The Custom Communicator

Dedicated To The Companies’ Most Valuable Assets, Our Associates. Hi Readers, June 2008 Did our April issue fool you? We had a lot of fun creating that The Custom Companies, Inc. 317 W. Lake Street edition and hope that all of you enjoyed it, too! Northlake, IL 60164 We have added a few new features to the Newsletter such as “HR Reminders” www.customco.com and a Black, Gold and Green column. We would appreciate hearing your feed- back whether you like them. And of course, we continue to want your ideas and suggestions for improvement.

Did you Know? We have added a few members to our committee, from LAX Daniela Trevino, More than 70% of US Jennifer Rueda and Linda Godinez and from CHI Rick Hinton and Tom Kennedy. 4-year olds have used Welcome aboard! So get in touch with the Newsletter and tell us what you a computer. think!

In the next 8 seconds The Newsletter Committee ☺ 38 babies will be born. Of that number, 1 will be an American, 5 will Global Warming and It’s Impact on Transportation be born in India and 4 will be born in China. Global Warming. The phrase itself elicits an emotional reaction in nearly all of us. Many have come to agree and accept that the climate of the Earth is indeed rapidly changing, and we, as hu- The longest one mans, are the cause of this dramatic shift. Others believe that ‘Global Warming’ is a natural cycle syllable word is and that we are overreacting to naturally occurring climate changes. ‘schreeched’. Global warming is caused by the substantial increase in emissions from vehicles, power plants and

Camels have 3 eyelids. industrial processes. These emissions produce Carbon Dioxide (CO2), which is trapped in the Earth’s atmosphere and thus causes temperatures to increase to unnatural levels. Although the A beaver can hold its evidence to support Global Warming is overwhelming, and has been romanticized recently by breath under water up numerous individuals, notably former Vice President Al Gore, some still doubt the undeniable fact to 45 minutes that Global Warming is real. Some point to the recent winter in that we are just now emerging from as a sign that Global Warming is not occurring. In fact, dramatic climate shift A Hummingbird weighs from very hot summers to very cold winters is in agreement with the theory of Global Warming. less than a penny. What does Global Warming mean to The Custom Companies, Inc and other transportation compa- nies? Our current infrastructure and the extensive toll caused by heavy trucks on highways and roads is only exacerbated by the thermal expansion in the very hot summers and retraction in the very cold winters which cause roads to deteriorate more rapidly. Not only paved surfaces, but rail beds and bridges are also affected by these dramatic climate swings. As the worldwide tempera- ture increases, ice caps on both the North and South Pole are melting, causing a rise in the sea level. What does this mean to us? Much of our coast line is within 4 feet of sea level, and 27% of major roads, 9% of all rail lines and 72% of the U.S. ports are within this area. 53% of the U.S. population lives in these coastal areas and the current oil and gas production facilities in the Gulf Coast are in this danger zone. Inside this issue: Recent worldwide droughts are also an impact of Global Warming. Not only have these droughts increased the price of food throughout the United States and the World, but also lead to more dra- Welcome to our Family 2 matic storm systems, such as hurricanes. While it may seem at odds that we would see an in- Black, Gold & Green 3 crease in both droughts and storms, one is actually caused by the other. Because the amount of annual precipitation is near constant, moisture is raised in the atmosphere by these drought condi- Getting to know… 4, 6-7 tions and rather than gentle precipitation which acts to rehydrate the Earth and provide for ade- Dock Operations 5 quate farming conditions, the precipitation comes down more rapidly and violently in the form of major storms. These storms cause flooding of our roads, which directly impacts our industry. Getting to know… 8-9 Regardless of one’s personal beliefs surrounding Global Warming, it is imperative that we, as Custom Cares 10 transportation professionals, realize that climate change legislation is on the horizon on the state and federal level. Universally, we must incorporate this already occurring climate shift in our QMS 12 short term, mid term and long term planning of our infrastructure, facilities, maintenance, opera- Recipes 13 tions and disaster recovery. We all must become Holidays 14-15 proactive rather than reactive on this issue or risk losing tens of billions of dollars in projected Coupons 16 recovery costs. – Matt Foley The Custom Communicator Page 2 W E L C O M E TO O U R F A M I L Y !

As you may have noticed, there have been some new additions to The Custom Companies family. With the acquisition of Daman Express and DEX Logistics we immediately expand The Custom Com- panies, Inc. operating network into three new full service centers; Newark, NJ, San Francisco, CA and New Hires Charlotte, NC as well as a new storage facility in Elk Grove Village, IL. We wish a heartfelt welcome to all the new associates. We hope you enjoy our Newsletter and look forward to your input, suggestions and feedback! Krzysztof Bajek Sincerely, THE NEWSLETTER COMMITTEE Joe Barnacz

Stephen Boehler Bernie Boudrow Joann Clawson John Clawson Joseph Contraveos

Edward Cruz

Andrew Derhay Donald Dugan

Jaime Gallardo ELK GROVE VILLAGE, IL SAN FRANCISCO, CA Amaury Garcia

Daniel Gatbunton

Juan Gomez Phil Grace Glen Grace Phyllis Guarisco Jose Hernandez

Armando Hernandez Dolly Howard Russell Howard Camelia Ilinescu NEWARK, NJ CHARLOTTE, NC Billy James Brock Jones ISO 9001:2000 Jeffrey Keller Hello everyone. I have recently been asked a very good question that I believe has crossed most of your minds at one point: “Why do companies like us become ISO certified?” Actually there are quite a few different reasons, Brett Krahn depending on who you are asking. Take our customers for instance. By The Custom Companies, Inc. being ISO Waldemar Kwasnik 9001:2000 certified, it tells them that we will consistently provide a quality service to them with each and every Tom Linstad pickup/delivery. It also tells them that they can have confidence in our service, that we will have less non- Thomas Lyons conformances or mistakes, and because of this they gain assurances that we will always strive to continuously improve their satisfaction. Basically the confidence they gain in us being ISO certified helps us partner with them to satisfy “their” customer base. From the stand point of The Custom Companies, Inc. and the management team, ISO helps us in reducing errors and related costs of quality. When non-conformances do happen, management can react by analyzing these issues and then implementing corrective or preventive actions to eliminate the problem from occurring again. It im- proves our customer satisfaction ratings, helps reduce certain liabilities, makes us consistent in our service, im- proves internal communications and increases productivity. ISO helps management realize the objectives and goals of The Custom Companies, Inc. strategic planning. For our associates, ISO defines direction. It improves our job performance and our satisfaction with our individual positions. It also motivates us and allows us to participate in our quality management system. We gain knowledge and better insight into our internal customers and suppliers and all of their processes. Our confidence in our man- agers increases and we achieve a stronger sense of pride in each of our jobs and The Custom Companies, Inc. overall. For The Custom Companies, Inc. being ISO Certified puts us into an elite status. Of all the ISO Certified Truck- ing Companies, there are only 4 in , 4 in California, 70 in the USA and there are only 251 ISO certified trucking companies in the entire world. Of those 251 trucking companies we are one of them. That tells our cus- tomers, our management and our associates that we are committed to provide world class service with every pickup and delivery. – Rick Hinton June 2008 Page 3

