THE TIME IS NOW Find, Friend & Follow Us Issue 5 | 2023 5 Your donations make a difference © 2023 Do it Best. All rights reserved. A Hoppy Easter for 6 everybunny Spring yard safety 8 We’re making big investments in our infrastructure to continue improving our productivity and profitability. The Road to Real Time consists of many large-scale projects, with three in process now: Warehouse Management System (WMS), Distributed Order Management System (DOMS), and Fusion (our core financials system). In other words, we’re improving the systems that handle how members place their orders, how their orders are filled, and the financial processes that tie it all together…all done in real time. This project was the focus of the April Quarterly All Staff Meeting. “The Road to Real Time gives us the opportunity to deliver with speed and excellence on a massive scale,” said President and CEO Dan Starr. These initiatives are all interconnected and work together. Staying current in today’s marketplace with enhanced technology is critical to helping our members grow. That said, this is the largest transformation in company history. When tackling something this big, expectations are high. Executive Vice President of Operations Dent Johnson emphasized the importance of working together to benefit our member-owners. “We want to be easier to do business with, and in order to do that, we have to put ourselves in a better position,” Dent stated. “For us to come out on top, we have to take a non-traditional approach to get this done now,” he said. The Do it Best team has a history of working through complicated challenges and delivering winning solutions. The only difference now is the sheer scale of the project. Vice President of IT John Mergy recently updated the company’s plan to tackle the project within a compressed timeline. “There has already been a great sense of urgency to get this project to the finish line. And with several stages already completed, it puts us in a good position to continue moving forward quickly,” said John. He highlighted the importance of scaling the development process, test run expectations, and the necessary steps to collaborate to stay on track for a January 2024 launch. The Road To Real Time will impact everyone and ensure we’re building on our industry-leading efficiency and responsiveness. Your help and support in adopting best practices as they are introduced will make sure these initiatives provide maximum value for our members. Dan, Dent, and John spoke to the critical need for our team to deliver strong on DOMS, Fusion, and WMS as these new systems become the building blocks for driving additional growth for Do it Best and our members.
2 Issue 5, 2023 YOUR SECOND PAYCHECK: SAVE BIG ON RENTAL CARS Your Health Savings Account (HSA), supported by UMB and available through our CDP health plan option, is much more than a spending account for out-of-pocket medical and prescription expenses. An HSA provides you with investment options to help you reach your financial goals. When your balance reaches the minimum threshold of $1,000, you have the option to invest your HSA funds into the HSA Saver investment portfolio through UMB. You can then decide how you want your contributions invested. Learn more about the UMB HSA Saver at hsa.umb.com/Individuals. FROM INSURANCE COORDINATOR CHELSEA ORT INSURANCE TIPS Do you have any trips coming up? Benefit from our company discount through Enterprise and save money on your next vehicle rental. Simply visit enterprise.com and use corporate code XZ08056 to register the discount. One team member saved nearly 50% for a trip she’s planning this fall. YOUR HSA IS AN INVESTMENT VEHICLE Former Fort Wayne Mayor Graham Richard toured Building 26 and the Electric Works campus on April 18. As mayor, Richard led the downtown development of Parkview Field and much of what has grown up around it. When he left office, one of his few regrets was never getting GE management to see value in redeveloping their campus. So he was very excited to see Electric Works. “It's leaders like Dan Starr, and Bob Taylor before him, who've helped set the vision for what Fort Wayne can be. Do it Best is fortunate to have them,” he shared. your second paycheck celebrate blood donors above & beyond proud parents whats happening birthdays and anniversaries health and safety focus on health family news access career opportunities GETTING CHARGED UP FOR ELECTRIC WORKS As part of our community outreach and career development initiatives, Do it Best hosted more than two dozen Purdue Fort Wayne students and counselors on March 31. During their visit, they got to learn a bit more about the Electric Works campus, participate in two panel discussions with Do it Best staff, and tour our office. “This was a great opportunity for us to be in front of these students as they began to consider their careers after graduation,” said HR Generalist Ryan Cooley. “Plus, it was cool to hear things like, ‘I wanna work here' as they were touring our building.” your second paycheck celebrate blood donors above & beyond proud parents whats happening birthdays and anniversaries health and safety focus on health family news access career opportunities GETTING THE CAMPUS EXPERIENCE Students from Purdue Fort Wayne pose for a group photo during their visit to Do it Best. Community Affairs Manager Randy Rusk gave the former mayor a tour of Building 26, the new home for Do it Best.
