About Norm Miller
Norm Miller, Interstate Batteries Chairman, began his career with the company shortly after graduating from North Texas State University (now University of North Texas) in 1962. In the past 57 years, he has moved through the ranks of Interstate – from his father’s Tennessee distributorship, to the National Field Sales team at Dallas corporate headquarters, and on to the helm of Interstate’s Executive Management Team.
His Leadership and Success at Interstate Batteries
Miller assumed the President and Chairman roles in 1978 after working 16 years under his mentor, company-founder John Searcy. Since then, Interstate has grown to become the number one replacement battery in North America. Searcy developed the successful Interstate system of marketing, product delivery and service, and Miller expanded the team that established the current Interstate network of more than 200 retail battery centers, 300 distributors and 200,000 dealers across the U.S., Canada, Central and South America. Unit battery sales have steadily improved from the 1965 total of 250,000 to a world record of more than 18.0 million replacement battery sales for a twelve-month period ending this past fiscal year. In 1991, Norm relinquished the Presidency to spend more time focusing on other strategies and issues facing the company.
Additionally, Miller led the company in the founding of the Interstate Batteries Great American Race in 1983 and it became the world’s richest old car race and American’s premier vintage car event. In 1989, he pioneered Interstate’s entry into NASCAR racing. Teaming up with Joe Gibbs Racing in 1992, Interstate won the Daytona 500 in 1993, the Winston Cup Championship in 2000, and the prestigious Sprint Cup Championship in 2015.
How Christianity Impacted his Approach to Business
1974 was a major turning point for both Miller and Interstate Batteries. It was during that year he became a follower of Christ and changed the way he approached business and his personal life.
Through all these years and successes, Miller has maintained a commitment for spiritual development, as has the Interstate management team. As a result, Interstate encourages employees to develop fully as individuals, not just professionals. With the stress and pressures of the times, combined with those of career and family, it is crucial for people to have easy access to spiritual support. Interstate management believes the workplace is definitely included, and therefore they try to make God’s love and help a priority in business.
Miller and his wife, Anne, have been married for 56 years and have two children, Tracy and Scott; five grandchildren, Zach, Kyle, Braden, Grant and Matalin Anne; and one great-grandson, Jackson.