17Th Annual Awards Dinner Co.Com No Later Than Fri- Day, August 16Th for Your “A Salute to Those Who Make a Difference.” Chance to Win

Dedicated to our Internal & External Customers, the future of our company. VOL. VII No. 3 • August / September 2013 Hello Readers, We hope everyone is en- joying the Summer! And as a bonus, if you find Illinois State Crime Commission Perry’s moustache hid- den somewhere within this issue, you could win a Gift Card!! Submit your finding via email to Tom Mroz at tmroz@custom- 17th Annual Awards Dinner co.com no later than Fri- day, August 16th for your “A Salute to Those Who Make a Difference.” chance to win. Now wouldn’t that make By: Megan Luscombe your summer even better! Thank you, NEWSLETTER COMMITTEE This year’s awards ceremony, held at Drury Lane in Oakbrook Terrace, was again well represented by Custom associ- + $0.303 ates. This year’s ceremony, however, held twice the honor for The Custom Compa- nies. Both Perry Mandera and Rocky Cay- lor were presented awards for their outstanding efforts in the community.

DIESEL PRICES Perry received the President’s Award for his devotion and dedication to helping and hiring veterans. While other organizations have given lip-service to helping veterans, Perry has placed veterans first in line in hiring at his companies. Moreover, Mr. Mandera stepped up to the plate and sponsored one disabled Marine’s dream of starting a disabled-veteran-owned company. This new company, Two Soldiers and a Marine, will hire returning Iraq-Afghanistan combat veterans, all possible because Perry never forgot that he is a Marine and that all Marines are brothers.

Experience The Difference Following Perry’s presentation, Rocky Caylor, our Executive V.P. of Operations, received the Directors Award for his outstanding efforts in assisting Marine Veterans in the community. Fre- IL Crime Commission 1 Hours othf Service 2 quenting events for Marines for Life, Rocky has been an integral part of hiring process with veterans Farewell To Elaine 3 at Custom. LA Update 4 Summertime Heat 5 Custom University 6-7 Perry and Rocky were in great company as other law enforcement, legislators, doctors, me- Kids Bus Safety 8 dia, and businessmen were honored for their roles as well. Special recognition went out to two Il- UIC Career Fair 9 linois State Police Troopers, Kyle Deatherge and James Sauter, both whose legacy will remain after Sports 10-11 Recipes 12-13 their untimely deaths in action. Overall, the night was a great success, and we are very proud to have Labor Day Article 14-15 our Owner and Executive V.P. honored on the same stage! Credits 16

THE CUSTOM COMPANIES, INC. • 317 WEST LAKE STREET, NORTHLAKE, ILLINOIS 60164 • www.CUSTOMCO.com VOL. VII No. 3 • August / September 2013 Page 2 ISO News Did Submitted by: Tom Boyle It’s that time of year again, the ISO audit is on the way! Our annual QMS audit will take place You in August. CDN will be audited on August 12th and 13th. Custom ORD will be audited August ? 13 through the 16th. Custom LAX is scheduled for August 19 through the 21st. Know This year’s audit will be our recertification audit; this means the audit will be far more extensive • On a clear night, the than the past few years. All parts of the QMS will be audited, and I will be visiting all depart- human eye can see be- ments prior to these dates to prepare. tween 2,000 and 3,000 In addition to the normal areas generally covered in the annual surveillance audit (Quality stars in the sky. Policy, departmental Quality Objectives etc.); you need to be familiar with other areas subject • Water is the only sub- to audit. Make sure your procedural manuals represent what and how we do each process. stance on earth that is Where is the Master List of Documents, and do you have any obsolete documents? Where are lighter as a solid than a the records for your department maintained? How do we handle non- conforming products liquid. such as OS&D, returned deliveries, or any distressed freight? Is it handled according to the • The White Sands Procedure listed in the Procedure manual? national park in New I will be happy to answer any questions or concerns you may have. Please let me know or ask Mexico is the largest desert with the fine as I am visiting each of your departments. white sand, made of a mineral called gypsum. • Lake Baikal in Russia is the deepest lake in SubmittedHours by: Jay Cohen of Service Changes the world, and holds as much water as all the In 2013, the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Motor Carrier Administration five Great Lakes of the (FMCA) has implemented Hour of Service (HOS). While there is ongoing litigation in a fed- U.S. combined! eral appeals court to reverse the changes, they are not likely to be reversed. This article is a • Australia is the only general overview of the changes that apply to anyone that drives a Commercial Motor Vehicle continent on earth (CMV). without an active vol- A CMV is any vehicle with a gross weight of more than 10,001 pounds, designed to transport cano. 16 passengers or more, or transport hazardous materials that require placards. The main rea- • The first modern sons for the rule changes are to ensure driver safety by reducing driver fatigue, ensuring com- traffic light was put to pliance to federal guidelines, and limiting exposure to criminal and civil liability issues. Those use in Cleveland, Ohio, most affected by these changes will be the high output truckload fleets that have drivers on the in 1914. road for weeks at a time. • Babe Ruth kept a cab- Results of non-compliance to these changes include drivers being placed out of service, civil bage leaf under his cap litigation against companies and/or drivers, federal criminal penalties, and hefty fines. The to keep cool major changes include a 34 hour restart rule, including two consecutive rest periods between • America’s first major 1:00am - 5:00am every week. In addition, drivers are required to take a 30 minute break every highway was called the 8 hours. There are also 14 hour and 11 hour driving restrictions. Specifics of these changes and National Road, and was more can be seen at www.fmcsa.dot.gov/rules-regulations/topics/hos/index.htm. opened in 1814, con- necting the city of Bal- At this time, the total long-term effects of these changes have yet to be seen. However, there timore with the Ohio are some preventative measures carriers and shippers can take to reduce the impact of the River. changes. It is estimated that driver demand will increase by approximately 60,000 drivers in • Lightning strikes the coming years. Carriers are suggested to increase recruiting and value their current drivers. 1,000 times per second Shippers are suggested to have flexibility if rates go up and be more flexible with their carri- on the planet earth. ers. Now would be the time for carriers and shippers to discuss and strengthen cooperative • The average human programs for amicable business relationships in the future.