New Hires Black and Gold…& Green Hello. We just wanted to drop a quick line and let you know that The Custom Companies, Inc. Jim Mandros is displaying a new color. GREEN! This section of the newsletter is going to be set aside for articles, tips and information that directly relate to improving the world’s ecosystem. Sadly Matt Mandros there is not a magic wand to reverse the damages already created in the world from waste and Josh Marolf pollution, but we can all do our part to help make things better for today and for our future Arthur May generations. If you have any thoughts or ideas for us to cover, please let us know. We hope Miguel Mendez you enjoy this section! Phillip Michaels Green Energy Tips Michael Mihm • Opt-out of junk mail. Contact the companies or organizations that currently send you junk Rosendo Mondragon mail and ask that you be removed from their list. This one tip will save TONS of trash Lech Mruk from going to the landfill every year. Peter Mudiyappan Ivan Noyola • Take your own cloth bag to the grocery store and spare the waste of using store-provided Victor Noyola paper or plastic ones. Grezegorz Przytula • Only run the dishwasher and washing machine when you've got a full load. Antonio Quintero Juan Reyna • Each degree you turn down the heat saves 3 percent of heating costs, while each degree Juan Romero you raise the temperature of your air conditioner saves 3-4 percent of cooling costs. By John Santoro changing the temperature by two degrees all year you can save about 2,000 pounds of C02 Cesar Serrano emissions a year. Marilyn Shaffer William Shaffer • Use alkaline manganese batteries because they are free of toxic heavy metals. Better yet, Robert Siewierski use rechargeable batteries and save some money. Meghan Smith Wilmar Solorzano • Turn off the lights when you aren't using them and reduce your direct lighting energy use Barry Spiegel by 45 percent. Ryan Steenrod Edwin Tello • Keep your tires inflated to improve gas mileage by three percent. Every gallon you save Nicole Warren also saves 20 pounds of C02 emissions. Wayne Warren - Rick Hinton, Carol Guarino and Tom Kennedy Annie White

The Custom Communicator Page 4 Getting to know you…20 Questions for Armando Ortiz by Bruce Lenau

TCC: What is your full name? AC: Armando Ortiz

TCC: Where are you from? Where do you live now? AC: I am a native Californian. I was born in Los Angeles and have resided here my entire life.

TCC: What do you do here at Custom? AC: I am the shop foreman / mechanic of the Carson facility. June TCC: How long have you worked for The Custom Com- Anniversaries panies? AC: Slightly over one year, about 13 - 14 months now.

TCC: How did you get involved with Custom? AC: I was referred in by one of the equipment vendors who was supplying Custom at the time. I went in for an Jeffrey Doney 16 interview and was hired shortly afterwards. Miguel Escobedo 8 Charles Cecconi 7 TCC: What did you do before working at Custom? AC: I ran the Maintenance Department for a different trucking company that went out of business. Thomas Stafford 6 Madonna Grimaldi 5 TCC: What is your favorite food? What about your favorite drink? Jose Melchor 4 AC: My favorite food is steak, prime rib or rib-eye. My favorite drink is an ice cold Budweiser.

Craig Evans 4 TCC: What is the most challenging part of your position? Edmundo Mozas 4 AC: With trucking it's different every day. I guess just keeping up with the fleet, keeping it running safe. Hamilton Carranza 3 TCC: Would you say you've been living la vida loca? Eddie Rivera 3 AC: I don't even know what that means -I don't speak a word of Spanish. Brent Richter 2 Marco Solorio 2 TCC: Do you have a big family? AC: No, I just have one son only. Gregorio Montoya 2 Jason Vasquez 2 TCC: What is your greatest fear? AC: I can't say that I have one. I just tend to take each day as it comes. It's easier that way. Leobardo Gonzalez 2 Lorna Voth 2 TCC: Are you a sports fan? What is your favorite sport? Aroldo Velazquez 2 AC: My favorite sports are drag-racing and hockey. I like the Kings, the home Team; but I also follow and like Detroit. They have a great team. Rachel Bustamante 1 Al Mendoza 1 TCC: A lot of people depend on you to keep the equipment running. Does the pressure ever get to you? Frank Folisi 1 AC: It can at times. Sometimes you have to do a lot of juggling and decision making when faced with doing re- pairs instead of doing routine preventive maintenance. Wrong decisions can result in more equipment break Louis Pagan 1 downs, needing repair, and so on. Michael Shipinski 1 Eduardo Altamirano 1 TCC: A wise man I once knew told me the best advice he could give me was not to stare at the sun, would you say that's helpful advice? Mathew Candido 1 AC: I don't know, was he blind?

TCC: What's the best advice you could offer me? AC: Be careful who you let paint your car.

TCC: Did your son follow in your foot-steps? AC: No, he works for UPS.

TCC: Hobbies, if any? AC: Collecting Die Cast Classic cars

TCC: What kind of music do you listen to? AC: Blues

TCC: Best movie ever? AC: Rear Window

TCC: Dream car? AC: Tucker (there were only 50 made) June 2008 Page 5 Routing, unloading, stacking, counting, wrapping, marking, staging, load- ing, error and damage-free, under time constraints and in all weather conditions…

Dock Operations are a vital part of the trans- portation process. The docks in North- lake, IL and Carson, CA. both operate around the clock start- July ing at 11 pm Sunday night and do not shut Anniversaries down until Saturday evening. Mary Reich 18

The Chicago terminal Grazyna Ujas 18 consists of two wings. George Wiszowaty 16 The B-wing is 100,000 Marie Podolak 15 square feet, has 100 doors, 3 dock men, 3 forklifts and facilitates warehousing, fulfillment and Dale Majcina 12 distribution. The C-wing is the “live dock” where all the other services we offer our custom- Carol Guarino 9 ers are performed. With 165 doors, 25 forklifts and 150,000 square feet, it takes 9 manage- ment and administrative associates, 27 dockmen, two spotters and a yard coordinator to keep Sharon Zych 6 it running like a fine clock. Bartosz Jasiewicz 6 Jose Pinto 5 The Los Angeles terminal is also a beehive of activity. With 16 doors, 13 forklifts and 60,000 Herbert Aquino 5 square feet of platform, the action is around the clock with 5 management and administrative associates, 16 dockmen and 3 spotters. Lydia Perez 4 Ivan Velez 3 With the goal of moving freight proficiently, error and damage free, dock operations keeps Sigfredo Acosta 3 safety in their focus. The Chicago terminal is approaching their 365th day injury free- Jose Gonzalez 3 milestone with the Los Angeles terminal recently eclipsing that mark. These numbers are truly Robert Boyle 3 amazing for this industry. Raul Gallardo 3 The commitment Alfonso Lopez 3 of the dock associ- Linda Godinez 2 ates is one of the Susan Hicks 2 reasons the dock John Laciak 2 operations are so successful. Large Franklin Ibarra 2 groups working Christina Paramo 1 with each other for Maribel Baeza 1 a common goal is Tina Petrovic 1 not an easy task, Sidney Chung 1 but everyone at both locations is Fausto Rodriguez 1 dedicated to do Robert Barfoot 1 everything possible Christopher Moran 1 to satisfy the cus- Dubravko Stiplosek 1 tomer. Scott Ta- lanoa, PM Manager at the LAX dock said, “We have our good times and bad one’s but in the end the customer is the main concern and making the freight move consistently is the other”.

