Celebrating the Career of Joe Helms, Vice President of Trailers and Containers

For 35 years, Joe Helms, Vice President of Trailers and Containers, has been a steady and trusted leader at Sonny Merryman. Known for his strong product knowledge, loyal customer relationships, and thoughtful approach to every challenge, Joe has played a central role in the growth and evolution of both his division and the company as a whole.

Joe joined the company in July 1991 with the encouragement of lifelong friend and longtime Sonny Merryman Chief Operating Officer Mark Roberts, whom he knew from their days at Virginia Tech. At the time, Joe was working at a car dealership. Mark would occasionally stop in with a bus and talk with him about the work at Sonny Merryman, eventually urging him to meet with Floyd about joining the company. When Sonny began facing health challenges, Joe was asked to step in and help support the specialty side of the business that Sonny managed.

His first days on the job were memorable. The company was small, and Joe stepped into a role without a formal title, helping wherever he was needed. Although mechanically experienced, he had never worked with buses or trailers. To help him learn, Floyd brought Henry Yates, Sonny’s longtime right-hand man, out of retirement for a month. “Every day Henry and I would go tape each vehicle, itemize it, and he would explain what it was,” Joe recalled. When Sonny returned on a limited schedule, Joe began working closely with him and continued learning directly from the legend himself.

As the company grew, so did Joe’s responsibilities. When he started, there were only a dozen employees. The welding shop next door was still a separate business, but when the team moved from Rustburg to Evington in 1993, that shop became part of the operation and eventually evolved into what is now the trailer shop. Joe describes that move as one of his most defining early challenges. The planning, problem-solving, and teamwork required made it a turning point for both the company and for him. “Every time we grew, there was a new challenge we had to figure out. You learn things you never expected and come out stronger on the other side,” he said.

Some memories still stand out clearly, including a 20-hour road trip through West Virginia to inspect used trade-in buses during his first couple months. Many early memories of Joe’s include Sonny, and when asked what he wishes newer employees could experience, he answered simply, “Sonny himself.”

Joe witnessed enormous industry changes over the years. What began primarily as a trailers-focused division gradually expanded into storage containers as customer needs shifted. Today, he oversees approximately 1,000 rental units along with the buying, selling, and logistics that come with managing the inventory.

Throughout his career, Joe says the people made the biggest impact. He speaks warmly of coworkers he has known for decades and considers family, noting, “I have seen some of these folks more than my own family.” He also values the wide variety of customers he worked with over the years, from farmers to purchasing agents. “You never know what your day will look like. That is what makes it enjoyable,” he shared. When reflecting on his proudest accomplishments, Joe points to those many relationships as the most meaningful part of his work.

Outside of work, Joe is most at ease outdoors, a love that traces back to his childhood on his family farm in Nelson County. He enjoys hunting, fishing, canoeing, and competitive shooting. Sporting clays, which he describes as “golf with a shotgun,” has become a particular passion, and he even earned a senior division state championship title. His love of cars and mechanics also runs deep, creating an instant bond with technicians and shop team members throughout the years. Another fact that some might not know about Joe is that he and his brother spent years drag racing along circuits from Maryland to Georgia.

As he enters retirement, Joe looks forward to traveling with his wife, who is already retired, and visiting the places they have long hoped to explore together. He is also excited for a slower schedule and more time with family, including his daughter Marisol.