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National Van Lines, Inc.
2800 W. Roosevelt Road
Broadview, IL 60155
(708) 450-2900
NEWS RELEASE
FEBRUARY, 2006
MAUREEN BEAL NAMED BY WOMEN’S BUSINESS ENTERPRISE
NATIONAL COUNCIL AS A WOMAN-OWNED BUSINESS STAR
Washington, DC (November 9, 2005) – The Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC), the
nation's leading advocate of women-owned businesses as suppliers to America's corporations, has
announced its 2006 Women-Owned Business Stars. The 14 women
business owners, selected by WBENC's women's
business organization partners (WBOPs), will be honored
during WBENC's ninth annual Salute to Women’s
Business Enterprises: The Enterprising Economy. The Salute is WBENC’s annual
black-tie fundraiser and will be held on Thursday, March 23, 2006 in Washington, DC., at
the National Building Museum.
The women’s business enterprises selected as one of their 2006 Women-Owned Business
Stars:
Maureen Beal, CEO, National Van Lines, Inc., www.nationalvanlines.com,
representing the Women’s Business Development Center/Chicago
Sponsors of the 2006 Salute as of November 4, 2005 include Raytheon Company, Microsoft Corporation,
UPS, United Airlines, CFJ Manufacturing, Bank of America, The Home Depot, Time Warner Inc., Matrix
Information Consulting, Inc., Pfizer, Inc., Ernst and Young, IBM and J. C. Penney.
Each year WBENC and its women’s business organizational partners (WBOPs) select 14 Women-Owned
Business Stars, one representing each WBOP, for recognition at the annual Salute traditionally held during
Women’s History Month. The “Business Stars” are selected based on their leadership in their local business
community, their ability to inspire other women business owners and their consistency in directing a
successful WBENC-certified business.
“Women business owners make outstanding contributions to the US economy each and every day,” said
Susan Bari, President of WBENC. “Our Salute recognizes a handful of the WBEs who are instrumental to
America’s economic recovery, job creation and future. WBENC is proud to spotlight these WBEs who
demonstrate their commitment to the US economy by operating successful businesses while serving as
leaders in their communities.”
WBENC will also feature the 14 Women-Owned Business Stars on its web site, and in WBENC news
releases throughout 2006. The dinner and awards program will pay tribute to the WBEs in a video
presentation and in the Salute commemorative program book.
For sponsorship information, please contact WBENC at 202-872-5515, extension 17 or email About
Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC):
•
Founded in 1997, the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) is the nation’s
leading third-party certifier of businesses owned and operated by women, and the leading advocate
of women’s business enterprises (WBEs) as suppliers to corporate America.
•
The average WBENC certified company has revenues of $7.5M, 48 employees and 12 years of
experience.
•
More than 60 WBE firms have revenues in excess of $100M, and six certified WBE companies have
revenues in excess of $1 billion.
•
Nearly 200 US corporations are active members of WBENC and representatives of 36 corporations
sit on the WBENC Board of Directors, along with nine representatives of its partner organizations
and nine Women’s Business Enterprises.
•
WBENC certification is accepted by nearly 700 corporations, representing America’s most
prestigious brands, as well as government entities at the state, local and Federal levels.
•
WBENC also has developed several highly regarded initiatives for recognizing excellence in
corporate supplier diversity targeting WBEs ( America’s Top Corporations for Women’s Business
Enterprises, The WBENC Applause Awards) and women’s business enterprises (WBENC’s WomanOwned Business Stars).
•
WEBuy@wbenc.org is an online marketplace where corporations and government agencies, as well
as WBEs, post RFPs, sources sought, and RFIs.
For more information, contact info@wbenc.org or visit our web site at www.wbenc.org.
###
For press inquiries, please contact: Jorja Coulter, National Van Lines, Inc.
450-2927
(708)
CONFRONTING CHALLENGES
From Struggle
To Success
Learning How to Shrug Off Adversity Helped
National Van Lines Eventually Make It to the Top
By Sean Kilcarr
Special to Direction
National has come a
long way from its hardscrabble roots to become
a more than $90 million
dollar a year enterprise
in the household goods
market.