One of the other reasons for the success of the dock operations at both locations is owner- ships commitment to ensure the equipment is top notch and state of the art. “The technology has come a long way since I started. It has really taken Custom to the next level”, said Tim Hogan, PM Manager at the Chicago dock.

- Eric Pocius, Tom Kennedy, Linda Godinez, Jennifer Rueda and Daniela Trevino The Custom Communicator Page 6 Getting to know you…20 Questions for Dave Stricklin by Bruce Lenau

TCC: We know the first and last, what’s your full name? DS: David Dolton Stricklin TCC: Dolton? How many playground beatings did that one earn you? June DS: None, it’s not like I shared that with everyone before now. TCC: Well, the cat’s out now Dolton. Birthdays TCC: Where are you from? Where do you live now? DS: I was raised in Des Plaines. I currently live in Streamwood. Daniel Craig 6/1 TCC: North side guy, huh? I guess that answers my next question but I’ll Miguel Escobedo 6/3 ask anyway, Cubs or Sox? Alejandro De Leon 6/3 DS: Definitely a Cubs fan. They got out of the chute fast; if they play at this level consistently we may have something to cheer about come Brent Richter 6/4 fall. Maribel Baeza 6/5 TCC: How long have you been with CDN now? What brought you here? Mircea Dulgheriu 6/6 DS: I’ve been here for six years now. I started as a window clerk, spent some time in the Safety Department, and after a while there I got Jeffrey Howard 6/8 promoted to Dispatcher. Thomas TCC: So then you weren’t really rejected by the military like Larry says? 6/9 Jaworowski TCC: What’s your favorite thing about working here? Larry Charnot 6/9 DS: Actually there are two things I really enjoy about this place. First, the people I work with, we’re a really tight-knit team. Second, the pace of the work, it’s always fast- Angel Casigue 6/9 paced and challenging; it keeps it interesting and makes the day go by fast. Ramon Ramos 6/11 TCC: What are the major changes you’ve seen at CDN since you started? Manuel Nolasco 6/11 DS: Expansion, we’re growing the fleet, new markets and services; new equipment, reefer trailers and lift-gates. The operation is growing more structured with changes Jeffrey Doney 6/12 in how it’s managed. We’ve made some big strides in technology for tighter control Juan Espinoza 6/12 of drivers, equipment and freight. Channy Chhat 6/13 TCC: Where do you see yourself down the road? DS: I want to continue to learn the business, I see myself in Operations Management Thomas Stafford 6/14 someday. Some place warm and sunny preferably (hint, hint) James Welsh 6/15 TCC: Do you enjoy travel? What’s your favorite destination? Mathew Candido 6/17 DS: I vacationed in the Bahamas and the Dominican Republic. Any place warm and sunny, I traveled to and like the Los Angeles area. Frank Funari 6/17 TCC: You’re shameless Dolton, but I think they got the message. John Dembowski 6/17 TCC: So how long do you intend to remain one of CDN’s most eligible bachelors? John Valente 6/18 DS: I’ll get married in a minute if Jessica Alba ever returns my calls. I know the restraining order’s just her way of playing hard to get. Luis Macias 6/19 TCC: So being single you must be able to cook for yourself right? Odeta Aleksi 6/20 DS: Pretty much a Mac and Cheese guy unless its grilling weather, every guy cooks on a Jimi Yu 6/20 grill. TCC: In other words you eat out a lot. What’s your favorite food/restaurant? Thomas Kolzow 6/21 DS: I really like Mexican and Italian food. I’d have to say Tuscany is probably my Steven Roden 6/22 favorite eatery. Michael Smolik 6/23 TCC: So what does Dolton enjoy doing when he’s not working? (I feel like I’m talking to your evil twin every time I say that). Jeanette Santos 6/23 DS: I enjoy playing basketball, softball and shooting pool. Lorna Voth 6/24 TCC: Describe yourself for me using only three words. Timothy Sienko 6/27 DS: Easy-going, hard-working… TCC: Okay, math-major… George Barney 6/27 TCC: What’s your favorite movie(s) of all time? DS: I would have to say Scarface for gangster movies. Texas Chainsaw Massacre for gore, and Talladega Nights for comedy. TCC: If you could be doing anything else right now, what would it be? DS: Something sports related, not an athlete. Maybe a sports agent, I loved that series on HBO about the industry. I think it was Arlo? TCC: If you could meet anyone, past or present, who would you like to meet? DS: I’d love to meet Eddie Vetter of Pearl Jam, or Michael Jordan. TCC: What’s your favorite vehicle? DS: I really like Range Rovers. TCC: What’s your greatest fear? DS: I saw the movie Open Water, and I have to say it took a lot of the fun out the Caribbean trips. I’d have to say the ocean’s my greatest fear right now. TCC: You just hit the lotto, where’s David? DS: I would probably be buying an Oceanside bar, somewhere warm and sunny most likely. TCC: Just can’t let it go, can you? June 2008 Page 7 Getting to know you…20 Questions for James Ayers by Linda Godinez TCC: What is your full name? JA: James Eugene Ayers ll TCC: Are you originally from LA? JA: I am from Kennewick, WA TCC: How long have you been working for The Custom Companies? July JA: 7 months Birthdays TCC: What did you do before you joined us? JA: I worked for a company similar to this one Jaroslaw Odziemiec 7/1 TCC: Have you always been in this industry? Ken Ericksen 7/2 JA: Yes, since I was 17 yrs old (started young) TCC: What do you think of your crew? Dianna Ryan 7/2 JA: I love them, they are hard workers John Laciak 7/2 TCC: What do you do in your spare time? Juan Salazar 7/6 JA: Workout & visit friends Jose Hernandez 7/8 TCC: What is your favorite movie? JA: Kung Fu Hustle Sarah Szymanski 7/8 TCC: What is the favorite food? Edith Ron 7/9 JA: Seafood Lisa Ludwikowski 7/10 TCC: What kind of music do you listen to? Phyllis Wardiani 7/12 JA: Hip Hop TCC: What is your favorite color and why? Dominic Salemi 7/12 JA: Blue, that is the color of my eyes; it has always worked for me Arturo Magana 7/13 TCC: What is the last concert you went to? Steve Holowka 7/14 JA: Drop Kick Murphys Rafael Padilla 7/15 TCC: What kind of problems do you come across in your department? Pete Dobrzynski 7/16 JA: Communication TCC: If you can improve one thing in your department what would it be? Raquel Diaz 7/19 JA: Communication Jose Pinto 7/20 TCC: If you could have a dream job, what would it be? Erica Griffith 7/20 JA: Movie critic Matthew Zdych 7/21 TCC: If you could have a dream girl who would she be? JA: Mrs. Ayers Lazaro Sanchez 7/21 TCC: Do you workout? Irene Goetz 7/22 JA: Yes, 24 hr fitness and I have a gym in the backyard Al Mendoza 7/22 TCC: If you could choose another department to work in which one would it be? Julio Renteria 7/22 JA: Air Freight or Sales TCC: Do you prefer the beach or mountains? Robert Heinz 7/23 JA: Mountains Teresa Buechele 7/23 TCC: Do you like being a manager? William Weber 7/23 JA: Yes Hamilton Carranza 7/27 TCC: Are you a true blond? JA: Yes Michele Marek 7/27 Gerardo Lopez 7/28 Victor Gurrola 7/28 Stanley Jurasik 7/29 Roderick Bulaon 7/30 Carla Marron 7/30

