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The Custom Communicator

The Custom Companies, Inc. 317 W. Lake Street Northlake, IL 60164 www.customco.com

Inside this issue:

Hello Readers, We hope everyone is enjoying the summer. Look inside this edition for tips on conserving our planet, staying cool during the hot weather, refresh‐ing recipes and much, much more! And most importantly, remem‐ber to be safe. By the way, if any reader has any ideas for future newsletter articles or would like to submit an article to be published, please don’t hesi‐tate. So with this being said, go outside and have some fun! Sincerely, NEWSLETTER COMMITTEE

August / September 2008 VOL. II NO. 3

It’s that time of year again, when children head back to school after a much needed summer break. Some will be heading to school for the very first time, a nervous and exciting time, and some will be entering a new phase of their life, be it high school or college, but one thing remains the same, extra precautions must be taken by motorists when travelling in school zones. It is important to remember that children will be walking, riding busses and bicycles during peak commute times, and some may not be as keenly aware of the dangers of moving vehicles as we as drivers should be. Helpful tips include; slowing down and observing the reduced speed limit in school zones. Many of these zones have designated signs or flashing lights during reserved hours before and after school and should be obeyed at all times. Be especially careful in resi‐dential areas in the early mornings, as fall comes children will be on the street before day‐break and this is the most dangerous time when all drivers should be acutely aware of their surroundings. Always expect the unexpected. Be alert when backing out of your driveway as you leave as children may be passing on the sidewalk. Watch closely at every intersection, children may be crossing. ALWAYS stop for a school bus that has its flashing lights and stop sign up whether approaching from either direction. Not only is it a moving violation to pass a stopped school bus that is loading or unloading children, it is also extraordinarily dangerous. If you have children heading off to school on foot for the first year or the twelfth, the following is advisable to ensure safety; always walk on the sidewalk, if they must walk in the road, walk against the flow of traffic to increase the odds that they will see cars moving to‐wards them, but also so that the cars have an increased chance of seeing them. Wear bright colors, especially at dawn and dusk. Cross the street only at corners and marked crosswalks. Walk in groups, this is not only to increase safety in being seen by drivers, but also signifi‐cantly decreases the odds of the unimaginable, an abduction. When crossing the street, make sure to look right and left at least twice before proceeding into the street. If they cannot cross the street before a vehicle will reach them, it is not safe to cross half the street and stand in the middle. All pedestrians should always wait until they see no cars coming. Aside from pedestrians, the volume of traffic also increases when school is in session. Make sure to give yourself extra time to get to and from work or school and do not rush, pa‐tience and attentiveness are keys to getting to your destination safely.

- Matt Foley

Claims Article 2

Black, GoldGold & Green 3

Getting to know… 4-5

ISO Reviews 6

Safety Corner 7

Proper Hydration 8

Veggies 9

Sports Corner 10-11

QMS 12

Recipes 13

Charities 14

Holidays 15

Coupons 16

Did you Know? The longest and strong‐est bone in your body is the femur, or thigh bone. Recent research indi‐cates that cell phones can carry more germs than doorknobs, toilet seats or the soles of your shoes. Rubber bands last longer when refrigerated. Our eyes are always the same size from birth, but our nose and ears never stop growing. Babies are born without kneecaps. They don't appear until the child reaches 2 to 6 years of age.

Dedicated to our Internal and External Customers, the future of our Company.

Back to School

The length of time a customer has to file a claim is determined by the National Motor Freight Classifi-cation Guide or by our own Rules Tariff. A customer has up to 9 months to file a loss or damage claim per the NMFC. However, our Tariff states that a concealed damage claim must be reported by the ship-per within 48 hours. How a customer signed for the freight on the Bill of Lading or Delivery Receipt can have an immediate impact on how long they have to file their claim, and its resolution. Many times the customer is in contact with OS&D before a claim is submitted. The OS&D Department works closely with the customer in a Customer Service role, tracking down freight and determining the scope of the loss or damage. They also work to facilitate the delivery, return, or the reshipment of dis-tressed freight per the customers’ needs. OS&D acts as an Internal Supplier or Vendor to the Claims Department. Once the OS&D process is completed and the customer seeks compensation for the loss or damage, it moves into the Claims process. We may know the freight is lost or damaged but by law we cannot initiate the claims process on the behalf of the customer. Did you know the customer has a responsi-bility by law to assist in mitigating the claim if they can? We might request that an attempt be made to repair an item, instead of routinely replacing it. You also may not know that shippers are not al-lowed to profit on a claim, they are only allowed to claim for the value or cost of the merchandise to them. When a shipper calls in to file a claim they are advised to complete a claim form which is accessible from our website. If the Internet is not an option, we will fax or email them a blank form. Our claims personnel will then inform the customer of the back up documentation they need to submit with their claim form. An original Bill of Lading, a signed Delivery Receipt with exceptions noted, a Sales Invoice or other document showing their cost, possibly a repair invoice, are some commonly required docu-ments. As soon as the documents are filed, our personnel reply back to the customer acknowledging receipt and informing them of the claim number that was assigned. One Quality Objective for the Claims De-

partment is to reply back to our customer within 5 days from the receipt of their paperwork. The actual response time is currently between 2 ½ to 3 days from receiving the customer’s packet. Another Quality Objective of our Claims Depart-ment is to resolve claims in less than 75 days; our actual resolution time is averag-ing less than 60 days. Federal regulations require resolution of claims in 120 days, so we are well below that standard, and we routinely exceed our Quality Goal! If a damage claim is valued over $1,000.00 we contact MTI Inspection Services to do an on-site inspection of the damaged goods to determine the extent of the damage, the value of the merchan-dise, adequacy of packaging materials, etc. MTI is recognized as an impartial, independent service provider. They do not

work for us or for the shipper, if their investigation determines we are at fault, we pay the claim. A primary function of this group is to analyze and determine the root cause of claims so that we can identify trends and pro-actively find solutions to problems. They help identify improvements to our processes, which reduce or eliminate damaged freight. In our Quality Management System they act as an Internal Supplier to multiple processes in this role. The Claims and Loss Prevention groups have jointly initiated Corrective Actions involving Customers, the Sales Group, and Dispatch / Dock Opera-tions to reduce specific claims issues effectively. A current project in progress would provide dock-workers and drivers with automatic alerts and instructions through our Dock Management System and Cheetah Dispatch software of special handling needs of freight that has been identified as fragile or prone to damage. Even with due care, freight in movement can become distressed. Resolving these issues will never be enjoyable, but our Claims Group has developed their Quality Objectives to speed up and facilitate the process of filing and resolving a claim as much as possible for our customers. - Bruce Lenau


