Sheetz, the chain of gas stations, has announced on Facebook that its former president, CEO, and chairman of the board, Stephen G. Sheetz, has passed away at the age of 77. He was the younger brother of Bob Sheetz, who originally founded the chain in 1957, which Stephen then took over as CEO in 1984 and ran until 1996. Sheetz began working at his brother's eponymous company when he was just 12 years old.
The global furniture design industry might not seem like the most obvious place to look for business lessons. But for decades, Italy's top design houses (B&B Italia, Cassina, Poliform, Minotti) have quietly mastered something that most companies still struggle to achieve: long-term profitability built on craftsmanship, innovation, and emotional value. These brands operate in a hypercompetitive global market, yet they rarely discount, rarely overproduce, and consistently command premium margins. Their success doesn't rely on scale or speed, but on depth, precision, and trust.