Issue 5, 2023 3 One of the many reasons Do it Best moved to its new location was to have the opportunity to collaborate with programs on campus such as Amp Lab. Amp Lab is a unique learning environment built for students to gain real-world experience in an innovative and agile setting. On April 20 Do it Best hosted over 160 Amp Lab students in the Don Wolf Conference Center for a lively panel discussion on the challenges and opportunities students encounter as they prepare for life after graduation. Do it Best team members Merchandising Pricing and Training Manager Lauren Wilson, LBM Sales Support Supervisor Angela Nevers, and Sales Support Manager Coley Arnold shared personal insights on their high school experiences and professional journeys, and how they found their place at Do it Best. Our team was joined by a student panel, who came prepared with questions that ranged from, “What type of fruit would you be?” to “What do you wish you had known when you were 17?” Before ending the session, the students shared their responses to the question: “What do professionals need to know about today’s teenagers?” Many answers touched on the importance of mutual respect and the younger generation’s willingness and ability to tackle big ideas. Both parties left with a valuable reminder that we have the power to shape our collective future, but only when we work together. AMP LAB STUDENTS TALK CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES your second paycheck celebrate blood donors above & beyond proud parents whats happening birthdays and anniversaries health and safety focus on health family news access career opportunities Young Leaders of Northeast Indiana is a volunteer based not-for-profit who invests in leadership development programs for all emerging leaders. They offer a variety of services which includes a leadership institute that connects young professionals with their peers and their community as they advance in their career skills. This committed group meets every other week for full-day sessions over various topics, and Do it Best was fortunate enough to host their most recent session. HR Generalist Ryan Cooley is a participant in the class, and has seen tremendous growth from the sessions. “YLNI Institute is an incredible opportunity! I’ve met so many people from all around Fort Wayne and forged a lot of new friendships and connections,” he shared. YOUNG LEADERS OF NORTHEAST INDIANA VISITS CAMPUS your second paycheck celebrate blood donors above & beyond proud parents whats happening birthdays and anniversaries health and safety focus on health family news access career opportunities EASY ACCESS TO COMPANY INFORMATION For company highlights and information visit the newsroom on Workbench.
4 Issue 5, 2023 CELEBRATE Digital Asset Administrator Laura Wiseman celebrated her 40th birthday in a special way—with a classic surprise party. The Graphics team organized a carry-in and tasty treats were shared by all! The party décor included pictures of Laura throughout her life, which was an extra sweet surprise from her coworkers. CAREER OPPORTUNITIES AT DO IT BEST As Do it Best continues to grow, there may be career opportunities for you to pursue within the company. External candidates apply at doitbestcareers.com. Internal candidates should use the Career opportunities link provided on Workbench and complete the Internal Interest Form. For the 13th year, and the first in-person session since the pandemic, Do it Best hosted Dale Carnegie Training, a personal and professional development program. This year, ten Do it Best team members and 20 additional community members benefited from the program held in the Don Wolf Conference Center. Digital Asset Administrator Laura Wiseman graduated from the class and reflected on her experience. “It was a long journey to Dale Carnegie graduation, and 1000% worth it! The support of my classmates, teachers, and friends made it all possible. Each of us makes our world a kinder, friendlier place by doing our best.” Participants learned timeless principles outlined in Dale Carnegie’s books How to Win Friends and Influence People and How to Stop Worrying and Start Living. In-class exercises and independent studies helped students get the most out of their experience. Integration Analyst Pete Partin described the impact it had on him. “I’m very proud to say that after 52 hours in class, along with a lot more hours outside of class, I made it to my Dale Carnegie graduation,” he said. “It was truly a life-changing experience, and what started as a group of a few dozen relative strangers in the form of other students, coaches, and a worldclass facilitator became a family by the time all was said and done. When I entered this program, I had lost track of who I was and forgotten my why. A special thanks to my new family for helping me find myself again, to rediscover my purpose, and to rekindle my passion. If you ever have the chance to take a Dale Carnegie course, regardless of the time commitment, don't hesitate. Do it. It is so worth it.” If you are interested in participating in a future session of the Dale Carnegie Training program, contact Human Resources to learn how tuition reimbursement can be used to cover the cost. CARNEGIE CLASS OF '23 your second paycheck celebrate blood donors above & beyond proud parents whats happening birthdays and anniversaries health and safety focus on health family news access career opportunities The group met Monday evenings in the Don Wolf Conference Center.