THE CUSTOM COMPANIES, INC. • 317 WEST LAKE STREET, NORTHLAKE, ILLINOIS 60164 • www.CUSTOMCO.com Page 3 VOL. VII No. 3 • August / September 2013

dream lasts only 2 to 3 Farewell To Elaine seconds. • Your forearm (from Submitted by: Michele Marek inside of elbow to inside of wrist) is the Retirement is a big deal. Retirement marks the start of an- same length as your other chapter in an employee’s life. Retirement marks the end foot. of a career, or the start of a new one. Retirement changes rela- • A duck’s quack tionships, routine, and coworker interactions. doesn’t echo, and no one knows why. On June 14, 2013, after • The airplane Buddy 17 ½ years of invaluable Holly died in was the service with The Custom “American Pie.” (Thus Companies Inc. as our the name of the Don main receptionist, Elaine McLean song.) • The 3 most valuable Heppe retired. Elaine wore brand names on earth: multiple hats. She an- Marlboro, Coca-Cola, swered the phone for many and Budweiser, in that years for both Custom and CDN. She opened and sorted the order. incoming mail for both companies as well as sorted and stamped all outgoing mail. She scanned • The US Interstate invoices, made copies, and did many more tasks for the company, too many to mention! Despite road system was de- all of her many duties, she was always smiling and cheerful. She will surely be missed! signed so that one mile in every five must be straight. These straight sections are usable as airstrips in times of war or other emergen- cies. • Most lipstick contains fish scales. • Donald Duck comics were banned from Fin- Custom Cares Charities Activity land because he doesn’t wear trousers. by Tom Mroz • Ketchup was sold in Kendall County Run/Walk the 1830s as medicine On June 1st The Walter and Connie Payton Foundation held the 8th annual Kendall County • The Dog Days of “Sweetness” 5K-8K Run/Walk at Yorkville High School. This year they had a total of 418 run- Summer refers to the ners in attendance. Custom Cares donated $1,500 to help sponsor this event. weeks between July 3rd The proceeds of this event will benefit Veterans in need and children throughout the State and August 11th. They of Illinois. To learn more about the WCPF Veteran project at Concord Assisted Living in are named after the Northlake, IL and other WCPF events go to their website www.payton34.com. Dog Star (Sirius) in the Wounded Warrior Project/Soldier Ride constellation of Canis The Wounded Warrior Project along with The Cook County Sheriff’s Department and the Major Chicago Fire Department sponsored the 6th Annual Soldier Ride to provide an enjoyable • Mosquitoes, sum- time for our injured service members and support them as they readjust to civilian life, This mer’s pest, have been year Warriors and their supporters rode approximately 70 miles between June 27th and 29th around for more than from Chicago to Highland Park. Custom Cares, along with our outside sales rep Brad Berndt, 30 million years. donated 100 cases of Gatorade for the rider’s liquid refreshment along the route. ????????????

THE CUSTOM COMPANIES, INC. • 317 WEST LAKE STREET, NORTHLAKE, ILLINOIS 60164 • www.CUSTOMCO.com VOL. VII No. 3 • August / September 2013 Page 4 Los Angeles Update By: John Tarwater