New Hires

Claims Department

Ismael Bautista Jose Bueno Angel Centeno Tina Cottingham Larry Fried Paul Mathusek Julio Otanez Jose Palacios Robert Pierczyski Antonio Portillo Jose Rodriguez Jeffrey Stewart Andrew Tovell John Wojdyla Erica Lopez

Pictured First Row (l to r): Irene Wodzinski, Kristen Teml, Janette Fernandez Second Row (l to r): Jeff Guthman, Adam Baltz

Aug/Sept 2008

Black and GoldGold…& Green Ah, the dog days of summer. Now that things have heated up for the season and the prices of energy have heated up along with the thermometer, it is never too late to think about ways of saving energy. In this edition we have listed many ways to save money while keeping cool. Enjoy the remaining summer! • Set your thermostat to 78 degrees Fahrenheit. Go higher, if the humidity is low enough and you feel comfortable. Turning a thermostat down to cool a room quicker doesn't work, by the way — it makes the air conditioner run longer, not colder. • Wear short-sleeved, loose clothing. Dress lightly to go out on a summer day. Do the same indoors. Absorbent, wickable cotton (organic, of course!) is the hot weather classic. Lighter colors reflect sun and heat as well. • Drink lots of water. This is good practice, anyway. Water drops your body’s core tem-perature and cools you down quickly. • Draw your drapes. Keeping your blinds, shades, and curtains closed — particularly on the west side of the house — helps keeps heat from getting inside in the first place. • Turn off unnecessary heat-producing devices. Incandescent light bulbs are a big heat generator. Shut down electronic gear like computers and TV’s when not in use. • Use the microwave or grill outside. Conventional cooking dumps heat in the house, but microwaves cook the food directly and grilling takes the heat outside. • Wash and dry clothes when the day is cool. Do laundry early in the day or late at night. Don't forget clotheslines, they generate no heat in the house. • Skip your dishwasher's dry cycle. Rack your dishes and let them air dry, instead. • Open the bathroom window when showering. Vent heat and humidity outside, rather than back into the house. If you have privacy concerns, open up after dressing. Keep the bath-room door closed. • Run your air conditioner fan on low, if it's settable. Particularly helpful in high humid-ity. The low air volume helps your air conditioner dehumidify. • Keep heat-producers away from your thermostat. Don't allow a closely located TV or water heater convince your thermostat that it's hotter than it really is. • Check your refrigerator settings. The fridge takes heat out of your food and transfers it to your kitchen, so be sure you're running efficiently. The refrigerator is best set between 37 and 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Put the freezer around 5 degrees. • Turn off your furnace pilot light. You can always re-light it next autumn. • Close the fireplace damper. Don't send cool air up the chimney. If your fireplace has a glass door, shut it. • You can help get rid of unwanted heat through ventilation if the temperature of the incoming air is 77 degrees Fahrenheit or lower. (This strategy works most effectively at night and on cooler days.) Window fans for ventilation are a good option if used properly. They should be located on the downwind side of the house facing out. A window should be open in each room. Interior doors must remain open to allow air flow.

- R.Hinton, C.Guarino, T.Kennedy

I now pay nearly $5 for a gallon of gas-and the pain at the pump is only going to get worse, according to Sean Brodrick, a commodities analyst at Weiss Research, Inc. He attributes this trend to escalat-ing demand, especially in China and India...the decreasing value of the dollar...and declining world-wide production. (For example, Mexico’s oil output is at a nine-year low.) Sean says that gasoline prices could go as high as $8 a gallon if events such as a massive hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico or conflict with Iran shake the mar-ket. Gas Saving Strategies… Use Technology to avoid traffic. Besides avoiding rush hours, plan routes to bypass construction and accidents. Resources…

• The Federal Highway Admini-stration’s traffic and road closure information web site, www.fhwa.dot.gov/trafficinfo, has links to many local re-sources.

• www.traffic.com provides free traffic updates. Or call 866-698-7232 for traffic informa-tion when you’re without internet access. If you drive the same route regularly, you can sign up to have traffic alerts sent to you by E-mail or an automated phone call.

• Use Cruise Control on high-ways. In tests by automotive Web site Edmunds.com, cruise control decreases gas consumption by up to 14%, Exception: In hilly areas, cruise control uses more gas.

• Don’t use air conditioning at speeds less than 60 mph. Open the windows instead.

• Use the internet to find the lowest gas prices-but don’t waste gas and money driving extra miles to buy it. The Department of Energy Web site, www.fueleconomy.gov/fed/gasprices/states, links to sites with pricing data.

• Slow down. Fuel economy drops by about 1% for every mph faster than 55-and de-clines even faster when speeds exceed 65 mph.

Stretch your Gasoline

The Custom Communicator Page 4

August Anniversaries

Getting to know you…Questions for Alex Deleon by Tony Crespo TC: What is your full name? AD: Alejandro DeLeon. TC: Where were you born? AD: Linares, Nuevo Leon, Mexico. TC: How long have you been in the U.S? AD: I came to the U.S when I was 1 year old. TC: Where do you live? AD: Chicago, IL. TC: What Chicago neighborhood do you live in? AD: Cragin. TC: North side or South side? AD: North side. TC: Cubs or Sox? AD: Chi ‐Town fan. TC: How many siblings? AD: 2 brothers, my older brother passed away July 2, 2006. TC: How long have you been with The Custom Companies, Inc? AD: 5 years. TC: What is your favorite thing about working here at TCC? AD: Helping anyone who needs help, working with the staff, being friendly and respecting everyone. TC: What is the biggest change you have seen since beginning at The Custom Companies, Inc.? AD: The amount of associates working here and one other thing that has changed is the amount of associates needing help. Much (laughing) more help (laughing). TC: What is your earliest childhood memory? AD: When we would have our family reunions, during Christmas. I miss my Grandparents and those memories. TC: Favorite Music? AD: Spanish Rock, The bands that I listen to are Mana and Juanes. TC: Food? AD: My favorite meal is made by mom, enchiladas with red sauce or green sauce. TC: What do you do when you are not at work? AD: Help around the house, cut grass, clean and be there for my mom, dad and brother. TC: Do you have any hobbies? AD: I play pool. TC: Are you any good? AD: When you feel like losing some money, play with me. TC: What do you do for fun? AD: Amusement parks and movie theaters. TC: Do you like roller coasters? AD: Yes, my favorite roller coasters are Iron Wolf and American Eagle. TC: What is your favorite movie? AD: (Action) American Outlaw and Warriors, (Drama) Something About Life, (Love story) Return to Me. TC: What brought you to The Custom Companies, Inc.? AD: I was recommended by a friend because he felt I was responsible and a hard worker. TC: Describe yourself using 3 words? AD: Respectful, humble, helpful. TC: If you could be someone else or do something else what would you do? AD: Architect. TC: What is your favorite building or structure? AD: Club Valentino in Mazatlan, Mexico. TC: If you could meet with someone from the past or present, who would it be? AD: My brother, Jose. TC: Where do you see yourself in five years? AD: Beautiful wife, a few children and healthy. TC: Winning Lotto ticket holder, what would you do? AD: Go to the bank and open up a savings account. (laugh) Build a cemetery for all my passed away relatives… It would have lots of flowers. TC: Are you single or married? AD: Single. TC: What are you looking for in a girlfriend? AD: Great personality.