HOPPY EASTER IN DIXON On April 8, the Dixon team and their families hopped over to White Pines Roller Rink for a Children's Easter egg party. From skating and hunting for prize eggs, to petting real bunnies (courtesy of Linda Sluiter), lots of spring fun was had by all. EGG-STATIC ABOUT SAFETY The Easter bunny visited Sikeston and hid dozens of eggs for the team to discover throughout the warehouse. Filled with safety tasks and tips, the eggs were a perfect opportunity for team members to brush up on their safety best practices. WHAT'S HAPPENING: A HOPPY EASTER FOR EVERYBUNNY SPREADING CHEER TO EVERYBUNNY The Medina team received a surprise visit from the Easter bunny this year. The friendly visitor hid prizes throughout the warehouse and passed out chocolates and eggs filled with candy. EASTER TREATS IN WOODBURN Woodburn employee board members Vanessa Arana Torres, Dora Martinez, and Nora Lira created and distributed Easter baskets for everyone's children and grandchildren.
Jeff Louden is all smiles with his winning bracket. Our Fort Wayne team gathered in the Don Wolf Conference Center to celebrate an important occasion: Bagel Day! With fresh bagels of all varieties to choose from, staff topped their breakfast treats with a selection of schmears while the employee board served up juice and coffee. Many thanks for a tasty Tuesday morning. BAGEL BONANZA March Madness was in full swing for Fort Wayne’s annual bracket competition. After an exciting few weeks of tough losses and incredible wins, winners included Systems Administrator Jeff Louden, Building Materials Specialist Floyd Stilson, and IT Business Analyst Morgan Black. All winners were awarded a purchase credit to the catalog. MARCH MADNESS BRACKET WINNERS Through our combined effort, the Fort Wayne team donated nearly 800 pounds of gently used clothing and household goods to Goodwill of Northeast Indiana. These donations will then be sold in their local stores—keeping unneeded items out of landfills. The generated funds will help people with disabilities find and keep good jobs in the community. Everybody wins! Thank you to everyone who participated in our recent Goodwill Drive. The next drive will take place July 31–Aug 11. DONATING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE 6 Issue 5, 2023
Did you know that April 12 was National Grilled Cheese Day? The Mesquite employee board sure did and they celebrated by serving grilled cheese sandwiches for lunch. Team members had the choice of American, Colby Jack, or Pepper Jack to create their gooey goodness. Lexington is finding creative ways to combine safety and wellness into their daily routine. Their leadership team created “Do it Best safety bucks” that they hand out when safe behavior is observed. Then, every other Friday the leadership team brings in fresh fruit and those who have earned a safety buck can cash it in for a healthy treat. SAFETY BUCKS Chris McKie is one who earned a safety buck for his work on safely handling pallets of returned products that needed extra precautions. SAY CHEESE! Welcome to the Family Do it Best Dixon Hayden Boken Mattheau Chandler Brian Eisele Kaden Kramer Fort Wayne James Fisher Torrie Meriwether William Tobin Lexington Jacqueline Caruso Latisha Smith Medina Garnett Eanes Nick Kucek Tori Meece Tim Mowery Michelle Skvor Rick Wade Mesquite Tyler Engstrom Montgomer y Ramona Ball Mireya Campos Keem Gaskin James Lawless Crystal Perez Elias Rios Jorge Riquelme Damion Rowe Jimmy Wallace Curt York Woodburn Caleb Brasuell Maria Ibanez Hernandez Jeovan Lopez Lopez Susana Moreno Jesus Sanchez-Vega Daniel Schultz Elvis Soto Jessi Velasquez Jiron Field Staff Scott Becher Troy Guthmiller Issue 5, 2023 7
Find, Friend & Follow Us Issue 5, 2023 SIKESTON SALUTES THEIR SERVICE In honor of Administrative Professionals Day, the Sikeston team presented spring bouquets to Office Coordinators Jodi Heeb, Tina Eaker, Baleigh Fetters and Malia Ledbetter, and Receivers Crystal Marshall and Jessica Allred. With spring in full bloom, take a moment to brush up on these best practices for safe yard work and gardening activities: • Remove dirt, oil, or grass stuck to the equipment • Replace fuel that has sat in your equipment’s tank for more than 30 days • Protect your hearing while operating machinery • Wear safety goggles, sturdy shoes, and long pants when using power tools • Wear sunscreen and a hat to prevent serious sunburns Spring is an exciting time of the year and we encourage you to take necessary precautions so you can enjoy the season to its fullest. SAFETY CORNER Presented by Mike Morris SPRING YARD WORK SAFETY Your body depends on water to survive. In fact, water makes up as much as 70% of your body weight. Staying hydrated throughout the day is important to maintain a healthy lifestyle that your body will appreciate. Water helps your body by: • Getting rid of wastes through natural processes • Keeping your temperature normal • Lubricating and cushioning joints • Protecting sensitive tissues FOCUS ON HEALTH: WATER YOU TRYING TO TELL ME? Lack of water can lead to dehydration, a condition that occurs when you don't have enough water in your body to carry out normal functions. Even mild dehydration can drain your energy and make you more tired. So how much fluid does the average, healthy adult living in a temperate climate need? The U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine determined that an adequate daily fluid intake is 15.5 cups of fluids a day for men, and about 11.5 cups of fluids a day for women. These recommendations cover fluids from water, other beverages, and food, meaning that there are a lot of different options when it comes to staying hydrated. CALLING ALL RETIREES Later this year, Family News is going completely online. Join our Facebook community for access to the latest Family News and event information while networking with other retirees. Encourage your retired coworkers to join by typing bit.ly/3ggyc86 into their internet browser or scan this QR code with a phone camera.