AUGUST As we continue to expand our market share in the Los Angeles Basin we are always apprecia- BIRTHDAYS tive of the support we receive from our corporate offices in Northlake, IL. Although we are Jose Corona 8-2 more than 2,000 miles away one would feel like we are just next door. Modern technology has Isabel Garcia 8-2 afforded us the pleasure of receiving information and support around the clock. The Los An- Marc Inman 8-2 Consuelo Muschio 8-3 geles Terminal would like to give a big shout out of a “Thank You” for the help and assistance Elias Sandoval 8-3 we receive from Corporate. We understand everyone gets busy and it would be easy to ignore Chris Sharp 8-3 request(s) for help thinking it doesn’t really matter because you have your own issues to deal Ryan Camarena 8-4 with. Thanks to everyone that responds quickly to us and especially all our customers! Paul Gale 8-4 Our LA staff had the fantastic opportunity to attend Custom University! It was held on a Sun- David Lorge 8-4 Yolanda Wilczewski 8-4 day and went very well. The knowledge and information shared was priceless! The message Juan Luna 8-7 was well received and compliments abound for John Santoro and his presentation. The mate- Eberardo Farias 8-8 rial was thoroughly comprehended as the attendees continued talking about the experience Greg Robinson 8-10 into the following week. It is always a Erik Diaz 8-11 good idea to share knowledge through George Tsoutsos 8-11 Robert Eldridge 8-13 effective communication! Curtis Walker 8-13 Our Sales department recently held an Robert Barbosa 8-16 event for current and potential custom- Kate Teiber 8-16 ers. We held a Sunday Brunch cruise in Scott Ten Broeck 8-16 the beautiful harbor of Newport Beach, Roger Kulpa 8-17 Frank Osborne 8-17 CA! The event was held aboard the Mary Balda 8-18 “Wild Goose” and was previously owned Jose Pazos 8-18 by the one and only John Wayne. All of John Tarwater 8-19 our Sales Representatives were in atten- Andy Wagner 8-20 dance and treated our customers to an Michael Cruz 8-23 Michael Gillhouse 8-23 amazing day! We had well over 100 cus- Danielle Pitsenbarger 8-23 tomers and team members in attendance Jocelyn Cervantes 8-24 making sure we thanked every single Dale Burt 8-25 one of them for their business! Horacio Contreras 8-25 FUN FACT: Richie Meraz 8-25 Lech Mruk 8-25 The Wild Goose Yacht- was a US Navy Jason Vasquez 8-25 YMS-1-classYard Mine Sweeper (YMS), Mary Reich 8-29 built in Ballard, Washington at Ballard Luis Ventura 8-29 Marine & Railway in Ballard, Washing- Manuel Contreras 8-31 ton (Seattle). She was classified as a Mark II design and her hull is constructed completely out of 3” vertical grain Doug- las-fir. After naval service during World War II, she became a private yacht. Later renamed Wild Goose she is most notable for having been bought in 1962 by actor John Wayne and he kept her for 16 years. The yacht was listed on the US National Register of Historic Places on July 19, 2011.

THE CUSTOM COMPANIES, INC. • 317 WEST LAKE STREET, NORTHLAKE, ILLINOIS 60164 • www.CUSTOMCO.com Page 5 VOL. VII No. 3 • August / September 2013 Dealing With Difficult People submitted by Tom Mroz

Gossipers — Don’t join in. People who gossip want reaction. If you don’t give them that, gossipers will move to someone else to share the “juice.” AUGUST Chatterboxes — If you know people who appear to never shut up and whose conversations inter- ANNIVERSARIES Dorland Henderson fere with getting work done, make excuses for not being able to talk, “I would really like to talk, 21 Pete Grau 20 but I need to…” Bob Zdych 19 Haters — You can’t please all of the people all of the time. There may be people who don’t like you Brad Woodbury 17 Earl Hahn 15 for whatever reason. Say, “hello,” and be nice, but nothing more. Try to avoid these people as much Orlando Roldan 15 as possible, but be pleasant when you see them. Ramon Ramos 14 Complainers — Some people’s glasses are always half empty (or less). Deal with gloom-and- Elias Sandoval 14 Luis Macias 14 doomers by changing the subject or empathizing with them. They may just want understanding. Michele Marek 12 A simple “I hear ya” may make them feel better and stop their complaining. Ronnie Jenkins 11 Pat Gomez 11 Arturo Ortega 11 Ignacio Molina 10 Rocky Caylor 9 Pedro Valles 9 Ramon Badea 8 SUMMERTIME Tony Crespo 8 Jim Schnur 8 Heat Daniel Craig 7 It’s summer and the heat is on. The summer solstice Jeff Guthman 7 in the Northern Hemisphere, or top half of Earth, is Pedro Escanio 7 around June 21. That’s when the sun reaches its most Adalberto Franco 7 Taulafoga Faalave northern point over our planet. The days around June 7 Sheila Pajarillo 7 20 are the longest of the year, and the rays from the Edith Ron 7 sun beat almost directly down on use and warm us up. George Smith 7 Longest, Not Hottest Alejandro Garcia 6 You might think that the longest days of the year Michael Cruz 6 Juan Salazar would be the hottest. But they are not. The hottest 6 Jason Montgomery 4 weather, on average, comes about a month after the Lynn Koclanis 3 summer solstice. This is because the amount of heat Anthony Roldan 3 from the sun continues to accumulate during the long hot days, and the short nights don’t al- Daniel Leach 3 low as much heat to leave. The days start to cool down only after the days grow short enough to John Tarwater 3 Cuco Banda allow more heat to leave Earth’s surface than arrives. 3 Steve Bartolone 3 Humidity Ed Ciganek 2 It is not the heat, they say, but the humidity. Humidity is the amount of moisture in the air. Dan Lanzito 2 When the air has so much moisture in it, our bodies don’t do a good job of cooling us down Jose Pazos 2 because sweat doesn’t evaporate as quickly from our skin. That is why we feel so hot on a humid Tom Motter 2 Reyna Avila day. In fact, the temperature we feel may be warmer than the actual air temperature. This is 2 Donald Scheer 2 called the heat index. If the temperature is 100 degrees and the relative humidity is 50 percent, Ray Bago 1 the heat index, or the temperature we actually feel, is 120. Hot humid days can be dangerous for Jim Krenc 1 humans and animals, so stay out of the sun and drink lots of water when the humidity is high. Miguel Ortiz 1 Javier Gutierrez 1 Salvador Lagunas 1

