Employer of the Week U-Haul

U-Haul is more than a company that wants to ensure your do-it-yourself move or towing job goes smoothly. Our Employer of The Week was founded by a World War II veteran and believes in hiring veterans.

Navy veteran L.S. “Sam” Shoen and his wife, Mary Carty Shoen, founded the DIY moving and towing company in the summer of 1945 following his honorable medical discharge from the service.

”In addition to Sam, many of the very first U-Haul team members, neighborhood dealers and customers were veterans returning home from the war, seeking to move their families to a better life,”  said Jeff Lockridge, manager of media and public relations for U-Haul International.

“Since 1945, U-Haul has been the industry leader in DIY moving and self-storage, with a network of 22,000 truck-and-trailer sharing locations,” he added. 

The company employs 30,000 team members and has a fleet of 167,000 trucks, 120,000 trailers and 43,000 towing devices. U-Haul also has 697,000 rooms and 60.7 million square feet of storage at its facilities. It is also the largest installer of permanent trailer hitches in the automotive aftermarket industry and is the largest propane retailer in the United States, Lockridge said.

“We have a wide assortment of boxes and moving supplies to meet every need,” he added.

Today, the company aggressively recruits veterans, offering them preference in the hiring process.

“We also work with non-profit organizations that assist veterans in transitioning to civilian life with programs to secure employment for those who are homeless or at-risk,” Lockridge said. “Veterans make up an invaluable segment of our workforce.”

The U-Haul recruiting department partners with management teams system-wide to ensure veterans are being targeted for hire, he said.. Once they are on-board, the company offers veterans an array of support initiatives, including YouMatter, which offers comprehensive, no-cost mental and emotional support to employees and their families in partnership with ComPsych.

The company also offers a number of other health and education assistance programs, Lockridge said. U-Haul also supports community nonprofits that assist veterans and their families.

Current U-Haul Chairman Joe Shoen, son of the company’s founders, has spoken at length about his immense respect for the military and the traits veterans bring to their civilian careers, Lockridge said. Those traits include a service-oriented approach; discipline and structure; and a true appreciation for teamwork and driving toward a common goal, Lockridge said.

Via the Shoen family, U-Haul recently provided the funds to renovate Pearl Harbor’s Ford Island Control Tower, where the biographies and photos of the company’s World War II Pacific Theater will be displayed in the tower lobby.

To learn more about  U-Haul, visit here.

Know a great company that hires and supports veterans and the military community? Email Julia@connectingvets.com