BIRTHDAYS May 1 Tanja Brown F Frances Coleman R Samantha Cox F Jesse McCann S Megan Sadowski M May 2 Pierre Clay C Andrew McDermitt F Anita Roux D Susan Thorpe N Dee Witte R Terry Yeager M Mary Yunker F May 3 Rolando Anavisca S Kaila Branfield F Andy Ledbetter X Janet Long R Brandon Pemberton C Maggie Radyn F John Villanueva W May 4 Kacey Hall L Aileen Herrera S Richard Jocks R Kia Kane D Kevin Parks R Jim Rohde R Miguel Romero P Rick Skibinskie D Laura Vidmar M May 5 Baylee Birch S Kathy Cline R Hykeem Hammonds C Adrian Hernandez Urenda P Randy Kipfer R Hector Macias P Susana Meza Goode P Andy Pinkerton F May 6 Corbin Elrod L Trisha Fuller F Faye Harmeyer R Wyatt Lawrence F Shanice Martin L Betty Scott R May 7 Dai'Marcus Brown L John Kunard R May 8 Lance Gordon F Christine Holley R Dylan Mabrey M Jen Nordmann F Chris Pangborn F Rick Roberts S May 9 Stephen Cantrell C Michael Cole W Ann Kreienbrink R Dan Love R Linda Love R Steve Saalfrank F Andre Toomer D May 10 Shannon Bearman F Barb Clarkson F Norma Jensen R Jake McGee F Bert Rains W Shari Roy F May 11 David Bryant F Marty Cook Cook D Andrew Davis F Andrew Myers F Howard O'Neal F Blake Sepulveda W Scott Smith L May 12 James Bergeron R Chris Cordrick L Amy Glick F Katherine Hayen D Mikayla Higgins F Brittany Santmyer P Vince Slack F Ray Wagoner R May 13 Kelly Barger D Dillon Eaker C Allison Meyer F Dan Peckham M Tony Phipps P Lawrence Robinson C May 14 Jay Blankenship C Tina Eaker C Michael Ethington S Linda Ganger M Deonundre Johnson C Laurie Kroeber F Amber LaFlam L Jose Leal S Jeff Preston M Connie Teusch R Angie Vos D May 15 Todd Bussen F Kelly Drew P Roger Duncan R John Gilbert R Larry Glueck R Edward Mora N Tegan Norris D Sherry Price L Melissa Vancs M Cicely Ware F May 16 Miguel Davis W Shirley Dennis R Arron Enyart F Levi Glueck C Betsy Harris F Shonda O'Brien F Paul Vasquez D May 17 Samantha Bender D Justin Brown C Jeff Rinewalt W Carolyn Rorick F May 18 Javier Gonzalez S Alicia Halverson S Tammy Heffelfinger R Sam Huff F Charlie Jones R May 19 Zachary Coleman L Bryan Marshall C Alex Price D Bob Ressel C Sophia Tichenor F May 20 Gary Bock R Aaron Bouchie F Beth Crilly R Faby Cruz W James Fracica F Sue Jackson R Lisa Leach F Mark Waller R Dave Wigent F May 21 Omar Esqueda P Judy Madden R Wayne Riedinger R Melissa Thompson R Nancy Williams R May 22 Renee Dickerson C Roger Link M Jason Williams F Karla Wygant F May 23 Gerald Backlund R William Bruce D Anjeanette Castien P Becky Englehart M Allison Flatjord F Rob Jones R Linda Roemke R Terista Sparks M Jason Steinberg N Hannah Wilkerson C May 24 Roman Alvarado D Josh Evans M Carol Kmiecik M Manuel Lopez Audelo P Rich Lynch F Jean Moore R Kyle Slykhuis M Ricky Velazquez N May 25 Caitlyn Geist S Carol Pulos N Jim Robertson R Brad St Clair D May 26 Ashley Caskey M Tim Dull R Harry McRae N Taylor Padgett L Sarah Sprowl M May 27 Linda Geise R Ryan Jordan F Ken Lawrence M Donna Marshall C Preston Rivas W Margie Turner W Michael Wilder F Paul Williams W May 