The business of giving back

He remembers the conversation well.

In 2005, J. Pearson ’87 and his uncle, Harvey ’50, enjoyed a sip of bourbon and engaged in a discussion about business strategies and sales—a common conversation between the two and one that ultimately led to philanthropy.

Thanks to a Virginia Tech connection, J. Pearson had closed a successful business arrangement a few years prior. After relaying the details, he received instructions from Uncle Harvey, who passed away Sept. 14 at the age of 99, that it was time to give back to Virginia Tech.

Pearson first wisely sought the counsel of his wife, Renae ’90, who doubles as his business partner. “She asked, ‘Do you think you’d be as successful without Tech and the Corps of Cadets?’” Pearson said. “I said, ‘No way. Who knows where I’d be? Maybe in trouble in a ditch somewhere.’ We realized Uncle Harvey was right, that we should give back to Tech and the Corps.”

The Pearsons’ initial gift involved starting a scholarship for an agri- cultural student in the corps. They have been giving back financially, intellectually, and emotionally ever since.

Currently, J. Pearson serves as one of the tri-chairs of the steering committee for Boundless Impact: The Campaign for Virginia Tech. In March 2023, the university announced Pearson, Deseria Creighton-Barney ’86, and Liz Lazor ’15 as the new tri-chairs, and together, they lead the university’s ambitious $1.872 billion fundraising campaign designed to drive forward major initiatives and scheduled to run through Dec. 31, 2027.

Pearson’s commitment to the role came as no surprise. When asked to be a tri-chair, he had just finished three terms as the chairman of the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets Alumni Inc. board, but rather than take some time off, he welcomed the opportunity to engage in such an important capacity.

“Charlie Phlegar [senior vice president for advancement] and his team, Angela Hayes [associate vice president for advancement], are world-class, first-class folks, and they have also built a great team around them.” Pearson said. “Charlie came to Tech and brought in a different thought. Charlie and his staff have broadened our donor base beyond our alumni by adding foundations and corporations.

“Their team is doing a fantastic job. We even upped the [campaign] goal. That’s a testament of what’s going on. We all know money is a little bit tight out there. But we’re still able to keep it going.”

Pearson, who also was appointed to the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors this year, brings a wealth of business expertise and sales experience to the committee. In fact, he and Renae have been wheeling and dealing in the business world since he graduated with a degree in agribusiness management from the College of Agri- culture and Life Sciences in 1987 and she with a degree in family and child development from the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences in 1990.

First, though, J. Pearson arrived at Virginia Tech in 1983, a self-described farm boy from Warrenton, Virginia, who spent much of his childhood attending 4-H camps and FFA events on the Blacksburg campus. It was the only school to which he applied.

Pearson joined the Corps of Cadets on the advice of his dad, who saw the military as a backup plan during turbulent economic times. He said being in the corps was the toughest thing that he ever did.

“I went from being ‘Mr. Popular,’ ‘Mr. Happy-Go-Lucky,’ ‘Mr. Go-To Every- thing’ while in high school to ‘Mr. Chew- ing-on-a-Belt,’ and getting my haircut to the bone,” Pearson said. “So that was a huge, huge step down for me to come to Tech. I had to make my bed, shine my shoes, wear a uniform, and be yelled at. That was a big change for me back then. It was very difficult. Plus, I wasn’t the best student anyway, and then you put all of that on top of it, it was tough for me.

“Absolutely, it was the best thing for me. But you couldn’t tell J. that when he was 19, 20, 21 and 22.”

Pearson’s goal following graduation was to pursue a career in agribusiness. Specifically, he wanted to work for a John Deere dealer- ship and eventually own his own franchise.

His first big foray into the agribusiness world wasn’t exactly a success. While serving in the Virginia Army National Guard— something he did for nine years—he received the opportunity to sell imported tractors from Poland. The business, based in Warrenton, ultimately lost $500,000.

“I learned a big lesson,” Pearson said. “You can work hard all you want to, but if you don’t have the experience and knowledge, hard work doesn’t matter. Everybody says, ‘Work hard.’ That’s great. You need to work hard if you know what you’re doing, but if you don’t know what you’re doing, you’ll lose it. And we did.”

Several years later, in 1996, he and Renae took all their savings and started Carry-On Trailer, which ultimately became the largest trailer manufacturer in the world. The company grew to seven plants in six states and 1,200 employees. In 2010, they sold the company, earning a 20 percent premium on its worth, according to Pearson.

In the subsequent years, they started and sold two additional businesses.

In 2019, the Pearsons started Vehicle Accessory Group, a company that manufactures items such as protective door edge guards, all-weather floor mats, splash guards, etc. for the automotive industry. The company has 1,000 employees with plants in Magog, Quebec; Lincoln, Rhode Island; and Mesquite, Texas. Today, Pearson serves as the chairman and CEO.

Pearson enjoys traveling back to Blacksburg. In the past, the reasons for many of those trips were to see his and Renae’s two children, both of whom graduated from Virginia Tech and continued the family legacy — J. Pearson’s older sister graduated from the university, along with two of Harvey’s children.

But committee meetings, board meetings, and events also necessitated treks to Southwest Virginia — and all done willingly. Throughout the years, he and Renae have contributed to the building of Pearson Hall East and Pearson Hall West, the residence halls for the Corps of Cadets; to athletics; and to an endowed faculty position to support Virginia Tech’s Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics.

In addition, Pearson regularly co-teaches courses in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and serves as a guest speaker in courses from other colleges at Virginia Tech.

“The good Lord has blessed us,” Pearson said. “I believe that the Lord gives you the abilities, and it’s up to you what you do with them. I’ve been able to turn them into very good things, so it’s great to give back. I really want to inspire kids to think about doing something out there that is their dream.”

His impact has been far-reaching. So much so that Pearson learned of a student who attended one of his lectures in 2014 and who now works for the secretary of education in Virginia. That student remembered Pear- son and encouraged his aspirations to serve Virginia Tech as a member of the Board of Visitors if the opportunity ever arose.

Pearson now has his sights set on the latest chapter — completing the Boundless Impact campaign, exceeding its goals, and helping Virginia Tech be successful. He does so knowing that Ut Prosim (That I May Serve) someday will be his legacy.