THE CUSTOM COMPANIES, INC. • 317 WEST LAKE STREET, NORTHLAKE, ILLINOIS 60164 • www.CUSTOMCO.com VOL. VII No. 3 • August / September 2013 Page 6

OM COM ST P U A C N CUSTOM UNIVERSITY GRADUATES

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C U Y SEPTEMBER S T T I O RS BIRTHDAYS M UNIVE Desiree Reyes 9-1 Durwin Ponton 9-2 June 5, 2013 Ted Klemczak 9-3 Listed from left to right Steve Laue 9-4 Shawn Struchen, Edith Mike Plzak 9-4 Ron, Marie Huff, John William Schultz 9-4 Santoro, Judy Knuth, Jay Matt Foley 9-5 Miguel Rodriguez 9-5 Cohen, Tom Boyle, Sean Reyna Avila 9-6 McLaughlin Shirley Bandaly 9-8 Alonso Blanco 9-9 Taulafoga Faalave 9-9 Seferino Arias 9-10 Tony Beltrano 9-10 Marie Huff 9-10 June 12, 2013 Pete Grau 9-11 Listed from left to right Jeannette Sweet 9-11 Oscar Carvajal 9-13 Bruce Lenau, Jeannette Raul Gallardo 9-13 Sweet, Felix Torres, John Bruce Lenau 9-13 Santoro, William Milarski, Jeff Dayton 9-14 Lucas Hills, Austin Kizzee, Mike Kelso 9-14 Sean Pierce, Tom Boyle, James Grisby 9-15 Sean Pierce 9-16 Juan Lopez Martin Bolanos 9-17 Judy Knuth 9-17 Lucas Hills 9-18 Bill Ashby 9-20 William Ehrl 9-20 Paxter Higueros 9-20 Roger Peralta 9-20 Jose Rios 9-21 Billy Hudson 9-22 Jose Rodriguez 9-22 June 19, 2013 Walter Gustafson 9-25 Listed from left to right Lynn Koclanis 9-25 Sarah Wagner, Yolanda Clete Janik 9-26 Wilczewski, Renya Avila William Umana 9-26 Dave Stiplosek 9-28 John Santoro, Jacob Joe Giaquinta 9-29 Elperin, Tom Boyle, Steve Jay Cohen 9-30 Flores, Alonzo Blanco, Wojciech Glowacki 9-30 Al Mendoza

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June 26, 2013 Listed from left to right Carol Guarino, Wilfrido Reyes, John Santoro, Mark Danhauser, Tom SEPTEMBER Boyle, Raul Mojica ANNIVERSARIES Kevin Mindak 21 Glenn Castillo 21 Todor Kalemov 17 John Skiba 15 Ray Tirado 14 Darrell Nelson 12 Francisco Huerta 10 Pete Dobrzynski 9 Osmond Joseph 7 Arturo Magana 7 Manuel Contreras 7 July 10, 2013 Ivan Aguirre 7 Listed from left to right Tom Keegan 6 Horacio Contreras 5 Brenda Perez, Danyel Ege- Kamal Salah 5 land, Angy Guarino, John David McAlpin 5 Santoro, Tom Boyle, Kevin Joe Klikas 5 Tucek, Jon DuJardin, Russ Victor Sanchez 5 Krezel, Roel Lazaro Juan Morales 4 Louie Ocana 4 Kevin Tucek 2 Michael Gillhouse 2 Jose Esquivel 2 Troy Loske 1 Rob Klemczak 1 Ted Klemczak 1 Kris Larson 1 Justin Yager 1 Arjel Castillo 1 Custom U. Goes West! Isabel Garcia 1 Submitted by John Santoro On Sunday, June 30th, Custom U. graduated an illustrious group of LA’s finest transportation specialists. These dedicated Custom associates spent their Sunday soaking up and processing the many interesting and historical facts regarding the fantastic growth and success The Cus- tom Companies’ has enjoyed during its first 27 years. The Los Angeles group was the largest class to date and provided many interesting comments. There were eighteen very focused and interactive attendees. Marc Inman and his dedicated staff were definitely one of the highlights of our brief Custom U. history. There have also been many positive comments and suggestions from all of the attendees that keep Custom U. constantly evolving. Your critiques and recommendations are well received and have brought about important changes and significant, meaningful additions to the cur- riculum. We are all very fortunate to be a part of such a successful organization. Just like the Black- TCC Driver hawks, it is exhilarating to be associated with the best company in the transportation industry. John Skiba

THE CUSTOM COMPANIES, INC. • 317 WEST LAKE STREET, NORTHLAKE, ILLINOIS 60164 • www.CUSTOMCO.com VOL. VII No. 3 • August / September 2013 Page 8

