Documentary Premier Showcases Life and Work of Ole Miss Alum Bob Dunlap

Bob and his wife Cyd Dunlap

Thursday night, friends of Ole Miss alumnus Robert “Bob” Dunlap gathered inside Batesville Elementary School for the premier of the documentary film, “Business Conservationist: The Life and Work of Bob Dunlap.”

Produced by David Crews of Oxford, the film chronicles Dunlap’s business savvy and the growth of his company from a mule barn with a handful of employees to a company with 2,000 employees and over $700 million in annual revenues.
“It took almost two years to convince Bob that this piece of history needed to be told,” Crews said. “He is a humble man, but we finally convinced him this was too important and dramatic a story not to be told.”

Highlighting four core themes, the film explores the impact Dunlap has had on conservation efforts, especially focusing on his work on Caulk Island and his Cambridge place in Lafayette County; Dunlap’s keen interest and advocacy of the Boy Scouts; his philanthropy in the education arena; and finally, his ongoing effort to promote economic development in Mississippi and his hometown of Batesville.
Dr. Ed Meek, who makes an appearance in the film and has been a friend of Dunlap’s for “many years,” said he was honored to witness the premier of such a documentary.
“Bob Dunlap’s success in building a business that started in a mule barn in Batesville, to a $700 million worldwide enterprise is a remarkable story of hard work, teamwork and innovation,” Meek said. “His commitment to employees, community, young people, conservation and giving back reflect the greatest values of our democracy.”

By Randall Haley. She can be reached by emailing randall.haley@hottytoddy.com.