Mary Ellen Sheets
Encyclopedia
Mary Ellen Sheets is the founder of Two Men and a Truck, a moving company
located in Lansing, Michigan
.
for the state of Michigan when her teenaged sons, Brig Sorber and Jon Sorber, started a small moving business. They used an old pickup truck to earn extra spending money in high school. When Brig and Jon left for college, Sheets took over the business. She purchased a 14-foot truck and hired two movers in 1985. This is the only money Sheets personally invested in the company.
A fellow panelist at a university business seminar in 1988 suggested Sheets consider franchising. The first Two Men and a Truck franchise was awarded in 1989.
At the end of her first year in business, Sheets made $1,000 in profit and donated all of it to charity. Ten non-profit organizations received $100. The company continues to support those same organizations today. To continue the spirit of giving started by Sheets, in 2000 Two Men and a Truck named the American Cancer Society
its national charity. A portion of each move is donated to the organization. In 2009 the company donated more than $28,000 to the American Cancer Society.
Moving company
A moving company, removalist, or van line is a company that helps people and businesses relocate their goods from one place to another. Typically they use moving vans, but for international moves or where storage is required, they may use special containerised vans or shipping containers.National...
located in Lansing, Michigan
Lansing, Michigan
Lansing is the capital of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is located mostly in Ingham County, although small portions of the city extend into Eaton County. The 2010 Census places the city's population at 114,297, making it the fifth largest city in Michigan...
.
Career
Sheets was a systems analystSystems analysis
Systems analysis is the study of sets of interacting entities, including computer systems analysis. This field is closely related to requirements analysis or operations research...
for the state of Michigan when her teenaged sons, Brig Sorber and Jon Sorber, started a small moving business. They used an old pickup truck to earn extra spending money in high school. When Brig and Jon left for college, Sheets took over the business. She purchased a 14-foot truck and hired two movers in 1985. This is the only money Sheets personally invested in the company.
A fellow panelist at a university business seminar in 1988 suggested Sheets consider franchising. The first Two Men and a Truck franchise was awarded in 1989.
At the end of her first year in business, Sheets made $1,000 in profit and donated all of it to charity. Ten non-profit organizations received $100. The company continues to support those same organizations today. To continue the spirit of giving started by Sheets, in 2000 Two Men and a Truck named the American Cancer Society
American Cancer Society
The American Cancer Society is the "nationwide community-based voluntary health organization" dedicated, in their own words, "to eliminating cancer as a major health problem by preventing cancer, saving lives, and diminishing suffering from cancer, through research, education, advocacy, and...
its national charity. A portion of each move is donated to the organization. In 2009 the company donated more than $28,000 to the American Cancer Society.
Marriage and children
Sheets has three children: Melanie Bergeron, Brig Sorber and Jon Sorber, and is married to Tom Amiss. Bergeron is the chair of Two Men and a Truck, Brig Sorber is president and CEO and Jon Sorber is executive vice president.Awards
- 1995: Michigan Entrepreneur of the Year Award
- 1998: Blue Chip Award
- 2002: Athena Award
- 2004: Entrepreneur of the Year, International Franchise Association
- 2008: J.D. Power and Associates (August 26, 2008) "J.D. Power and Associates Reports: Two Men and a Truck Ranks Highest in Customer Satisfaction with Full-Service Moving Companies"