For twenty three million students nationwide, the school day begins and ends with a trip on a school bus. The great- TRIVIA est risk is not riding the bus, but approaching or leaving the bus. Before children go back to school or start school The first webcam watched a coffee pot. for the first time, it is essential that adults and children It allowed researchers know traffic safety rules. at Cambridge to moni- tor the coffee situation Drivers without leaving their • When backing out of a driveway or leaving a ga- desks. rage, watch out for children walking or bicycling to school. • When driving in neighborhoods with school Marie Curie’s note- zones, watch out for young people who may be thinking books are still radioac- about getting to school, but may not be thinking of get- tive. ting there safely. • Slow down. Watch for children walking in the When three-letter airport codes became street, especially if there are no sidewalks in neighborhood. standard, airports that • Slow down. Watch for children playing and congregating near bus stops. had been using two • Be alert. Children arriving late for the bus may dart into the street with out looking for traf- letters simply added fic. an X. • Learn and obey the school bus laws in your state. Learn the “flashing signal light system” that school bus drivers use to alert motorists of pending actions: In colonial America, • Yellow flashing lights indicate that the bus is preparing to stop to load or unload children. lobster wasn’t exactly Motorists should slow down and prepare to stop their vehicles. a delicacy. It was so • Red flashing lights and extended stop arms indicate that the bus has stopped, and that chil- cheap and plentiful it was often served to dren are getting on or off. Motorists must stop their cars and wait until the red lights stop prisoners. flashing, the extended stop sign is withdrawn, and the bus begins moving before they can start driving again. Crayola means “oily chalk.” The name com- Children bines “craie” (French • Get to the bus stop at least five minutes before the bus is scheduled to arrive. for “chalk”) and “ola” • When the bus approaches, stand at least three giant steps (6 feet) away from the curb, and (short for “oleaginous,” line up away from the street. or “oily”). • Wait until the bus stops, the door opens, and the driver says that it’s okay before stepping onto the bus. The Pittsburgh Pen- • If you have to cross the street in front of the bus, walk on the sidewalk or along the side of guins made Mister Rogers an honorary the road to a point at least five giant steps (10 feet) ahead of the bus before you cross. Be sure captain in 1991. that the bus driver can see you, and you can see the bus driver. • Use the handrails to avoids falls. When exiting the bus, be careful that clothing with draw- Until coffee gained strings, and book bags with straps don’t get caught in the handrails or doors. popularity, beer was • Never walk behind the bus. the breakfast beverage • Walk at least three giant steps away from the side of the bus. of choice in some parts • If you drop something near the bus, tell the bus driver. Never try to pick it up because the of the United States. driver may not be able to see you. Judge Judy reportedly Parents makes $45 million a year. • Teach children to follow these common sense practices to make school bus transportation safer.

THE CUSTOM COMPANIES, INC. • 317 WEST LAKE STREET, NORTHLAKE, ILLINOIS 60164 • www.CUSTOMCO.com Page 9 VOL. VII No. 3 • August / September 2013

Taco Bell is named for Get a New Smile its founder, Glen Bell. To keep your teeth looking sharp, try these tricks. The secret to a great grin isn’t really a secret: “Hav- During the first Super ing beautiful white teeth is where you start,” says Bowl in 1967, NBC Los Angeles – based dentist Bill Dorfman, D.D.S., was still in commer- who’s famous for transforming smiles on shows like cial when the second Extreme Makeover and The Doctors. As you age, half kicked off. Officials however, it’s harder to keep your teeth white, due to asked the Packers to yellowing enamel and gum recession. Whitening procedures can help (consult with your den- kick off again. tist before using at-home products), but to keep your teeth white naturally, you should brush Hawaii is the only U.S. and floss regularly - no surprise – and follow these simple tips. state that grows coffee commercially. 1. Brush with baking soda. It contains natural abrasives that can fight stains, explains Mat- thew Messina, D.D.S., American Dental Association consumer adviser. Mozart’s “Ah! Vous 2. Eat apples and other fibrous foods, which Dorfman says keep teeth healthier by loosening Dirai-je, Maman” up debris. might well be his most popular melody — it’s 3. Take care after eating teeth-staining foods. You know the culprits – red wine, coffee, tea, the tune used in both blueberries – but soy sauce can also tarnish your teeth. Brush soon afterward. “The Alphabet Song” and “Twinkle, Twinkle 4. Go for contrast. Whitening toothpaste, whitening strips, and bleaching tray all do a decent Little Star.” job improving the shade of your teeth (consult with your dentist before using at-home products). When Canada’s North- west Territories consid- ered renaming itself in UIC Career Fair the 1990s, one possibil- ity was “Bob.” On Thursday, June 27th, UIC hosted an Alumni Only Career Fair in their UIC Forum. Featuring talent Hawaiian Punch was from The University of Illinois, Northwestern, Loyola originally developed University, Southern Illinois University, DePaul Uni- in 1934 as a tropical versity, University of Iowa, Notre Dame, Bradley Uni- flavored ice cream top- versity, Ohio State University, Indiana University, and ping. many others, Custom was one of 115 organizations looking to hire at this event. When you crack a whip, the tip is moving After a very successful day of speaking to many talented men and women, we secured multiple faster than the speed interviews and even more resumes for potential candidates. Overall, the event was a success and of sound. That is why our booth was definitely the most popular! it “cracks” instead of “wooshing.” Fit Facts: Focus on Screen Time Many workers use technology and gadgets as part of their jobs. The growing use of smart phones, Frederick Arthur tablets, laptops and desktop PCs may expose the eyes to strain from long, uninterrupted focus on video Stanley is one of the screens. best-known names in Looking at a computer screen can irritate your eyes. To avoid discomfort: professional hockey. • Sit about 25 inches from the screen He’s the Lord Stanley • Follow the 20-20-20 rule: Every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds behind the Stanley Cup. • Reduce glare from the screen by lighting the area properly; use a screen filter if needed • Post a note that says “Blink!” on the computer as a reminder Milton Bradley intro- • Use artificial tears to refresh your eyes when they feel dry duced the memory • Take regular breaks from computer work, and try to get enough sleep at night. game Simon at Studio