Dorland Henderson 16 Peter Grau 15 Robert Zdych 14 Bradford Woodbury 12 Nancy Reed 11 Earl Hahn 10 Orlando Roldan 10 Elias Sandoval 9 Ramon Ramos 9 Adam Baltz 9 Luis Macias 9 Teresa Beckett 7 Raquel Diaz 7 Michele Marek 7 Patricio Gomez 6 Tim Ronga 6 Gabriel Mireles 6 Irene Wodzinski 6 Sharon Gribble 6 Arturo Ortega 6 Ronnie Jenkins 6 Ignacio Molina 5 Rocky Caylor 4 Dennis Jones 4 Jose Jacobo 4 Pedro Valles 4 James Schnur 3 Ramon Badea 3 Erwin Ancheta 3 Jose Espinosa 3 Antonio Crespo 3 Taulafoga Faalave 2 George Smith 2 Juan Avina 2 Richard Nielsen 2 Adalberto Franco 2 Edith Ron 2 Sheila Anne Pajarillo 2 Daniel Craig 2 Jeffrey Guthman 2 Jayne Pakosta 2 Ray Molina 2 Claudia Molina 2 Crystal Muller 2 Danielle Perri 2 Pedro Escanio 2 Paul Trippett 1 Brian Teofilo 1 Alejandro Garcia 1 Juan Salazar 1 Luis Santizo 1 Rebecca Barry 1 Michael Smolik 1

Getting to know you…Questions for Gabe Mireles by Linda Godinez Aug/Sept 2008

September Anniversaries

LG: What is your full name? GM: Gabe Anthony Mireles LG: Where are you originally from? GM: Born in Alhambra, CA. Lived in San Gabriel, CA (All my life) LG: How long have you been with The Custom Companies, Inc.? GM: It will be 6 years in August. LG: How long have you been in the Transportation Industry? GM: 29 years. LG: What do you do on your time off? GM: Work out at the gym. I also work out for Masters Track and Field all year long. LG: What is your favorite movie? GM: Hard Times (Charles Bronson is my favorite actor.) LG: What is your favorite dish to cook? GM: Enchiladas LG: What kind of music do you listen to? GM: All music, but I love Rock-n-Roll. LG: What is your favorite color and why? GM: Blue, because of the clear blue skies and ocean water LG: What is the last concert you went to? GM: Tierra, War, El Chicano. Great concert! One of my school buddies was the lead guitarist for El Chicano. LG: What kind of problems do you see on the dock? GM: There are always small and big problems in the trucking business but being a good supervisor makes it a challenge to correct. LG: If you can improve one thing on the dock what would you do? GM: There’s always room for improvement but we at Custom have a good system! We just have to constantly keep up with the system we have every minute, everyday. LG: If you could have a dream job, what would it be? GM: At my age (60) my dream job has gone by. But I don’t regret anything! I had a great life with all my jobs but being a gym coach at the high school level would be my dream job. LG: If you could have a dream vacation, where would you go? GM: All of the Hawaiian Islands LG: Where do you see yourself in 5 years? GM: Sitting in the stands watching my grandchildren playing sports. I’ll be 3 years re- tired. LG: How do you do at the track? GM: Being a good handicapper I do fairly well, but I do feed the barn at times! LG: What kind of job did you do before you joined us? GM: The last 29 years I’ve been a dock worker or Supervisor. I have made the full cir- cle. LG: How did you celebrate Father’s Day? GM: I celebrated in Arleta with my 3 daughters, my son & my 4 grandchildren. It’s al ways great when I’m with them. This is what I live for…. LG: What do you think of your crew? GM: The crew is only as good as his Supervisor. I give 150% and my crew does the same. I have made great friends as well.

Kevin Mindak 16

Glenn Castillo 16

Paul Loizon 14

Todor Kalemov 12

John Skiba 10

Brad Phanthachith 9

Luis Tirado 9

Julio Renteria 8

Darrell Nelson 7

Gregory Kulasa 6

Miguel Zaragoza 5

Francisco Huerta 5

Thomas Stump 5

Randall Dumas 5

Pete Dobrzynski 4

Steven Lamczyk 2

Arturo Magana 2

Osmond Joseph 2

Ivan Aguirre 2

Jennifer Rueda 2

Manuel Contreras 2

Rigoberto Quintana 2

Stanley Jurasik 1

Moises Hernandez 1

Thomas Keegan 1

Jason Dragos 1

Louis Clemente 1

Jose Hernandez 1


August Birthdays

As part of the ISO 9001:2000 standard, one of the more important elements of this standard is in the area of Management Review of the quality system. This is not just something that The Custom Com-panies, Inc. does, it is something that is mandated by the standard. Everyone that is ISO certified has to do this. Here at The Custom Companies, Inc. we have documented within our procedures that we will, at a minimum, have one Management Review meeting annually. This meeting is attended by the managers, the vice presidents, and Mr. Perry Mandera. According to the ISO standard there are set criteria that have to be discussed in these reviews. They include topics like:

• Results of audits (Both internal and external)

• Customer feedback (Surveys, Claims, Recordable Issues)

• Process performance (Objectives and Goals)

• Status of Corrective and Preventive Actions (Open, closed, need time extensions)

• Follow ups to past Management Reviews (Effectiveness of actions from last meeting)

• Changes that affect the quality management system (Updates to documents/procedures)

• Recommendations for improvement to the system (Improvement suggestions, action plans)

The discussions taking place during these meetings result in outputs such as: • Improvements of the effectiveness of the Quality System and it’s processes

• Improvement of services related to our customer requirements

• Any resources needed

We keep formal minutes on these topics and they are available for review by the auditors. These min-utes become one of the pieces of objective evidence that they look for when determining the effec-tiveness of the quality management system. Participating in these meetings allows the Management Team of The Custom Companies, Inc. to define its plans for achieving total customer satisfaction. These meetings are the management’s check of the “pulse” of the ISO Quality Management System. -Rick Hinton

ISO Management Reviews

ISO QUESTION??? CONTACT RICK HINTON

HE IS ALWAYS EAGER AND WILLING TO ASSIST!

