Lawrence is president and chief executive officer of the just renamed Secor Group, a D.C.-based relocation company that has moved many presidents to the White House and stores congressional furniture in its warehouses. What presidents have you moved?
The company has moved most presidents since Woodrow Wilson. I’ve seen the Kennedys of the world. We moved Obama in what seems like just yesterday. It was great fun going up to Chicago and hanging out with them. You realize they are just like us. His mother-in-law was spectacular. The kids were as down to earth as you get.
Any presidential moving experiences stand out?
Obviously, confidentiality is very important in this process. We moved the Clintons. Howard Stern called me wanting to know details about Mrs. Clinton. We respectfully declined. He couldn’t get a story out of us. I also have a picture of George H.W. Bush packing his own boxes.
How do those moves differ from normal relocations?
President-elects — they bring essentially their clothes. And if they have children, they bring all the toys, etc. They typically bring a favorite chair, pictures and knickknacks. As for the size of their shipments, they’re typically pretty small since the furniture is already there. It’s a temporary thing.
You also store the furniture used by Congress?
We have just under a million square feet of warehousing, which includes all the furniture that goes in and out of Congress. I’d guess it’s about 200, 20-foot containers of items. We’re talking huge building and all the support services that go with Congress.
Was this always your planned career?
I went to school in Richmond with the idea I was going to be a dentist. It wasn’t the thing you sat around the table growing up saying, ‘I want to be in the relocation business.’ But I’ve traveled to 45 countries. It has turned out to be pure serendipity.
Brian Hughes
