September / October 2012
BUGLE Prev the en Issu tion e
BUGLE September / October 2012
Fitne
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10 titles
2,483 lbs wood
A total of 9 trees that supplies enough oxygen for 5 people annually.
3,139 gal water
Enough water to take 183 eight-minute showers.
6 min BTUs energy
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756 lbs emissions
Carbon sequestered by 9 tree seedlings grown for 10 years.
403 lbs solid waste
A total of 14 32-gallon garbage cans of waste.
Environmental impact estimates for savings pertaining to the use of post consumer recycled fiber share the same common reference data as the Environmental Defense Fund paper calculator, which is based on research done by the Paper Task Force, a peer-reviewed study of the lifecycle environmental impacts of paper production and disposal.
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Around EBSCO 2
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Feature Stories
In Every Issue
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Health Focus
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7 Facebook.com/EBSCO.BUGLE BUGLE is published bimonthly by EBSCO Industries for its employees, retirees and friends. It provides information about the company and its employees’ activities and accomplishments. The BUGLE strives to create a better understanding of EBSCO and foster greater employee and company achievements. Reprint rights are granted with permission. All correspondence should be addressed to Editor, BUGLE, EBSCO Industries Inc., P.O. Box 1943, Birmingham, Alabama 35201-1943. The BUGLE office is located at International Headquarters, 5724 Highway 280 East, Birmingham, Alabama, 35242.
Editor: Sheri Thompson Managing Editor: Rachael Crawley Sigsbee Staff: Kim Wester Design: Kari Whitaker Advisory Board: F. Dixon Brooke, Jr., Becky Caldarello, Brian McDermott, Sid McNeal, J.T. Stephens, John Thompson Printing: EBSCO Media
Management Memo Division Profile Notables Outstanding Employees Territory Toppers Regional Reports Money Matters Green Savvy
This is to affirm Office Policy regarding Equal Opportunity in recruiting, hiring, training and promoting persons in all job titles without regard to race, color, creed, sex, religion or national origin, and to state that this policy will be carried out at all EBSCO Industries Inc. locations. We will ensure all promotion decisions are in accordance with the principles of Equal Employment Opportunity by imposing only valid requirements for said promotions. We will also ensure that all personnel action such as compensation, benefits, transfers, layoffs, return from layoff, company sponsored training, education, tuition assistance and social and recreational programs will be administered without regard to race, color, religion, sex or national origin. John Thompson, Director of Human Resources, is responsible for proper implementation of the above policy. Any employee having questions regarding our Equal Employment Opportunity or its implementation should discuss the matter with Mr. Thompson at (205) 991-6600.
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F. Dixon Brooke, Jr. President and CEO
Around EBSCO Manufacturing
Around EBSCO
Two EBSCO Businesses Partner with Cheeriodicals
Cheeriodicals, a Birmingham-based online gift company that sells magazines and specialty food items in signature bright green boxes at www.cheeriodicals.com, has partnered with EBSCO Magazine Express to fulfill their magazine and subscription orders, and with Vulcan Information Packaging (VIP) to manufacture their specialty gift box. Cheeriodicals, which means a cheerful periodical, contacted David Wilson, assistant vice president and general manager of Magazine Express, also located in Birmingham, who suggested Cheeriodicals also utilize VIP to produce the Big Green Boxes of cheer.
Stewart Signs Shatters Sales Records Bigger sales force is able to capitalize on opportunities Stewart Signs, with sales operations in Sarasota, Fla., and manufacturing operations in Clanton, Ala., and part of the EBSCO Sign Group, closed out the 2012 fiscal year with a new historical high in sales, shattering the previous 44-year high by more than $4
continued on page 9
School division: Surpassed the previous fiscal year by 29 percent and shattered the past historical high by 22 percent
An important initiative for Cheeriodicals is to host Cheeriodicals Days, where they partner with corporate sponsors to provide Cheeriodicals containing children’s magazines and toys to children’s hospitals nationwide. “The effect of hundreds of smiling faces is simply amazing,” Mary Martha Parisher, founder, said. “We’re now in discussions with dozens of other hospitals nationwide to bring these events to their children.”
MCM Takes Follett For 18 years, MCM Group has been the primary supplier of licensed gift product to Barnes and Noble College Stores, one of the two largest lease operators in the college store market with approximately 700 stores in the U.S. Recently, MCM also began to take the primary position at the other leading lease operator in the college store market, Follett Higher Education Group, which also operates about 700 stores in the U.S. Led by the efforts of Bob Turner, general manager, MCM has been able to chip away at Follett over the past three years with their product offerings. “Getting our foot in the door allowed us to start building rela-
Leading the sales charge for Stewart was Shay Einhaus (School Division), who set a new individual sales record with $1,277,300 in sales for 2012.