Timothy Gowin 8/1

Marc Inman 8/2

Martin Ramirez 8/3

Elias Sandoval 8/3

Crystal Muller 8/3

Consuelo Bernardo 8/3

Irene Baker 8/5

Luis Alva 8/6

Jose Gonzalez 8/9

Gregory Robinson 8/10

Craig Evans 8/11

George Tsoutsos 8/11

Robert Eldridge 8/13

Dennis Jones 8/15

Andrew McDonald 8/16

Franklin Osborne 8/17

Melchor Chavez 8/17

Robert Boyle 8/19

Eric Wiencek 8/21

David Ortiz 8/21

Michael Cruz 8/23

Danielle Pitsenberger 8/23

Jason Vasquez 8/25

Dale Burt 8/25

Brian Teofilo 8/29

Mary Reich 8/29

Manuel Contreras 8/31

September Birthdays

Jennifer Rueda 9/1

Durwin Ponton 9/2

Steve Laue 9/4

Matthew Foley 9/5

Sara Lopez 9/5

Evaristo Cerrillos 9/6

Armando Ramirez 9/7

Maria Cortez 9/7

Ruben Calvo 9/7

Andrzej Fronk 9/8

Sidney Chung 9/8

Shirley Bandaly 9/8

Alonzo Blanco 9/9

Jose Rodriguez 9/9

Taulafoga Faalave 9/9

Anthony Beltrano 9/10

Seferino Arias 9/10

Marie Huff 9/10

Peter Grau 9/11

Stephen Gatbunton 9/12

Angel Centeno 9/12

Bruce Lenau 9/13

Raul Gallardo 9/13

Michael Kelso 9/14

Jeffrey Dayton 9/14

Steven Cruz 9/15

Arturo Abasta 9/16

Martin Bolanos 9/17

William Ehrl 9/20

Fausto Rodriguez 9/22

Billy Hudson 9/22

Steven Carnana 9/23

Walter Gustafson 9/25

Raymond Espinili 9/25

Cletus Janik 9/26

Rob Catanese 9/28

Dubravko Stiplosek 9/28

Miguel Zaragoza 9/29

Alfonso Lopez 9/29

Wojciech Glowacki 9/30

Aug/Sept 2008

As the old adage goes……..there are only 2 seasons in the Chicago area, “Winter and Under Construction”. Construction Season for most drivers triggers thoughts of traffic congestion, delays, frustration and stressful mornings and evenings. Additional caution and safe travel should be included in those thoughts. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) statistics show that almost 30 percent of all work zone crashes involve large trucks. The different types of construction zone collisions and some of the most common are merging, rear end, and head on collisions. In the year 2005 there were 1,074 fatalities. 235 of those occurences involved a large truck. The majority of the work zone fatali-ties involving large trucks happened during the day, on weekdays, during the summer and fall seasons. Almost 90 percent of these fatal accidents occurred on straight roads. Speed & Space Speed is one of the factors often cited in the work zone-related crashes. Though important in all driving situations, speed and space management takes on even more importance in a work zone where there is less time and room to react to a dangerous situation. FHWA estimates that the stopping distance required for a large truck, traveling as 55 mph, is almost 50 percent greater than that needed for a car.

These estimates are for an 80,000 pound, loaded tractor-trailer and a mid-sized passenger car traveling on a dry, level road. Keep in mind that weather and road conditions can have an effect on stopping distances. Night Driving Caution should always be used when driving at night, but its importance is greater when traveling in a work zone at night. Practice defensive driving skills and never over drive the vehicle’s headlights. Over driving the head lights may lead to the vehicle leaving the road. Fines & Penalties As well as being dangerous, speeding or committing other traffic violations can be costly for a driver and his/her company. About two-thirds of all states impose fines for speeding in work zones that are twice the amount of a fine for a speeding violation in a non-work zone. Several states also impose fines for other traffic violations in work zones that are twice the amount of a fine for a violation in a non-work zone. As well as monetary penalties, about half dozen states impose sentences of jail time and/or community service to those convicted of speeding and/or moving violations in work zones. Safety Tips A driver should approach a work zone the same way he/she approaches any other adverse driving condition. A driver traveling through a work zone should:

Slow down Stay alert Minimize distractions Dedicate full attention to the roadway Follow the posted speed limit Reduce speed to well below the posted limit in adverse conditions Not change lanes unless absolutely necessary Avoid sudden lane changes Not tailgate Expect sudden stops Use the lane furthest from the work zone when possible Pay attention to all posted signs Obey road crew flaggers (they have the same authority as a regulatory sign-you can be cited for disobeying direc-

tions) Keep up with the traffic flow Merge as soon as possible - don’t drive right up to the lane closure and then try to barge in Use headlights and/or four-way flashers when traveling at slow speeds or if stopped in traffic Schedule enough time to safely make the trip Stay informed on current conditions Be patient Stay calm If possible, use an alternate route.

Remember always that surviving the “Under Construction” season in Chicago takes patience and good driving practices. The season is here to stay so let us welcome the season by always practicing defensive driving skills.

-Tony Crespo

Speed (mph)

Car Truck40 mph 110 15055 mph 210 32565 mph 310 520

Estimated Total Stopping Distance

(feet)

The Unknown Chicago Season

The Custom Communicator CUSTOM ASSOCIATES IN ACTION

Juan Mata—CHI Collections Associate

Janette Fernandez‐CHI Claims Associate

Andy McDonald‐CHI Controller‐CDN

Sharon Zych‐CHI AR/Billing/Collections

Dorland Henderson‐CHI Exec. Admin. Assistant

Ten Tips For Maintaining Proper Hydration With the hot weather months approaching and throughout the year, these ten tips can help to keep you feeling better and you will be taking care of yourself at the same time! • Follow conventional wisdom — drink at least eight, eight‐ounce servings of water each day.

