Jim Hensley
James Willis Hensley (April 12, 1920 – June 21, 2000) was an American businessman in the beer industry.
Jim Hensley | |
|---|---|
| Born | James Willis Hensley April 12, 1920 San Antonio, Texas, U.S. |
| Died | June 21, 2000 (aged 80) Phoenix, Arizona, U.S. |
| Occupation | business magnate |
| Known for | One of Arizona's richest men; Father-in-law of U.S. Senator and presidential candidate John McCain |
| Spouse(s) | Mary Jeanne Parks (m. c. 1937; div. 1945) Marguerite "Smitty" Johnson
(m. 1945) |
| Children | Kathleen Ann Hensley (b. 1943, d. 2017) Cindy Lou Hensley (b. 1954) |
Hensley was born in Texas and moved to Arizona during his youth. He was a bombardier on B-17 Flying Fortresses during World War II and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. After the war he was convicted of illegal distribution of liquor and was also involved in a racetrack operation that was investigated by authorities.
He founded Hensley & Co. in 1955. Headquartered in Phoenix, it grew to become one of the largest Anheuser-Busch beer distributorships in the nation. One of Arizona's richest men at the time of his death, Hensley was the father of Cindy Hensley McCain and the father-in-law of United States Senator and 2000 and 2008 presidential candidate John McCain.