The Branson Trucking Company was started by three brothers in Columbus, Ohio in $1977.$ In $1982,$ Dave James came into the company primarily for marketing and growth purpose. Soon Dave showed that he was effective at increasing business and making deals that caused the company to grow significantly. Within $10$ years, Branson Trucking was one of the major regional carriers in the central Midwest. Over the years, the Branson brothers gave stock options to Dave James to keep him happy with the firm and to reflect his contributions to the firm's growth and general success. Dave exercised these options over time, and by $1995,$ the three Branson brothers and Dave James each owned a $25$percent of the stock of the Branson Trucking Company.