Jorge Escobar CUSTOM The Custom Communicator Page 8 ASSOCIATES Getting to know you…25 Questions for Paul Loizon and John Valente by Bruce Lenau IN ACTION TCC: We know the first and last, what’s the full name? PL: Paul Pierre Loizon JV: Giovanni Valente TCC: Where are you from? Where do you live now? PL: Born and grew up in beautiful downtown Posen. Cur- rently now living in Channahan. JV: Born in Cosenza, Italy. Moved to US when I was 2 yrs- old, grew up in Melrose Park, IL. Currently now living in Schaumburg, IL. TCC: Paul, how long is your commute each day? PL: About 1 hour inbound, 1 ½ to 2 hours going home. Steve Scuba TCC: Briefly explain what it is that you do here. What ser- LAX Dock vices do you provide for our customers? Both: We provide tailored services for our customers based on their needs or wants. We move everything from Cartage to LTL, Partials or Full Loads. We deal direct with the customers and with our sales staff; we quote freight, book it, and sell whatever we don’t move ourselves. There’s nothing that we can’t or won’t do. TCC: What are some of the major challenges that you face each day? Both: The challenge we face is a daily one, and it seems simple enough on the surface, getting freight moving on the same day that our customers call us, without a hitch. It sounds pretty simple; in reality it is a lot more complicated because we deal with so many variables and people. Did we get all the information needed from the customer and salesperson? Was it communicated properly to the carrier/driver/dock? Is it tracked properly? Are exceptions noted and communicated correctly, is there follow up? Whenever something goes wrong with all these processes that need to be done right, the customer sufferes. TCC: Obviously there have been some recent changes (acquisition). What effect(s) will this have on your Michelle Marek department/job? Human Resources Both: It will be a huge help for us, it will give us more options and resources for moving freight, building consols, etc. It will give us more control and consistency of service as the additional locations come on-line in our system. TCC: Cubs or Sox? JV: Sox PL: Cubs TCC: Bears, basement or penthouse? PL: Cellar JV: Maybe second or third floor. Okay sports fans you heard it here first, bet the Vikings to take the Division. TCC: How long have you been with Custom now? What brought you here initially? PL: I’ve been with Custom 14 years. Marc Inman hired me after 4 interviews to work on the dock. After a couple of years Tom Kolzow brought me into Truckload and I’ve been there ever since. Miguel Escobedo JV: Paulie and I were hired the same month/year; I was interviewed and hired by Larry Charnot. The only differ- CHI Dock ence is that I went from the dock through the offices (CSR, Claims, and Collections) then to Truckload. Four- teen years! How many Italian Beef sandwiches does that equate to? Both: Too many to count! TCC: Okay I’ve got to ask Pizza or Beef? PL: Pizza! JV: Pizza with beef! TCC: What’s your favorite food/restaurant? PL: I’m a Steak and Potatoes guy, Gibson’s is probably my favorite Steakhouse. JV: Did you have to ask? Italian, probably Venuti’s. TCC: I’m guessing you guys must be able to cook for yourself right? Who’s the better cook you or the wife? Re member they will probably read this. Edith Ron PL: Definitely the wife. To this day I can’t even do laundry. I’m helpless unless it’s on the grill. CDN Biller JV: No contest, definitely me. It’s in the genes. TCC: That’s bold talk, but let’s keep your pants out of this. TCC: What’s your favorite thing about work- ing here? Both: The People. Call it atmosphere, camara- derie, call it whatever you want but the people are special here. TCC: What are the major changes you’ve seen at Custom since you started? Carlos Bernabe PL: I think it’s the growth and expansion I’ve seen since I came on. We weren’t exactly small back then, but LAX Dock somewhere in the last 14 years we became a corporation.

***CONTINUED ON PAGE 9*** June 2008 Page 9 CUSTOM JV: For me the biggest changes are the technologies. Equipment Tracking, dedicated software (BK system), ASSOCIATES online tracking and POD’s. It’s a long way from T-Cards. IN ACTION TCC: Where do you see us being 10-15 years down the road? What changes or challenges do you see for the future? PL: I see us being a major player, a Schneider or JB Hunt sized operation. JV: I agree. Perry is a sharp businessman; he recognizes opportunity and is always positioned well when it comes along. PL: I think continued growth is our big challenge. The smaller companies are finding it harder and harder to survive in this market. It’s like growth is survival today. TCC: Do you enjoy travel? What’s your favorite destination? PL: Florida, when I can get down there. JV: Myrtle Beach and Vegas. Definitely. TCC: Is it true you two are god-fathers to the all of the Portillo family’s children? Both: It’s true, we both have at least one god-child named after us and they don’t change their menu with out consulting with us first. Cris Piegzak TCC: One of the major fast-food chains just introduced a new sandwich called the “Truckload.” What’s on Air Freight Operations that bad boy? PL: Johnny, you take this one. JV: Sausage, Italian Beef, Provolone, sautéed onions, mushrooms, peppers, Giardinera piled on toasted garlic bread. TCC: Call it the “Cardiac” but it sounds delicious. TCC: So what do you two enjoy doing when you’re not working? (And is there really any time when you aren’t?). Both: Spending time with family, playing golf, watching sports events. TCC: Describe yourself for me using only three words. JV: Ambitious, caring, outgoing PL: Passionate, competitive, driven TCC: What’s your favorite movie(s) of all time? PL: Forrest Gump, life is like a box of chocolates. Frank Funari JV: Scarface AR/Collections Manager TCC: No surprise there John, I would have guessed Reservoir Dogs. TCC: If you could be doing anything else right now, you had a “do over,” what would it be? Both: Want to be pro athletes, John – Pro Football. Paul – Pro Baseball (longer shelf life) TCC: If you could meet anyone, past or present, who would you like to meet? PL: I’d like to share a beer with Harry Caray in the bleachers. JV: I’d like to go back and meet the ancestors. TCC: What’s your favorite vehicle? JV: Something German, fast and expensive. PL: Not sure, but definitely a convertible. TCC: Who’s your favorite musician/group? PL: Country music, favorite artist is Martina McBride JV: Traditional Italian Tony Bennett, Frank Sinatra Ruben Caluo TCC: You just hit the lotto, where’s John and Paul now? I’m seeing pitchforks and overalls, Green Acres, CHI Dock right? PL: Nope, a Caribbean Island with a coconut full of rum figures in my fantasies. JV: Travel, I would see the world. TCC: Who shaped you? Who had the greatest influence on who you are today? PL: My father, Yves Loizon. We just learned he has stomach cancer. If I could have a wish, it would be to have him working here with me so we could spend all our time together. JV: My mother, who showed me what strength and determination means by raising five kids alone after we lost our father. H.R. CORNER