The more time you spend outside, the more water you need to replenish lost fluids • Don’t wait until you’re thirsty to drink water. By the time you feel thirsty, you probably have

already lost two or more cups of your total body water. • Drink plenty of water throughout the day. Convenience is a must, so carry a bottle of water

with you as you commute to work, run errands or enjoy the day at the beach. • Don’t substitute caffeinated coffees, teas and soda for water. Caffeine acts as a diuretic, caus‐

ing you to lose water through increased urination. Alcoholic beverages have a similar effect. • If finding time to drink water is a problem, keep a bottle of water on your desk or visit the of‐

fice water cooler and take a water break rather then a coffee break. • Once you start exercising, don’t stop drinking. Keep a bottle of water with you and take fre‐

quent water breaks. • Don’t underestimate the amount of fluids lost from perspiration. You need to drink two cups

of water for each pound lost following a workout. • Start and end your day with a serving of water. Your body loses water while you sleep. So

drink a serving before bed and again when you wake up. • Don’t forget that common maladies such as colds and the flu can frequently lead to dehydra‐

tion. Keep a large bottle of water next to your bed so you can sip it throughout the night with‐out having to get up.

• Remember that when its warm outside, cold water, not carbonated soft drinks or sport drinks, is the best fluid for keeping hydrated. Cool water is absorbed much more quickly than warm fluids and may have a positive effect on cooling off your overheated body.

September 11, 2001: A 2008 Perspective It has been confirmed that 624 Americans lost their lives on 9/11/01 with the number missing (and presumed dead) at 3,275. This vastly surpasses our other great national tragedy on our home soil, Pearl Harbor, which cost 2,400 American lives. It is on this day that we remember the emergency workers, Fire Fighters, Police, and ordinary citizens of New York that suffered so greatly in this devastating terrorist attack, and all the victims of the tragedy, whether alive or dead. No matter one’s politics, religious beliefs, values, or opinion of how our Country is being managed, either domes‐tically or internationally, our strength is, and has always been, OUR PEOPLE, working together for a common goal to insure that our life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness is not usurped by any foreign power. As terrorist attacks continue across the World, we must give supreme thanks that due to the actions of the brave individuals on 9/11, as well as the dramatic increase in security since that point; we have not had a re‐occurrence. While our 2008 economy may appear bleak in comparison to what existed just before 9/11, it is important to remember that while many costs, most notably fuel, continue to escalate dramatically, our costs are considerably lower than many other forefront industrial nations. With fuel prices tipping $10.00 per gallon in Europe, we must again keep a clear vision that no matter how bleak the current outlook may appear; things can always be worse. While many “Holidays” are generally considered celebratory, keep in mind the disheartening reality that each and every “Holiday” that we celebrate has an incredibly tragic history. It is only after time has passed that we can use the fear and anger that comes with a severe tragedy such as September 11 and celebrate, in the truest sense of the word, that we as a country are stronger because of the incredible resolve shown by all affected. The only thing that is certain in these uncertain times is that the United States will continue to live long and pros‐per thanks to it’s unique make‐up of working people, who, just like those Managers and Associates who make up our top tier Company, believe that TOGETHER, WE CAN MAKE IT HAPPEN!

‐George Smith

H.R. CORNER Human Resources has just launched a new program we call ASK an Expert. Once a month associates are invited to a 30 minute seminar conducted by experts in various fields regarding important issues in the workplace. Hourly associates punch out for lunch and attend the seminar where refreshments may be served. There is a Questions and Answers session at the end of each presentation. The feedback has been very positive regarding this program. Our first Expert was Joseph Nosek, a Vice President from Chase Bank who presented the sub‐ject Identity Theft. If you would like a hard copy of the Identity Theft Power Point presenta‐tion, please contact me. Any suggestions for future seminar subjects, please contact the Hu‐man Resource Department. ‐ Tom Kennedy

CUSTOM ASSOCIATES IN ACTION

Protection Using Vegetables If you're planning to spend time in the sun this summer, it may be a good idea to add lots of salads to your diet. Research finds that tomatoes, green peppers, carrots and spring onions can all offer protection against a wide variety of cancers as well as protecting against sunburn and prematurely aging skin. Many fruits and vegetables are rich in lycopene or carotenoids, and both can provide some important health benefits. Carotenoids are the dark yellow and red micronutrients that give many fruits and vegetables their color. They protect against in-flammation, skin aging, photosensitivity and some skin cancers. The carotenoids in tomatoes, peppers and pomegranates are widely distributed in the epidermal and dermal layers of the skin after they're digested. In the skin they help to absorb the light, act as antioxidants and have an anti-inflammatory response to sunburn. They act by increasing the circulation of the blood to the skin and thus its nutrition. The better skin nutrition the less its scaliness and roughness, and more improved its thickness and hydration. Eating apples, as fresh as possible, every day and tomatoes as well as onions and garlic are an easy way to help protect you. Pomegranate juice also gets a high rating. Lycopene, a powerful antioxidant, receives approval from several researchers. When lycopene is extracted from tomatoes, rather than from other substances, it con-tains two other naturally occurring carotenoids. These provide the necessary synergistic reaction that has an influence on a large number of other cancers, including, impor-tantly, prostate and breast cancer.

By the way, lycopene is more available in cooked tomatoes than in raw ones, so nutri-tionists say we shouldn't be afraid to put an extra dab of red sauce on the pasta. Tomato juice is also beneficial. In simple terms, “Eat Your Vegetables” and if you are in the sun, “Use Sunscreen.”

