BusyBeeNews Jan/Feb 2022

january & february 2022

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Guess Who…It’s basically like “20 Questions” and you, the reader, have to guess who the subject is.

Here’s how the process worked. I listed all of the associates on an Excel spreadsheet and then had Excel assign each one a random five-digit number. I excluded myself obviously. Then I asked a volunteer to select a totally random five-digit number and the person whose number matched closest was chosen as the subject. I reached out “said person" and under “the cloak of secrecy” asked him or her 20 questions.

Can you guess who it is? Their identity will be revealed in next month’s Guess Who article. So here we go!

GUESS WHO – QUESTIONS 1. Who was the president the year you were born? Ronald Reagan 2. Are you married? Yes 1. Who was the president the year you were born? LBJ many teams 2. 3.AreHow you married?

Yes or departments have you worked in for HMC? Seven What your first ‘real job’?

3. 4.How manywas teams or departments haveLandscaping you worked in for HMC? 1 4. 5.What was your firstto “real job?”

Worked at an ice cream parlor Favorite food eat?

Seafood 5. 6.Favorite food to eat?

Mexicancar food Do you prefer a sports or a pick-up? Pick-Up 6. Do you prefer a sports car or a pick-up? Sports car 7. Favorite ‘adult beverage’? Corona Light 7. Favorite “adult beverage?” Beer – NOT CRAFT, that stuff is nasty 8. What size shoe do you wear? Nine 8. What size shoe do you wear? 9 a favorite pet growing 9. 9.DidDid youyou havehave a favorite pet growing up? No up? Yes, a dog an ‘indoor’ person or an ‘outdoor’ Outdoor 10.10.

AreAre youyou an “indoor” person or an “outdoor” person? person?

Both – depending on the weather 11.11.

What’s a family nickname they have forhave you? When I wasManchas little, my grandfather called me Sparky What’s a family nickname they for you?

12.12.

Favorite cartoon growing up?

Didn’t have one Favorite cartoon growing up? Bugs Bunny 13. If you could meet one historical figure, who would it be? George S. Patton 13. If you could meet one historical figure, who would it be? Martin Luther King 14. Favorite type of dessert? Anything chocolate Favorite lol 15.14.

What will youtype NOTof eatdessert? if it’s on aShot pizza?ofNotequila anchovies….they are just gross 15.

What will you NOT eat if it’s on a pizza?

Barbecue sauce 16. Who was the biggest professional influence on you career? Mary Jo Berryman – I still use MJB’isms just 16.

Who wasday the- she biggest influence on you career?

Cristiano about every taughtprofessional me how to provide top notch customer service and theRonaldo importance of it 17.17.

DoDo youyou havehave kids?kids?

Yes One 18.18.

Favorite hobby or pastime?

Watching sportstime Favorite hobby or pastime?

Family 19. What’s the best vacation you’ve been on? Israel/Middle East 19. What’s the best vacation you’ve been on? Visiting my hometown in Mexico 20. Mountains or beach? Mountains 20. Mountains or beach? Mountains… I don’t know how to swim Last month’s subject…. (drum roll please)… DARBY FOX!!

MOTIVATIONAL QUOTE Submitted by: La’Monica Weathersby

by cassie murray

What do you call a bee that lives in America?

Bees vibrate their bodies to create body heat to warm up the hive to 92°F if it is cold outside. by: cassie murray

DONALD MOON VICE PRESIDENT FIREWATERGROUP

We have all faced this recently… you go through the drive thru and get your morning coffee, only to be handed a cup of molten lava with no lid, and an apologetic employee telling you they are out. The public is dealing with never before faced challenges just trying to get a drink or dinner to take to the family. I know there is not anything, collectively, that we can do to address it until the supply chain gets its act together.

Restaurateurs and suppliers, around the country, currently face the same empty cupboard as many other industries. Disposable cups imported from China (and elsewhere) are stuck in ports along the mucked-up supply chain. American paper mills are short workers. And the U.S. hasn’t caught up from the extreme cold snap in Texas last year that suspended production of resins used to make plastic cups and the coating on paper cups.

The Plastics Industry Association has forecasted a 3.1% increase in the output of plastic products, including cups. Perc Pineda, the trade group’s chief economist, said the worker shortage has hampered plastics plants. Shortages of both labor and inputs have pushed prices for plastic packaging products 24% higher from a year ago, federal data shows.

I know from a consumer/customer standpoint, that this is starting to sound like a broken record, since you have heard it on every product at some point. The conversation that the restaurant is having with you is the same we are having with our customers and manufacturers daily. The industries are totally different, but the driving factors are the same, which include labor shortages, resin shortages, component shortages and supply chain delays. I am appreciative when I get a coffee with a lid or a properly packaged to-go order now. We all have a better understanding of everything that it takes for that to happen.

CLOGGING

DG THE AISLES IN

with Michael ‘Mickey Carmine’ Macchiaroli

It’s been a long time HMC friends, but I’m back with another edition of “Clogging the Aisles.”

This is the column that involves pulling someone away from their task in DG, regardless of how big or small it is, so we can interview them.