Just a reminder to all our Associates: Tony Beltrano If you are a full-time employee who has completed at least one year of employment and are at least 21 years Customer Service Manager of age, you are eligible to participate in the Company’s 401K plan. The Custom Companies, Inc. is making match contributions which is the following discretionary formula:

$ .40 on the $1.00 up to 6% of your deferred compensation. Your contributions and Employer Matching Contributions are always 100% vested.

Please contact the Human Resource Department to discuss how you can join.

All hourly employees: Remember, it is the Company Policy not to punch in before 5 minutes of your scheduled start time. Thank you for your cooperation. - Thomas Kennedy The Custom Communicator Page 10

CUSTOM CARES CHARITIES, INC. WELCOME BABIES ! Many of you never know who Custom donates to and don’t see the many smiles resulting from Perry Mandera’s kindness and generosity. We’re starting this new column to let you know who donations were made to for the past quarter. So, here we go: The Walter and Connie Payton Foundation Fox Valley Renegades

The American Cancer Society Lakeland Little League

St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital Glenview Blaze Baseball

Misericordia Women’s Auxiliary Bartlett High School

School District #87 East Leyden High School

Our congratulations Illinois Special Olympics West Leyden High School go out to Teresa and Mike Beckett on their Northlake Baseball The Friends of Jaclyn Foundation first baby! Michael Richard was born A note from Nancy Reed about 8 week old Ansley on April 30th at 10:26 As most of you know my granddaughter Ansley was born on Jan 10th A.M. weighing in at with 2 major heart defects. She went through two major open 8 lbs. 4oz., 20 1/2” heart surgeries & survived. She is now 3 months old & doing great!!! long. Teresa, Mike and

little Michael are all I want to THANK ALL MY CUSTOM FAMILY for their prayers doing well! & support!!!! Ansley is a miracle & would not be here without all of you!!!

Thank you again from the bottom of my heart!!! On May 14th, Danielle Perri welcomed her SOMETHING TO DO THIS SUMMER FOR FREE!!! son Kal-el Free Admission Days in Los Angeles* Free Admission Days in Chicago* Constantine Bowers Museum 2nd & 4th Tuesday of every month ABA Museum of Law Everyday California Science Center Everyday June 15 - June 20 Fassoa born at 7:38 Craft & Folk Art Museum 1st Wednesday of every month Chicago Botanic Garden Everyday PM, weighing in at 7 Fowler Museum Every Thursday Chicago Childrens Museum 1st Monday of every month and lbs., ,4 oz. 19” long. George C Page Museum 1st Tuesday of every month Everyday Both Mom and Baby Getty Center Every Day Chicago Historical Society Every Monday are doing fine! Hunting Library, Art Collection & Botani- 1st Thursday of every month Clarke / Glessner House Museum Every Wednesday cal Garden Japanese American National Museum Thursdays from 5pm-8pm DuSable Museum Every Sunday LA County Arboretum & Botanic Garden 3rd Thursday of every month Field Museum June 9 and July 14 LA County Museum of Art 2nd Tuesday of every month Garfield Park Conservatory Everyday International Museum of Surgical- Museum of American West Thursdays from 4pm-8pm Every Tuesday Science Museum of Contemporary Art Thursdays from 5pm-8pm Lincoln Park Zoo Everyday Museum of TV and Radio Everyday Mexican Fine Arts Center Museum Everyday Museum of Neon Art Thursdays from 5pm-8pm Museum of Broadcast Communications Everyday Natural History Museum of LA County Every Tuesday Museum of Contemporary Art Every Tuesday Norton Simon Museum 1st Friday of every month Museum of Contemporary Photography Everyday Pacific Asia Museum 4th Friday of every month Museum of Science & Industry June 17 - June 22 Raymond M Alf Museum of Paleontology Every Wednesday Navy Pier Everyday Skirball Cultural Center Thursday from 12-9pm Oriental Institute Everyday UCLA Hammer Museum Every Thursday Peace Museum Everyday Shedd Aquarium June 15 - June 22 Smith Museum of Stained Art Everyday Spertus Muesum Tue 10am-12pm & Thurs 3pm-7pm * CALL FOR MORE INFORMATION PRIOR TO YOUR VISIT. 2nd Tuesday of every month Terra Museum of American Art Everyday June 2008 Page 11 TIPS ON PUMPING GAS AND GETTING THE MOST FOR YOUR MONEY Recently I was asked why our maintenance department receives fuel drops for our local tractors and straight jobs in the early morning and why we refuel our equipment in the late hours of the night and early morning instead of the afternoon and evening. If you’re interested in my research and getting the most for your money then you should read on.

Only fill up your car or truck in the early morning when the ground temperature is still cold. All service stations have their storage tanks buried below ground and the colder the ground January 2008 the more dense the gasoline. When it gets warmer fuel expands, so if buying in the afternoon or in the evening, a gallon is actually really less than a gallon. In the petroleum business, the MVP Winners specific gravity and the temperature of the fuel play an important role. A 1-degree rise in temperature is a big deal for this business. And the service stations do not have tempera- Dock Associate ture compensation at the pumps.

When you're filling up do not squeeze the trigger of the nozzle to a fast mode. If you look you will see that the trigger has three stages: low, middle, and high. Use slow mode when pumping, thereby minimizing the vapors that are created while you are pump- ing. All hoses at the pump have a vapor return. If you are pumping on the high rate, some other liquid that goes to your tank be- comes vapor. Those vapors are being sucked up and back into the underground storage tank so you are getting less fuel for your money.

One of the most important tips is to fill up when your gas tank is HALF FULL or HALF EMPTY. The reason for this is, the more gas you have in your tank the less air occupying its empty space. Gasoline evaporates faster than you can imagine. Gasoline storage tanks have an internal floating roof. This roof serves as zero clearance between the gas and the atmosphere, so it minimizes the evaporation. Unlike service stations, every tanker load is temperature compensated so that every gallon is actually the exact Ken Schadeck amount.

