CDN GOES (MULTI) MODAL!!! by Bruce Lenau
Transcription
CDN GOES (MULTI) MODAL!!! by Bruce Lenau
25 Years / VOL V No. 1 Apr. 2011 May 2011 Hello Readers, With gas prices skyrocketing, more people are staying close to home and finding less expensive, more creative ways to have fun. If you have any suggestions or ideas for saving money this summer, please forward these on to the Newsletter Committee so we can share your tips. (Or join our Team!) CDN GOES (MULTI) MODAL!!! by Bruce Lenau Most of you are already aware that CDN Logistics has been receiving new trailers. There is a CDNZ prefix on all these trailers. We have received delivery of the bulk of 150 new trailers ordered from Great Dane. There were sound business reasons Another way to offset the for making this expenditure at this point in time: 1) Pricing, due to slumps in sales the cost of trailers is depressed, so the high price of gasoline, is deal was too good to pass up in view of our need to replace our old trailers. As the economy improves, demand rises, which to find Perry’s Moustache hidden somewhere will inflate the cost down the road. 2) Interest rates are currently rising, so waiting any longer would have only added to our within this issue. If your cost. 3) Our previous trailer fleet was aged and had reached optimum life expectancy, cost of operating these trailers was answer is correct, you becoming prohibitive because of the increasing maintenance required to keep them road-worthy. Waiting longer would could win a $50.00 gift only increase the cost. 4) Flexibility, all of the new trailers are MultiModal, meaning that they are equipped with lift pads card!! Please email your enabling us to move them via Rail (TOFC) Trailer on Flat Car. We can take advantage of lower rail pricing to move some our response to [email protected] by trailers via train more profitably for some shipments than moving them by highway would be due to high fuel costs. And 5) Friday, June 10th and you You may have noticed that there are skirts on these trailers with decals that read “MultiModal”. The purpose of the skirts is could be the lucky winmore than just advertising (though that’s pretty neat too!) They make the trailers more aerodynamic by cutting their wind ner! resistance, decreasing fuel consumption. Tractor miles per gallon (MPG) have been improved up to ½ mile per gallon in We hope you enjoy readsome cases. This doesn’t sound like a lot, but if a tractor averages 6-6 ½ mpg, picking up another ½ mile per gallon is huge ing this edition and have a safe, fun-filled summer. savings. So, they are rolling billboards (free advertising) a significant number of owner operator leads are generated from drivers seeing our trailers and calling our phone number. They are cost efficient and greener by being more fuel efficient on Newsletter Committee the highway reducing our carbon footprint, and capable of TOFC movement by rail. On top of all that they just look good, I CDN Goes Multi -Modal 1 for one am looking forward to the first time I see one roll by at railroad crossing that I’m waiting at. YOU MAY SEE THESE Nascar For Dummies 2 MULTI-MODAL UNITS ON THE BNSF, NS, OR CSX TRAINS. Sports Corner 3 MLS Soccer 4 Gas Saving Tips 5 Filling in the Blanks 6-7 Forth of July 8 Truck Driving Rodeo 9 Woods & Water 10 My Moustache 11 Mark’s Music Corner 12 + 13 Customer Service 14 + 15 Ads and more 16 Along with the new multimodal dry vans, we are have begun taking delivery of 50 new Great Dane Refrigerated trailers. Growth in our refrigerated business and again an aging reefer fleet prompted the need to obtain new trailers. Breakdowns of refrigeration units on existing trailers has in the past resulted in expensive produce claims which made the need to upgrade more pronounced. The new units are equipped with state of the art CARRIER refrigeration units and we are near to signing a contract with a company called PAR Logistics for GPS units that will give us monitoring and remote control capabilities that will be cutting edge in the Temperature Controlled market. With the GPS device linked to the reefer unit we will be able to remotely monitor not only GPS location of each unit but internal and external temperatures (we can remotely start or stop the unit or adjust the temperature), also any alarms or alerts monitoring the reefer engines performance, oil level, reefer fuel level, any fuel pumped in, rapid fuel loss, start/stop events and more. All together the new technology will enable us to offer service and reporting far above most of the competition, which is a really COOL thing. The Custom Companies, Inc. - 317 W Lake Street Northlake, IL 60164 - www.customco.com VOL V No. 2 Jun. 2011 / July 2011 Page 2 New Hires Eduardo Chavez Oscar Colindres Paul Dunn Bruce Ellison Sergio Fonseca Paul Gale Bernabe Gomez Lucas Hills Joshua Hines Monica Huback Ethan Jones David Lorge Orlando Manimtim Edwin Martin Tristan Miles Jose Morales Cesar Nolasco Dan Null Salvador Orozco Frank Pesek Brian Pico Oscar Rivera Manolito Roman Alan Smith Elvis Vargas Michael Yoro NASCAR for Dummies by Petra Gumieniak Nothing screams a good time like watching a ton of iron fly by you at almost 200 MPH while you sit in the grandstands with an ice cold beer and a hotdog breathing in the fumes of the racing world – But how do you make sense of everything if you’re a novice? NASCAR is truly an original American sport that roots it’s origin in 1940. The acronym NASCAR stands for National Association of Stock Car Racing also known as the Winston Cup. One interesting fact about this sport is that it was originally a competition between rival ‘moonshine’ bootleggers who modified their engines to out run, out speed, and just dumfound local law enforcement. This rapidly transformed into a billion-dollar industry and was the success envisioned by NASCAR’s founder, Bill France Sr. back in 1949. The original focus of this sport revolved around regular street cars which drivers/teams could purchase at minimum expense. The teams could then only modify the engines. Nine racers began the first-ever NASCAR race – Buick, Cadillac, Chrysler, Ford, Hudson, Kaiser, Lincoln, Mercury and Oldsmobile. By 1952 there was an obvious need for the improvement to tires and roll cages. During the last 50 years automobile manufacturers are stepping up their performance adding additional packages to their already stock street cars including V8 engines (including but not limited to Hemi’s – hemispherical combustion chamber engines), shocks & suspensions, ‘slick’ tires, and improved chassis. All these modifications add to not only the safety, but the speed of the sport. Forty-three cares can start in each NASCAR race. Each spot in the grid is determined by two prior days of “Qualifying Rounds”. Each race allocated