Orin C. Hutchcraft Quality Service Award

Shirley Marx wins Orin C. Hutchcraft Quality Service Award

Shirley Marx, Chairman of the Board of New World Van Lines, received IMAWA’s Orin C. Hutchcraft Quality Service Award during IMAWA’s 58th annual convention in Lisle.

Shirley and her late husband Edward established Economy Moving & Storage in 1952 as a local mover with one truck in Chicago.  A charter member of IMAWA, in addition to raising 5 sons and two daughters, this husband and wife team grew their business into a totally independent van line that provides true “single crew service” from start to finish and from any point in the U.S.

Sadly, Edward passed away 15 years ago; but that hasn’t stopped the growth of their company.  Today Shirley Marx is still active in the business and retains her love for the moving industry and the clients and customers that she has always viewed as “her privilege to serve.”  She owns, operates, and holds the title of Chairman of the Board for 15 companies in 10 different states (with 5 of those companies opening since 1995), an international forwarding company, 500+ full time employees, 500+ company-owned fleet, a stable of corporate and relocation management company clients, and a military moving services provider.

Shirley and her family are generous supporters of IMAWA’s annual fundraisers for Special Olympics Illinois, including participant and sponsor of the first World’s Largest Truck Convoy, donation of prime Chicago Bulls tickets for many of IMAWA’s auctions, sale and purchase of raffle tickets, and generous cash contributions.  Last year her company donated two trailers to the Knightfire Drum and Bugle Corps in Danville IL for transporting band instruments and supplies to their competitions
Shirley established a foundation in Edward’s name and has supported charitable causes including:

31 units of low income housing to the elderly in Chicago
Financing for a Chicago World War II Memorial
Annual clothing and toy drives
Support of organizations including The Pelotonia cancer ride, Make a Wish Foundation, Chicago Tribune Disaster Fund, Residence for Effective Shelter Transition, Albany Park Community Center, Foundation for Blind Children, American Diabetes Association, and several high schools.

Orin C. Hutchcraft

orinAbout the Award: As a charter member of IMAWA, member of the Board of Directors for many years, president, and untiring volunteer, Orin C. Hutchcraft made more contributions to the Association and Tariff Bureau than can ever be counted. To perpetuate the values in which he believed and to recognize his many contributions to IMAWA and to the moving industry, the Association named this distinguished award as a tribute to him.

Eligibility: Nominee must be an employee of a current IMAWA member (or retired from IMAWA member). Members include both mover members and associate members. Any member employee may qualify for nomination (consideration is not limited to management personnel).

Criteria: Among other things, the committee shall consider the nominee's individual tenure (length of employment) and reputation in the moving and storage industry, the nominee's individual community and charitable activities, and the nominee's personal active participation in the Illinois Movers' and Warehousemen's Association. Quality service toward a member's own customers is ordinary and expected. Of particular importance for this award are activities "above and beyond the call of duty" that have contributed to the positive public perception of the moving and storage business and the improvement of the industry as a whole. The award is presented annually at the IMAWA convention.

For more information about how to nominate a candidate for next year's award, e-mail IMAWA.

Past winners of this award:

  • 1992: *Orin C. Hutchcraft, Partner and co-founder, Hutchcraft Van Service, Urbana, IL
  • 1993: *Joseph McAleer, V.P. Sales, Pickens-Kane Moving & Storage, Chicago, IL
  • 1994: Char Damery, Office Manager, Federal/Johnson Moving & Storage, Decatur, IL
  • 1995: Harry R. Swift, Hillier Storage & Moving, Springfield, IL
  • 1996: Patricia Smith (now McLaughlin), Executive Director, IMAWA
  • 1997: Kenneth Barling, Founding Owner, Kenney’s Delivery Service, Bloomington, IL
  • 1998: *John A. Sorenson, Partner and Co-founder, Suburban Moving & Storage, Inc., Lisle, Illinois.
  • 1999: Ted Boyer, Boyer-Rosene Moving & Storage, Arlington Heights, IL (retired)
  • 2000: *Donald H. Maaks, Johnson Transfer & Fuel Co., Bloomington, IL
  • 2001: *Charles Puscheck, Prager Storage & Moving, Naperville, IL
  • 2002: Bruce Anthony, Kentucky Trailer (formerly TransAdvantage), Batavia
  • 2003: Thomas F. Paisley, President, Underfanger Moving & Storage, Springfield, IL
  • 2004: Jerry Clifton, President, Clifton Moving & Storage, Decatur, IL
  • 2005: *Bill and Jack Hallett, Hallett & Sons Expert Movers, Summit, IL
  • 2006:  (award was not presented)
  • 2007: Carl G. Carlson (retired), Berryman Transfer, Joliet, IL
  • 2008: Mike O'Mara, O'Mara Moving & Storage, Freeport, IL and Madison WI
  • 2009: Richard Olsen, Jr., Olsen Brothers, Inc., Rolling Meadows
  • 2010: Sue Shippert, Shippert's Moving & Storage, Dixon

*deceased