There are 13 businesses that have been BBB Accredited with us since 1963. As the Better Business Bureau celebrates 50 years of serving Southeast Texas in 2013, we will feature one of our charter Accredited Busineses each month in the e-Torch Report.
Vernon Burris founded Burris Transfer & Storage Company in 1947 in Port Arthur, Texas. For the first forty years of its existence, Burris was an agent for Mayflower Van Lines. Burris became a charter member of the Better Business Bureau in Southeast Texas in 1963. Some time during that same era, in the early 60’s, Vernon Burris sold the company to Johnny Westcott. At that time, Burris Transfer & Storage had offices in Beaumont, Orange, Port Arhtur, and Lake Charles. During the late 70’s and early 80’s, John Westcott consolidated the company to be based solely in Beaumont. They still covered all of the other areas, but dispatched all jobs from the Beaumont office. Bo Weinbaum and Todd Christopher bought the company in 1986. Later, Bo became sole owner and in 1991 made Robert Ferguson his partner, because of his longevity with the company as well as the important role he played as operations manager. In the late 80’s, Bo made the transition from being a Mayflower agent to becoming an agent for Bekins Van Lines. This was done mainly to attain Bekins’ impeccable service level but also for improved financial reasons.
Finally in 2005, Danny Phillips and Scott Traylor bought the Company from Bo and Robert. As the 4th owners of Burris/Bekins, Scott and Danny have made it one of their main priorities to adhere to the BBB Code of Conduct and Ethics. They definitely believe in what the BBB stands for. The reputation of the company has been the main focus of all owners, past and present.
“We can move you across the room or across the world, and anywhere in between” is one of the slogan’s of Burris Transfer & Storage Company. There are five different types of moves. The first is the local move, this is when individuals are moving within the city limits or from one county to another county that borders. The charges for these moved are rated on an hourly basis (example: Beaumont to Orange, Texas). When the customer needs to move from a city in another county to a city in another county that it does not border, but is within the same state, it is called an intrastate move (example: Beaumont to Austin, Texas). These jobs are rated on a per hundred weight basis, price is based on weight and mileage. When someone needs to move from one state to another it is called an interstate move (example: Beaumont, Texas to Denver, Colorado). These jobs are where Bekins Van Lines comes in. Bekins is the national company. Burris is the local company. Burris Transfer & Storage Company can also move consumers out of the country. These are called international moves (example: Beaumont, Texas to London, England). Burris enlists the help of an international forwarding company to accomplish these moves. The final type of move, in which Burris specializes, is the office/industrial move. This is when entire companies or a complete office staff move, generally from one building to another.
The employees at Burris are the main asset and earn the most bragging rights. Their knowledge and experience, as well as their professionalism, helps keep the Burris reputation and integrity intact. Burris Transfer & Storage Company certainly upholds marketplace trust and strives to advance ethics in business. The Better Business Bureau in Southeast Texas congratulates Burris Transfer & Storage Company for 50 years of BBB Accreditation!