Truckload Associates‐LAX (l to r) James Ayers, Lydia Lopez, Rick Buloan

Dispatch Associates‐ LAX (l to r) Ivan Aguirre, German Delgado

Gabriel Mireles‐LAX 1st Shift dock Supervisor

Chris Moran‐LAX 3rd Shift Dock Associate

Aug/Sept 2008


February 2008 MVP Winners

Dock Associate

Jose Gualito

Office Associate

Matt Zdych

Driver Associate

Pete Grau

As I sit here waiting for the second half of the annual hate-fest that is called the Cross-town Classic I was hoping that there would be a different outcome for my White Sox. OK, good for you CUB’s fans. (Editor’s note: The Sox got even the following weekend) It made me reflect on the intensity of the Chicago rivalry. I grew up in Chicago and know that Chicago is a great sports town (even if we have not always had great sports teams). The passion with which Chicagoans embrace their teams is as great as anywhere in the country. And the rivalry between Chicago and some of its opponents is leg-endary. I have always said of the Bears, if we can’t win the Super Bowl let them win at least two games: one in Green Bay and one in Chicago against Green Bay. Somehow I know that they say the same thing on the other side of enemy lines. I started to think how Chicago teams have actually fared against their fiercest foes. Plus I also found a rivalry that I’m sure our LAX team knows about. Chicago Bears vs. Green Bay Packers As any Chicagoan will tell you, this is the Granddaddy of them all. The first time we played Green Bay was on November 27, 1921. Da Bears won that one 20 to zip. The last meeting was December 23, 2007, yea; we won that one also 35 to 7. The Bears next victory over the Packers will be November 16, 2008. The Bears have played 175 games vs. the Packers and lead the series 90 to 79 with 6 ties. I guess in the effort of journalism integrity I should point out that the Packers have been in 4 Super Bowls to the Bears 2, and the Packers had the longest winning streak of 10 straight wins against the Bears (1994-1998) Chicago Cubs vs. St Louis Cardinals The rivalry is also known as the I-55 series, deriving its name from the roadway connecting the two cities, Interstate 55. The Cubs lead the all-time series 1,138-1,074 through May 4, 2008, while the Cardinals lead in National League pennants with 17 against the Cub’s 10. They also have a clear edge when it comes to World Series successes, having won 10 championships to the Cub’s 2. Cardinals-Cubs games in recent years have been standing room only in either St. Louis' Busch Stadium or Chicago's Wrigley Field. Chicago Cubs vs. Chicago White Sox The Cubs-White Sox Rivalry is also known as the Cross-town Classic. The Chicago Cubs of the National League play their home games at Wrigley Field located on the city's North side, while the Chicago White Sox of the American League play their home games at U.S. Cellular Field (once known as Comiskey Park) on the city's South Side. The terms "North Siders" and "South Siders" are synonymous with the respective teams and their fans. As of June 27, 2008, the Cubs lead the all-time series 33-30. There have been five series sweeps since interleague play began: four by the Cubs in 1998, 2004, 2007, and 2008, and one by the White Sox in 1999. (Editor’s note: make that 2 sweeps now) The two Chicago teams met once in the 1906 World Series, a cele-brated event that seemingly put the city on hold for a full week. The heavily favored but young Cubs (who had won 116 games in the regular season) lost in six games to the veteran and pitching-strong White Sox, "The Hitless Wonders." The next time the White Sox will beat the Cubs in the World Series could be 2008. Chicago Blackhawks vs. Detroit Red Wings The Chicago Black Hawks joined the NHL in 1926. They were founded by coffee tycoon Frederic McLaughlin. Most of the Hawk’s original players came from the Portland Rosebuds of the Western Canada Hockey League, which had folded the previous sea-son. The Blackhawks have played the Red Wings 635 times winning 239 and losing 317 games. The Blackhawks have not won the Cup since 1961. This is the longest drought of any current NHL team. This even with Custom’s own LAX Sales Rep, Murray Bannerman, who sits fifth on the Blackhawk’s all-time goalie list with 116 wins. He finished with a 3.83 GAA and over 1,600 minutes played in a Chi-cago jersey. Bannerman is also fourth on the all-time Blackhawk’s goaltender playoff statistics list with 20 wins and 40 games played. Los Angeles Lakers vs. Boston Celtics OK, one for LA. The Lakers and Celtics have met 11 times in the NBA Finals. That's more times than any other team has even made the finals. 1959: This series marked the first time the two teams met for the NBA title, and it was the first of Boston's eight straight championships. That said, it kind of doesn't count. First of all, the Lakers were still based in Minneapolis. Second, other than Rookie of the Year Elgin Baylor, the Lakers roster was filled with largely forgettable characters like Vern Mikkelsen, Dick Garmaker, Larry Foust and Hot Rod Hundley, who's better known for what he's done as a broadcaster than anything he accomplished in the NBA. The Celtics, meanwhile, had Bill Russell, Bob Cousy, Bill Sharman, Tommy Heinsohn, Sam Jones, Frank Ramsey, K.C. Jones — Hall of Famers every one. The Celtics have won an NBA best 16 titles, the Lakers have won 14; and Boston beat the Lakers in nine of the eleven times they've met.

-Jeff Guthman

Custom’s Sport Corner

NASCAR by the numbers – NASCAR stands for National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing NASCAR races often draw larger crowds than the Super Bowl, the NBA Finals and a World Series game combined. ½ - Miles of the shortest Tracks (Bristol & Martinsville) 2.1 - Billions of dollars in licensed sales annually 2.3 - The approximate miles per gallon a NASCAR car gets 2.66 - Miles of longest Track (Talladega) 7 - Number of championships won by Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt, Sr. 7.6 - Millions of dollars won in 2007 by the Champion Jimmie Johnson 13.2 - The average seconds it takes to change 4 tires and fill it with gas 15 - The gallons of gas one car holds 19 - Number of states NASCAR races in 22 - Number of different tracks 37 - Number of races in a season 150 - Number of countries that races are televised in weekly 262 - Total number of wins by the Petty’s (Richard - 200, Lee - 54 and Kyle- 8) 800 - The Horsepower in one motor 1948 - The year NASCAR Started

-Rick Hinton

March 2008 MVP Winners

Dock Associate

Miguel Zaragoza

Office Associate

Tim Gowin

Driver Associate

Pete Grau

Custom’s Sport Corner

Fishing Tip: Subtle changes in presentation can bring surprising results. In a recent tournament, I moved from 7th place at the conclusion of the first day to finish in 2nd place by dipping the claws of my plastic craw in orange dye. This slightly different presentation helped me out-fish most of the field. Recipe: Simple Bluegill Chowder

1 can potato soup Pint of milk Fresh minced onion 1 tsp parsley Salt and pepper Bluegill fillets

Dilute the can of potato soup with a pint of milk; heat to just simmering. Add fresh minced onions (to taste) and a level teaspoon of parsley. Simmer until onions are transparent. Add salt and pepper to suit. Add your bluegill filets (do not allow to boil). Stew until fillets become translucent. Upcoming Season Openers: Squirrel - August 1st Dove - September 1st Canada Geese (early season) - September 1st Teal – September 8th Rail – September 8th Common Snipe – September 8th

- Eric Pocius

Aug/Sept 2008

QMS Quality Counts Quiz Winners The Custom Communicator

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 a chance to win five, ten or even twenty QMS Bucks! The winners for June are: June ORD Winners: June LAX Winners: Dock Dock 1st Place Stephen Coffey 1st Place Herbert Aquino 2nd Place Victor Gurrola 2nd Place Carlos Bernabe Vasquez 3rd Place Elias Sandoval 3rd Place Art Magana Drivers Drivers 1st Place Earl Hahn 1st Place Greg Robinson 2nd Place Tom Stump 2nd Place Tim Ronga 3rd Place Gregory Kulasa 3rd Place Arturo Ortega Office Office 1st Place Pat Gomez 1st Place Araceli Arballo 2nd Place Laura Montanez 2nd Place Lillian Myers 3rd Place Paul Loizon 3rd Place Jose Melchor Be sure to hang on to your QMS Bucks and accumulate them for prizes in the prize catalog. Additional QMS Quality Counts Quizzes are currently scheduled at the beginning of each month.