Church division: Topped the previous fiscal year by 53 percent and beat its historical high by 13 percent
Military division: Topped last year by 103 percent Business division: Increased 49 percent over the last fiscal year and had its best year ever by 103 percent over the previous historical best
Civic/municipal division: Increased sales by 300 percent over last year and beat its previous historical high by 28 percent
Vulcan Information Packaging Continues to Succeed with Discover Financial Services tionships with key buyers and proving ourselves and our capabilities,” Turner said. Turner explained that business really took off when MCM began to build small leather goods and tote bag programs especially for Follett under a private label. Sales have grown from about $150,000 three years ago to just under $1 million during the 2011 calendar year, with a projected $1.5 million in 2012. – Sheri Thompson /
Internal Communications Director
“It takes a confident man to tell people that he sells teddy bears for a living, and I have to admit, it was plush that got things rolling for us, finally, at Follett,” Turner said.
2 / September/October 2012
13 of whom achieved more than $500,000 in total revenue. “By hiring more sales resources, we were able to create smaller, more manageable territories in which the consultants can immerse themselves,” Keller said. “The JM Stewart model is a continued on page 9
<ADD QUOTE FROM DAVID> Customers can choose from more than 50 themed Cheeriodical options such as golf, women’s fashion and business magazines from an inventory of more than 150 magazines to include in the bright green gift box. Sweet or savory edibles are included in the
million, or 32 percent. Eric Keller, vice president of sales and marketing, attributed the historic growth to a significant increase in sales resources that enabled the company to fully staff its territories with 37 consultants (up from 22 in December 2012),
Manufacturing
In the fall of 2004, Vulcan Information Packaging (VIP) was exhibiting at the Graph Expo in Chicago when they were approached by a Discover representative who expressed interest in VIP’s check presenter, the small, black vinyl folder that is used to deliver the bill at a restaurant. After performing a trial run to manufacture the item, VIP secured a yearly order of approximately 750,000 check presenters for Discover. Discover has been one of VIP’s largest customers for the past five years. They not only manufacture the black vinyl folder; they also customize it with the Discover logo on the cover. There were several factors that contributed to a successful partnership:
• Patient persistence. It took almost two years to secure the first order. • Vitronic Promotional Group’s participation in the first few years on the customization program. • EBSCO’s financial strength. Most overseas factories require payment for goods before they ship. • VIP’s continued participation in the customization program. Customer service, art and production are all performing seamlessly. • A strong performance. For the past three years, VIP’s overall supplier rating / scorecard from Discover has been close to the highest rating Discover gives.
“We are certainly thankful that our partnership with Discover continues to grow,” Jerry Bridges, VIP national sales manager, said. “All of us at VIP will continue to work hard to retain this business as long as we can and will also continue to look for other good pieces of business similar to the Discover business.”
– Jerry Bridges / TITLE?
September/October 2012 / 3
Around EBSCO Manufacturing
Vulcan Industries Secures Contract with Dollar General
After numerous discussions and attempts to secure business with Dollar General over the last three years, Vulcan Industries (VI) has been awarded seven fixture items for the 625 new stores they plan to open this year, a deal that is estimated to represent $250,000 in annual volume. Dollar General values VI’s domestic manufacturing capabilities and has sizeable, repeatable merchandising needs. “We are presently working to secure nine other items, which are in the process of being tested in stores right now, that would add an additional $1.2 million in annual volume,” Jim Brown, director of sales, said. “We are excited about future opportunities with Dollar General and hope to be able to report more successes in the near future.” – Jim Brown / TITLE??
4 / September/October 2012
Around EBSCO
Vulcan Industries Adds New Sales Managers In late 2010, EBSCO challenged Vulcan Industries (VI) to produce significant growth in the short term. Recognizing that VI operates in a complex selling environment by offering John Mulvihill highly customized merchandising fixtures to major brand companies across the Jim Brown country, and that Vice President of Sales and Marketing Hector Pagan was to retire in August, VI moved to operating with two sales managers Randy Gaines and hired Jim Brown to work with Pagan to achieve the goal Upon Pagan’s retirement, of increasing sales. John Mulvihill was promoted The sales team and oth- to take over his role, and Raner responsibilities were split dy Gaines was appointed as VI’s between the two sales man- third sales manager in an effort agers, resulting in a signifi- to take full advantage of the cant improvement in potential for growth. sales. “Having two A third sales manager sales managers in allows VI to provide a focused the field provided approach on improving their an increased processes, Standard Products availability of line and design. It also provides m a n a g e m e n t the needed bandwidth to grow, resources to and as a result three new sales assist [the sales territories are also being addforce] in major ed in the coming months. “The [client and pros- market is dictating we proceed pect] meetings and aggressively as there is some a greater visibility weakness with competitors,” at VI of the needs of Hutson said. “In the end, the the business,” William complexity of the selling enviHutson, vice president ronment has not changed, but and general manager, having three sales managers said. allows us to better address that complexity.” –
Jim Brown / TITLE??