I had the pleasure of speaking with Derek Self, a seven-year man and a member of “The Order Deployment Team (ODT).” Before this position was developed, Derek has done it all: order pulling, shipping, will-call, UPS, etc. As a member of the ODT, Derek’s tasks consist of deploying orders to the various pullers in DG, verifying integration with other systems, data integrity, and troubleshooting related to the orders.

His pet peeve on the job is misinformation.

When he’s not at work, Derek loves to hang out with his family and friends. He also works on cars and helps out at his church. After a long hard day at work, the first thing he does is …drive home.

I also had the pleasure of speaking with Giovanni Ramos, affectionately known as “Gio,” a three-year man who works on the nightshift crew in DG. His tasks include replenishment of stock, the unloading and putting up of trucks, and UPS inbound.

He has a couple of pet peeves on the job. He wasn’t a fan of the time night crew had to place Armacell all throughout the warehouse alleyways (bet you can’t guess where I got the inspiration for the title of this segment from). His second pet peeve is employees who don’t honk their horns while operating forklifts, chasers, and order pickers.

I SNUCK IN A DG SAFETY TIP!!!

WHEN WALKING THROUGH THE WAREHOUSE KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR MOVING EQUIPMENT.

When Giovanni gets home after a long day at the office, the first thing he does is eat dinner at midnight. He likes to hang out with his friends and plays video games, his favorite being Apex Legends.

by hal haas

One of the many ways FactorySupportTeam can assist our agencies’ customers is by conducting field visits to troubleshoot product issues. But did you know that with the wealth of information available online today, many times field visits aren’t necessary?

Many of our manufacturers have websites that provide access to helpful literature such as spec sheets and installation and operation manuals.

Another resource available is the online Learning Management Systems (training sites), that because of the pandemic, have become more prevalent. These systems can supply a lot of information that previously were only available by participating in factory training sessions that involved significant time and cost to attend.

And finally, one of the FST team’s favorite online resources is YouTube. Today, everyone has easy access to YouTube through their smart phone or tablet. Most of our manufacturers have a YouTube channel with videos of everything from how to troubleshoot a backflow preventer, to how to properly install a firestop sleeve, and even how to size and select a water heater for your home. Many times, the FST team can email a contractor the link for a YouTube video, and after reviewing it, they can resolve the issue themselves without any further FST involvement. The ease of access to these videos, and the detailed information they provide, make them an excellent resource, if we remember to use them.

I recommend that all our sales associates (inside and outside) familiarize themselves with the material available through our manufacturers’ YouTube channels. That way, the next time you are on the phone or answering an email for a customer inquiring about how something operates or how to properly install it, you can quickly send them a link to a YouTube video to assist them.

Eat more soluble fiber!

Below are the benefits of consuming fiber in your diet, such as oat bran, oatmeal, beans, fruits, and vegetables.

WEIGHT LOSS – It can delay gastric emptying (from the stomach) and it promotes an overall feeling of fullness, thereby potentially reducing caloric intake.

Reducing risk for cardiovascular disease – It can bind to cholesterol particles. It can prevent its absorption and help remove this compound from the body.

Bowel movement and intestinal health – It attracts water, and it promotes bulk to the stool, which can safeguard against constipation.

Diabetes protection – This carbohydrate is not absorbed. It Improved absorption of foods – it slows the movement of food through the small intestine. It can enhance nutrient absorption.

by Romeo Hernandez

By: Adrian Ollie

Every February, people in the United States celebrate the achievements and history of African Americans as part of Black History Month.

HOW IT STARTED In 1915, in response to the lack of information on the accomplishments of Black people available to the public, historian Carter G. Woodson co-founded the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History. In 1926, the group declared the second week of February as “Negro History Week” to recognize the contributions of African Americans to U.S. history. Few people studied Black history and it wasn’t included in textbooks prior to the creation of Negro History Week.

This week was chosen because it includes the birthdays of both Frederick Douglass, an abolitionist (someone who wanted to end the practice of enslaving people), and former U.S. president Abraham Lincoln. President Lincoln led the United States during the Civil War, which was primarily fought over the enslavement of Black people in the country. Many schools and leaders began recognizing the week after its creation.

The week-long event officially became Black History Month in 1976 when U.S. president Gerald Ford extended the recognition to “honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of Black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history.” Black History Month has been celebrated in the United States every February since.

African Americans march in Washington, D.C., to protest racial discrimination in the United States during the 1960s.

UNIVERSAL HISTORY ARCHIVE, UIG, SHUTTERSTOCK

THIS YEAR WE SPOTLIGHT A HISTORY OF AFRICAN AMERICAN INVENTORS

George Washington Carver (front row, middle) sits with other teachers and scientists at the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama, which is now called Tuskegee University. The school was created to give African-Americans a high level of education and trade skills. Photo taken by Frances Benjamin Johnston in 1902. From the Library of Congress

Thomas Jennings Thomas Jennings, born in 1791, is believed to have been the first African American inventor to receive a patent for an invention. He was 30 years old when he was granted a patent for a dry-cleaning process. Jennings was a free tradesman and operated a dry-cleaning business in New York City. His income went mostly to his abolitionist activities. In 1831, he became assistant secretary for the First Annual Convention of the People of Color in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Slaves were prohibited from receiving patents on their inventions. Although free African American inventors were legally able to receive patents, most did not. Some feared that recognition, and most likely the prejudice that would come with it, would destroy their livelihoods.

