BusyBeeNews - 1st Quarter 2023

Magnesium plays a role in over three hundred biochemical reactions in your body and is slowly disappearing from the modern diet due to changes in agriculture and food processing. The problem is more serious in athletes or weightlifters, but most of the human population is deficient in magnesium. It can even affect insulin sensitivity.

A simple supplementation of 250mg tablets can greatly improve quality of sleep, cardiovascular health, help in muscle synthesis, and stave off wasting, as well as regulate metabolism. The benefits can’t be overly emphasized.

LEARN & EARN PRIZE WINNER CADEN MAY

“This is your time. Now go out there and take it!”

– Herb Brooks, Miracle (2004)

“How can you not be romantic about baseball?”

– Billy Beane, Moneyball (2011)

“There’s no crying in baseball!”

– Jimmy Dugan, A League of Their Own (1992)

“If you build it, he will come.”

– The Voice, Field of Dreams (1989)

“You get on base, we win. You don’t, we lose.”

– Billy Beane, Moneyball (2011)

“Now that’s what I call high-quality H2O.”

– Bobby Boucher, The Waterboy (1998)

“If you ain’t first, you’re last.”

– Ricky Bobby, Talladega Nights (2006)

“This is a very simple game. You throw the ball, you catch the ball, you hit the ball. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, sometimes it rains.”

– Nuke LaLoosh, Bull Durham (1988)

“You know what we get to do today, Brooks? We get to play baseball.”

– Jim Morris, The Rookie (2002)

“That’s why when somebody says, ‘when you get to the NBA, don’t forget about me’, and that stuff. Well, I should’ve said to them, ‘if I don’t make it, don’t you forget about me.’”

– William Gates, Hoop Dreams (1994)

“This crowd has gone deadly silent. Cinderella story. Out of nowhere. A former greenskeeper is now about to become the Master’s champion. It looks like a miraculous – it’s in the hole! It’s in the hole!”

– Carl Spackler, Caddyshack (1980)

“Pain heals. Chicks dig scars. Glory lasts forever.”

– Shane Falco, The Replacements (2000)

“Heroes get remembered, but legends never die.”

– The Babe, The Sandlot (1993)

“Being perfect is about being able to look your friends in the eye and know that you didn’t let them down, because you told them the truth. And that truth is that you did everything that you could. There wasn’t one more thing that you could’ve done.”

– Coach Gary Gaines, Friday Night Lights (2004)

“I look at you and I see two men: the man you are, and the man you ought to be. Someday those two will meet.”

– Jimmy McGinty, The Replacements (2000)

“It really don’t matter if this guy opens my head, either. ‘Cause all I wanna do is go the distance. Nobody’s ever gone the distance with Creed, and if I can go that distance, you see, and that bell rings and I’m still standin’, I’m gonna know for the first time in my life, see, that I weren’t just another bum from the neighborhood.”

– Rocky Balboa, Rocky (1976)

“We just don’t recognize life’s most significant moments while they’re happening. Back then I thought, “Well, there’ll be other days.” I didn’t realize that that was the only day.”

– Dr. Archibald “Moonlight” Graham, Field of Dreams (1989)

“If you put your effort and concentration into playing to your potential, to be the best that you can be, I don’t care what the scoreboard says at the end of the game, in my book we’re gonna be winners.”

– Coach Norman Dale, Hoosiers (1986)

Approximately 20,000 total freight shipments and 21,000 UPS orders processed in 2022.

3500+ total freight shipments and 4500+ UPS orders processed since January.

Averaging 300+ total freight shipments weekly for Carrollton, San Antonio, and Dallas.

13,400 total pallets used in 2022.

4 forklift certification courses with 20 graduates this year.

With 17 forklifts in operation in the Carrollton warehouse, we would like to remind everyone to be aware of their surroundings while touring the warehouse. Everyone is part of the safety program. Maintaining a safe working environment protects our employees, reduces inventory damage, prolongs the life of equipment, and increases productivity.

If you see something that is unsafe, please communicate as soon as possible.

submitted by: jonathan cooper

THE WISDOM OF BEES

CREATE BEAUTIFUL, FUNCTIONAL SPACES

LEADERSHIP, EFFICIENCY, & GROWTH

LESSON #24

by: Michael O’Malley, Ph.D.