different point values and points are subtracted dependant on how the racer places. Bonus points in increments of 5 are usually awarded to leading a lap as well as to the driver that leads the most laps. The conditions of the race is one major pivot point in the difference between Formula One and NASCAR – Formula One is not generally “weather dependant”, where the ‘slick’ tires affixed onto the stock cars in NASCAR would make for a treacherous race. Vehicle speeds, outside temperatures, track debris, and banking all are critical factors in the wear and tear of the tires… even on a sunny day! The drivers must balance the handling, tire condition, gas mileage and track position all while trying to make the call when to ‘pit’ is a tactically sane maneuver. More often than not, winners and losers are determined by mere seconds between cars. One cataclysmic addition to the drivers is the fans. Our admiration for these drivers and the teamwork of the crew fuel our fanaticism and passion for the pursuit of speed! EDITOR NOTE: This will be a continuing series over the next few editions where Petra expands on NASCAR for dummies. Custom CDN The Custom Companies, Inc. - 317 W Lake Street Northlake, IL 60164 - www.customco.com VOL V No. 2 Jun. 2011 / July 2011 Page 3 SPORTS CORNER by Jeff Guthman Well, I promised you all an in depth analysis of Major League Baseball for this Newsletter. Considering the way things have gone in Chicago Baseball, the only way that we will have a World Series in the ‘windy city’ is if some other team is forced to use US Cellular or Wrigley field. This would only happen because their stadium had burnt to the ground. Things are no better in Los Angeles where the Dodgers’ players run to the bank on pay day to see if their checks will clear. I guess the last hope for either city would be the Angels who lead the AL West. They don’t really play in Los Angeles but rather in Anaheim. The Phillies look unstoppable followed by St. Louis in the National League. The Yankees seem to be the first quarter favorite and I do think that the Rangers will pull through. That is about as much baseball that I can force myself to write. There is such big news in the NBA for both LA and Chicago that I had to include it in this article. However they are going in opposite directions. Is this the end of the Lakers dynasty? They were swept in this year’s playoffs by the Dallas Mavericks for the first time since 1999 amid rumors of infighting between the players off the court and a display of very classless play on the court. I am sure that their (and Chicago’s) hall of fame coach Phil Jackson did not want to end his career in such a fashion. The Lakers are sure to start next year with a least two of their players on suspension for their end of the game acts of frustration. With Kobe another year older and the team not playing like a team, it will be a tremendous challenge for whoever tries to replace Jackson. I remember when Jordan played for the Bulls everyone would say that we should watch closely because when he left we would not be able to see that level of play on the Bulls again. The same thing can now be said about Derrick Rose. Rose became the youngest MVP in NBA history. At 22 years and 191 days old he beat the previous youngest MVP, Wes Unseld, who in 1969 was 23 years and 9 days old. He is the 2nd Bulls player to win the award, joining five-time winner Michael Jordan. Rose led the Bulls to an NBA-best record of 62-20, and to the most wins by a Bulls team since Chicago won 62 games in 1997-98 en route to the franchise's sixth NBA championship. In 81 games this season, he averaged 25.0 points per game (seventh in the NBA), 7.7 assists per game (10th), 4.1 rebounds per game, and he shot .445 from the field, .332 from behind the arc and .858 from the line. Along the way, he posted career highs in scoring, assists, rebounds, steals, blocks, three-point shooting, free-throw shooting and minutes played. With his scoring, assist and rebounding averages, he became the seventh player in NBA history to average 25.0 points per game, 7.5 assists per game and 4.0 rebounds per game in a single season (Oscar Robertson, Jerry West, Larry Bird, Michael Jordan, Dwayne Wade and LeBron James). He also became the fifth player in NBA history to post 2,000 points, 600 assists and 300 rebounds in a single season (Oscar Robertson, John Havlicek, Michael Jordan and LeBron James).It remains to be seen how far he will take his team in the playoffs this year. Currently the Bulls are in the middle of a hard fought series with Atlanta. They should move on to the next round where they will either take on the aging Celtics or the media frenzy that is the Heat. I know that he has a long way to go before he can be compared to the career of Michael Jordan, but don’t miss the show for the next couple of years (if there is not a labor stoppage) as it will be a wild and great ride! I look forward to watch this native son of Chicago carve his own spot in NBA History. The Custom Companies, Inc. - 317 W Lake Street Northlake, IL 60164 - www.customco.com Congratulations to Consuelo (CDN A/P) and Joey Muschio on the birth of their baby girl, Kohana Marie. Kohana was welcomed into this world on Saturday, April 9th at 8:06 P.M., 6lbs., 1.4 oz., 18” long. Both mommy and baby are doing well! VOL V No. 2 Page 4 Daniel Craig 6-1 Alejandro De Leon 6-3 Miguel Escobedo 6-3 Brent Richter 6-4 Victor Sanchez 6-5 Refugio Banda 6-6 Mircea Dulgheriu 6-6 Tomasz Biskup 6-8 Larry Fried 6-8 Jeff Howard 6-8 Larry Charnot 6-9 Tom Jaworowski 6-9 Percy De Leon Lopez 6-10 Ramon Ramos 6-11 Bernie Boudrow 6-12 Juan Espinoza 6-12 Jim Welsh 6-15 Robert Caballero 6-17 John Dembowski 6-17 Frank Funari 6-17 John Valente 6-18 Luis Macias 6-19 Lisl Kinsella 6-20 Tom Kolzow 6-21 Oscar Aceves 6-23 George Barney 6-27 Daniel Leach 6-27 Tim Sienko 6-27 Jun. 2011 / July 2011 MLS: A Success? by Danile Leach With a new flock of fans watching Major League Soccer many wonder if this league will directly compete for viewership against the Barclays Premier League (England), La Liga (Spain) and Serie A (Italy). The mere idea of this, while good hearted, is naïve. But many weathered observers of Major League Soccer (MLS) are the 1st to admit it. “We’re still a young league” Jack Paciolla says to me, stitching together his bright red supporters’ banner, “The only way we can grow is to spread the gospel.” For around 12 years, Jack has been a member of Section 8, the Chicago Fire soccer team’s most revered fan association. During each game, spectators can hear their non-stop chanting, see their colorful tifu displays and freely participate in their demonstration of team spirit. And such dedication did indeed catch the eye of ESPN. ESPN2 now broadcasts weekly MLS games every