Lewis Latimer Lewis Howard Latimer was born in Chelsea, Massachusetts, in 1848. He enlisted in the Union Navy at the age of 15, and upon completion of his military service he returned to Massachusetts and was employed by a patent solicitor where he began the study of drafting. His talent for drafting and his creative genius led him to invent a method of making carbon filaments for the Maxim electric incandescent lamp. In 1881, he supervised the installation of electric lights in New York, Philadelphia, Montreal, and London.

Latimer was the original draftsman for Thomas Edison and as such was the star witness in Edison’s infringement suits.

Granville T. Woods Born in Columbus, Ohio, in 1856, Granville T. Woods dedicated his life to developing a variety of inventions relating to the railroad industry. To some, he was known as the “Black Edison.”

Woods invented more than a dozen devices to improve electric railway cars and much more for controlling the flow of electricity. His most noted invention was a system for letting the engineer of a train know how close his train was to others. This device helped cut down accidents and collisions between trains. Alexander Graham Bell’s company purchased the rights to Woods’ telegraphony, enabling him to become a full-time inventor. Among his other top inventions were a steam boiler furnace and an automatic air brake used to slow or stop trains. Woods’ electric car was powered by overhead wires. It was the third rail system to keep cars running on the right track.

Success led to lawsuits filed by Thomas Edison. Woods eventually won, but Edison didn’t give up easily when he wanted something. Trying to win Woods over, and his inventions, Edison offered Woods a prominent position in the engineering department of Edison Electric Light Company in New York. Woods, preferring his independence, declined.

George Washington Carver “When you can do the common things in life in an uncommon way, you will command the attention of the world.” - George Washington Carver.

“He could have added fortune to fame, but, caring for neither, he found happiness and honor in being helpful to the world.” George Washington Carver’s epitaph sums up a lifetime of innovative discovery.

Born into slavery, freed as a child and curious throughout life, Carver profoundly affected the lives of people throughout the nation. He successfully shifted Southern farming away from risky cotton, which depletes the soil of its nutrients, to nitrate-producing crops such as peanuts, peas, sweet potatoes, pecans, and soybeans. Farmers began rotating crops of cotton one year with peanuts the next.

Carver spent his early childhood with a German couple who encouraged his education and early interest in plants. He received his early education in Missouri and Kansas. He was accepted into Simpson College in Indianola, Iowa, in 1877, and in 1891 he transferred to Iowa Agricultural College (now Iowa State University) where he earned a bachelor of science in 1894 and a master’s in science in 1897. Later that year, Booker T. Washington founder of the Tuskegee Institute - convinced Carver to serve as the school’s director of agriculture. From his laboratory at Tuskegee, Carver developed 325 different uses for peanuts until then considered lowly food fit for hogs - and 118 products from the sweet potato. Other Carver innovations include synthetic marble from sawdust, plastics from woodshavings and writing paper from wisteria vines.

Carver only patented three of his many discoveries.

“God gave them to me,” he said, “How can I sell them to someone else?” Upon his death Carver contributed his life savings to establish a research institute at Tuskegee. His birthplace was declared a national monument in 1953, and he was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 1990.

Madame Walker Sarah Breedlove McWilliams Walker, better known as Madame Walker, together with Marjorie Joyner improved the hair-care and cosmetics industry early in the 20th century.

Madame Walker was born in 1867 in poverty-stricken rural Louisiana. Walker was the daughter of former slaves, orphaned at the age of 7 and widowed by 20. After her husband’s death, the young widow migrated to St. Louis, Missouri, seeking a better way of life for herself and her child. She supplemented her income as a wash woman by selling her homemade beauty products door-to-door. Eventually, Walker’s products formed the basis of a thriving national corporation employing at one point over 3,000 people. Her Walker System, which included a broad offering of cosmetics, licensed Walker Agents, and Walker Schools offered meaningful employment and personal growth to thousands of African-American women.

Madame Walker’s aggressive marketing strategy combined with relentless ambition led her to be labeled as the first known African-American woman to become a self-made millionaire.

An employee of Madame Walker’s empire, Marjorie Joyner, invented a permanent-wave machine. This device, patented in 1928, curled or “permed” women’s hair for a relatively lengthy period of time.

The wave machine was popular among women white and black allowing for longer-lasting wavy hairstyles. Joyner went on to become a prominent figure in Madame Walker’s industry, though she never profited directly from her invention, for it was the wassigned property of the Walker Company.

submitted by Karla Spigariol

Pump Segment Manager – DFW Warehouse Associates – Carrollton Inside Sales Associate – Various – Carrollton Account Manager – Corpus Christi, Victoria, and The Valley HVAC Account Manager – Austin, San Antonio, and New Braunfels