Mary Ellen Sheets, Founder and CEO, to speak at Mexico’s Franchise Fair
Monday, March 6, 2006
3/6/06
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Lansing, Mich.) – Mary Ellen Sheets, CEO and founder of TWO MEN AND A TRUCK®, the nation’s first and largest moving franchise, will present at the 29th Annual Mexico City Franchise Fair this week. Nearly 30,000 people are expected to attend the event with more than 250 exhibitors.
The international event is focused on all countries in the Americas and runs from March 8-10 and is held at the World Trade Center Building in Mexico City. It is considered the No. 1 franchise fair in Latin America with a 500 percent increase in the number of exhibitors since 1992.
Sheets, the first woman to receive the Entrepreneur of the Year by the International Franchise Association in 2005, will speak March 9. Her presentation will focus on how the company’s strong core values and commitment to customer service has been vital to the organization’s success. Sheets will also show the value of using franchising as a way to grow a business.
In 1985, Sheets invested $350 to buy an old truck and hire two movers. This decision came after her son’s -- who’d started a small moving company -- left for college but the customers kept calling. And with the help of her daughter, Melanie Bergeron, president and COO, the company grew it into an international corporation. There are 171 locations in North America. Last year, the company’s revenues reached more than $180 million. Sheets hopes her success will inspire others to work hard and believe in themselves.
“It’s amazing how quickly this company has grown,’’ Sheets said. “We have thousands of happy customers and we’ve created thousands of jobs. Our focus has always been the customer and they appreciate our strong core values and commitment to providing great service.’’
This is not Sheets first international speaking engagement. She traveled to Australia in October to speak at the Franchise Council of Australia’s annual convention. TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® is moving forward in its international expansion plans. Currently, there are several locations in Canada and the company is in the process of expanding in the United Kingdom, Ireland and Mexico.
For more information on TWO MEN AND A TRUCK®/INTERNATIONAL, Inc. go to www.twomen.com or contact Katie Rexrode at 1-800-345-1070 or katier@twomen.com. For more information on the franchise fair in Mexico go to www.fif.com.mx.
