin Delano Roosevelt appointing John Hanes Jr to the office of US Treasury, we were surprised.”
But what is it really like being a John Hanes from a line of men named John Hanes? Truth is, they really are just a couple of regular guys. But John Hanes, the dad, admitted it’s a little weird visiting family in North Carolina and then going to a mall (The Hanes Mall) that’s named after them. “It’s not like we ever tell anyone about any of that stuff. We never felt any pressure to be anything but ourselves. And one thing we like to do in this family is laugh. We never run out of corny jokes.”
The Hanes Reputation
The Hanes reputation seems to have started with good old fashioned hard work. A hard working man, John Hanes, was involved in the tobacco industry as well as in the textile and clothing business. He partnered with his brother after building the Hanes business. Flash forward years later and the company was sold to what was later to become Sara Lee’s clothing line, the iconic Hanes Brand. John Hanes’ son, John Hanes Jr, took a different path as a turnaround specialist in investments with Smith Barney. After speaking with the Hanes’ men about the Hanes Brand, we moved on and ask them about “the picture” and the response, well, is unique and distinctive. It’s the same for both, John Wesley and his dad, John Hanes, “Of course we know about The Hanes Brand. People have jokingly called us the Hanes underwear people without ever knowing that it really is our relative, John Hanes, that started the Hanes clothing line. And we knew that his son was a Senior Partner at Smith Barney who played a role in helping FDR create the Securities & Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) but, truly…neither of us ever knew that one of our relatives was in a picture getting appointed to office by FDR! When we were asked about the picture of Franklin Delano Roosevelt appointing John Hanes Jr to the office of US Treasury, we were surprised.” You see both of these men are experts at being genuinely interested in other people and asking a lot of questions and listening. It’s a little weird when somebody turns the tables on them and starts asking them questions. It is obvious that these guys are actually quite humble, which is a very attractive trait, especially from a leader. They go on to tell of John Hanes Jr’s son, John Hanes, who was a war veteran and who worked for the CIA for around three decades. Sadly, he passed away not very long ago. These men are distinctively different and have exceptionally good character. One can only wonder, will they continue the tradition by calling the next baby boy who comes along a “John Hanes” too? Only time will tell.