Sean Kilcarr is Senior Editor of Fleet
Owner magazine. He
can be reached at
www.fleetowner.com
22
direction
February 2006
Tuberculosis and warehouse fires are not
what you would call the typical building
blocks for success in any industry, let alone
the rough-and-tumble world of moving. Yet
sticking it out through the trials and travails
of health issues and business setbacks helped
the McKee family create one of the largest
moving companies in the U.S. today—and
one of the most successful as well.
“My grandfather started this company in
the early 1900s—we’re all still quite proud National Van Lines President Maureen Beal
with a photo of her father, Frank L. McKee.
of that,” recalled Maureen Beal, chief executive officer of Chicago-based National Van
Lines. “He operated a local delivery business with one truck and a warehouse, moving goods from railroad sidings to wherever they needed to go.”
Yet tough times hit F.J. McKee hard in 1917—first by a fire that consumed his
warehouse, followed quickly by being diagnosed with tuberculosis and given just six
months to live. At his doctor’s recommendation, F.J. McKee went down into New
Mexico to try and recover from his illness, while his son—Frank L. McKee—dropped
out of high school to support the family.
Shortly, things began looking up and F.J. McKee regained his good health and
moved everyone to California—where son Frank, at age 21, went back to high school
and graduated. Returning to Chicago in 1929, McKee established National Van
Lines at age 53 with just $500—demonstrating the determination that helped the
company weather the Great Depression and the gritty beginnings of trucking industry.
“During the Great Depression, trucks began to play more important part in our
national picture as shippers started to look for efficiency and economy,” said Beal.
“That’s when the long-distance business of National Van Lines began.”
She notes, “At that time, competition was tougher, not only because the economic depression that made everyone hungry for work, but it was also ‘dirtier’ because
the moving business was still in its infancy.”
In those early days, she said, there were no regulations on a national scale and any-
‘Common sense and
hands-on management
are the keys.’
one could go into the intercity or interstate moving business, operate where
he pleased, charge what he pleased,
and not have to account for it to any
federal regulatory body but the Internal Revenue Department. “And that
department had difficulty with this
particular group of taxpayers because
very few kept good records,” Beal said.
The McKees, however, made National Van Lines an exception—and that meticulous approach to the business enabled the company to receive only the second coast-to-coast
operating authority in the country in October 1942.
Three years later, a Convenience & Necessity Application
was filed for additional authority—and by 1947 National
became one of only five 48-state operators.
Today, with over 400 agents nationwide—military and
domestic—and ranked as the 23rd largest certified womanowned business in the U.S., National has come a long way
from its hardscrabble roots to become a more than $90 million dollar a year enterprise in the household goods market.
“I like the day-to-day challenges, the down-to-earth people who work in this industry, and the idea of seeing the end result of some of my father’s hopes
and dreams for the business,” Beal reflected. “It
also goes without saying that it’s my legacy
now—and I want to see my vision for the company accomplished.”
community as a whole—as a distinct advantage, largely as it allows her to connect with her primary customers better.
“The majority of corporate buyers in
the U.S. today are women. Also, for the
majority of the time, when our salespeo-- MAUREEN BEAL
ple are performing pre-move surveys,
they are meeting with women,” Beal explained.
“Women’s groups are starting to do more and more networking, and making their vendor selections from their
own networking circles. So there is an affinity there that
makes sense, when you’re talking about a service as personal as household goods moving.”
She says that trend dovetails well with her personal business philosophy, which she credits for keeping National on
the road to business success.
“Common sense and hands-on management are the
keys,” Beal noted. “It also helps that by growing up in this
industry, most of the agents I work with already knew me
and knew my philosophy. On that side of the equation,
‘being a woman’ never really entered in the picture at all.”
From the Bottom Up
Beal credits part of her success at the helm of
National for the last 13 years to her work history at the company—literally growing up with the
business in Chicago and then working as a
switchboard operator at National’s Los Angeles
office in the 1950s.
