THIS MONTH AT CONTROLTEK
EMPLOYEE NEWSLETTER
September 2026
AUGUST SALES CHAMPION
🏆
Congratulations, Brian! His hard work, strong customer focus, and consistent drive to deliver results continue to make a difference for our team and our customers. We appreciate the energy, dedication, and commitment you bring to CONTROLTEK every day. Congratulations on this well-deserved recognition, Brian, and keep up the great work!
🎉
CONTROLTEK BOOK CLUB Thank you to everyone who joined us for our first Energy Bus book club session! We had a great conversation covering Chapters 1–12. One takeaway worth remembering: we may not be able to control everything that happens around us, but we can control the energy and attitude we bring with us. Please join us for our next 45-minute book club session on October 13 at 1:30 p.m. We’ll cover Chapters 13–24, exploring the importance of getting people on your bus, creating positive energy, navigating negativity and building a team that is moving in the same direction.
1.
UPDATES FROM THE TEAM FINANCE/HR The Finance and HR team remains focused on operational excellence, supporting growth initiatives, and continuing to strengthen processes across the organization. As we head into the final quarter of the year, we appreciate the team's continued dedication and collaboration and remain focused on supporting our teams and customers.
TECHNOLOGY As we continue to grow our RFID solutions, we want to make sure everyone at CONTROLTEK understands the technology we’re bringing to market and how it helps our customers. Today, we’re sharing a closer look at ReconIQ™, one of the newest additions to our RFID ecosystem. ReconIQ is a portable RFID solution designed to take retail investigations beyond the store. It gives asset protection and law enforcement teams a discreet way to scan for RFID-tagged merchandise in the field, helping identify products that may be connected to organized retail crime. Using a compact RFID reader, investigators can scan locations such as flea markets, swap meets, storage facilities and other areas of interest without having to manually inspect every item. ReconIQ helps turn RFID data into actionable intelligence and extends the value of RFID beyond the store and into real-world investigations.
2.
TEP SALES We’ve welcomed new brands and won back some familiar business over the past month. Starboard Cruise is back with CONTROLTEK for security seals, we’ve gained HBD Inc. as a new reseller for evidence bags, and we were awarded new business through Bunzl for Total Wine. We’re also continuing to expand existing relationships and find new ways to grow. EcoLOK4 is now available on Amazon, we’re expanding our business with Office Depot to include ticket rolls and coin wrap, and we continue to work closely with the Federal Reserve as a trusted advisor on innovation in collaboration with Brink’s, Loomis and Garda. We recently held an EcoLOK4 training session with our reseller partner, ISG, whose national sales team serves retail and banking customers. This creates new opportunities to introduce EcoLOK4 to a broader audience.
4.
TECH SALES New Business Wins
🎉
URBN approved the move to our RF circle and square labels, representing approximately 4 million labels annually. We also received the go-ahead on our first custom keeper for Kohl’s and positive feedback on our new alarming keeper prototype. Ross added eight more upgrade locations, Burlington is looking at another five to seven stores, and PGA is expected to add six to seven stores in 2027. Staples is also exploring 42 stores for Q1 2027, plus security labels and an RFID pilot. We received a PO from Zebra to support a full-store RFID project at a Kroger location in Cincinnati. URBN is moving forward with a PinSafe and PinSafe X pilot at its Garden City store, with potential for a broader rollout. CONTROLTEK is officially a member of the Auburn University RFID Lab Advisory Board, giving us another opportunity to collaborate, learn and contribute to the future of RFID.
5..
CANADA SALES Landed our first Canadian SmartPost sale! Four SmartPosts will be installed at Golf Town’s flagship store in Toronto, an exciting milestone as we continue growing our presence in Canada. Our Canadian team continues to build strong momentum, creating new opportunities with both existing and prospective customers. We’re seeing growing interest across our solutions and look forward to building on that progress in the months ahead.
MARKETING We’re officially in the fall trade show swing! The CONTROLTEK team has a busy lineup of events ahead, giving us plenty of opportunities to connect with customers and partners, showcase our solutions and keep CONTROLTEK in front of the industry. Stay tuned for updates from the road! (You found the hidden message! Be the first to message Fiona with the name of the CONTROLTEK team member who attended the GS1 Visibility at Scale event, and you’ll win a prize!)
IAI EAST CHAPTER MEETING
EIAGLE CUSTOMER VISIT
GS1 VISIBILITY AT SCALE EVENT
6..
AUBURN BOARD MEETING
APEX
PROJECT MANAGEMENT & CSD TEAM Kudos to Richard and Jeff for a job well done at an Estée Lauder distribution center in Pennsylvania. They successfully installed an RFID solution, completing the project in full and on time with a great finished result. A special thank you as well to Rob Holleran, Tyler Moore, Mike Irwin and Tani Vatoci for their support throughout the installation. Shoutout to Eric and James as well! Great work on the full-store RFID installation at Revolve’s newest location in Miami, Florida. They installed all readers and antennas above the ceiling, keeping the technology out of sight and creating a clean, seamless look throughout the store.
Field Service Representative Employee Referral Program We believe that the best hires often come through our existing team members, and we want to recognize those who help us bring in talent. Refer a Candidate Referrals should include the candidate's resume and a brief introduction to help us understand their qualifications and fit for the role. Receive the Reward If the referred candidate is selected and hired, the referring employee will receive a total reward of $1,000 ($500 upon hire & $500 after 90 days.) 7.
CONTINUING OUR GRIT RECOGNITION SERIES! This is your opportunity to recognize a colleague or team member who has demonstrated exceptional hard work, dedication, and GRIT. Whether they've gone the extra mile, stepped up to support others, or consistently delivered outstanding work, we want to hear about it. Submit your nomination and help us celebrate the individuals who embody the values that drive our success. RECOGNIZE SOMEONE NOW, CLICK THE FORM!
“Tracie showed lots of GRIT through her work with Burlington, staying persistent, keeping things moving and continuing to push forward every step of the way. Great work, Tracie!”
“Angelica consistently works through challenges. Her hard work and constant dedication ensure that no matter how difficult a task is, she sees it through to successful completion.”
8.
TEKNO ACROSS THE MAP Our service team continues to put in the work behind the scenes to deliver the level of service our customers count on. We appreciate the hard work and commitment you bring every day. Thank you for continuing to represent CONTROLTEK at its best.
DD’s Discount | Apopka, FL
Dollar General | Danville, OH
ROSS | Hamden, CT
ALDI | Cedar Rapids, IA
BIRTHDAYS IN SEPTEMBER & OCTOBER These CONTROLTEK employees celebrated birthdays in September and October: Mandrell Easterling Gianna Ewing Michael Spencer Patrick Caulfield Mike Irwin Shane Diplock May your year be filled with happiness, laughter, and all the things that bring you joy.
9.