Industry Awareness Update

Jeremy Spencer

James Chason

MHEDA Awards Two Scholarships
MHEDA awarded two students with $4,000 Material Handling Equipment Distributors Association Honor Scholarships for the 2008-2009 academic term. Jeremy Spencer is set to graduate from East Carolina University in December with a BS in Industrial Engineering Technology with a concentration in Systems Engineering/Military Science. A current member of the Army National Guard, he took a year off from school to serve his country in Operation Iraqi Freedom II. University of Tennessee senior James Chason has a 3.98 GPA in Logistics with a concentration in International Business. While interning at Kimberly Clark’s transportation headquarters, he worked with the management of raw materials volume international transportation.

MHEDA's Industry Advocacy Committee scholarship fund was established in 2005 to further the awareness and recognition of the material handling industry within the academic community. Each year, it is awarded to worthy students enrolled in a related industry discipline. To make a donation to this fund, visit this page.

Omaha High School Introduces Industry Curriculum
William Jennings Bryan High School in Omaha, NE, implemented a new Transportation, Distribution and Logistics (TDL) program to introduce students to the industry. Rozanne Murphy, wife of MHEDA President-Elect Duncan Murphy and an administrator at the school, helped design the program. The TDL track features an intro course in 9th grade and additional courses such as Industrial Manufacturing and Maintenance, Computer Aided Design and Engineering. Students who complete the requirements will graduate with a certificate of completion that can be redeemed at community colleges for credit.

Ken Shaw III

Fred Hill and Son Adds MHEDA to Web Site
Fred Hill and Son Company (Philadelphia, PA) President Ken Shaw III incorporated a section about MHEDA into his company's Web site in an effort to promote both MHEDA and the benefits of hiring a MHEDA-member company. Shaw had already included the MHEDA logo on his Web site and decided that adding more information could be beneficial. "Why not give visitors a little more information and try to explain why there is an advantage working with a MHEDA distributor?" Shaw says. "I believe there is value for the end-user in working with a distributor that is a member of the association. Being an association member shows the level of interest a company has in their field." While Shaw is using MHEDA to promote his business, he also feels the business is promoting MHEDA. He says, "One of the Board's missions is to promote the relevance of our industry and to raise awareness." MHEDA encourages all members to promote the value of their membership by displaying the MHEDA logo proudly on their Web site and other printed material.

MHEDA Gateway Now Wide Open
Earlier this year, MHEDA launched its Gateway program. The purpose of the program is to build a bridge between students looking for a career in material handling and employers seeking bright young minds. It involves an online database where students can post resumes specifically for MHEDA members to view. Over the last 4 months, more than 90 job-seekers have posted their resumes to the database. Learn more about Gateway here.

Young Distribution Professionals Conference

On August 3-6 at Eaglewood Resort and Spa in Itasca, IL, MHEDA will be co-sponsoring the 2nd annual Young Distribution Professionals Conference along with nearly 40 other distribution associations. Designed for young career-oriented professionals with less than 10 years of experience, this live seminar will focus on career paths, leadership skills, time management techniques, among many other topics. For details and registration information, please call 847-680-3500 or visit this page. Space is very limited, so quick action is encouraged.

A Salute to Our Service Men and Women Are you or is one of your employees currently a member of the Armed Forces? Do you have any employees now serving a tour of duty? MHEDA wants to salute those who serve! Please fill out the form at this link to send MHEDA the name of someone who should be recognized.

Certified Handling Systems Under New Leadership (Salt Lake City, UT) • After 41 years in the business, Certified Handling Systems owners Marilyn & Gary Tang are retiring, leaving the company in the hands of their son, Curtis Ward, who takes over the CEO position effective June 15. “Curtis has proved himself to be a real whiz in his previous position as sales manager, and I am confident the company is in good hands,” Marilyn Tang says. Her grandchildren, Sean and Danielle Ward, also are joining the company. Sean is an outside sales representative and Danielle is a customer service representative.