THE CUSTOM COMPANIES, INC. • 317 WEST LAKE STREET, NORTHLAKE, ILLINOIS 60164 • www.CUSTOMCO.com VOL. VII No. 3 • August / September 2013 Page 10 54 in 1978. NFL TALK WITH DANIEL LEACH In August or 1957, baseball player Richie Thoughts on NFC North Opponents Ashburn hit a fan By: Daniel Leach with a foul ball. A few Chicago Bears Training Camp begins on July 26th. All minutes later, he hit the same fan again(!) eyes will be focused on position battles for Offensive and while she was being Defensive lines in particular. While the Chicago Bears taken out on a stretch- are fortifying those vital spots this season, many are now er. wondering how their division rivals will be leading the charge to try and capture the NFC North. Al Capone estimated The NFC North has become the most competitive divi- that he spent $30 mil- sion in the NFL, having had 2 teams reach the playoffs for lion a year to pay off the past 3 years. Although the Green Bay Packers have judges, police, elected proven to be the most dominant, even the Detroit Lions officials, and newspa- broke the NFL longest playoff drought (since 1999) by earning a Wild Card spot during the permen. 2011-2012 seasons. Combine all of that with coaching changes, free agency, and stigma from Catherine the Great teams that underperformed from last season; and we have a great deal of drama well before had private ice slides kickoff on September 5th. (the roller coasters of All that being said, enclosed are some thoughts I have on the Chicago Bears division rivals this their day) built near season: her palace. Green Bay Packers Ben Franklin’s formal Defensive Coordinator, Dom Capers’ 3-4 scheme made an instant splash on Cheesehead Na- education ended at ten tion in 2009. The Packers’ high-powered offense afforded Dom years old. Capers the freedom to use the strong linebacker core, led by Clay Matthews and A.J. Hawk to blitz around Offensive Tackles. This Chickens with white led to double digit sack totals for Clay Matthews. ear lobes lay white eggs, whereas chickens Green Bay experienced major setbacks, however, when the key to with red ear lobes lay the 3-4 Defense, the nose tackle position (NT), became a prob- brown eggs. lem. NT’s B.J. Raji and Johnny Jolly each went down with injury the last 2 seasons. Opposing offenses quickly took advantage of There is actually a spe- the Packers’ vulnerability by running the ball more, leading to Packers QB Aaron Rodgers see- cific area of the brain ing less and less of the field. known as the bilateral Although WR Greg Jennings is now a member of the Minnesota Vikings, their depth at the WR vomitation center. It position is only dwarfed by the talent of Aaron Rodgers. notes when our tummy If Dom Capers can settle the nose tackle position and solidify his 3-4 Defense, there’s very little is upset and makes the resistance for the Packers to again secure a spot in the playoffs. final decision whether to barf or not to barf. Detroit Lions I can understand why many of the Detroit Lions fans have had enough. After ending the NFL’s Harvestmen, or Daddy longlegs, aren’t actual- longest playoff drought, spells of inconsistent play on both Of- ly spiders: they belong fense and Defense spell out a huge problem loud and clear. The to a different order of Detroit Lions don’t have a talent problem, they have an organi- arachnids. zational problem. Jim Schwartz brought a defensive toughness to this team by in- The Michelin Man has stalling a 4-3 Defense heavily favoring Safety blitzes and relying a name – Bibendum, on talents like Nick Fairley, Ndamukong Suh and Cliff Avril on though close friends the Defensive Line to stop the run. However, undisciplined play

THE CUSTOM COMPANIES, INC. • 317 WEST LAKE STREET, NORTHLAKE, ILLINOIS 60164 • www.CUSTOMCO.com Page 11 VOL. VII No. 3 • August / September 2013 call him simply “Bib.” led to the Lions nearly leading the league in defensive penalties. But the Lions have addressed this concern by signing former Chicago Bears DE Israel Idonije. Idonije was one of the least World War I ended at penalized players in the NFL, and amongst the most versatile for the Bears. Israel will defi- precisely eleven o’clock nitely have an axe to grind against the Chicago Bears, feeling spurred after having lost his on the eleventh day of position to both Corey Wootton and Shea McClellin. But will the veteran presence be enough the eleventh month of to close the gap on these penalties? We will have to wait and see. the year 1918. However, more optimism resides on the offensive side of the ball this season. Matthew Staf- ford and Calvin Johnson return off a NFL record breaking year. Jahvid Best was released from Route 66, westbound the Lions recently due to issues stemming from concussions suffered last season. However, from Albuquerque, started out as a camel Reggie Bush and Mikel Leshoure will offer Offensive Coordinator, Scott Linehan, more ver- trail. satility to pound the rock with Mikel Leshoure, or set up the pass in the backfield with Reggie Bush. Add a Special Teams that excels in field position, and looks like the Detroit Lions are Up until the early in the driver’s seat to have a shootout with any team…provided they don’t shoot themselves 1970s, funeral homes in the foot. in rural areas offered their hearses for use as Minnesota Vikings ambulances to trans- With the exception of the previously mentioned WR Greg port patients to hospi- Jennings, the Minnesota Vikings haven’t made much of a tals. splash in free agency. In addition, most Vikings fans would argue that cutting ties with WR Percy Harvin (despite his If a foreign-born fe- gameday migraine issues) was a mistake. Regardless, it is the male gives birth on an airplane in U.S. opinion of this writer that the Minnesota Vikings do the best airspace, or on a ship at getting the most out of their talent in this division. On the within 12 nautical other hand, with many of their top defensive talents getting miles of the U.S. coast, older (DT Kevin Williams, 11th season; DE Jared Allen, 10th her child automati- season; LB Chad Greenway, 8th season) will any of these “spring chickens” from NFL Draft cally becomes a U.S. make an immediate impact? citizen.

