p. 64
Q   In 1970, 1969, you actually formed a 
company called Amerco, is that correct?
A    In 19 - - the work was done in 1969, but 
the actual fi nalization of it actually occurred 
in 1970, the bringing together of all these 
companies under one head, Amerco, as a 
holding company.
Q   Did your diversifi cation play a, any role 
here in your thinking here?
A    Yes, it did because I knew that ulti-
mately to succeed into the far future, we had 
to come under a name that was not generic, 
like U-Haul.  
Q   Okay.  Let me stop you there and go to 
exhibit 14, which is another management 
bulletin.  Would you tell the jury what the 
heading of this is, what it’s talking about.
A    The heading is: Strategy and Long-
Range Planning.
Q   Now you mentioned a minute ago, you 
thought 20 years into the future.  It’s 1984, 
’85.  What are your personal thoughts about 
the Amerco family companies, in terms of 
where it’s going to be in the next 20 years?
A    First place, we were going to franchise 
the U-Haul Center concept.  That’s why I 
wanted to get these really functioning good 
before we can do that - - there were a lot of 
people out here, and still are, that are in the 
general equipment rental business, who get 
to a certain point, and they want to join a 
national organization.  So that’s one thing.
Q   What else was on your mind in 1985, ’86, 
about the future of Amerco?
A    The other really major thing was broker-
ing.  I mean that there is - - people or orga-
nizations own major equipment, like a boring 
machine, to go through a mountain.  That’s 
a big example of it.  They needed a national 
organization that had the retail outlets and 
marketing capability to then - - what was re-
ally rerenting.  It was already going on.  I just 
called it brokering.  That, I thought, was the 
most magnifi cent thing that could be done, 
so far as creating a whole new industry that 
would provide a service to people that very 
badly needed, and has not been able to be 
provided to this day.
Shoen v. Shoen, Testimony 1994
AMERCO
Advanced Management Engineering and Research Company

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