The Cowboy Way: Jimmy Lawhorn
Wednesday, January 7, 2026
Media Contact: Mack Burke | Associate Director of Media Relations | 405-744-5540 | editor@okstate.edu
Before Jimmy Lawhorn ever stepped into the corner office at Blue Bell Creameries,
he was sweeping peanut shells
and soda cups out of the stands at Lewis Field.
As an Oklahoma State University senior, the Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, native took a job cleaning the stadium after football games. Crews shrank from about 30 workers at the start of the season to just eight by year’s end, but Lawhorn stuck with it.
“It gave me a sense of pride,” he said. “Most people wouldn’t want to do it, but it taught me to stick with something and get the job done. That lesson carried me into my first job with Blue Bell.”
Lawhorn grew up up a Cowboy fan and transferred from Tulsa Community College to pursue a business management degree in the Spears School of Business. His time on campus was formative. He met his wife, Emily, before his sophomore year, married during college and built a community through his church. Faculty such as longtime marketing professor Dr. Lee Manzer helped Lawhorn connect classroom lessons to the real world.
“OSU taught me work ethic and humility,” Lawhorn said. “You treat everybody with respect, no matter their role. That foundation has guided me in every step of my career.”
Two days after graduating in 1998, Lawhorn joined Blue Bell in Tulsa. Over 27 years, he rose from sales to regional management to executive leadership, moving across the country before being named president and CEO in 2025.
“Do what you say you’re going to do,” Lawhorn said. “That’s true whether you’re cleaning a stadium, leading a sales team or running a company. The little things matter more than people think.”
Photos by: Ellie Piper
Story by: Page Mindedahl | STATE Magazine