The hexagonal shape of the bee’s honeycomb is truly the best shape to divide a surface. The honeybee, nature’s little designer, has created an architectural masterpiece.

But how does this apply to the business world? A common belief among practitioners of organizational design is that form follows function. The idea is to organize physical structures according to the purposes of the space rather than based on whim, convention, or convenience.

Form should follow function, but the form should also help us to feel more alive and connected to our work.

More Pollen

Bees have inspired and fueled our imaginations and shown us that place matters. Different physical environments elicit different responses. Companies have the opportunity to communicate what they value by constructing distinctive workspaces.

Mistakes Happen – Make sure you make the right one.

If a honeybee is going to make a mistake, the natural preference is to overbuild when the nectar is flowing in and under build when nectar is sparse. The variable criterion regarding the availability of space biases decisions in these directions. A lowered space criterion, when nectar is readily available, will result in a greater likelihood of building. A raised criterion, when nectar is not available, will depress building. Nevertheless, having too much space when times are good and too little when times are bad are not poor positions to be in. It is possible to avoid these sorts of dilemmas in business, but we can take the bees’ general principal to heart in any event and work toward solutions that accommodate it.

The same goes with companies. It takes everyone doing their part to make sure the company flourishes strategically with little hiccups.

The past few years have been a major growth phase for Hugh M. Cunningham Companies. We have always been a growth company and will continue to be that! We have had to adapt, make changes, move people around, etc. to meet our common goal. We are a sales company, so our number one goal is to sell product. With that said, we want to do that with class. We want our customers to not only feel special, but know they are. They are our friends. People we break bread with. People we grow with. People we build long lasting relationships with even outside of business. We must provide them with accurate information and in a timely manner. This includes specifying the right product for the right application, working to make sure pricing is accurate and fair, following up on lead times, and delivering products. It takes a village to do this!

April 2, 1972

We’ve all heard the famous saying “it takes a village” referring to raising a family. As the family grows more and more, responsibilities are put on individuals. New and exciting responsibilities are created, no one even knew existed, until it does.

“NO BUSINESS IS GOOD BUSINESS UNLESS IT IS GOOD FOR BOTH THE BUYER AND THE SELLER.”

- Hugh M. Cunningham

We have first class vendors. Some are new and some we have been working with for decades. They are our partners and friends. We rely on each other to make sure the customers have the best possible customer experience.

We have heavily invested, over the last couple years, to accommodate and make sure that Hugh M. Cunningham continues to live up to the expectation of providing great service. We have hired eighteen new additional outside account managers, two specification managers, and have promoted individuals to management to relieve some of the day-to-day duties. We are constantly looking for great people inside and out. Inside Sales and Distribution Group are the heart of the company. Without them, it would be impossible to get accomplished what we do. They are constantly looking for great people, and moving people around, to make sure their strengths are maximized. Operations, and our new SAP system, has put us light years ahead with what we can accomplish. Human Resources continually backs us in all areas. Onboarding has been a big task they have taken on and they are crushing it. Our buy/sell group is consistently digging deep, making sure we have the right product mix, looking at lead times, and adjusting when needed.

As you can see, there are so many arms of this company, and it takes all of us to succeed at the elevated level we hold ourselves to. We should all hold our heads high and be extremely proud of what we have accomplished and are accomplishing.

It really does take a village to make things run as smooth as possible. I am very proud of this company and everyone that has ever worked here and is working here now. We have many blessing to be thankful for!

The journey of life is not always a straight shot to the finish line. The majority of the people I know, personally and professionally, have taken a few detours in the game of life. I personally did not even know our industry existed and just happened to take a position that lead me to where I am now. The same holds true for organizations, or at least some WWdivisions or groups of companies.

We are just passing a fork in the road with FireWaterGroup at HMC. With the continued addition of people and lines, the time has come to redefine the path and purpose of a division that covers a broad range of markets.

Our FireWaterGroup, established in 2000, was a diversified market focus between fire protection and water accounts. The fire protection portion of the group consisted of the wholesale distribution base, fire contractors, and engineers/AHJ/fire marshals. The water accounts, which included the irrigation market, pool, agriculture/hydroponics, water well and pumping related products, has grown into a focused group dedicated to green industries and outdoor life quality.