April 2008 MVP Winners

Dock Associate

Stephen Coffey

Office Associate

Matt Zdych

Driver Associate

Pete Grau

Hello everyone! Team QMS wanted to post a quick note to thank everyone for participating in our monthly quizzes this year. We have been receiving great participation from all areas of the opera‐tion and from each location. Thru July 1st we have awarded over $1,000 in QMS Bucks to all the participants. The most popular awards being redeemed so far have been for restaurant gift cards, but gas cards are definitely catching up in popularity. Remember that when you play, you get at least $1 QMS Buck just for participating, and as most know, it is adding up to allow you to cash them in for some great gifts. As a special bonus at the end of August we will be issuing a $50 gift card for the best cumulative score of all quizzes so far. So with a little something extra on the line this month it makes partici‐pating that much more important.

We look forward to your continued participation. Good luck everyone!

Your QMS Plus Team Adam Baltz, Bob Boyle, Bruce Lenau, Carol Guarino, Clete Janik, Dianna Ryan, Donna Robinson, Dorland Henderson, Erwin Ancheta, James Ayers, Janette Fernandez, Jeff Guthman, Jennifer Rueda, Maria Cortez, Michele Marek, Rick Hinton, Sarah Szymanski, Walt Gustafson

Grilled Flank Steak with Grilled Caramelized Onions Makes 3-4 servings

1 pound beef flank steak

1 tablespoon olive oil

3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 tablespoon finely chopped shallot

2 medium cloves garlic, finely chopped or minced

2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary, thyme or combination of both

¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

Salt and Pepper

Grilled Caramelized Onions (below), if desired

Make cuts about 1/2 inch apart and 1/4 inch deep in diamond pattern in both sides of beef. Mix remaining

ingredients except onions. Place beef in shallow glass or plastic dish. Pour marinade over beef; turn beef to

coat with marinade. Refrigerate about 2 hours. Remove beef from marinade; discard excess garlic and shallot

pieces. Place beef on grill rack. Cover and grill about 4-5 minutes. Turn beef; cover and grill about 4 minutes

longer for medium doneness. Season beef with salt and pepper. Slice beef across grain at slanted angle into

thin slices. Serve with Grilled Caramelized Onions.

Grilled Caramelized Onions Makes about 1 cup

2 medium or 1 large onion, sliced

2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary leaves, if desired

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Place all ingredients in square of heavy-duty aluminum foil; seal. Place foil pouch on grill rack. Grill 4 to 6

inches from medium coals about 15 minutes, turning frequently.

Shrimp on a Stick A simple skewer recipe for some extra goodies on your hot grill. 1. Peel, devein, and rinse the shrimp, then place them in a bowl with the olive oil and garlic. Add the breadcrumbs and toss until the shrimp are evenly coated. 2. Thread the shrimp onto skewers, then grill them over me-dium heat for about 2 minutes per side, or until they are opaque in the center and the crumb coating begins to brown. 3. Transfer them to a platter and remove the skewers. Squeeze on some lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste. Serve plain or with dipping sauce.

INGREDIENTS: 1 pound uncooked medium shrimp 1/4 cup olive oil 2 garlic cloves, chopped 1/2 cup seasoned breadcrumbs 1/2 lemon salt and pepper to taste

INGREDIENTS: 3 pounds red potatoes 2 tablespoons plus 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons salt 1 ripe avocado, peeled 2 teaspoons grated lime zest Juice of 2 limes (about 1/2 cup) 2 garlic cloves, crushed 1/2 cup chopped cilantro 2 tablespoons mayon-naise 2 celery stalks, sliced

1. In a large pot, cover the potatoes with cold water. Add the 2 tablespoons of salt and bring the pota-toes to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes or until you can pierce them eas-ily with a paring knife. Drain them in a colander and allow to cool. 2. Meanwhile, puree the avocado, lime zest and juice, garlic, cilantro, may-onnaise, and remaining salt in a food processor until smooth. If the dress-ing seems too thick, add a tablespoon or so of hot water. 3. Cut the potatoes into bite-size chunks (leave the skins on) and place them in a large bowl with the celery. Scrape in the dressing with a rubber spatula and gently stir it all together. Serve imme-diately, or cover and chill.

ZESTY POTATO SALAD This recipe combines two summer favorites in one: avocado makes the dress-ing super creamy with only the tiniest addition of mayo. But beware -- it's so addic-tively luscious and tangy that it's bound to end your life-long love affair with regular picnic potato salad.

Pesto Shrimp and Bean Salad

1 (16 ounce) package frozen cooked shrimp 1 (9 ounce) container basil pesto 1/2 cup plain yogurt 1 (15 ounce) can butter beans 1 (15 ounce) can cannellini beans 1 (15 ounce) can Great Northern beans 1 green bell pepper, chopped 1 red bell pepper, chopped 1 orange bell pepper, chopped 1 pint cherry tomatoes

Place shrimp in a colander and place under cold running water for 3 minutes to thaw. Remove tails from shrimp if necessary. In large bowl, combine pesto and yogurt and mix well. Drain beans and rinse, drain again. Add to pesto mixture along with shrimp and remaining ingredients. Stir gently to coat. Serve immediately or cover and chill for up to 2 days.

What did the tractor say to the

trailer? "Hey, you wanna

hook up?"

Aug/Sept 2008

The Custom Cares Charities, Inc. Below is a list of charities that The Custom Companies, Inc. donates to. These are the ones that will be listed on the yellow East wall in the back of the training center. The group for the charities is “The Custom Cares Charities, Inc.” – This will be at the center of the wall.

