Tribute To Bill Sapp

Hello Friends and Guests of Sapp Bros.! My name is Andy Richard and I’m one of nine of Bill and Lucille Sapp’s grandchildren. I also have the great privilege of serving as Sapp Bros. CEO. As many of you may know, Bill went to be with the Lord April, 4th 2019. It’s been a true blessing to me and my family to hear from family, colleagues, and friends remembering, honoring, and memorializing Bill’s amazing life over the last couple of months. As loyal customers, I want you to know we consider you an extension of Sapp Bros. team and family and wanted to share some of those thoughts and memories with you.

Problem is, with the type of person, character, and leader that Bill was, where do you start?..... I’ll attempt to elaborate on some of Bill’s favorite topics in the order in which I think he would:

Faith

I can still hear Grandpa’s unique and raspy voice in my head (something I hope and pray never goes away). He’s saying to me, “Andrew, you’re making this a lot harder than it needs to be, you simply need to tell them about Jesus!”

Many conversations I’ve had with Grandpa centered around Jesus or in some way pointed back to Jesus. If you were blessed to have known Bill, you had the opportunity hear many of same stories or thoughts ……sometimes the same stories or thoughts more than a time or two! Maybe he loved me that much or maybe he was simply concerned with my comprehension. Either way, his wisdom, life lessons, and stories are treasures to my soul and I would sit through a million more if I could!

One of Bill’s favorite Bible scriptures was the, “Parable of the Talents” from the Book of Matthew (Chapter 25: Verses 14-30). From a young age, Bill would often talk to me about this passage. In verse 15 it says “The master gave one servant five talents, another two, and another one, each according to his ability.” Bill would always point out that God already knows the talents and abilities he created us with; He is in fact, God. He knitted each of us in our mother’s womb. God is simply asking that we use the talents He’s blessed us with, for His good.

Grandpa shared with me that as a young man he was always profoundly jealous of those that had more athletic ability than he did. He said he was an average athlete that always tried extremely hard, but at the end of the day there were guys that were simply more blessed physically. When Grandpa became a committed Christian, this parable truly spoke to his heart. He realized God gave him a knack for entrepreneurialism and a wise and keen business acumen. God was asking Grandpa to serve and glorify Him through those talents and not to envy or focus on the talents He entrusted others with. This concept truly freed Grandpa from a jealous heart and drove him to serve God with the talents that were entrusted to him.

I would encourage you to think about the talents God has sown into you. How can you use your talents to serve others and God?

Family

As a member of Bill’s family, I can tell you Bill’s earthly treasure was being a son, brother, husband, father, grandfather, and great grandfather. Bill’s love, care, and concern for his family started with and centered on his love and devotion to my Grandmother, Lucille. I’ll share a cute story that Bill frequently shared: Years ago Bill was returning on a plane from Salt Lake City, Utah visiting the Salt Lake City Sapp Bros. Travel Center. He was sitting next to a younger newly married women and surprise, surprise he struck up a conversation about her spirituality.

Through their conversation she shared with Bill that she’d been in Salt Lake City all week, and that a girlfriend was picking her up from the airport because her husband was out with the boys. Bill couldn’t fathom being away from Grandma for a couple days let alone a week and not being at the front of the line to pick her up. As their conversation went on, it became clear that this newlywed’s marriage was not going well.

Bill said to the young newlywed, “You know, who you marry is the 2nd biggest decision you’ll ever make.” The conversation subsided for 5 minutes and then the young newlywed spoke up, “Mr. Sapp, I have to ask, we were talking about my marriage and then you made the comment about marriage being the 2nd biggest decision; what’s the 1st?”

Bill answered, “I believe the biggest decision everybody has to make is will you accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior; as that determines heaven or hell for eternity. The second biggest decision is who you marry, as that will determine heaven or hell on this earth!” Bill then shared the Gospel (John 14:6) with this newly wed and strongly encouraged her to start thinking and praying through decision #1.

Sapp Bros.

“Treat your customer’s right and they’ll treat you right. You can’t stay in business as long as we have and not treat people right. Who you are trumps what you sell. Sales is not just about knowing the product. It’s about how people feel with you.” – Bill Sapp

I believe a huge part of Sapp Bros. success was due to Bill and the other Sapp Brothers’ (Ray, Lee, and Dean) commitment to treating people as they would want to be treated. To Bill, every person that walked through Sapp Bros.’ door was not a customer, rather, a “Welcomed Guest.”

The four Sapp brothers’ went into business together on June 1st, 1960 when they equally bought a Ford dealership in Ashland Nebraska. Through hard work and the grace of God, the brothers’ were able to start and/or buy a few other auto and commercial truck dealerships shortly thereafter. In 1967, the brothers’ were presented an opportunity to purchase 52 acres in Sarpy County, NE at Hwy 50 and I-80. They planned on relocating their downtown GMC Truck dealership to, what at the time was considered to be, the far west edge of Omaha, NE. Through a series of unexpected twist and turns outside of their control, the truck dealership relocation didn’t come to fruition. However they collaboratively decided that the property had tremendous potential to be a truck stop.

The brothers’ nominated Bill to conduct in-depth research into the truck plaza industry by making numerous visits to existing truck stops and interviewing their operators. Two of his stops included interviews with Fred Bosselman of Bosselman Truck Stop (Grand Island, NE) and Harley Shoemaker of Shoemakers Truck Stop (Lincoln, NE). Bill credits a big part of his success to the gracious and honest wisdom that both men shared with him. In 1971, the Omaha Nebraska Sapp Bros. Truck Stop opened. After going into business, Bill, Harley, and Fred’s relationship turned into a wonderful friendship. They would meet almost quarterly for years sharing ideas, successes, and failures of their respective operations.

Since day one, Bill’s focus has been trying to create the most “positive experience” possible for working men and women on the road.vBill and his team believed in providing a friendly “Guest” atmosphere, sparkling clean showers, “Mom Approved” Restrooms, as well as relevant and affordable products and services. Part of the “positive experience” also included things Bill choose not to do; Bill elected and committed to not sell pornography, alcohol, and mood altering drugs. Bill believed professional drivers should have a place to attend worship services while they are out on the road. Bill personally supported and partnered with several ministries to offer services at many of the Sapp Bros. Travel Center locations. Under Bill’s guidance Sapp Bros., Inc. has grown to 17 full-service, friendly travel centers; primarily located on Interstate-80 & 70 from as far west as Salt Lake City, Utah to Clearfield, Pennsylvania in the east. In addition to the Travel Center business Bill and the Sapp Bros. team started Sapp Bros Petroleum, a wholesale fuel distributorship offering refined fuels, lubricants, oil, propane, diesel exhaust fluid, compressed natural gas, kerosene, additives, solvents, and many other associated products, services, and equipment. Sapp Bros. partners with nearly all petroleum manufacturers to ensure their Travel Centers and 30+ wholesale outlets have the most in-demand products and services.

As members of the Sapp Bros. team and family, it’s now our responsibility and privilege to carry on Bill’s legacy to the next generation(s) inside our team and to you, our “Welcomed Guest.” This looks like: Doing things with honesty and integrity; Serving our customers as welcomed guests; Continuing to innovate and invest in new endeavors; Working as a team; Concern and care for each other; and Continuing to be a profitable company.

We are forever indebted to the vision and commitment Bill has given us.

I sincerely thank you for your part in Bill’s and the Sapp Bros. story and success!

Keep the faith. God bless.

Welcome, Be Our Guest!

Andy Richard