When National closed its Los Angeles office in
the late 1960s, Beal said she decided to stay out
West and decided to take a position in the manuThe company’s proud tradition stretches back to the days of the Depression.
facturing industry. “I had a family and couldn’t
Yet being a woman, she added, helps her empathize and
just move back to Chicago,” she noted.
understand her customers needs better—especially when it
After 10 years in manufacturing, however, she felt it was
comes to household moves.
time to revisit her roots in the moving industry. In 1981, she
“When you’re moving a family, whether in the military or
re-opened a sales office for National in Los Angeles, then
corporate world, many times it still ends up with the man
relocated back to the company’s headquarters outside
going on ahead to his new job or post, with the woman
Chicago in Broadview, Ill., in 1982 to head up its
staying behind to manage the move and the family’s jourInternational Division.
ney,” Beal said. “So while a man might just think of all the
In 1993, following the death of her father and then-CEO
household furniture as ‘stuff’ a woman is going to feel a far
Frank L. McKee, Beal took the reins at National.
closer emotional connection to those goods.”
“Working in manufacturing was a good experience, but I
That’s why “listening” to her is a core component of her
just didn’t have the same relationship in that industry as I
business strategy. “I believe in listening—to customers, to
do with the people in the moving and storage business,”
drivers, to agents and our corporate staff. They know
Beal said. “For example, most agents in this business are
what’s best, and we need to pay attention,” Beal said. “I belike me—they have second- or third-generation owners,
lieve in leading by example—my people know that my door
people who grew up in this business. And they are some of
is open, that they can talk with me, and that I will take acthe most down to earth, hardest working people I know.”
tion when necessary.”
She also views her status as one of the few female CEOs
in the moving and storage industry—if not the U.S. business
continued on page 25
February 2006
direction
23
That also makes the customer feel more comfortable, she noted. “They feel comfortable with us. No
matter what the circumstances of the relocation, I still
believe that the woman of the house will feel the stress
and anxiety of a move more than a man would,” she
said. “I think that can play a part in building trust between the customer and the moving company.”
Slow But Steady Growth
Beal is also a big believer in growing slowly but
surely in the moving world—managing the expansion
of the business at a steady and sustainable rate.
“Watching the rate of growth—we don’t want to grow so
fast that it becomes unmanageable, or that we lose sight of
our agents, drivers and customers,” she explained.
The “Pacesetter” van was Frank L.
McKee’s design. Called a “Motel
Yet building on core
on Wheels” it even featured a
strengths is encouraged.
washer and dryer. It was the hit
Beal pointed to the
of the Chicagoland Fair when it
was put on display at Navy Pier
growth of Nationin 1957.
al’s subsidiary, National Forwarding
While common sense and hands-on management skills are what
Company, which increased its military business tenMaureen Beal, chief executive officer of National Van Lines, credits
fold, with quality scores at an all-time high, under
for helping her grow her family’s business, she also doesn’t forget
the stewardship of its president, Pat Johnson.
what she believes is the corporate world’s intrinsic need to give
Also, the company’s International Division, which
something back to the communities where they work.
has been the responsibility of National Forwarding
For example, National has continued to support the work and ensince 2000, has increased revenues 162% based exvironmental goals of renowned artist Wyland since the 1990s.
ploiting on its many years of expertise that were
The artist created a full-coverage, decal design for the company’s
gained by servicing international military shipments.
trailers as part of its sponsorship of the Wyland Whaling Walls Tour,
“We also try to protect our drivers from steeply
an educational campaign that blends science and the arts in the hope
discounted moves, recognizing that aggressive and
of fostering an appreciation of the ocean’s environmental value. In
competitive sales efforts cut too deeply into their
addition, Wyland has hand-painted two trailers that are used for
revenue,” she said. “That helps us as we increase
special events and tours.
our recruitment efforts to bring more agencies and
Beal has also supported the “Lend A Shoulder Day” for the
drivers into our network.”