(l-r) Pat Huebel (TMHU), Melinda Beckett-Maines (TMHU), Jennifer Boettcher (Arbor Day Foundation), and Nick Rush (Columbus Parks and Recreation)

Toyota Teams with Arbor Day Foundation (Columbus, IN) • More than 100 volunteers from Toyota Industrial Equipment Manufacturing Inc. (TIEM), Toyota Material Handling U.S.A., Inc. (TMHU), the Arbor Day Foundation and Columbus Parks and Recreation planted 100 trees at Lincoln and Noblitt Parks in Columbus, IN. Toyota is planting a tree for every lift truck sold this year.

Cascade Appoints Five New Executives (Fairview, OR) • Cascade Corporation now has fresh faces in several high-ranking positions. Andy Anderson was named senior vice president and COO. Joseph Pointer will step in as the CFO. Frank Altenhofen was named VP of Asia and Pete Drake is now VP of the Americas. Additionally, Davide Roncari was named managing director of Cascade Europe.

Tony Argue

MIT Names New VP (Dayton, OH) • Miami Industrial Trucks (MIT) named Tony Argue VP of sales and marketing. Argue began working for MIT in 1995 as an account manager, eventually holding positions as general sales manager and corporate sales manager.

MHEDA Members Receive Raymond Honors (Greene, NY) • The Raymond Corporation presented 8 MHEDA members with its highest performance award, Dealer of Distinction. The award-winning dealers are Arbor Material Handling (Willow Grove, PA), Associated Material Handling-North (Eagan, MN), Carolina Handling (Charlotte, NC), Heubel Material Handling (Kansas City, MO), Malin Integrated Handling Solutions and Design (Addison, TX), Pengate Handling Systems (York, PA), Raymond Handling Concepts Corporation (Fremont, CA) and Welch Equipment Company (Denver, CO).

The company also gave its Dealer of Merit award to 10 MHEDA members: Abel Womack (Lawrence, MA), Associated Material Handling-Central (Carol Stream, IL), Andersen & Associates (Twinsburg, OH), Brauer Material Handling Systems (Hendersonville, TN), Hooper Handling (Buffalo, NY), Raymond of New Jersey (Union, NJ), Raymond Handling Consultants (Lakeland, FL), Stoffel Equipment Company (Milwaukee, WI), Raymond Handling Solutions (Santa Fe Springs, CA) and Welch Equipment Company (Salt Lake City, UT).

Moore Named Indie Book Award Finalist (Denver, CO) • The Next Generation Indie Book Awards named Gary T. Moore as a finalist in its sales category for his book Objective Based Selling. The Indie Book Awards recognize and honor the most exceptional independently published books in 70 different categories, and are presented by the Independent Book Publishing Professionals Group in conjunction with Marilyn Allen of Allen O'Shea Literary Agency. To order a copy of Moore’s book, visit this page.

Boston Rack Earns Award (North Easton, MA) • The Boston Business Journal honored Boston Rack with its Pace Setters Award, recognizing the company as one of the fastest-growing privately held companies in the Greater Boston region. Also, Boston Rack moved its Southern regional headquarters to a larger, more modern facility in Roswell, GA, and is making efforts to increase its presence in Puerto Rico. Boston Rack also hired Asha Shamdasani as marketing coordinator for the company’s six branches and Nicole Palmer as sales and project manager for the California branch.

Michael J. Berns

Wildeck Promotes Berns (Waukesha, WI) • Wildeck promoted Michael J. Berns, CPA, to chief financial officer. Berns joined Wildeck in 1993 and has served as accounting manager, assistant controller and controller. Wildeck President Keith Pignolet says, "The company has experienced consistent growth and profitability under Mike’s leadership, and we look forward to continuing this strong performance in the years to come."

New Employees at Badger ToyotaLift (New Berlin, WI) • Badger ToyotaLift hired two new employees. Jerry Gresk joins the company as a new and used lift truck salesperson, and Ross Lillge comes on board as the new lift truck sales representative.

Are You Eligible for Propane Tax Credits? • "Material handling distributors and their customers may be eligible for a tax credit for using propane gas," says Supplier/Associate member Teig Lawrence of Fuel Tax Credit Group. The federal government recently passed a law that rewards business, government and non-profit organizations for use of propane in off-highway motor vehicles such as forklifts, airport tugs and motorboats. The incentive equates to 50 cents per gallon used and is available for use from October 1, 2006, through September 1, 2009.