28 Dante Bowens L John Carrier X Leanne Carter C Betty Daugherty R Bob Michalak F Rita Roberts R Dave Stenzel R Jim Welch F May 29 Craig Leichty F Scott Miller R Edmond Simpson N John Soultanakis N Dana Tillman L Rick Wolfenkoehler C May 30 Eric Brown M Cindy Eisberg F John Steele F May 31 Markus Baker D Gary Buccola R Mattheau Chandler D Ron Clark R Rod Drew D Nancy Kartholl F Donna Reichard R Michael Stoll R 1989 Tom Davis D 1990 Jeff Dunbar F 1993 Julie Teig F Pat Yankovic M 1994 Dorothy Pace L 1995 Susan Keller F Deanna Kimpton M 1996 Mike Thomason L Deb Bearman F 1997 Mark Grohnke X Karen Kennerk F 1998 Bill Jensen D Megan Sadowski M Anne Guest F 1999 Cheryl Baty N Gary Barr W Kevin Webster F Donna Cutlip M 2000 Garry Valure N Trisha Fuller F Melissa Williams L Carlos Valadez P 2001 Derant Duncan D 2002 Peter Kennedy N Carolyn Rorick F Brian Etzler F 2003 Sheri Rex F Brett Barrett N 2004 Frank Ardizzone N Tony Phipps P 2005 Kyle Fry M Erica Beaudrot L Christian Parra F Brad Weems F Tony Casiano F 2006 Ken O'Meara S Nick Wies X 2007 Brian Hiltz L Lou Thorpe N Michael Cole W 2008 Juan Cardenas S 2010 Lizabeth Baker M Bryan Stone M 2011 Nancy Kartholl F Ryan Lange F 2012 Tony Province C Matt Facemire X Angela Baker D Derek Reiminger C Jean Fahy F Matt Davis F 2013 Malia Ledbetter C 2014 Kim Shrum F Mike Haynes X Mitch Bessette X Missy Whitney C 2015 Tina Eaker C Jordan Jehl X 2016 Jon Timmerman F Tyler Griffin C 2017 Belen Martinez S Sherrie Daniels S Brenda Simmons M Paul Cavaness C Antonio Butler L Sherry Price L Donna Marshall C Ron Skinner X Shaun Stevenson C 2018 Antonio Amador P Sam Wickey F Morgan Black F Teresa Zuber F 2019 Peter Mitchell F Luis Sanchez Hernandez P Jenna Grannan F Nora Lira P Ana Cisneros F 2020 Steve Vidmar M Filemon Villa Juan P Lewis Tomlie C Jose Caballero P Paulette Bently F 2021 Elyssa Pozorski F Kyle Slykhuis M Mark Geffert M Roman Alvarado D Tyler Yocum D Fred McCowan W Heather Walter M Joshua Watts D Bradley Shellenbarger M Kaleigh Canfield M Kyle Griffiths N Brandon Everett S Tracey Mazock F Alex Sigler M Dalton Adcock D 2022 Chris Trzynka F Arturo Leon Rojas P Brett Wilkerson C Chris Miller C Eric Pereida S Javier Gonzalez S Jessica Johns S Jose Collazo S Lorena Oliva Davalos P Haley Ulmer F Crystal Reynolds P Dai'Marcus Brown L Manuel Lopez Audelo P Tristin Null D Joe Stuber F Scott Thomas F Trey Villagomez F Alex Noble P Domenick Watts S Elena Westerman F Jason Kretschmer N Ashley Lambert D Germain Figueroa N Andy Meyer D LEGEND Dixon . . . . . . . . D Fort Wayne. . . . . F Lexington . . . . . L Medina . . . . . . . M Mesquite. . . . . . S Montgomery. . . N Woodburn. . . . . P Retiree. . . . . . . . R Sikeston. . . . . . . C Waco. . . . . . . . . W Field Staff . . . . . X your second paycheck celebrate blood donors above & beyond proud parents whats happening birthdays and anniversaries health and safety focus on health family news access career opportunities MAY ANNIVERSARIES Birthdays & Anniversaries Issue 5, 2023