Chicago Archdiocese
In addition, Beal
Schools, making a
noted that being
personal commitment
large enough to get
to spend time in
the job done, yet
inner-city Catholic
being still small
schools that serve
enough to be able
under-privileged chilto work one-on-one
dren.
with agents and driThe Archdiocese
vers—to get to
of Chicago is the
largest private school
know them personsystem in the world
ally—is also critical
and 14 of its schools
to sustaining the
are Big Shoulders
company’s growth,
schools, with about
especially as it
80% of its student
looks for new oppopulation members This trailer decal design announces National Van
portunities.
of a minority.
Lines’ sponsorship of the Wyland Whaling Walls
“We’re focusing on our core strengths, and our service
“The schools in Tour, an educational campaign that blends science
to the Department of Defense is certainly one of those,”
the Archdiocese, es- and the arts in the hope of fostering an appreciashe pointed out.
pecially the Big tion of the ocean’s environmental value
“While business diversity is a must, we also must
Shoulder Schools,
not
lose site of what we do best—moving household
play a critical role in the life of the community,” she said.
goods
requires skills that aren’t necessarily those of
“They do an excellent job of preparing young people in life, often
the truckload sector. So we take a wait and see apagainst enormous odds, by educating and developing minds and
proach, always remaining open to new opportunispirits. I amazed at the accomplishments of these young people and
ties.” ■
their teachers.” ■
A Company Conscious of Charity
February 2006
direction
25
PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
Broadview, Illinois
MAUREEN BEAL TO BE INDUCTED
INTO THE CHICAGO AREA
ENTREPRENEURSHIP HALL OF FAME
National Van Lines is proud to announce that Maureen Beal, CEO, will be
inducted into the Chicago Area Entrepreneurship Hall of Fame on Thursday, March 8th at
the Chicago Hilton & Towers. The event is hosted by The Institute for Entrepreneurial
Studies at the University of Illinois Chicago.
Since 1985, the Chicago Area Entrepreneurship Hall of Fame has recognized innovative
business leaders in Chicago's seven-county area. Each year, the Hall of Fame inducts
distinguished entrepreneurs who have demonstrated entrepreneurial spirit and business
talent by founding or growing their respective business.
Maureen will join the ranks of past inductees including Robert J. Abt of Abt Electronics;
John W. Baird of Baird & Warner; Robert W. Galvin of Motorola; Gordon Segal of Crate
& Barrel; and Charlie Trotter of Charlie Trotter’s.
“I am truly honored to join this group,” says Maureen. “My first priority is always to
make National the best in the business for our agents, drivers and contractors. I already
feel blessed to love what I do so much. Receiving such prestigious recognition for that is
really icing on the cake!”
###
Media Contact:
Jorja Coulter
(800) 323-1962 ext. 2927
jorja.coulter@nationalvanlines.com
JOBS & MONEY
Sucession Planning Simplified
There comes a point in many entrepreneurs' lives when they’re ready to hand
down the business to a trusted family member, business associate or friend. But there
are many steps between the initial handshake and the actual handing over of keys.
By Emilia DiMenco • Photography Dan Merlo
Turning over a business and developing an exit strategy is charting
unknown waters for many entrepreneurs. TCW asked Emilia DiMenco,
executive vice president for Business Banking of Harris N.A., to break
down the questions to be asked and answers to be sought when creating
a business succession plan. This series of articles will discuss and analyze
the demands of transition in business. This series, and accompanying
interviews with women entrepreneurs who have personally experienced
these challenges, will illuminate succession planning, point out pitfalls to
avoid and refer to strategies that have worked for many others facing these
same issues.
The first step in any business succession plan is the actual transfer of your
wealth. Who controls it now and who do you want to control it in the future?
Even if you already have ideas, your best answers depend on a comprehensive view of your situation.
A successful transfer of wealth relies primarily upon a planned
and ready business transition. Assuming that is settled, you then need to
evaluate your family’s preparedness for dealing with wealth transfer questions. Such evaluation must address core concerns:
• Relationship to your wealth You need to identify how your wealth affects your daily lives. Is it an entrée to important charitable activities? Does
it fund avocations, such as travel? Is it a means to an end, or a preoccupation through active management?