Overall, offensive talent remains questionable in every position except for running back (RB) Ken Osmond, the ac- and Offensive Line (OL). RBs Adrian Peterson and Toby Gerhart offer running options that tor who played Eddie favor pure raw power. OT Matt Kalil and OL Joe Berger have helped cement an offensive line Haskell in Leave It that’s played up to par. The biggest question surrounds the, you guessed it, QB position. QB to Beaver, wasn’t the Christian Ponder has protected the football but has played average, given the time that this troublemaker in real Vikings offensive line has afforded him. If the Vikings plan on staying in the playoff hunt, life. He grew up to be- they’ll need to involve WRs Greg Jennings and Cordarrelle Patterson in the passing game to come an L.A. police- ease the pressure off RB Adrian Peterson. Otherwise, they’ll be back to being one-dimension- man. al, something they were before Brett Favre was a Viking. Johnny Carson’s first guest when he took BIRTH ANNOUNCEMENT! over The Tonight Show was legendary film comic Groucho Marx.

Though dragonflies IT’S A GIRL! possess 6 legs like any Belated Congratulations to Maggie (Choice Direct) and Luke Sa- other insect, they can- gan on the birth of their beautiful baby daughter, Kaya Olivia, not walk. born on May 20th, 2013. Gasoline was once sold in small bottles as a cure for lice.

THE CUSTOM COMPANIES, INC. • 317 WEST LAKE STREET, NORTHLAKE, ILLINOIS 60164 • www.CUSTOMCO.com VOL. VII No. 3 • August / September 2013 Page 12 Backyard Burgers Serves: 8 burgers INGREDIENTS 1 (1 pound) package Bob Evans® Origi- nal Recipe Sausage Roll 1 pound ground beef 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese Elaine Heppe 1/3 teaspoon ground pepper 8 hamburger buns 8 lettuce leaves (optional) 8 tomato slices (optional) 8 onion slices (optional)

Directions: In a large bowl, combine first five ingredients. Form into 8 patties. Over medium heat on grill, cook burgers on each side until done (no longer pink), about 10 to 15 minutes. Serve with buns and favorite toppings.

Yummy

TCC TL Brokerage Grilled Josh Hines, Michael Gillhouse Asparagus

INGREDIENTS 1 bunch fresh asparagus, trimmed 1/3 cup Italian-style dressing 3/4 teaspoon lemon pepper salt and ground black pepper to taste

1. Preheat grill for medium heat and lightly oil the grate. 2. Lay asparagus flat in a 9x9-inch pan. Add Italian dressing, lemon pepper, salt, and black pepper; toss to coat. Transfer asparagus using tongs to the grill. 3. Grill asparagus on preheated grill until tender, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Return asparagus to pan and toss with remaining dressing mixture. TCC City Dispatch Don Scheer, Bob Zdych, David Lorge

THE CUSTOM COMPANIES, INC. • 317 WEST LAKE STREET, NORTHLAKE, ILLINOIS 60164 • www.CUSTOMCO.com Page 13 VOL. VII No. 3 • August / September 2013 Grilled Vegetable Sandwich Original recipe makes 2 sandwiches INGREDIENTS 1/2 zucchini, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch slices 1/2 small eggplant, cut crosswise into 1/2- inch slices 1 red bell pepper, quartered TCC Inbound 1/2 teaspoon salt David McAlpin 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil ground black pepper to taste 1 small whole-grain baguette, cut into two halves and split lengthwise 1/4 cup basil pesto 4 ounces fresh baby mozzarella, sliced 2 plum tomatoes, sliced Directions 1. Combine zucchini, eggplant, and red bell pepper in a bowl. Sprinkle salt over the mixture. Set aside to allow the vegetables to tenderize, at least 3 hours. 2. Preheat grill for medium heat and lightly oil the grate. 3. Drain moisture from vegetable mixture. Brush vegetables with olive oil to coat; season with black pepper. 4. Cook vegetables on hot grill until tender, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a bowl and TCC Claim Dept. set aside. Denise Reyes 5. Toast cut sides of baguette in a toaster oven until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Spread basil pesto evenly over toasted surface. Arrange grilled vegetables evenly onto 2 of the baguette halves. Top each with sliced mozzarella and plum tomato slices; top sandwich with the remaining baguette pieces to serve.

