Interstate Battery System of America, Inc., a.k.a. Interstate Batteries, is a privately owned battery marketing and distribution company. It markets automotive batteries manufactured by Brookfield Business Partners, Exide Technologies, and others through independent distributors. The company is headquartered in Dallas, Texas, and it also markets marine/RV, mobility, motorcycle, lawn and garden, and other lines of batteries in the starting, lighting and ignition markets. Interstate Batteries operates a distributor network that supplies batteries to over 200,000 dealers. They also have distributors in Bermuda, Bolivia, Canada, the Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama, with more international distributors planned. Additionally, they operate over 200 corporate and franchise owned retail stores. Interstate plans to expand worldwide locations in coming years as part of a company-wide growth and development initiative.
History
In the spring of 1950, John Searcy began selling and delivering car batteries to wholesalers in the Dallas/Fort Worth area from the back of his red Studebakerpickup truck. After two years, Searcy founded his new company, naming it Interstate Battery System after the new interstate highway system being built across the U.S. In 1978, John Searcy retired and left the company under the leadership of President and Chairman Norm Miller. Norm Miller continued the company’s expansion so that by the 1980s Interstate Battery had distributorships in all 50 states and Canada. During that time they also created the Interstate Batteries Great American Race, which for 13 years took vintage car owners and their vehicles on a two-week, cross-country rally. This opened the door to other marketing opportunities such as advertising on the Paul Harveynews radio show, running national TV commercials, and sponsoring champion fishermen Guido and Dion Hibdon. In 1990, Norm's brother Tommy Miller became Interstate Battery's President and CEO while Norm remained Chairman of the Board. As a result, Interstate Battery became heavily involved in NASCAR, America's fastest-growing professional sport. Interstate Battery became title sponsor of coach Joe Gibbs' new Winston Cup team in 1992 which eventually won the prestigious Winston Cup Championship in 2000. In March 2004, Carlos Sepulveda became President & CEO and went on to lead the company for almost a decade until leaving in 2013 to join Triumph Bancorp Group. Norm Miller's son Scott became President and CEO in 2013.
Interstate Batteries holds bi-annual conventions in various settings including most recently Long Beach, California in 2018. Executives, vendors, and other special guests inform employees and distributors about company progress, sales, and growth through multiple sessions. Entry to these events is available to current employees, distributorships, and their families. Noteworthy guests include stars like Chuck Norris with special performances by groups such as Newsboys among others.