• Purpose of your wealth Does your family agree on the purpose of your
wealth and what you are trying to do as a family?
• Cohesion Are family unity and communication equally important to each
member of the family?
• Involvement Who is involved in these discussion and deliberations?
• Choices Is everyone given the choice of helping to manage family
assets?
• Expectations To what extent do your expectations of your heirs, and
theirs for themselves, align? Are they ready for roles they may need to
play?
• Evaluation Have you made a fresh and clear-eyed review of your current
wills, trusts and related documents to determine their adherence to your
preferences? Do your transfer instruments actually match up with family
members as they are today?
• Preparation Are your actual transition documents ready to execute?
38 www.tcwmag.com
Maureen Beal in her home.
Maureen Beal: Making Plans for Succession
In 1994, Maureen Beal took over National Van Lines from her father, becoming a third-generation family
leader of National Van Lines, based just west of Chicago. Today, she is preparing to pass the company
on yet again. Though she has no plans to leave for the next decade, her diligence in laying the groundwork for her upcoming succession plan begged the question: how is she doing it?
As a member of the family that built National Van Lines, how have you dealt with
managing business succession?
Few families are prepared to
address these issues head on. One reason
to begin the process is to identify how ready
your family is and to meet it accordingly. In
doing so, you may find a personal and family assessment of needs, goals and vision
most helpful.
Such an assessment explores
fundamental preferences. It systematically
proceeds through your thoughts about
your business, its future, your family, its preparedness, your purpose in life and more.
Your answers – and your family’s
– enable you to address the issues above.
They will help all of you work through the
mechanics of wealth transfer to arrive at the
correct conclusion for you. They will guide
you when you have to be specific.
This is vital because, like all other
major transition issues, the transfer of your
wealth must reflect you. But, because your
wealth is going somewhere, the transfer
must reflect its recipients as well.
This is an extraordinary opportunity to express yourself to your family and
other beneficiaries – but that expression depends on the quality of your planning, which
in turn rests on your choice of a transition
advisor, who will guide you through this
process.
If you choose wisely, your advisor
will help in a way that sharpens your ability
to answer the big questions when you face
them. In doing so, you will be creating a
legacy of which you may be justly proud.
These topics and more are addressed in
Here, Take the Wheel: Succession Planning
Stories and Insights from Business Owners,
published by Harris and available free of
charge at www.heretakethewheel.com. It is
readably built around real world examples
from individuals like you who have faced
these same questions. The next topic
addressed in TCW will be How to Choose
Your Advisor.
It’s not easy. It takes a lot of planning. It compresses family, personal, business, competitive and financial
issues into one question: ‘What comes next?’ Like many, I hesitated. But now that I’ve gone through the
process, I’ve learned so much that I never knew I didn’t know. I also made some specific rules – for everyone’s benefit. I never discuss the family part – it is intimate and private. My other rule is to encourage
women who are similarly situated to jump in – now really is the time to take control of this, for everyone’s
benefit.
What’s the first step?
You need someone to talk to. That person has to know what the issues are. It has to be someone you’re
comfortable with, because that advisor will learn almost everything there is to know about you, your business and all of the other considerations. Most importantly, especially with changes in Washington, and
maybe in Springfield, I think you need someone who remains professionally current with mandates – the
things we have to do and options – the choices we have. There are a lot of both.
Were you were prepared to plan your course?
No. I’m a serious businessperson in a no-nonsense business. National Van Lines is the corporate
headquarters for a network of over 150 moving and storage companies across the U.S., and as such,
those organizations as well as our corporate employees and their families rely on our business for their
livelihoods. Especially in this economy, I take that responsibility extremely seriously, and conduct my
affairs accordingly. So, like most people who have had some success, I thought I was reasonably well
positioned through life insurance, key person insurance and a few other preparations made along the
way. But the fact is, there is much more to get on the table and to consider. There are many decisions to
be made, about all of those realms I mentioned before. When you lay them out with your advisor and see
what works for you, you begin to see your path in front of you. At that point, for me, each choice brought
a certain relief that I had faced another matter and was ready to move to the next.