Thursday Night during the regular season. Season ticket sales have also risen across the board for every MLS team. Like the determined tortoise, this sports organization believes that slow and steady is what wins the race. Major League Soccer, having recently celebrated 17 years, is facing a unique challenge. Last season featured the Philadelphia Union as the MLS’s newcomer. Now the Portland Timbers and the Vancouver Whitecaps are expected to make their introduction in 2011. With so many teams entering the MLS, many wonder whether the league’s most controversial rule, the limiting of foreign players per team, will be revisited to help expansion teams make an immediate impact. In 2007, David Beckham, Cuauhtémoc Blanco and Juan Pablo Angel made their MLS debut. It was the biggest attempt by the league to attract new soccer fans to date. However, this attempt was marked with controversy when the league decreed a new rule limiting the amount of foreign players a team could have. Though heavily criticized, this decision has been marked as one that has preserved the present and assured future of Major League Soccer. American born talent is beginning to show the rest of the world what they can do. Half of the US Men’s Soccer Team are either playing for, or on loan to, MLS soccer clubs. Bob Bradley, US Men’s Head Coach, has not only won more silverware than any other Major League Soccer coach, but he did it with the Chicago Fire while they were an expansion team. He’s the 1st coach in US sports history to ever accomplish such a feat. Jack Paciolla finishes putting together his banner, a Chicago Flag with 4 shiny red sequined stars. He cuts away the excess yarn and brushes it aside. “It doesn’t have to be the best league in the world,” he tells me, “Just the best league for us.” And I couldn’t agree more. The Custom Companies, Inc. - 317 W Lake Street Northlake, IL 60164 - www.customco.com VOL V No. 2 Jun. 2011 / July 2011 Page 5 BLACK, GOLD and GREEN Gas Saving Tips by Carol Guarino With gas prices going up and up and up, we want to provide everyone with some tips to help reduce your gas consumption. 1. Brake the right way. A car consumes most gas as it accelerates and once it’s moving, not much gas is required. Bottom line, in order to improve your gas mileage you need to keep the ride smooth. 2. Hybrid drivers. If you drive a hybrid, the statement above applies even more. Hybrid cars convert braking power into electric energy, thereby draining your braking efficiency. 3. Shifting Automatic. If you have cruise control, use it whenever possible as it will keep the speed constant and hence doesn’t need to accelerate. (A manual transmission gets better mileage overall than an automatic transmission.) 4. Reduce Weight. Remove everything from your car and trunk you don’t need, especially heavy items. (Please do keep a spare tire and car lift!) 5. Turn your car off. When you turn on your car, it uses a bit of gas. When the car is idling, it uses a fixed amount of gas over a period of time, especially with the A/C on. Turning your car off for more than 20 seconds helps balance the energy levels. 6. Drive slower. It is proven that driving fast will increase the drag and thus increase your fuel consumption. 7. Pump it up. Keep your tires inflated to the specified levels. This reduces the contact area of your tire to the road, thereby reducing friction and improving gas mileage. 8. Use the correct grade of motor oil. Using the wrong grade may increase the friction in your engine. 9. Air Filters. Replace your air filter when you need to. Try to determine how often you need a new filter. 10. Carpool / Combine Trips. Any time you use your car efficiently, whether with multiple people using the same amount of fuel within one car or making one trip instead of many, you are reducing fuel consumption. 11. Fuel Efficient Cars. Smaller and smarter than ever before with diesel engine cars getting the better gas mileage. They have yet to prove Hybrid cars have better fuel economy. GAS SAVING MYTHS Of course everyone wants to save gas but there is a lot of bad advice on how to do it. Some of it makes no difference, but some of these myths can end up costing you. 1. Fill your tank in the morning. According to Consumer Reports, there is no benefit to pumping gas earlier in the morning than any other time of the day. 2. Maintaining your car is important but a clean air filter is not going to save you any gas. Modern engines have computer sensors that automatically adjust the fuel-air mixture. Engine power may decrease slightly, but does not increase the fuel efficiency. 3. Use Premium Fuel. Check your Owner’s Manual first. If premium gasoline is recommended but not REQUIRED, your car does not need it to perform efficiently. Newer cars adjust the timing of the spark plugs to the fuel used; therefore, you pay a lot more for premium gas but there is little or no reduction in fuel economy. 4. Pump up your tire. Proper inflation will indeed reduce gas usage but be careful not to over-inflate as this affects your braking and turning capabilities. 5. To A/C or not to A/C. Using your air conditioner does use more fuel but opening your windows creates extra drag. It is recommended that for long trips, use the A/C and on shorter ones, open your windows. Whenever possible, turn the A/C compressor off, roll the windows up and keep the fans running. 6. Bolt-ons and pour-ins. If there was a gas-saving additive or device that really made a substantial change in your fuel consumption, car manufacturing and gas companies would already be marketing these products. The Custom Companies, Inc. - 317 W Lake Street Northlake, IL 60164 - www.customco.com Jaroslaw Odziemiec 7-1 John Laciak 7-2 Dianna Ryan 7-2 Jose Palacios 7-6 Juan Salazar 7-9 Mario Melendrez 7-7 Edith Ron 7-9 Lisa Ludwikowski 7-10 Roy Lawson 7-12 Phyllis Wardiani 7-12 Arturo Magana 7-13 Steve Holowka 7-14 Bernabe Gomez 7-15 Pete Dobrzynski 7-16 Gregory Rogers 7-16 Salvador Orozco 7-17 Michael Yoro 7-17 Jose Pinto 7-20 Shawn Stuchen 7-20 Al Mendoza 7-22 Julio Renteria 7-22 Bob Heinz 7-23 Bill Weber 7-23 Luis Dominguez 7-25 Philip Jones 7-26 Michele Marek 7-27 Victor Gurrola 7-28 Justin Major 7-29 Felix Torres 7-29 Rick Bulaon 7-30 Borislav Savic 7-30 VOL V No. 2 Page 6 Jun. 2011 / July 2011 FILLING IN THE BLANKS with Craig Hurmi FILL IN THE BLANKS with Craig Hurmi Miguel Escobedo 11 Charles Cecconi 10 Brent Richter 5 Jason Vasquez 5 Marco Solorio 5 Aroldo Velazquez 5 Gregorio Montoya 5 Al Mendoza 4 Michael Shipinski 4 Ricardo Oyervidez 3 Jose Palacios 3 Larry Fried 3 Percy De Leon Lopez 2 Dean Pilafas 2 David Smith 2 John Pecnick 2 Steve Paxton 1 Petra Gumieniak 1 Eberardo Farias 1 Gregory Rogers 1 I love working with computers because: Computers can do wonderful things