Gary John Knutson
Gary John Knutson, 54, vice president for business development for Kenan Advantage Group Inc., a transportation concern, died Oct. 21, 2005  of colon cancer at his home in Chapel Hill, N.C.
Mr. Knutson was born in Washington and grew up in Bethesda. A gifted athlete, he excelled in football at  St. Johns College High School, from which he graduated, and then at Bullis Preparatory School in Washington. He was a first-team running back at the University of Kentucky, graduating in 1973.
He then worked for a transportation consultant and on the staff of the Bulk Carriers Conference, a trucking association in Alexandria. In 1978, he co-founded Transportation Consultant Group in Bethesda, and he remained part owner of the firm.
After being recruited by Kenan Co. in 1982, he moved to Chapel Hill. He served as vice president for pricing and marketing until 2001, when the company merged and became Kenan Advantage, the largest domestic petroleum transportation firm in the country.
Mr. Knutson was a dedicated runner and completed the New York Marathon twice. He played golf courses throughout this country and Scotland. In 2002, he was inducted into the St. Johns High School Athletic Hall of Fame in Washington.
Survivors include his wife of 32 years, Yvonne Simmons Knutson of Chapel Hill; three children, Brian Knutson of Alexandria and Laura McDermott and Katherine Knutson, both of Charlotte; his parents, Laurin and Dolores Knutson of Bethesda; a brother, Bruce Knutson of Annapolis; and a sister, Lauren Kievit of Atlanta.