Another reminder, if there is a fuel tanker pumping into the storage tanks when you stop to buy fuel, DO NOT fill up - most likely the gasoline is being stirred up as the gas is being delivered, and you might pick up some of the dirt that normally settles on the bottom. This creates clogged fuel filters and injectors reducing MPG and increasing maintenance costs on your vehicle. I hope this will get you the best value for your money. – Rocky Caylor Office Associate

**** S P A M ******** S P A M ******** S P A M ******** S P A M **** The word “Spam” as applied to E-Mail means Unsolicited Bulk E-Mail (UBE). Unsolicited means that the Re- cipient has not granted verifiable permission for the message to be sent. Bulk E-Mail means that the message is sent as part of a larger collection of messages, all having substantively identical content. A message is Spam only if it is both Unsolicited and Bulk. Why? Simple because Unsolicited E-Mail is normal E-mail by itself, such as first contact enquiries, job inquiries, sales enquiries are just some examples of unsolicited E-mail that is not considered Spam. Bulk E-mail is normal E-Mail as well, subscriber newsletters, customer communications, discussion lists. From a technical point of view an E-Mail is “spam” if the recipient’s personal identity and content are irrelevant because the message is equally applicable to many other potential recipients; And the recipient has not verifia- bly granted deliberate, explicit, and still-revocable permission for it to be sent. Spam is an issue about consent, not content. Whether the UBE message is an advert, a scam, porn, a begging Joel Locklear letter or an offer of a free lunch, the content is irrelevant - if the message was sent unsolicited and in bulk then the message is spam.

Spam is not a sub-set of UBE, it is not "UBE that is also a scam or that doesn't contain an unsubscribe link", all email sent unsolicited and in bulk is Spam.

This distinction is important because legislators spend inordinate amounts of time attempting to regulate the content of spam messages, and in doing so come up against free speech issues, without realizing that the spam issue is solely about the delivery method. Driver Associate The anti-spam community was caught off guard, not realizing that spammers were trying to redefine the word "Spam" in order to confuse law makers and legalize Unsolicited Bulk Email. Out-of-the-blue spammers began touting a new definition, redefining "spam" to mean "that which we do not send". Spams appeared claiming "this is not spam since we include a way to be removed" or "this is not spam since it is not a scam". The notoriously pro-spam Direct Marketing Association, whose president Robert Weintzen had stated "We see [Spam] as free- dom of commercial speech", were quick to realize they could spin-doctor the word "Spam" to make it not apply to their members. Hence to everyone's surprise (or not), the DMA stated that "Spam" was "only porn and scams, sent fraudulently" and all normal spam was magically "not spam". Various jurisdictions have implemented legislation to control what they call "spam". One particular example is US S.877 (CAN-SPAM 2004). Each law addresses "spam" in different ways, and as a consequence, often has different definitions of what they cover, whether they call it "spam" or not. One important thing to know is that all Internet Service providers worldwide have banned the sending of Unso- Pete Grau licited Bulk E-Mail. - Steve Lamcyk The Custom Communicator Page 12 Great quotes from QMS Quality Counts Quiz Winners great leaders: Congratulations to all participants in the QMS Quality Counts contest. Everyone that par- ticipated earns at least one QMS Buck and those with perfect scores are put together for “Failure is simply the oppor- a chance to win five, ten or even twenty QMS Bucks! The winners for April & May are: tunity to begin again more April ORD Winners: May ORD Winners: intelligently.” Dock Dock Henry Ford (1863-1947) 1st - Victor Gurrola 1st - Elias Sandoval 2nd - Luis Macias 2nd - Mark Moltoris 3rd - Stephen Coffey 3rd - Luis Macias “There are two ways of ex- Drivers Drivers erting one’s strength; one is 1st - Jerry Odziemiec 1st - Steve Repka pushing down, the other is 2nd -Tom Stump 2nd - Gregory Kulasa pulling up.” 3rd - Bob Modes 3rd - Arturo Abasta Booker T. Washington Office Office (1856-1915) 1st - Phyllis Wardiani 1st - Paul Lozion 2nd - Kristin Teml 2nd - Tina Petrovic 3rd - Rebecca Barry 3rd - Jayne Pakosta “Recession is when a April LAX Winners: May LAX Winners: neighbor loses his job. De- Office Office pression is when you lose 1st - Jim Welsh 1st - Ivan Aguirre yours.” 2nd - Ron Pearce 2nd - Bobby Heinz Ronald Reagan 3rd - Marc Inman 3rd - Luis Alva (1911-2004) Drivers Drivers 1st - Dale Burt 1st - Jose Pinto 2nd - Angel Rodriguez 2nd - Ignacio Molina “If a man does his best, what 3rd - Francisco Huerta 3rd - Pedro Valles else is there?” Dock Dock George S. Patton 1st - Arturo Magana 1st - Arturo Medina (1885-1945) 2nd - Gabe Mireles 2nd - Ed Altamirano 3rd - Carlos Vasquez 3rd - Steven Cruz Be sure to hang on to your QMS Bucks and accumulate them for prizes in the prize catalog. “The best thing about the Additional QMS Quality Counts Quizzes are currently scheduled at the beginning of each month. future is that it comes only Your QMS Plus Team one day at a time.” Abraham Lincoln

(1809-1865) A note from the Chairman of Team QMS I would like to take this opportunity to give an update from Team QMS. As you know the committee has run informational contests and handed out QMS bucks to the participants and winners. The turnout for these contests “The quality of a person’s has been exciting. To be able to inform in a fun and productive way has been great. I look forward to increased life is in direct proportion to participation in all the future contests. Team QMS is now ready to take the next step in our evaluation. We will their commitment to excel- be working closely with Rick Hinton, Our Vice President of Quality Management and Compliance to coordinate lence, regardless of their the internal audits for ISO. I look forward to our team working to assist everyone to realize how ISO compliance can make our jobs easier. chosen field of endeavor.” It is easy to look at ISO and see it as just documentation. A way to keep the continuity of job reasonability’s in a Vince Lombardi way so if there is a change in personnel whoever is taking over the job functions can see how the job needs to be (1913-1970) done. Therefore when the job is taken over it is a seamless transition. To look at it in its simplest form will not be acceptable for what I believe ISO is truly about. ISO is a way of life, a philosophy, a commitment to excellence. It is what separates us from our competition. By “A people that values its having a process of continuous improvement our customers can, and do know that they will receive the level of privileges above its princi- service that is second to none. We can demonstrate that we have procedures in place that will provide world ples soon loses both.” class service that they can depend on. Although there is nothing that can guarantee there will never be a break- Dwight Eisenhower down in service, through ISO we can demonstrate how we will learn from our mistakes and put plans into place to safeguard against a repeat of any failure of service. (1890-1969) Every decision that you need to make should be made with the ISO principles being weighed and analyzed. “Say what you do and do what you say” ISO guides you into always improving and striving for perfection. By never being satisfied with the level of quality that you are at, and looking for continuous improvement, you stay hun- “We must become the change gry; therefore becoming a better company and a more reliable option for our customers. And when you are the we want to see in the world.” most reliable option you will receive more business regardless of price. People will always be prepared to pay a Mahatma Gandhi premium for better service. (1869-1948) In conclusion ISO is about pride and commitment, and I am proud to be a part of the Custom team and Team QMS that has a culture that embraces these principles. I would like to thank Team QMS for all the hard work and commitment of these dedicated individuals. - Jeffrey M. Guthman June 2008 Page 13 A psych professor at CCNY HUNGRY….TRY OUT THESE RECIPES! told his class about bananas. QUICK FIX TEXAS CHEESE TOAST He said the expression Makes 4 slices "GOING BANANAS" 4 thick (large) slices of whole wheat bread is from the effects of bananas 2 tablespoons reduced fat margarine (with 8 grams of fat per tablespoon) on the brain. After reading 4 pinches garlic powder this, you'll never look at a 4 pinches cayenne red pepper (optional) banana in the same way 2 tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese again. 1 1/2 ounces shredded reduced fat sharp cheddar cheese (about 1/3 cup lightly heaping and firmly packed)

