Obituary of Maurice Greenblatt

Maurice Theodore Greenblatt, chairman of the board of Ware's Van & Storage Co., Inc., Vineland, N.J., and retired chairman of the board and chief executive officer of UniGroup, Inc., United Van Lines, LLC, and Mayflower Transit, LLC, Fenton, Mo., died Sunday, March 11, 2012, in Jupiter, Fla. He was 83 and resided in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., and Longport, N.J. Mr. Greenblatt's career in the household goods transportation business spanned more than 60 years. In 1984, he was elected board chairman of United Van Lines. Four years later, he also was named chairman of UniGroup, Inc., a holding company created to oversee United and related companies, which grew to include Mayflower Transit, another leading household goods van line; Vanliner Insurance Group, providing specialized insurance to professional movers; Total Transportation Services, Inc., provider of vehicles and supplies for movers; and UniGroup Worldwide, Inc., a global mobility management company. Ware's Van & Storage is an agency of United, and Mr. Greenblatt also chaired Greenleaf Transportation, Co., a Mayflower agency located in Vineland. Mr. Greenblatt was first elected to the United Van Lines board in 1969. He served as the corporation's first vice president from 1973 to 1981 and as its vice chairman during 1982 and 1983. Following his retirement as board chairman in 2001, he served for two years as UniGroup's chairman emeritus. Under Mr. Greenblatt's leadership, United Van Lines advanced from third place among the major moving companies to become the nation's largest mover, and the company's consolidated revenues quadrupled, from $500 million in 1984 to nearly $2 billion by 2000. A native of Vineland, Mr. Greenblatt graduated from Vineland High School and attended Bucknell University. He began his association with Ware's Van & Storage in 1948, working with his father, and 10 years later they were joined by Mr. Greenblatt's brother Stanton. In 1960, the brothers purchased the company, which subsequently expanded to include United Van Lines locations in Quakertown, Pa., and Manassas, Va., as well as the Mayflower Vineland office. Mr. Greenblatt's 17 years as UniGroup and United Van Lines chairman represented the longest tenure of the nine executives who had held the position since United's founding in 1947. During his career, Mr. Greenblatt served on the board of directors of the American Moving and Storage Association (AMSA), the industry's trade organization, and as a member of the Household Goods Carriers' Bureau Committee of AMSA. He was a director of the New Jersey Warehousemen and Movers Association and a member of the South Jersey Movers Association. Recognized nationally as a leader in the moving business, Mr. Greenblatt testified before the U.S. Congress on industry issues. Among his civic activities, Mr. Greenblatt was a charter member of Toastmasters International in Vineland; a member of the Vineland Exchange Club, Rotary International, Beth Israel Congregation, contributor to the Jewish Federation and a director and vice chairman of Vineland Savings & Loan Association. In 1991, Mr. Greenblatt received the United Van Lines-Gene Anderson Excellence Award in recognition of his contributions to the van line, and in 2001, he received AMSA's Distinguished Service Award, the moving industry's top career performance recognition. Mr. Greenblatt was preceded in death by his parents, Benjamin and Emma (Pollack) Greenblatt; and his brother Stanton. He is survived by his wife of 62 years, Joan (Bailinger); two sons and daughters-in-law, David & Betty of Chadds Ford, Pa., and Daniel & Pamela of Ashland, Ore.; sister and brother-in-law, Shirlee & Bernard Brown of Vineland, N.J.; sister Sandra Yadlow of Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.; his sister-in-law, Adele Greenblatt of Vineland; four grandchildren, Sarah, Dana, Emily, and Jared; and numerous nieces and nephews. Friends will be received on Friday, March 16, 2012 from 10am to 11am at Beth Israel Synagogue, 1015 E. Park Avenue, Vineland, N.J. A Funeral Service will begin at 11am. Burial will be in Alliance Cemetery, Norma, N.J. Memorial contributions may be made to Beth Israel Congregation, Vineland, N.J.; the Jewish Federation of Vineland; or the UniGroup, Inc. Scholarship Foundation, Fenton, Mo., which annually awards a scholarship in Mr. Greenblatt's name.