Charities:


August Holidays

1‐Sister Day 3‐Kids Day 13‐Left Handers Day August Weeks: 8/1 ‐ 8/7 Breastfeeding Week 8/1‐ 8/7 Clown Week 8/1‐ 8/7 Simplify Your Life Week 8/11‐8/17 Smile Week 8/25‐8/31 National Bowling Week

August is also known as: American Artist Apprecia‐tion Month Cataract Awareness Month Catfish Month Eye Exam Month Golf Month Immunization Awareness Month Inventors Month Romance Awareness Month Spinal Muscular Atrophy

The Walter and Connie Payton Foundation American Red Cross Walk for Life Boys & Girls Clubs of America MDA SADD St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital Kids for Kids MADD Aids Research Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Make A Wish Foundation Cystic Fibrosis Rainbows Hurricane Katrina Relief Efforts California Wild Fire Relief Efforts The American Cancer Society Misericordia Women’s Auxiliary

Illinois Special Olympics The Friends of Jaclyn Foundation Ann’s Hope Foundation for Melanoma Susan G Komen Foundation Avon Walk for Breast Cancer Y‐ME National Breast Cancer Organization Boy Scouts of America Girl Scouts of America YMCA YWCA Gary’s Place for Kids Jason McKie Foundation Arthritis Walk Leukemia Research Foundation The American Heart Association WDSRA Foundation Erin’s Handicapped Children’s Foundation The Hamilton Cancer Fund

Fact Or

Fiction?

Cartoon by Jorge Escobar

If you see one of these, DO NOT PULL IT! We did this once, it’s really very loud!

September Holidays

1‐Labor Day 7‐Grandparents Day 11‐ 911 Day 17‐Citizenships Day 19‐POW/MIA Recognition Day 19‐Talk like a Pirate Day 22‐ 1st Day of Autumn 9/8‐9/12 National Payroll Week 9/7‐9/13 Assisted Living Week 9/7‐9/14 Suicide Preven‐tion Week 9/13‐9/21 Constitution Week 9/20‐9/28Deaf Awareness Week 9/20‐9/28 Dog Week 9/27‐10/4 Banned Books Week September is also known as: Apple Month Chicken Month Classical Music Month Coupon Month Hispanic Heritage Month Jazz Month Honey Month Little League Month Marriage Health Month Mushroom Month Rice Month School Success Month Self Improvement Month Sewing Month Tiger Month Women of Achievement Month

The Origins of Citizenship/Constitution Day September 17, 2008

The Historical purpose of this holiday is to honor both native‐born and naturalized foreign‐born citi‐zens of our nation. Randolph Hearst, in the year 1939, gave this day national prominence through his chain of daily newspapers throughout the United States when a grass‐roots movement began which sought to recognize newly created American citizens. The following year, 1940, the Congress of the United States officially designated the third Sunday in May as “I am an American Day.” There are many cities in our nation that continue to recognize this date, however, President Harry Truman, on February 29, 1952, signed a bill establishing September 17 as Citizenship Day, replacing the May observance and moving the date to the same exact date that the U.S. Constitution was signed in 1787. The stated purpose of the bill was to give national recognition to those who had become American Citizens during the preceding year. It is important to remember that not only does this date celebrate our naturalized citizens, but also celebrates our Constitution.

‐ George Smith

How Labor Day Came to Be… Now, more than one hundred years after the observance of the first Labor Day, doubt still exists as to who first proposed and is responsible for this uniquely American Holiday. 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”. But a number of historians have challenged this history, maintaining it was Matthew (not Peter J.) Maguire, a machinist, who was the real founder of the holiday. The most recent historical research seems to support Matthew’s claim to fame citing it was he, who later became the secretary of Local 344 of the International Association of Machinists in Patterson, NJ, that 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 Labor Union adopted a Labor Day proposal and appointed a committee to plan a demonstra‐tion and a picnic. The very first Labor Day celebration occurred on Tuesday, September 5, 1882 in New York City, in accor‐dance 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 municipal ordinances passed during 1885 and 1886. From this source a momentum built to introduce a “Labor Day” bill to the New York State Legisla‐ture. However, in point of fact, it was 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 mak‐ing the first Monday in September of each year a legal holiday. The founder and long serving president of the American Federation of Labor, Mr. Samuel Gompers, described this uniquely American 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… Labor Day…is devoted to no man, living or dead, to no sect, race, or nation.” Labor Day, all agree, is a unique creation of the American labor movement and is dedicated 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. ‐ George Smith

Aug/Sept 2008

TRIPMASTER TRAVEL and TOURS

1319 N. 12TH Avenue Melrose Park, IL 60160 (708) 344-7515 local (800) 344-7582 toll free (708) 344-7585 fax [email protected]

Celebrating 29 years this June. We are a full service travel agency.

Contact Joe Sarlo for your Corporate/Business Travel needs including Air, Hotel, Car Rental, Meeting Space or

Convention Arrangements. Contact Marilyn Sarlo for your vacation Travel Needs. She Specializes in Cruise Vacation Packages anywhere in the

World. Group, Meetings, Conventions or Family Reunions.

Contact us to receive our monthly newsletter for the latest in the Travel Industry!

Financing provided by PHH Home Loans, LLC. 3000 Leadenhall Rd., MT. Laurel, NJ 08054. Illinois Residential Licensee. Some

restrictions apply: contact us for details

The Custom Communicator The Custom Communicator Page 16

Tony Crespo Matt Foley

Linda Godinez Carol Guarino

Rick Hinton Thomas Kennedy Steven Lamczyk

Bruce Lenau Claudia Molina

Tom Mroz Eric Pocius

Jennifer Rueda George Smith

Daniela Trevino

317 W. Lake Street Northlake, IL 60164

Phone: 708-338-8888 Fax: 708-338-9550 E-mail: [email protected]

The Custom Companies, Inc.

The Full Service Transportation Company

www.customco.com

Newsletter Committee Members

Contributions By Jorge Escobar Jeff Guthman

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 relationship. Our customer service center is just a phone call away to provide a rate quote, track a shipment, schedule a pickup or access accurate documentation. In today’s fast paced environment, we work to provide transportation solutions that fit every economic situation. 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.

Helping finance your dreams! Providing quality information,

options and service.

Call Steve MolitorCall Steve Molitor

Residential Lending (847) 686-3700

The Winking Dog ¼ lb Cheeseburger, Fries & Small Drink

$3.68 Valid thru 8/31/08

The Winking Dog Italian Sausage,

Fries & Small Drink

$ 3.68 Valid thru 8/31/08

The Winking Dog 6” American or Italian

Sub & Small Drink

$3.68 Valid thru 8/31/08

THE WINKING DOG 100 E. NORTH AVE

NORTHLAKE, IL (708) 531-1379 ph (708) 531-1382 fax

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