and I love being a part of what is becoming a big part of the future. I first started with computers by: I first started messing around with computers with my commodore 64 back in the early 80’s. New technologies means to me: Learning new things to help people increase the quality of life. My favorite Web Site: Google.com, this site gives me more answers to problems and helps me find the things I need to do my job. The next piece of computer equipment I will buy for personal use will be: a Mac Book Pro. I see the future of computers will be: Becoming even more mobile than the current portable devices (smart phones). When my family/friends ask what I do, I tell them: … I work in IT. The word Team means: … Together Everyone Accomplishes More. Even in grammar school I learned: How to troubleshoot problems. Taking apart my RC cars and seeing what makes them tick. Growing up as kid I wanted to be: An architect, I loved building things with my Legos and being creative. My Vacation Spot is: Walt Disney World. I don’t know: This is a very hard question because there are many things I don’t know. But, I like to think that if I don’t know something and need to learn know about it. I would take the steps to learn it. You wonder sometimes: What life will be like in 10, 20, 30 and 40 years from now. On my home computer I reboot this many times before I fix the problem: I have a number of computers at home, a Mac Mini (which I never have to reboot), a PC running Linux for my file share (also never have to reboot), Windows 7 computer (I have to reboot from time to time) and a computer running windows XP designed for Pro Tools which I rarely have problems with because I only start that computer when I need to use it and I shut it down every time I’m done using it. Customers love: Dedication, honesty, and value. The best things that children teach you: How life is truly a wonderful thing. I would like to: See the IT department grow to better support all the people at Custom. The Custom Companies, Inc. - 317 W Lake Street Northlake, IL 60164 - www.customco.com VOL V No. 2 Jun. 2011 / July 2011 Page 7 FILLING IN THE BLANKS with Dan Mason FILL IN THE BLANKS with Dan Mason I love working with computers because: I find computers are easier to figure out and fix than most people are. This is because in contrast, there are usually logical reasons why a machine is malfunctioning and therefore they take less time to easily fix then people do. I first started with computers in: 1982 programming in BASIC on Apple IIe’s (5th grade). I began getting paid to work on PC’s 6 years later in 11th grade working 2nd shift full-time drafting in AutoCAD since I technically had enough credits to graduate high school as a sophomore before going off to college. New technologies means to me: The ability to better streamline current inefficiencies in every possible capacity through the use of the latest information technology resources currently available. In my opinion top three things that separate The Custom Companies from our competitors: 1) We are poised well within the market and could become an even larger key figure and competitive force within transportation if we choose to be. 2) Good brand, reputation, service, and presence. 3) Experienced, knowledgeable, dedicated, and hard working staff. When my family/friends ask what I do, I tell them… I joke about how I’m a professional “Googler” ….because if I don’t know how to fix it Johnny on the spot then my job is finding the answer. The word Team means… Team means working together as in times of war and having faith in the people you rely on as if your life depended on it. The funniest computer problem that I was asked to fix: “…my coffee cup holder won’t close.” Even in grammar school I learned: ...to become a good chess player. These skills continue to help me deal with situations and people to this day by always trying to be seven moves ahead in life. Growing up as kid I wanted to be: … a fighter pilot and learned how to fly by the age of 14 before officially attending flight school in college. Then Clinton’s military cutbacks squashed that dream as the alternative of becoming a bus driver in the sky was not for me. My father had good advice about: everything: … I can say I’m very proud of my dad’s accomplishments and his wisdom. Whenever he has something to say I try to forget I’m his son and pay close attention as he has always helped me to do what’s honorable and right. I don’t know: … what this question is asking me but if I had to interpret it I’d say “…anything”. You wonder sometimes: … how humans got this far without becoming extinct every time I share the road with the cognitively challenged. This is probably why I got rid of cable / reality television entirely in my house. I read a lot more now. At Custom I am most proud of: Too early to honestly comment on this one I think but it appears that management really wants to improve the way things are done around here and if in fact those things The Custom Companies, Inc. - 317 W Lake Street Northlake, IL 60164 - www.customco.com Grazyna Ujas 21 Mary Reich 21 George Wiszowaty 19 Marie Podolak 18 Dale Majcina 15 Carol Guarino 12 Cesae Serrano 11 Bart Jasiewicz 9 Sharon Klomfar 9 Jose Pinto 8 Martin Ramirez 6 Ivan Velez 6 Raul Gallardo 6 John Laciak 5 Dave Stiplosek 4 Fausto Rodriguez 4 Christpher Moran 4 Christina Paramo 4 Tina Petrovic 4 Manuel Vega 3 Igor Pavlovic 1 Chris Nicholson 1 Paxter Higueros 1 VOL V No. 2 Jun. 2011 / July 2011 Page 8 4th OF JULY by Lisa Ludwikowski Markup Mania If you think you are paying a lot of money on certain items, you probably are. Here are some items most of us purchase and the (unbelievable) percentage of markup applied to the product: Bottled Water – 4,000% Text Messages – 6,000% Movie Theater Popcorn – 1,275% Brand-name Drugs – 200 to 3,000% Hotel Mini-bar – 400% Coffee on the Go – 300% Wine at a Restaurant – 300% Greeting Cards – 200% In-room Hotel Movies – 200% Precut Produce – 40% The tradition of patriotic celebration is variously known as the Fourth of July and Independence Day. July 4th has been a federal holiday in the United States since 1941, but the tradition of celebration dates back to the 18th century and the American Revolution. From 1776 until present day, July 4th has been the celebration of the birth of American Independence, with typical festivities ranging from fireworks, parades and family gatherings. The most common symbol of the holiday is the American Flag, and a common musical accompaniment is ―The Star-Spangled Banner‖, the national anthem of the United States. However, preserving American liberty depends first upon our understanding the foundations on which this great country was built and preserving the principles on which it was founded. Let’s not