Mint Chip Ice Cream Pie TCC Dispositions Tina Petrovich, Serves 8 / Hands-On Time: 10m / Total Time: 2hr 25m James Griese Ingredients 8 ounces chopped semisweet chocolate, melted 4 cups crisped rice cereal (such as Rice Krispies) 2 pints mint chocolate-chip ice cream, slightly softened Directions 1. In a large bowl, combine the chocolate and cereal until the cereal is completely coated. Transfer to a 9-inch springform pan. Press the mixture into the bottom and 1 inch up the sides of the pan. Freeze just until firm, 5 to 10 minutes. 2. Spread the ice cream in the prepared crust and freeze, covered, until firm, for at least 2 TCC CSR hours and up to 3 days. William Milarski

THE CUSTOM COMPANIES, INC. • 317 WEST LAKE STREET, NORTHLAKE, ILLINOIS 60164 • www.CUSTOMCO.com VOL. VII No. 3 • August / September 2013 Page 14 The Totally Unique American Labor Day and How It Really Came to Be... TCC ISO Dept By: G. Smith Tom Boyle On this, 2013’s Day for Celebrating the very meaningful contribution of the Worker’s of Our Nation, let us also not forget the many in our Military Services that are returning to the civilian workforce after serving in the protection of Our American Liberties, Freedom, and Demo- cratic way of life. The Custom Companies, Incorporated has made it a primary priority to give opportunities of employment to these returning warriors. The lead in this effort, besides our Ownership, is Executive Vice President Rocky Caylor. Let Rocky know that you are there to help him in his efforts, and please share your valuable internal knowledge of the many work- ings of our unique “Custom Culture” and “World Class Service” to these former military men and women who are chosen to join us.

From a Historical Perspective, today, more than one hundred years after the observance of the first American Labor Day, doubt still exists as to the American who first proposed and is responsible for this uniquely American Holiday, which is completely differentiated from the TCC Day Billing Elizabeth Gonzalez, unrests in Europe associated with “Day’s for Labor” that arose at the behest of Socialists in that Marie Huff environment.

While some records suggest it was Peter J. McGuire, general secretary of the Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners and a cofounder of the American Federation of Labor who was the first to suggest a special day to honor those “who from rude nature have delved and carved all the grandeur we behold”; an ever-growing number of prominent historians have come to disagree with this history. They maintain it was truly a Maguire, just not Peter J. who first came up with the idea of creating a day just to celebrate the achievements of the American Worker. A hum- ble machinist, these historians maintain, named Matthew Maguire was the real founder of the holiday. The most recent historical research seems to support Matthews claim to fame citing it was he, who later became the secretary of Local 344 of the International Association of Ma- chinists in Paterson, NJ, who first suggested the holiday while he was serving as the secretary of the Central Labor Union in New York. What has become clear is the fact that the Central

THE CUSTOM COMPANIES, INC. • 317 WEST LAKE STREET, NORTHLAKE, ILLINOIS 60164 • www.CUSTOMCO.com Page 15 VOL. VII No. 3 • August / September 2013

Labor Union was the first organization that adopted a Labor Day proposal and appointed a committee to plan a demonstration in support of American Organized Labor, together with a contemporaneous picnic.

The very first American Labor Day celebration occurred on Tuesday, September 5, 1882 in New York City, in accordance with the above mentioned plans of the Central Labor Union. Just one year later, on September 5, 1883 the second Labor Day celebration happened, again sponsored by the same Union. The first gov- ernmental recognition of the holiday came by way of New York municipal ordinances passed during 1885 and 1886. From this source a mo- mentum built to introduce a “Labor Day” bill to the New York State Legislature.

However, in true point of fact, it was the west coast State of Oregon that passed the first State law establishing a Labor Day holiday on February 21, 1887. During that year, four more states: Colorado, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and finally New York, created the Labor Day holiday through their state legislatures. By 1894 twenty-three other states had adopted the holiday and on June 28th of that year the US Congress passed an act making the first Monday in September of each year a legal holiday known as “Labor Day”.

The founder and long serving president of the American Federa- tion of Labor, Mr. Samuel Gompers, described this uniquely Amer- ican based holiday:

“Labor Day differs in every essential way from the other holidays of the year in any country… All other holidays are in a more or less degree connected with conflicts and battles of man’s prowess over man, of strife and discord for greed and power, of glories achieved by one nation over another… (our) Labor Day…is devoted to no man, living or dead, to no sect, race, or nation.”

OUR Labor Day, all agree, is an American creation of the organized labor movement in The United States and is dedicated solely to the social and economic achievements of American workers. It is dedicated to providing a yearly tribute to the contributions of ALL of our workers together who have built the ever increasing strength, prosperity, well-being, and freedom of Our Nation.

THE CUSTOM COMPANIES, INC. • 317 WEST LAKE STREET, NORTHLAKE, ILLINOIS 60164 • www.CUSTOMCO.com Page 16 VOL. VII No. 3 • August / September 2013 The Custom Companies, Inc. The Full Service Transportation Company 317 West Lake Street Northlake, Illinois 60164 Phone: (708) 338-8888 Fax: (708) 338-9550 E-mail: [email protected] www.customco.com www.customgl.com www.gocdn.com www.choicedl.com

CUSTOMER SERVICE, SUPPORT AND CARE 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 relastionship. 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.

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.

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