1. Spread one side of each large bread slice with 1 1/2 teaspoon margarine. Sprinkle a pinch of garlic powder (and a pinch of cayenne pepper if desired) over evenly each margarine-topped bread slice. 2. Add Parmesan and shredded cheddar to a small food processor bowl (if you don’t have one of these, just toss the two cheeses together in a medium shallow bowl) and “pulse” briefly to create a nice blended cheese mixture. Place in a medium shallow bowl. 3. Gently press the margarine side of each bread slice into the mixture of shredded parmesan and shredded reduced fat cheddar cheese. You can also sprinkle a fourth of the cheese mixture over the buttered side of each bread slice then gently press it down with your fingers. 4. Start heating a large nonstick skillet or frying pan over medium heat. When the pan is good and hot, place the slices cheese side down in the hot pan. After about 60 to 90 seconds, use the spatula to check if the underside of the cheese bread is lightly brown. Then flip each slice over to lightly brown the unbuttered side of the bread. Serve with soup, salad, entrees or as an appetizer

FLAG FRENCH TOAST Never, put your banana in the Makes about 8 flags refrigerator!!! 4 large eggs (higher omega-3 if available) 1/2 cup egg substitute A banana gives an instant, 1 1/2 cups fat free half and half or low fat milk sustained and substantial 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract boost of energy, two bananas 1 tablespoons sugar 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon provide enough energy for a 1 pinch freshly grated nutmeg strenuous 90-minute workout. 1 pinch of salt 8 large slices of whole grain or multigrain bread (any type you desire), sliced 3/4-inch to 1-inch thick (day old works best) They can help overcome or Canola cooking spray prevent a substantial number Flag Decorations: of illnesses and conditions: Pressurized can of light whipped topping (or use light Cool Whip) Depression Less sugar raspberry or strawberry jam, at room temperature PMS Fresh or frozen blueberries Anemia 1. Add eggs, egg substitute, fat free half & half or low fat milk, vanilla, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt to mixing bowl and beat until Blood Pressure smooth and blended. Brain Power 2. Start heating a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Holding one of the slices with your left hand, submerge one of the bread Constipation slices in the egg mixture and let it soak it up for about 10 seconds. Carefully lift the bread slice out (it will feel a lot heavier than it did Heartburn going in) while you, using your right hand, generously spray an area (the size of the bread slice) on the hot skillet with canola cooking Morning Sickness spray. Place the bread slice into the pan and repeat the steps with a couple more slices (until the skillet is full). Give the tops of all the Mosquito bites slices a generous coating of cooking spray. Nerves 3. Pan Fry the slices until the bottom is golden brown (about 2 minutes) then flip them over to brown the other side (about 2 minutes more). Overweight 4. You will probably have enough egg mixture to make two more batches of French toast (about 9 thick slices). Ulcers 5. To decorate as flags, add jam (at room temperature) to a pastry bag with whatever tip you desire and create three long stripes on Seasonal Affective Disorder each slice and two to three short stripes in the upper right hand corner of each slice. Decorate the upper left corner of each slice with a (SAD) little light whipping cream in the shape of a square and top with blueberries. Then just create white stripes with some light whipped Smoking &Tobacco cream in between the strips of jam. Stress Strokes Warts Corrections to the April Newsletter PD Driver Tom Jaworowski has 17 years of service not 11. So, a banana really is a natu- ral remedy for many ills. Josh’s last name is Grochot not Grochet as shown on Page 11. When you compare it to an apple, it has four times the Rafael Padilla has 1 year of service not 10. protein, twice the carbohy- drate, three times the phos- Tom Boyle is listed as his brother Bob Boyle on Page 4. phorus, five times the vitamin A and iron, and twice the On Page 8 Lisa’s last name should be spelled Ludwikowski. other vitamins and minerals. It is also rich in potassium st On Page 9 the Dock 1 place winner should be spelled Armando Ramirez. and is one of the best value

foods around. So maybe it’s The following May birthdays were left off of our list: Grazyna Ujas 5/2 time to change that well- Gerald Coleman 5/5 known phrase so that we say, Martin Magana 5/5 "A banana a day keeps the doctor away!" The Custom Communicator Page 14 June Holidays FLAG DAY Betsy Ross Flag The 13 Star Flag The Star Spangled Banner The 1818 20 Star Flag

June Holidays: 14 - Flag Day The 21 Star Flag The 23 Star Flag The 24 Star Flag The 31 Star Flag 15 - Father’s Day 21 - 1st Day of Summer