let the purpose for which we were established be forgotten. Below you will find locations in Chicago and Los Angeles to celebrate. Chicago has canceled their July 3rd fireworks display in Grant Park and replaced it with three smaller shows. The displays will take place on the Navy Pier and locations on both the south side and north side. Mayor's Office of Special Events believes that the smaller displays will not only reduce cost, but it will give people the option to view fireworks in locations closer to their homes and avoid large crowds. Each specific location will feature a special event such as a water show or a concert. The firework displays will begin at 9pm. Los Angeles July 4th America Fest celebration is one of the most elaborate displays in the country. The show is choreographed and produced by Pyrospectaculars, which is internationally known for doing the most phenomenal fireworks displays in the world. They have done events in Boston, New York, the Philippines, and Thailand along with numerous Super Bowls and Olympic Games. The event will take place at the Rose Bowl Stadium. General admission is $13 and children below the age of seven will get in for free. Stadium parking is available for $13. The Independence Day celebration features food, music and a lavish fireworks show. On the 4th, the food court opens at 2 p.m., while the stadium will open at 6 pm. The festive drum and bugle performances begins at 7, followed by the firework display at 9:05 pm. Tickets can be purchased at www.ticketmaster.com or at the stadium a week prior to the festival. The stadium accepts cash only, so plan accordingly. The Custom Companies, Inc. - 317 W Lake Street Northlake, IL 60164 - www.customco.com VOL V No. 2 Jun. 2011 / July 2011 Illinois Professional Truck Driving Championship (IPTDC) Page 9 By Tony Crespo, Mark Dannhauser and Rocky Caylor ASSOCIATES AT WORK Over the course of the past three years, The Custom Companies, Inc., and CDN Logistics, Inc. have been active participants In the Illinois Professional Truck Driving Championship (IPTDC). This annual event located at JOLIET JUNIOR COLLEGE, 1215 Houboldt Rd. in Joliet, IL, brings together Illinois’ top talent in 9 Trucking Class Divisions i.e. 3, 4 or 5 axle, flatbed, sleeper, tanker, straight truck, doubles, step van . The Safety Team and drivers from our local fleet have teamed up in recent years as judges and contestants to bring a trophy home. Over the past 7 weeks, CDN Safety Manager Tony Crespo along with local drivers Earl Hahn and John Skiba, have been practicing on Saturdays in preparation for the upcoming championship. This combination of course obstacles from past competitions has been assembled and the dedication of the team will inch them closer to bringing a trophy home. In addition to the course, a 100 question written exam and Pre-trip exam are also judged for all competitors. At 8:00 am on Saturday June 11, 2011, the Championship opening ceremony will kick off to what will be a challenging and rewarding experience to all who attend. The competition begins at 9:00am and ends by 3:00pm. Please come support our Custom local drivers, bring family and friends and help cheer them on to bring the trophy home. Not only are the best drivers in Illinois competing to get a chance at the National Championship in Washington DC, an Antique Truck Show will be on site with a display of some beautiful classics. The day concludes with an awards ceremony where the winners will be announced for all division classes who have obtained the highest scores. Along with the driver awards, A Fleet Safety Award for the motor carrier with the lowest accident frequency in four divisions will be awarded. Custom Transport, Inc., winner in 2008, has an accident frequency of 0.00 for 2010 and has been entered in the contest. Alfredo Calero CHI Dock Gerardo Solis CHI Dock As a precursor to the IPTDC, John Skiba will be competing in the 26th Annual Professional Truck Driving Competition in Rockford on Saturday May 21. Jack Manzella CHI Dock The Custom Companies, Inc. - 317 W Lake Street Northlake, IL 60164 - www.customco.com June VOL V No. 2 Apr. 2011 / May 2011 Page 10 2011 Holidays JUNE HOLIDAYS June 14 – Flag Day June 19 – Father’s Day June 21 – First Day of Summer JUNE WEEKS Week 1 – Fishing Week Week 2 – Email Week JUNE MONTH Aquarium Month Candy Month Dairy Month Gay Pride Month National Adopt a Cat Month National Fresh Fruit and Vegetables Month Rose Month Turkey Lovers Month JUNE DAYS 1-Flip a Coin Day 3-National Doughnut Day 4-Hug Your Cat Day 4-Old Maid’s Day 5-World Environment Day 6-National Yo-Yo Day 8-Best Friends Day 10-Iced Tea Day 10-Nursing Asst. Day 15-Smile Power Day 18-Go Fishing Day 21-Go Skate Day 23-National Pink Day 24-Swim a Lap Day 25-National Catfish Day 26-Beautician’s Day 27-Sun Glasses Day 28-Paul Bunyan Day 29-Camera Day by Eric Pocius Save Gas on Your Next Fishing Outing There are many ways you can save gas and keep fishing. Don't let the high cost of gas keep you from going fishing. Fish Close To Home - Plan your fishing trips so you don't have to drive far. Do some research on local ponds, rivers and lakes you can fish. Check with local bait and tackle stores for fishing opportunities close to where you live so you don't have to use much gas getting to the fishing spot. Keep Boat and Vehicle Speed Down - Drive slower in your vehicle and boat. A bass boat with a 225 hp motor will use almost twice as much gas at 65 mph as it does at 45 mph. A vehicle will also use less gas at 55 than at 75. Drive slower to keep the cost of gas lower. Use Your Electric Motor - When fishing from a boat, use your electric motor, not your gas motor. Troll with an electric. Stay in one area and fish it longer rather than running all over the lake trying to find fish. This can pay off in more fish, too, since you learn a spot and the little keys to it that can help you catch fish there. Fish From A Canoe or Kayak - Both are great for catching fish and you get good exercise. Keep Trailer and Tow Vehicle Tires At Correct Inflation - Check your tire pressure often and make sure to keep them at the correct inflation. That will save gas since properly inflated tires roll easier and put less drag on the motor. Take A Partner With You To Reduce Gas Cost - Although you won't save gas, taking one or two people fishing with you will reduce your cost. Splitting gas cost two or three ways reduces the amount you have to pay. Free Fishing Days If you are not an avid fisherman, but would still like to do some fishing, another great way to save a few dollars is to take advantage of the Free Fishing Days many states offer. Free fishing days provide a great, low cost way to give fishing a try. Illinois Free Fishing Days - During the period of June 10th, 11th, 