Family ownership fuels Sheetz

What is Sheetz? To motorists in the six states where the Altoona, Pa.-based company operates, it's a beloved convenience store that offers made-to-order food. According to a survey sponsored by the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development, Sheetz is one of the best places to work in Pennsylvania. But for the eight family members involved in the 61-year-old company, Sheetz is a family business ready to make a leadership transition. It is also in the process of preparing 75 family members for their role as stewards of one of the fastest-growing companies in the industry.

Sheetz, which began as a single dairy store in Altoona that Bob Sheetz purchased from his father in 1952, is now a chain with 15,000 employees and more than $6 billion in annual sales. Its growth has been accompanied by carefully planned and executed management transitions that have kept the company firmly under family control. This year, the fourth such change will occur, accompanied by the creation of a new family council and a voting trust.

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