The creation of GreenSalesGroup, in 2022, has allowed us to focus solely on the water side of our original concept of FWG. This has allowed us to revise our fire efforts by adding people and evaluating what we do to support this market. HMC looked for areas we could improve in and ways to refresh our marketing message to our customers and vendors more effectively. The exercise of launching the new GreenSalesGroup made us evaluate what we were doing in our existing FireWaterGroup and it was apparent that we were due to refresh the company logo.

They say time flies when your having fun and that’s how you end up with a logo that was twenty years old. The result is the newest logo in the company and it is just a starting point for the new road of the FWG division of Hugh M. Cunningham Companies. This milestone would not be possible without our friends, coworkers, and customers. We owe you a huge dose of gratitude for your support over the last two decades.

HMC’S NEW BEE’S JAN.-MAR. 2023

SEAN KAMAT – DFW SPECIFICATION MANAGER

He enjoys being with friends and family (wife and two sons), cooking, and grilling. His favorite hobby is playing golf. He has been in the engineering construction industry for over twenty years.

MIKE MORRISON – PMG JOB QUOTES

He has been in the plumbing wholesale business for over sixteen years. His favorite foods are steak, salmon, and spaghetti. His favorite color is green. He likes a variety of music and likes to go to museums and art festivals.

LAURIE RUTHERFORD – INSIDE SALES TEAM 9

She has a long career in customer service and sales support. She loves baking, traveling, hiking, fly-fishing, and making/eating Tex-Mex and Italian food. She likes to listen to house and electronic music.

EDEE SANFORD – PURCHASING COORDINATOR

She loves Mexican food, country music, and the color turquoise. She is a DIYer, loves making crafts, likes playing sports, four wheeling, and has a Chihuahua named Chanel.

STEFANOS GHEBRAY – INSIDE SALES TEAM 5

He enjoys reading, cardio exercises, watching movies, and spending time with family and friends. His favorite type of music is Oldies, Motown and 80’s. Eritrean cuisine is his favorite food.

JAMES SENA – SANDIAGROUP ACCOUNT MANAGER

He was born and raised in Santa Fe. He likes listening to old country, oldies, and old R&B. He loves 4am workouts, is a diehard Yankees fan, and loves northern New MeVVxico Mexican food.

CHRISTY MOHR – INSIDE SALES TEAM 2

She has many years of customer service experience. She likes to listen to country and praise music, enjoys reading, and watching football. She has two dogs and two cats. She also runs 5k/10k races for Neurofibromatosis awareness.

PEYTON REINERSTEN – INSIDE SALES TEAM 3

He recently graduated from Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene with a degree in Behavioral Science. Peyton is a big fan of Dallas sports teams (Cowboys and Mavericks) and enjoys golf, being outside and hanging out with his brothers.

AUSTIN GIBSON (AJ) – INSIDE SALES TEAM 6

He was a diesel mechanic and has been in the service business for many years. He was born in Denton, but moved to Texarkana until he was in his 20’s. His favorite food is steak with sweet potato fries. He likes all kinds of music, except Country, and enjoys playing video games. He has a cat named Millie.

JONATHAN COOPER – SUPPLY CHAIN & LOGISTICS MANAGER

He is a Major in the Army and is still in the reserves. He enjoys watching sports, going to the gym, and golfing. He likes trying different foods and visiting new breweries when he travels. He has a basset hound named Dorito.

ENRIQUE HERNANDEZ – DG 1ST SHIFT

He is studying to be an HVAC Tech. He enjoys playing soccer, loves eating wings, and likes watching soccer (Real Madrid).

PABLO CISNEROS – DG 1ST SHIFT

He loves drawing, gaming, working out, eating menudo and hot wings, skateboarding, and has a pet baby quail.

LUIS ROJAS – DG 1ST SHIFT

He has experience working in several warehouses and positions. He enjoys playing basketball and watching football (Cowboys). His favorite food to eat is chicken alfredo. He enjoys all music and loves spending time with his family.

JOSE ANGUIANO – DG 2ND SHIFT

He grew up in Dallas and enjoys spending time with his kids. He likes Mexican food, likes all types of music, and enjoys watching football and basketball.

MICHAEL SANCHEZ – DG 2ND SHIFT

He grew up in California and enjoys watching football (Raiders), playing FIFA, loves eating tacos, and listening to Regional Mexicana music.

