Family ties are at the heart of the Mr. Transmission® and Milex Complete Auto Care franchise system. For Barbara Moran, co-founder, chairwoman and CEO of Moran Family of Brands, the connection is deeply personal. By Lizzy Yeserski
Generations Working Together
Family ties are at the heart of the Mr. Transmission® and Milex Complete Auto Care franchise system. For Barbara Moran, co-founder, chairwoman and CEO of Moran Family of Brands, the connection is deeply personal.
After being told she would never run the business as a woman in the automotive industry, Moran took the helm when her father became seriously ill. What began as an unexpected transition turned into a defining moment, propelling her to the C-suite, where she has guided operations since 1990, and her experience leading a brand built on family-oriented success continues to shape the company’s philosophy today.
“We really feel it’s an opportunity for franchisees to have a legacy that they get to create,” Moran said.
Across the system, that mindset has produced a network in which families work together to build generational wealth, taking roles aligned with their strengths and long-term goals.
“We have franchisees that have their children involved. They’re running different stores,” Moran said, emphasizing that the home office helps family members through succession planning and exit strategies whenever needed.
The support is intentional and hands-on. Amanda Maquet, who grew up around the business before returning as chief marketing officer, has seen the impact firsthand. After working outside the company, she came back seeking more purpose-driven work and found it in the one-on-one communication she establishes with franchisees. Additionally, Maquet estimates that about 40% of the system is made up of father-and-son, husband-and-wife and sibling teams.
“The family culture is not only internal – because we have a lot of internal family members working together – but also external,” Maquet said.
By helping franchisees define roles and navigate challenges, the system allows owners to focus on maintaining strong relationships in an environment where work and family life intersect almost every day.
For Randy Whitworth, a longtime franchisee in Alabama whose kids grew up in the business, it’s not only about running successful Mr. Transmission shops. It’s about who he gets to share it with.
“I love being in there because I can see my kids all the time. I get to see them every day,” Whitworth said.
Lizzy Yeserski