HISTORY
TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® started in the early 1980s as a way for two brothers to make extra money while they were in high school. Now, 30 years later, the company has grown to more than 350 locations worldwide.
Brothers Brig Sorber and Jon Sorber started moving people in the Lansing area using an old pickup truck. They had their mom, Mary Ellen Sheets, develop a logo to put in a weekly community newspaper. That stick-men logo still rests on every truck, sign and advertisement.
After the brothers left for college, Sheets continued to field calls for moving services while she also worked a full-time data processing job with the State of Michigan. In 1985, she decided to make things official by purchasing a 14-foot truck for $350 and hiring a pair of movers. That $350 is the only capital Sheets has ever invested in the company.
Her experience with data analysis, combined with her commitment to customer service, earned her a spot on a 1988 graduate business panel at Michigan State University. When a fellow panelist suggested she franchise her little company, Sheets decided to consult with an attorney on the matter.
NATIONWIDE EXPANSION
In 1989, Sheets awarded the first location outside of Michigan to her daughter, Melanie Bergeron, with an office located in Atlanta, GA.
When the company reached 39 franchises, Sheets asked Bergeron to assume the role of company president while she pursued a seat in the Michigan State Senate. Bergeron is now chair of the board. TWO MEN AND A TRUCK’s long track record of aggressive growth continued under Bergeron’s profession leadership and keen business strategies.
Brig and Jon eventually returned to team up with their mom and older sister in the mid-1990s. Brig has served in multiple executive roles over the years, including President, Co-CEO, and now in his role as Chief Brand Officer. Jon is executive vice president.
Jon Nobis – who joined TWO MEN AND A TRUCK as Chief Information Office in March 2013 – took the role of Chief Operation Officer in 2013, then joined Brig as a Co-CEO in 2017 before transitioning to full-time CEO June 2018.
In August 2012, former Chief Operating Officer Randy Shacka was promoted to president of TWO MEN AND A TRUCK®. Brant Hartle joined the executive team in 2016 as chief financial officer, and Sara Bennett was promoted from HR director to Chief Talent Officer in 2018.
MOVING INTO THE FUTURE
That first truck Sheets bought in 1985 has now multiplied into a fleet of more than 2,800 trucks. TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® is the nation's largest franchised local moving company. Customers benefit from having trained, uniformed movers who are insured and bonded to handle any home and business moving tasks.
The company has come a long way – and logged a lot of miles – since Sheets sketched the first "stick-men." The TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® system continues to pave the way for future growth and innovation, while remaining rooted in the core principles of exceeding customers' expectations.