What maintenance does your plan require?
It requires some percentage of my attention and that of my advisor. That’s because things change in the
company, and in the market. Tax laws in Washington appear to be changing, and now there are new proposals in Springfield. So, now, my task is monitoring developments that impinge on the plan. When they
pop up, we have to work-up the prior choices, and view them in the light of everything else. After having
worked to put a plan in place, I don’t want it to fail for lack of maintenance, so we keep at it, but this part
is considerably less demanding than the initial stage.
How has this benefited you?
I return to responsibility. The principal benefit to me is
that I know I’ve done my best. To the extent the plan
orders things after I am gone, I won’t be here to see
it. But I will know through the rest of my life that I have
acted responsibly on behalf of myself and all of the
others who rely on National Van Lines, up to the most
important people in our world, the families who call us
when they need help with a move. We like to say that
we are ‘moving their memories’ – and we want that
memory to be a positive one. Knowing our customers,
employees, agents and everyone else are protected
means the world to me as a businessperson and as
an individual.
National Van Lines, Inc.
2800 W. Roosevelt Road
Broadview, IL 60155
(708) 450-2900
NEWS RELEASE
March 2010
NATIONAL VAN LINES HONORED
Kevin Hitzeman and Mary Dempsey,
winners of the 2009 Award, along with
Ron McKee and Maureen Beal, winners of
the 2010 Award
For the last nine years, National Van Lines has been partnering with
Aspire, a Westchester Illinois based organization that serves children
and adults with development disabilities. A major sponsor of Big City
Night, National Van Lines is an active participant in the Aspire Secret
Santa program and a multi-year supporter of the Aspire Classic Golf
Tournament.
Sharon Kutta, Manager of Human Resources for National Van Lines
and coordinator of this program commented, “Aspire is a wonderful organization and we at National Van
Lines have been working with them for the past two years during the Holiday season in their “Secret
Santa” program. This program brings cheer to those that either have no family, or whose families have
limited resources”
“We sponsored 30 residents this past Christmas when we participated in this program” Sharon added.
“Wish lists were prepared by Aspire and given to National’s employees. In addition to their requests and
sizes, National’s employees were given some background information about each person to assist with
the shopping experience. More than 30 employees participated and tried to fulfill everyone’s wishes.
Most requests were quite basic and included warm clothing, bedding, books and CD’s. Christmas is a
time for giving and in spite of the sluggish economy, National Van Lines’ employees gave from their
hearts to help make the holidays brighter for those less fortunate.”
Aspire honored National Van Lines with the Geraldine Post Breaker “Building Their Future” Award during
the 12th Annual Big City Night Gala. The award recognizes exceptional partners who help build futures
for people with disabilities. Maureen Beal, CEO of National Van Lines and a former
Aspire board member and chair, with Ron McKee, Senior Vice President of National
Van Lines, accepted the award on behalf of the company and its employees.
###
About National Van Lines:
National Van Lines is a mid-sized moving and transportation company based in Broadview, IL. With over 400 prime and military agents, National Van Lines
handles domestic, military and international household, new products and corporate moves. A certified Women’s Business Enterprise, National Van Lines was
named the 11th largest woman-owned business in Chicago by Crain’s Chicago Business and is the 23rd largest certified woman-owned business in the country.
For more information about National Van Lines, please visit www.nationalvanlines.com.
About Aspire
Aspire is a leader in services for children and adults with developmental disabilities and their families. Whether they help a child take her first steps, assist an
adult to find his first job or care for a senior adult with dementia, their goal is always the same – helping people with developmental disabilities achieve their
highest potential where they live, learn, work or play. Aspire is committed to assisting any person in need of their services, regardless of the severity of their
disability or their ability to pay. Aspire is there for a lifetime, building futures together. www.aspireofillinois.org
Media Contact:
Jorja Coulter or Judy Bennett
(800) 323-1962 ext. 2927 and 2973
jorja.coulter@nationalvanlines.com
judy.bennett@nationalvanlines.com