12th, and 13th, 2011, it shall be legal for any person to fish in waters wholly, or in part, within the jurisdiction of the State, including the Illinois portion of Lake Michigan, without possessing a sport fishing license, inland trout stamp, or salmon stamp. For full details visit www.dnr.illinois.gov California Free Fishing Days - DFG offers 2 Free Fishing Days each year, this year is July 2 nd and September 3rd. While all fishing regulations, such as bag and size limits, gear restrictions, report card requirements, fishing hours and stream closures remain in effect; these are 2 days when anyone can fish without purchasing a fishing license. For full details visit www.dfg.ca.gov Hire a professional The Custom Companies, Inc. - 317 W Lake Street Northlake, IL 60164 - www.customco.com VOL V No. 2 Apr. 2011 / May 2011 Page 11 July My Moustache by Daniel Leach In each issue of the Custom Communicator, I tend to spend considerable time trying to find Perry’s moustache. Regardless of my position as a reporter, I’m not given the inside scoop on where it is. However, the odds of me locating Perry’s moustache in the newsletter are exponentially better than finding one on my own face. Permit me to explain… 2011 Holidays JULY HOLIDAYS July 4 – Independence Day In my youth, I was a huge Pro Wrestling fan. My favorites were Magnum TA and Ravishing Rick Rude. Both were stylish, charismatic wrestlers; perhaps the best of their respected generation. And both sported well groomed facial hair during a time when wrestlers were either clean shaven or grew rugged wild beards. Magnum and Rude were cool. And at 8 years old, I pondered about whether I would one day grow Magnum’s handle bars or Rude’s polished soup strainer. Four generations of my father’s side spawned men that began growing facial hair as early as 13 years old. Seeing Dad successfully pull off a mutton chop, when he was 16, is something that should make Liev Schreiber eat his heart out. ‘To think’, I thought to myself, ‘In 5 years, I’ll begin looking cool, just like them’. So I waited…and waited. And, sad to say, the only remnants of facial hair I’ve been able to grow is good enough to put a patchy Vandyke together. That’s about it. My days of attempting to honor a Sam Elliot timeless cinematic gristle are over. But, thankfully for me, thin hair moustaches are beginning to make a comeback in Hollywood. With a rise in period pieces being filmed and marketed, along with musicians sporting a trendier look on tour, thin is becoming in. I don’t expect the Dali to resurface, but the Clark Gable style moustache is showing up every now and then. Especially when you have Brad Pitt showcasing his homage to Gable by sporting his mustache in the last 6 movies he’s appeared in. A thinner version of the handle bars, with a strip goatee, similar to George Michael’s; is catching its 2 nd wind as well. So perhaps my upper lip plumage will never amount to anything more than a misplaced eyebrow. I’m happy that my options have expanded. Nonetheless, I’ll be keeping my look for now. Trends tend to be tricky that way. Who knows, maybe the Man-Chu will make a comeback? The Custom Companies, Inc. - 317 W Lake Street Northlake, IL 60164 - www.customco.com JULY MONTH National Blueberry Month National Anti-Boredom Month Unlucky Month for Weddings National Cell Phone Courtesy Month National Hot Dog Month National Ice Cream Month JULY DAYS 1-Canada Day 1-Internationl Joke Day 2-World UFO day 3-Disobedience Day 3-Stay Out of the Sun Day 4-National Country Music Day 5-Worksholics Day 6-National Fried Chicken Day 7-Chocolate Day 7-National Strawberry Sundae Day 8-Video Games Day 9-National Sugar Cookie Day 10-Teddy Bear Picnic Day 11-Cheer Up the Lonely Day 11-World Population Day 12-Different Colored Eyes Day 12-Pecan Pie Day 13-Fool’s Paradise Day 14-Pandemonium Day 15-Tapioca Pudding Day 15-Cow Appreciation Day 17-National Ice Cream Day 18-Nationial Caviar Day 19-National Raspberry Cake Day 20-Moon Day 20-Ugly Truck Day 21-Natinal Junk Food Day 22-Hammock Day 22-Ratcatcher’s Day 23-National Hot Dog Day 24-Parents & Cousins Day 25-Threading the Needle Day 26-All or Nothing Day 26-Aunts & Uncles Day 27-Take Your Pants for a Walk Day 28-National Milk Chocolate Day 29-National Lasagna Day 30-National Cheesecake Day 31-Mutt’s Day VOL V No. 2 Page 12 Chili Burgers Ingredients 1 1/2 pounds ground beef 1/2 pound Italian sausage 1/3 cup tomato-based chili sauce salt and pepper to taste Directions Preheat a grill for high heat. When the grill is hot, lightly oil the grate. In a medium bowl, mix together the ground beef, Italian sausage, chili sauce, salt and pepper. Form 8 balls out of the meat, and flatten into patties. Grill patties for 5 minutes per side, or until well done. Serve on buns with your favorite toppings. Jun. 2011 / July 2011 Mark’s Music Corner Los Angeles Concert Schedule – July 2011 01 Jul Fri Dropkick Murphys—Fox Theater Pomona 01 Jul Fri Vans Warped Tour—Fairplex Pomona 03 Jul Sun Four Tops, Temptations—Soboba Casino 03 Jul Sun Ted Nugent - Grove of Anaheim 03 Jul Sun Vans Warped Tour—Ventura County Fairgrounds Seaside Park 04 Jul Mon REO Speedwagon, Navy Band Southwest with fireworks— Del Mar Fairgrounds . 04 Jul Mon Three Dog Night— Stewart Park in Beaumont . 05 Jul Tue Eddie Vedder (who you may know as vocalist and guitarist for Pearl Jam), The Swell Season's Gen Hansard— Copley Syphony Hall on sale 1 April. 06 Jul Wed Eddie Vedder (who you may know as vocalist and guitarist for Pearl Jam) - Long Beach Terrace Theater 06 Jul Wed New Kids on the Block, Backstreet Boys— Honda Center 06 Jul Wed Steely Dan— Santa Barbara Bowl 08 Jul Fri Eddie Vedder (who you may know as vocalist and guitarist for Pearl Jam) - Wiltern . 08 Jul Fri Steely Dan, Sam Yahel— Greek Theatre 09 Jul Sat Dierks Bentley— Angel Stadium of Anaheim . 09 Jul Sat Eddie Vedder (who you may know as vocalist and guitarist for Pearl Jam) - Santa Barbara Bowl 09 Jul Sat Matchbox Twenty— Pechanga 09 Jul Sat Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival: Disturbed, Godsmack, Megadeth, Dethlok, Machine Head, Testament, Trivium, Suicide Silence .... San Manuel Amphitheater Devore 09 Jul Sat Steely Dan, Sam Yahel— Greek Theatre 10 Jul Sun Super '70s Soul Jam: Stylistics, Them Temptations Review with Dennis Edwards, Dramatics, more— Greek Theatre 13 Jul Wed J.D. Souther, Jill Andrews— Coach House . 13 Jul Wed The Bangles— Stewart Park in Beaumont . 13 Jul Wed Widespread Panic— Wiltern 14 Jul Thu The Monkees— Chumash Casino . 