The Civil War 35 Star Flag The 37 Star Flag The 44 Star Flag The 45 Star Flag

June Weeks: 6/1 – 6/7 Headache Awareness Week

The 46 Star Flag The 48 Star Flag The 49 Star Flag The 50 Star Flag

6/7 – 6/15 National River Cleanup Week 6/9 - 6/15 Men’s Health Week 6/28 – 7/5 Sobriety Checkpoint Week The Fourth of July was traditionally celebrated as America's birthday, but the idea of an annual day specifi- cally celebrating the Flag is believed to have first originated in 1885. BJ Cigrand, a schoolteacher, arranged June is also known for the pupils in the Fredonia, Wisconsin Public School District 6 to observe June 14 (the 108th anniver- as: sary of the official adoption of The Stars and Stripes) as 'Flag Birthday'. In numerous magazines and news- paper articles and public addresses over the following years, Cigrand continued to enthusiastically advocate the observance of June 14 as 'Flag Birthday', or 'Flag Day' and many other cities across the country began to join in. Inspired by these three decades of state and local celebrations, Flag Day - the anniversary of the Flag Reso- lution of 1777 - was officially established by the Proclamation of President Woodrow Wilson on May 30th, 1916. While Flag Day was celebrated in various communities for years after Wilson's proclamation, it was not until August 3rd, 1949, that President Truman signed an Act of Congress designating June 14th of Adopt A Shelter Cat each year as National Flag Day. - George Smith Month Aphasia Awareness My Fathers Day Story Month My family lived in Indianapolis from 1966 to 1978 before we came to Chicago. During that Dairy Month time my father became involved in the Indianapolis 500 as a timer for a race team in the Drive Safe Month early 70’s. He actually was one of the first to bring a computer to the track for calculations Fresh Fruit & Vege- of timing and fuel. Anyway, our family became big race fans as a result of his involvement. th table Month My father passed away on February 15 , 1999. At the time of his death, the 4 foot tall Borg Warner trophy (Indy 500 winner gets) was in Chicago being engraved that February from Iced Tea Month the previous May race winner. As it turns out, the hand engraver of the trophy is a friend of People Skills Month my sister’s. When he heard of the news of my father’s passing, he went above and beyond Rose Month and paid a tribute to my dad. All of the engravers over the years who have worked on the Send A Rose Month trophy carve their initials on the underside of the trophy as a “I was there” type tribute. Nobody really sees Zoo & Aquarium it, but they know it is there. Well for my father, this friend engraved the following in the bottom of this very famous trophy. On the bottom it reads: “William Hinton - Race Fan -- 1934 -1999” As a race fan I feel there is not a much bigger tribute you can get then to have your name on the bottom of the most famous trophy in all of auto racing. Last weekend after they ran the 92nd Indy 500 race, the fans cheered and were excited to see the traditional drinking of the bottle of milk and the handing over of the Borg Warner trophy to the winner. But since 1999 I view this ceremony with quite a different thought. Along with the names of Al Unser, Rick Mears, Mario Andretti, Ray Harroun, Bill Vukovich and Helio Castroneves I know there is another name on that trophy that gets less press, but is just as important to me. Have a great Father’s Day everyone! -- Rick Hinton June 2008 PagePage 1515 July Holidays A Brief History of the Signing of the Declaration of Independence

Most Americans are aware that our rebellion from England was caused by “Taxation without Rep- resentation”, since the original 13 colonies had no members in either the English House of Lords or House of Commons. After King George sent troops to enforce the King’s dominion and quell any rebellion in 1774, the 13 colonies sent representatives to Philadelphia, PA to form the First Conti- nental Congress. However, as unhappy as the colonists were, they were not yet ready to go to war. July Holiday: By April of the next year, 1775, the soldiers of the King marched to Concord. Paul Revere sounded 4 - Independence the warning “one if by land, two if by sea” and Concord witnessed “the shot heard round the Day world.” War, though undeclared, began. July Weeks: In May, 1775, the colonies again assembled for the Second Continental Congress but vacillated in 7/1 – 7/7 Freedom inaction for almost a year, trying time and again to reason out their differences with England. of Fear of Speaking Week By June, 1776 it was clear that any resolution was hopeless. A committee of the Continental Con- 7/13- 7/19 Thera- gress was formed to create a formal declaration of independence, headed by Thomas Jefferson and peutic Recreation consisting of John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Philip Livingston, and Roger Sherman. Jefferson Week completed a first draft of the document which was presented to the Congress on June 28, 1776.

After a number of changes were made, a vote on the document was taken in the afternoon of July 4th, 1776. And now the parts that are not generally known:

Only NINE of the original thirteen colonies voted to accept the amended document. Pennsyl- vania (which hosted the Congress) and South Carolina rejected the document outright, Dela- ware was unsure whether a vote was even appropriate under the circumstances, and New York completely abstained from voting. 7/19 – 7/27 Na- tional Fishing Week As one can see the largest signature, by far, was the first one, that of John Hancock, President of the Continental Congress who wanted King George to be able to read his name “without his spec- July is also known tacles.” as: Baked Beans Month Copies of the Declaration were distributed the following day, July 5 and the first newspaper to Blueberry Month print it, The Pennsylvania Evening post did so on the day after, July 6. The first public reading of Fireworks Safety the document did not occur in Philadelphia’s Independence Square until July 8. It was on this day Month that the church bells rang to celebrate the event, one of the loudest, The Province Bell of Pennsyl- Hemochromatosis vania would later be renamed The Liberty Bell after an inscription was added to it: “Proclaim Screening Liberty Throughout All the Land Onto All the Inhabitants Thereof.” Awareness Month

In point of historical fact, all of the required signatures of those voting to accept the docu- ment from the nine colonies were not present on the document until mid-August, 1776.

Whether this was an official, effective and binding document on the new nation and its members on July 4, 1776 is obviously open to debate, never the less, that did not prevent the first celebration of “Independence Day” on July 4, 1777.

It was not until the early 1800’s that the current traditions of fireworks, parades, and picnics were established to celebrate our nation’s adopted birthday. –George Smith Hot Dog Month

BRUCE’S FAREWELL DINNER Bruce Lenau is back in CHI. Before his departure form LAX he was thrown a Good Bye Dinner in LAX were he will be greatly missed. If yousee one of From left around the table: Jose Melchor, these, DO NOT PULL Ice Cream Month James Ayers, Donna Robinson, Marc IT! We did this once, Inman, Bruce, Mark Schiele, Murray Ban- it’sRead relly an very Almanac loud! nerman, Erica Griffith and Scott Talanoa Month Picture taken by Rick Bulaon TheThe Custom Custom Communicator Communicator Page 16 The Custom Companies, Inc. 317 W. Lake Street Northlake, IL 60164 Phone: 708-338-8888 CUSTOMER SERVICE, SUPPORT AND CARE Fax: 708-338-9550

E-mail: [email protected] At The Custom Companies, our main objective is to deliver your goods on The Full Service Transportation Company 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 www.customco.com 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 deliv- ered 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 TRIPMASTER TRAVEL & TOURS Tony Crespo Bruce Lenau 1319 N. 12TH Avenue Melrose Park, IL 60160 Jason Esser Claudia Molina (708) 344-7515 local Matt Foley Tom Mroz (800) 344-7582 toll free Linda Godinez Eric Pocius (708) 344-7585 fax [email protected] Carol Guarino Jennifer Rueda Celebrating 29 years this June. Rick Hinton George Smith We are a full service travel agency. Thomas Kennedy Daniela Trevino Contact Joe Sarlo for your Corporate/Business Steven Lamczyk Larry Wolf Travel needs including Air, Hotel, Car Rental, Meet- ing Space or Convention Arrangements. Contact Marilyn Sarlo for your vacation Travel Contributions By Needs. She Specializes in Cruise Vacation Packages anywhere in the World. Group, Meetings, Rocky Caylor Jeff Guthman Conventions or Family Reunions. Contact us to received our monthly newsletter for Jorge Escobar the latest in the Travel Industry!

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