CEO
BELFOR Holdings, Inc.
Birmingham, Michigan, United States
Transforming tragedy into triumph. That’s what Sheldon Yellen does every single day. After a hurricane hits the Floridian coast or a devastating fire ravages a family’s home in the middle of the night; following historic flooding in Louisiana or tornadoes stirring up the Texan plains, that’s where you’ll find this maverick CEO – and his dedicated team.
As CEO of BELFOR Holdings, Inc. -- a $2+ billion entity that operates various companies including BELFOR Property Restoration, (the world’s largest damage restoration and recovery services company) -- he carefully watches every penny spent but won’t hesitate to hop on a private plane to help a sick employee or customer. His rationale? BELFOR is his family.
Yellen has abandoned traditional business practices in order to put more stock in his greatest asset — people. He hates meetings, committees, and layers of corporate bureaucracy, preferring instead, to cultivate individual connections. His goals are clear: expand the business by nurturing, fostering, and empowering the “BELFOR Family” to humbly serve others in their time of need. Yellen’s mission is working! Today the company employs over 11,200 talented men and women in more than 450 offices spanning 55 countries.
Alongside his team of professional BELFOR technicians, Yellen has personally responded to thousands of manmade and natural disasters around the world-- from Hurricane Hugo to Superstorm Sandy. Tsunamis, earthquakes, polar vortices, the 9/11 attacks, even cleaning the COVID-19 infested Diamond Princess Cruise ship in the Yokohama port in Japan. Yellen has spent more than 35 years building the culture of DTRT: “Doing The Right Thing, Even When Nobody Is Watching” and believes showing emotion is not a weakness but an absolute strength.
While featured on the hit CBS’ series UNDERCOVER BOSS, Yellen received national acclaim for his deeply compassionate management style. Viewers were emotionally moved as they followed Sheldon’s transformative journey into the lives of his team members. The BELFOR episode received an Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Reality Program.
Yellen’s passion for changing lives under duress is also vividly documented on ABC Television’s HEARTS OF HEROES. This award-winning weekly series celebrates the heroics of first responders, placing themselves in harm’s way to help those in need on a daily basis.
Widely recognized as the pre-eminent figure in the restoration industry, Sheldon Yellen has developed an influential following of decision makers who love his unconventional management style. He is a sought-out speaker and has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, Huffington Post, USA Today and Forbes
Magazine as well as on The Weather Channel, FOX, NBC and more. His presentations reflect his management philosophies through his personal journey as a leader and his intense belief in people from all walks of life.
GS-101: Opening General Session
Wednesday, August 16, 2023
8:00 AM – 10:00 AM