14 Jul Thu Widespread Panic— Wiltern 15 Jul Fri American Idols Live— Nokia Theatre 15 Jul Fri Boyz II Men— Club Nokia 15 Jul Fri The Bangles— Coach House 15 Jul Fri The Monkees— Morongo Casino 16 Jul Sat American Idol Live— Citizens Business Bank Arena 16 Jul Sat Buckethead— HOB Anaheim 16 Jul Sat Monkees— Greek Theatre 16 Jul Sat Todd Rundgren— Coach House 20 Jul Wed Ben Folds— HOB Anaheim 20 Jul Wed California Mid-State Fair: Steve Miller Band Paso Robles 20 Jul Wed Chris Isaak— Pacific Amphitheatre 20 Jul Wed The Commodores— Stewart Park in Beaumont . 21 Jul Thu Ben Folds— Wiltern 21 Jul Thu Steve Miller Band— Pacific Amphitheatre 22 Jul Fri Dolly Parton— Hollywood Bowl 22 Jul Fri Soundgarden, Mars Volta— Forum 22 Jul Fri Sugarland, Sara Bareilles California Mid State Fair in Paso Robles 22 Jul Fri TGIF Jazz in the Parks— Stagecoach Park in Carlsbad Free. 22 Jul Fri Train, Maroon 5, Gavin DeGraw— Cricket Wireless Amphitheatre 23 Jul Sat Dolly Parton— Hollywood Bowl 23 Jul Sat Sugarland, Sara Bareilles— RIMCA Field UCSD 24 Jul Sun B'z— Club Nokia 24 Jul Sun Lee Ritenour, Jessy J.— Thornton Winery in Temecula . 24 Jul Sun Selena Gomez— Pacific Amphitheatre 25 Jul Mon Queens of the Stone Age— Fox Theater Pomona 25 Jul Mon Sugarland, Sara Bareilles— Greek Theatre 25 Jul Mon Train, Maroon 5, Gavin DeGraw— Hollywood Bowl 26 Jul Tue A Perfect Circle— SDSU Open Air Theatre . 26 Jul Tue Sugarland, Sara Bareilles— Greek Theatre 27 Jul Wed California Mid-State Fair: Kid Rock Paso Robles 27 Jul Wed Indigo Girls— Humphrey's . 27 Jul Wed Kansas— Stewart Park in Beaumont . 27 Jul Wed Paul Rodgers— Pacific Amphitheatre 28 Jul Thu A Perfect Circle— Gibson Amphitheatre 29 Jul Fri Creedence Clearwater Revisited— Morongo Casino . 29 Jul Fri Los Lonely Boys, Los Lobos— Greek Theatre 29 Jul Fri Mint Condition— Club Nokia 29 Jul Fri Rod Piazza and the Mighty Flyers, Kettleback, Home Cookin' - Coach House 30 Jul Sat George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic— Agua Caliente Casino 30 Jul Sat Gin Blossoms, Hollowell, Whalen— Coach House 30 Jul Sat Kid Rock, Sheryl Crow, Leroy Powell and the Messengers— Verizon Wireless Theatre 30 Jul Sat Peter Frampton Greek Theatre 30 Jul Sat Rage Against the Machine, Muse, Rise Against, Lauryn Hill, Immortal Techniques— Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum 30 Jul Sat Ziggy Marley— Del Mar Racetrack . 31 Jul Sun George Thorogood and the Destroyers— Greek Theatre 31 Jul Sun Melissa Etheridge— Pacific Amphitheatre 31 Jul Sun Peter Frampton— Santa Barbara Bowl . The Custom Companies, Inc. - 317 W Lake Street Northlake, IL 60164 - www.customco.com VOL V No. 2 Jun. 2011 / July 2011 Mark’s Music Corner Chicago Concert Schedule – July 2011 Page 13 Jul 1–3 2011 American Music Festival: Marcia Ball + Junior Brown + Dave Alvin & The Guilty Ones + The Spampinato Brothers FitzGerald's. Jul 1 Country Music Day: Loretta Lynn + Court Yard Hounds Grant Park. Jul 1 Mötley Crüe + Poison + York Dolls First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre. Jul 1 J.D. Souther + Jill Andrews SPACE. Jul 1 Sugarfoot's Ohio Players + The Bar-Kays + Lakeside + B.T. Express Arie Crown Theater. Rescheduled from Apr 23. Jul 2 The Jayhawks + Everest Grant Park. Jul 5 Peter Frampton Ravinia Pavilion. Jul 5 U2 + Interpol Soldier Field. Jul 8–10 Dave Matthews Band Caravan: Dave Matthews Band + David Gray + Ray LaMontagne + O.A.R. + Kid Cudi + The Flaming Lips + Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros + Amos Lee + Emmylou Harris + Ben Folds + G Love & Special Sauce + Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings + Gomez + Drive-By Truckers + Black Dub + The Jayhawks + Michael Franti & Spearhead Lakeside. Jul 8 Katy Perry + Marina & The Diamonds Allstate Arena. Jul 8 Britney Spears + Nicki Minaj + Jessie & The Toy Boys + Nervo United Center. Jul 9 Brian Culbertson + Average White Band Park West. Jul 9 Jerry Lee Lewis + Ken Lovelace & The Memphis Beats Congress Theater. Jul 9 Vans Warped Tour 2011: A Day to Remember + The Aggrolites + A Skylit Drive + Foxy Shazam + hellogoodbye + Less Than Jake + Lucero + Madina Lake + Pepper + Relient K + Street Dogs + Windsor Drive First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre. Jul 10 Ramsey Lewis Trio + Pink Martini Ravinia Pavilion. Jul 13 Josh Groban United Center. Jul 13 Little Feat Viper Alley. Jul 13 Shawn Phillips + Steve Forbert SPACE. Jul 14 311 + Sublime with Rome Charter One Pavilion. Jul 14 Joe Satriani The Venue at Horseshoe Casino. Jul 15 Melissa Etheridge The Venue at the Horseshoe Casino. Jul 15 Def Leppard + Heart First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre. Jul 15 Tech N9ne + Krizz Kaliko + Kutt Calhoun + Big Scoob + Jay Rock + Mayday + Stevie Stone House of Blues. Jul 15–17 Windy City Ribfest: Rusted Root + Georgie Porgie + Linda Clifford Lawrence Ave at Broadway. Jul 16 Goo Goo Dolls + Michelle Branch + Parachute Charter One Pavilion. Jul 16, 17 Jennifer Hudson Ravinia Pavilion. Jul 16 Patti LaBelle The Venue at the Horseshoe Casino. Jul 16 Tim McGraw + Luke Bryan + The Band Perry First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre. Jul 16 Soundgarden + The Mars Volta UIC Pavilion. Jul 19 Steve Earle & The Dukes (and Duchesses) featuring Allison Moorer Vic Theatre. Jul 19 Streetlight Manifesto + Reel Big Fish House of Blues. Jul 20 Ted Nugent House of Blues. 17+ Jul 21 Béla Fleck & The Flecktones Vic Theatre. 18+ Jul 21, 22 Maná Allstate Arena. Jul 21 sold out, Jul 22 added. Jul 21 Steel Panther Cubby Bear. Jul 22 Tesla House of Blues. 17+ Jul 23 Jimmy Buffett & The Coral Reefer Band Toyota Park. Jul 23 Pure Prairie League SPACE. Jul 28 Marc Cohn Metropolis Performing Arts Centre. Jul 28 Dolly Parton Rosemont Theatre. Jul 29 John Waite Viper Alley. Jul 30, 31 Taking Back Sunday + Thursday + Col our Revolt + We Are the In Crowd House of Blues. Jul 29 Bo Deans Ravinia Pavilion. Jul 30 Journey + Foreigner + Night Ranger First Mid west Bank Amphitheatre. Jul 31 Danielia Cotton SPACE. Pictured Right: Mark Schiele performing with Mikkee Dee of Motorhead The Custom Companies, Inc. - 317 W Lake Street Northlake, IL 60164 - www.customco.com Did You Know? 8 SIMPLE SEARCH TRICKS Instead of taking the long way around, go directly to Google. These tricks will let you skip some of the multiple clicks and sifting other sites require. What’s playing at the multiplex? ―Movies in‖ and your zip code gets the list. Where’s my package? If you have the UPS, FedEx, or post office tracking code, type it in and you will get your answer. Is it time to pick up Granny at the airport? Skip the unfriendly skies of an airline’s website. Type in the airline and a flight number and you will get the status. Am I rich yet? The stock-ticker symbol and ―stock‖ brings up the price of a share. A pint is how many ounces? A dollar is how many Euros? Fifteen hundred yards is how many miles? Type in ―pint in ounces‖, ―dollar in Euros‖ or ―1,500 yards in miles‖ gets you the conversions you need. Do I need an umbrella or snowshoes? ―Weather‖ and your zip code tells you how to dress appropriately for that day. Who won? Type in the name of the team your interested in Google lets you know the score. What time is it in Paris? Typing in ―Paris time‖ tells you what the current time in that city. VOL V No. 2 ASSOCIATES AT WORK Miguel Guitierrez CHI Dock Paul Starzynski CHI Dock Jun. 2011 / July 2011 Page 14 The Custom Companies Customer Service Gold Team by Matt Foley Since the inception of The Custom Companies 25 years ago, World Class Customer Service has been our complete and singular focus. To accomplish this goal, each and every employee and associate takes ownership of the fact that true Customer Service is an attitude, not a department. One of the most successful visions of The Custom Companies was The Gold Team, a specialized group of Customer Service professionals. The Gold Team was once reserved for our largest customers and provided the additional TLC required on a shipment by shipment basis to ensure World Class Service. The ultimate goal and commitment of Perry Mandera and the Executive Board was to extend this supreme level of service to each and every shipment tendered by every single shipper. The Custom Companies recognized that the industry standard procedure of manually tracking and tracing shipments made it next to impossible to accomplish this goal and made a revolutionary and substantial commitment to industry leading technologies, a commitment that continues to this day. These technologies allow the seasoned professionals who make up our Customer Service team to efficiently and effectively realize the goal of extending the Gold Team level of service to everyone. Customer Service is Our #1 Goal ! To bring this lofty goal to reality, The Custom Companies has expanded to five Gold Teams, three focusing on customers in Chicago and two dedicated to customers in Los Angeles. All five teams work in unison and provide seamless service to our customers. Under the direction of Adam Baltz, Executive Vice President of Logistics and Supply Chain, Steve Paxton is the team leader of Gold Team One. Gold Team One includes Janine Preciado, Arthur Cup and Alan DePena, and oversees the customers of Territory Managers Jon DuJardin, Joe Klikas, John Severino and John Santoro. Ruben Calvo CHI Dock Gold Team #1 The Custom Companies, Inc. - 317 W Lake Street Northlake, IL 60164 - www.customco.com VOL V No. 2 Jun. 2011 / July 2011 Page 15 Gold Teams continued…………………………….. Also included in the Chicago Team are Gold Teams Two and Three. Tony Beltrano is the team leader of Gold Team Two, which includes Tina Petrovic and Samantha Lawrence. This team oversees the customers of Territory Managers George Wiszowaty, Jeff Dayton, Steve Laue and Dan Berndt. Wave Your Flag Cheesecake Ingredients 1 quart strawberries, di- vided 1 1/2 cups boiling water 2 pkg. (4 serving size) JELL -O Brand Strawberry Flavor Gelatin Gold Team #2 Mary Holowicki is the team leader of Gold Team Three, which includes David McAlpin, Sherri Gribble and Agostino Chiaramonte. Gold Team Three oversees the customers of Territory Managers Dale Majcina, John Sarlo, Rob Catanese and Shawn Struchen. Ice cubes 1 cup cold water 1 (10.75 ounce) loaf pound cake, cut into 10 slices 1 1/3 cups blueberries, divided 2 (8 ounce) packages PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened 1/4 cup sugar 1 (8 ounce) tub COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, thawed Directions Gold Team #3 1. Los Angeles customers are overseen by Gold Teams Four and Five. Gold Team Four is led by Adam Gonzales and includes Jim Mazeika and Megan Luscombe. This team takes care of the customers of Territory Managers Ron Pearce, Bruce Laracuente, Brad Berndt, Rick Quinn, Alan Smith and Matt Estes. Matt Foley is the team leader of Gold Team Five, including Scott Kolarik, Cynthia Johnson and Justin Major. Gold Team Five oversees the customers of Territory Managers Jim Welsh, Mario Melendrez, Murray Bannerman, Lisl Kinsella, Gateway Transportation, Frank Conte, Frank Jao and Jim Rigdon. 2. 3. Gold Team #4 Gold Team #5 Again, all five teams are more similar to divisions of one large team and are excited to bring the Gold Team level of service to each and every shipper and every single shipment. The Custom Companies, Inc. - 317 W Lake Street Northlake, IL 60164 - www.customco.com Slice 1 cup of the strawberries; set aside. Halve the remaining 3 cups strawberries; set aside. Stir boiling water into dry gelatin mixes in large bowl at least 2 min. until completely dissolved. Add enough ice to cold water to measure 2 cups. Add to gelatin; stir until ice is completely melted. Refrigerate 5 min. or until gelatin is slightly thickened (consistency of unbeaten egg whites). Meanwhile, line bottom of 13x9-inch dish with cake slices. Add sliced strawberries and 1 cup of the blueberries to thickened gelatin; stir gently. Spoon over cake slices. Refrigerate 4 hours or until set. Beat cream cheese and sugar in large bowl with wire whisk or electric mixer until well blended; gently stir in whipped topping. Spread over gelatin. Arrange strawberry halves on cream cheese mixture to resemble the stripes of a flag. Arrange remaining 1/3 cup blueberries on cream cheese mixture for the stars. Store any leftover dessert in refrigerator. Page 16 The Custom Companies, Inc. 317 W. Lake Street Northlake, IL 60164 CUSTOMER SERVICE, SUPPORT AND CARE Phone: 708-338-8888 Fax: 708-338-9550 E-mail: [email protected] At The Custom Companies, our main objective is to deliver your goods on time and in perfect condition. We understand the importance of a great customer/vendor relationship. Our customer service center is just a phone call away to provide a rate quote, track a shipment, schedule a pickup or access accurate documentation. In today’s fast paced environment, we work to provide transportation solutions that fit every economic situation. The Full Service Transportation Company www.customco.com Our “Customer First” program ensures that your shipments will be delivered on time, and with the highest degree of care. In order to maintain these standards, we measure performance levels on every shipment. As a result, our internal operational systems are constantly improving to provide better, more accurate service, allowing our transportation specialists to meet your growing needs. Newsletter Committee Members Matt Foley Daniel Leach Carol Guarino Bruce Lenau Petra Gumieniak Lisa Ludwikowski Jeff Guthman Sean McLaughlin Thomas Kennedy Tom Mroz ADDITIONAL CONTRIBUTORS Rocky Caylor Tony Crespo Mark Dannhauser Welcome new members! COUPONS AND MORE The Newsletter Committee warmly welcomes its new members this year: Daniel Leach Sean McLaughlin If you are interested in joining, please contact any Newsletter Committee Member.