Life in the Fast Lane
November 10, 2026It was less of a walk and more of a race down memory lane when Mike Jarrett ’87 visited campus to meet with University of Mount Union engineering students in November. While that speed describes the lap the business owner and NASCAR sponsor took in the students’ highly competitive Baja car around campus, it does not capture the thoughtful and dedicated time he spent offering advice to students.
Jarrett originally came to Mount Union from Norwayne High School in Creston, Ohio, to play football and study business. While he was recruited as the gridiron powerhouse began its ascent, he knew it was the place for him when he toured campus.
“I was recruited by Coach [Ken] Wable, and just immediately fell in love with how beautiful the campus was,” Jarrett said to a room of engineering students, faculty, and staff.
While Jarrett describes some of his favorite memories on campus as historic program wins against Baldwin Wallace University in 1985 and against the University of Dayton in the 1986 playoffs, Mount Union has remained a constant in his life because of the relationships he forged.
“The friendships I developed truly have lasted a lifetime,” he said. “You can still have lifelong friends from high school, but the relationships you build in college are often deeper and more impactful.”
After earning his bachelor’s degree in business administration, Jarrett began working in operations at Roadway Express. Quickly completing his Master of Business Administration early in his career, he recognized a strength and passion for leadership at Caliber Logistics. After Caliber was purchased by FedEx, Jarrett knew he and his growing family had a decision to make.
“FedEx is headquartered in Memphis, and I knew they would want me to move down there for work, but I didn’t want to leave Wayne County. I wanted my children to grow up here,” Jarrett said.
And so, in 1999, with that strong rationale and a leap of faith, Jarrett started his namesake business, which is now one of the largest family-owned and privately held logistics companies in the nation. It also happens to be headquartered in Orrville, Ohio, a mere 20 minutes from his hometown.
“I started my own business not for money—which is one of the worst reasons to start a business—but because I wanted to control my own destiny and where I lived,” Jarrett said. With eight core leadership principles as his foundation, among them, character, hard work, and servant leadership, Jarrett has built a powerhouse of his own.
Though he had already established a strong team from within, Jarrett needed to continue expanding awareness of his growing brand. After a conversation with Dale Karmie ‘87, co-founder and owner of ForeverLawn, Jarrett began exploring sponsorship opportunities in NASCAR. After the first race he attended at Talladega Superspeedway, he was hooked.
Jarrett has now sponsored a car for JR Motorsports, owned by Dale Earnhardt, Jr, over the past six years, with the No. 7 car driven by Justin Allgaier reaching the winner’s circle six times during the 2026 O’Reilly Auto Parts Series season. Allgaier won the 2026 O’Reilly Series title this past Saturday at Homestead-Miami Speedway, his second championship in the last three years. Using his connections as a sponsor, Jarrett aims to have members of the Mount Union Baja racing team travel to Mooresville, North Carolina, to tour JR Motorsports’ racing facility and learn from their professional crews.
“When something means as much to someone as Mount Union means to me, it’s important to pay it forward,” Jarrett said. “Helping our employees grow personally and professionally is why I get up in the morning, so I always encourage students to find their why, work hard, and don’t be afraid to pursue the things that they are passionate about.”
The passions of Mount Union students are recognizable across campus and the world. With the success of the Baja team—the best team in Ohio and 13th in the nation at a September race—and the support of devoted alumni like Jarrett, that doesn’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon. Then again, Jarrett and the ambitious engineering students probably wouldn’t have it any other way.