JACKSON ANDERSON – DG 2ND SHIFT

He is attending his first year in college. He enjoys watching soccer (Juventus) and football (Buffalo Bills). He likes eating pizza and chicken and has two dogs.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the first installation of Aquatherm’s polypropylene piping system. With humble beginnings in his garage, German tradesman Gerhard Rosenberg grew and developed the global plastic pipe and fittings brand. In 2005, the brand came to North America, and it was first sold in the United States in 2007. His three sons now run the ever-evolving company. Aquatherm North America is based in Lindon, Utah, a short drive south from Salt Lake City, through the beautiful snowcapped Wasatch Mountains.

“We’ve always said our pipe is designed to last 50 years. Next year we’ll get to start saying 51,” said Scott Milburn, Applications Engineer, Aquatherm North America.

In January of 2023, Hugh Cunningham was appointed the rep for Aquatherm in Central and South Texas and the Houston markets. In March, HMC’s Factory Support Team members took the trek to Lindon for in-person Train the Trainer certification class. Over three days of classroom and hands on training, FST toured the fabrication shop and engineering facilities; learned the features and benefits of the Aquatherm system; and mastered installation techniques.

It is now up to HMC’s Project Sales and Account Managers, with help from Team7 and FST, to find the contractors who can put this product to use and to train them how to install it efficiently. The polypropylene resin is well suited for low temperature, high pressure pipe work typically used with chiller systems, breweries, industrial food production, potable water, and compressed air. The pipe is light weight and easy to handle for flexible logistics on the jobsite. Aquatherm’s state-of-the-art fabrication services can prepare complex configurations with ease. With minimal training, a pipe fitter can run multiple fusion stations to maximize productivity.

Historically, the value proposition for Aquatherm’s polypropylene pipe system was that even though the material was a little more expensive up front, the labor savings would far offset that cost, and the total job would be less expensive. Boasting only four price adjustments in nearly 20 years - including through the pandemic – the current value proposition is even more enticing. Compared to the stainless steel or copper materials that are traditionally used in hydronics systems, Aquatherm’s polypropylene pipe goes to market at the same or even lower material cost.

Dedicated to delivering a superior product at a superior value, exclusively through our wholesale plumbing partners, Hugh M. Cunningham Companies and Aquatherm are in a unique position to expand market share and lead the charge to convert jobs and customers.

Manatees are typically found in shallow coastal areas and rivers where they feed on sea grass, mangrove leaves and algae. They eat roughly 10% of their weight daily which for the average adult weighing in at 1200 lbs. is 120lbs.

Manatees rise to the surface every three to five minutes to breathe but can hold their breath for up to 20 minutes. When they do take a breath, 90% of their lungs is replaced, where humans only replace 10%.

Manatees closest living relative is the elephant. They evolved from the same land animals as the elephant over 50 million years ago.

Manatees have a calf every 2 to 5 years and they stay with the mother for 2 years. Their lifespan is typically 40-60 years.

The manatees have no natural predators in the wild.

Humans play the largest part in their risk of extinction due to boat collisions.

Submitted by: Robbin Javier

ViaSat-3 – SpaceX Falcon Heavy : Sat April 8 17:25 CDT (Florida)

Launch Cost: $90M -Each ViaSat-3 class satellite is expected to deliver more than 1-Terabit per second of network capacity, and to leverage high levels of flexibility to dynamically direct capacity to where customers are located.

NROL-68 – United Launch Alliance Delta IV Heavy : Wed Apr 19 19:00 CDT (Florida)

Launch Cost $350M - Classified payload for the National Reconnaissance Office.

Orbital Flight Test – SpaceX Starship : Projected to Launch April (Texas)

Maiden flight of the two-stage Starship launch vehicle. The booster will separate 170 seconds into flight and return to land approximately 32 km off the shore in the Gulf of Mexico. The second stage will achieve orbit until performing a powered, targeted splashdown approximately 100 km off the northwest coast of Kauai (Hawaii).

On 02 April 1958, President Dwight D. Eisenhower, in a message to Congress, proposed the establishment of a National Aeronautics and Space Agency into which the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics would be absorbed. The new agency would conduct the civilian space program through research in its own facilities or by contract and would also perform military research required by DOD. Projects primarily military in character would remain the responsibility of DOD.

submitted by: jonathan cooper