Alys Beach
Real Estate
subtitle byline
Mt Laurel Farm Supplies Locally Based Restaurant Chain
Above: Jim ‘N Nicks CEO Nick Pihakis (right) and farm manager Keith Caton Photos by Madoline Markham, 280 Living
Jim ’N Nick’s, a popular barbeque chain based in the Birmingham area and expanding in the Southeast, has partnered with the Mt Laurel Farm to provide diners at Birmingham area locations with fresh ingredients grown just a few miles from the restaurant. The idea of buying locally for the Jim ’N Nicks chain came from CEO Nick Pihakis, who wanted to set an example for other chains that local farming can benefit them as well. 280 Living reports that Pihakis’ goal is to “help rebuild the agriculture structure in the South so that farmers are guaranteed a buyer for their goods,” and in return, local restaurants benefit from easy access to fresh ingredients.
Partnering with farm manager Keith Caton, Jim ’N Nicks’ decision to use fresh produce in the restaurants is only the beginning of creating a sustainable operation at the chain. They are on their way to sustaining this initiative with the use of a greenhouse that grows greens year-round and by harvesting hickory and oak firewood, used for smoking pork, from the farm’s mountain ridge. The farm hopes to eventually provide enough locally made products such as butter, farm-fresh eggs and locally grown vegetables to sustain the restaurant chain completely. – Rachael
Crawley Sigsbee / Managing Editor
September/October 2012 / 5
Around EBSCO
Around EBSCO
Information Services
EBSCO Hosts Republic of Uzbekistan Librarians
In August, EBSCO hosted four librarians from the Republic of Uzbekistan who were in the U.S. to get a first-hand look at our nation’s library system. The visit was sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, the Institute of International Education and the International Services Council of Alabama. At International Headquarters, the Russian-speaking librarians, accompanied by two Department of State interpreters, sat in on several presentations: Chip Graham, EBSCO Information Services (EIS) marketing director, gave an overview of EBSCO’s history and its library management and discovery solutions; Kittie Henderson, EIS director of academic and law divisions, offered insight about the latest information industry trends and topics; and Heather Klusendorf Stewart, product owner of SpringerLink
From left: Yevgeniy Galperin, interpreter; Chip Graham, EIS marketing director; Venera Lentovskaya, deputy director, Information and Library Center, Namangan Province; Nargiza Zaitova, head, Department of Rare Collections and Manuscripts, National Library of Uzbekistan, Tashkent; Larisa Galperin, interpreter; Gulnora Ismailova, director, Information and Library Center, Andijan Province; and Zulhumor Hadjaniyazova, head, Department of Rare Collections Information and Library Center, Khorezm Province; Tanya M. Hines-Wright, continued on page 9 EIS marketing and communications manager
Introducing the New EBSCONET® Subscription Management
The updated look and feel of EBSCONET showcases improved overall usability and e-package renewal functionality — and lays the foundation for even more enhanced subscription management capabilities. As part of EBSCO’s continuing efforts to streamline processes for its library customers, EBSCONET® Subscription Management recently introduced a more flexible, user-friendly interface designed to help librarians quickly access key information for developing and managing their print and electronic collections. This update — which debuted July 27 — provides a highly customizable environment that enables librarians to perform collection development activities more efficiently than ever within EBSCONET. In addition to a fresh new look, EBSCONET now offers: • Simplified menu options — reducing the number of clicks required to complete management tasks continued on page 9
6 / September/October 2012
EBSCO Wins Business from Swets Unicamp, Brazil
EMpact Sales is pleased to announce that Unicamp, the largest, most prominent university in Brazil, has purchased e-books from Oxford University Press (OUP). Worth $311,000, the sale is the largest of e-book sales for academics in Brazil. Luciane Castro, director of sales at EIS-Brazil, credits the sale to building a strong relationship with the head librarian and staff librarians, as well as to EIS-Brazil’s solid customer service.
Information Services
Liverpool University, United Kingdom
Liverpool University, in Liverpool, United Kingdom, moved all of its business to EBSCO — a deal worth $3.5 million. Last year, EBSCO won the first ever business from the university in more than 14 years when they agreed to test EBSCO’s e-packages worth approximately $1.5 million. This year, Liverpool, an EBSCO Discovery Service™ customer, chose EBSCO A-to-Z® with LinkSource® to replace SFX, thanks to the hard work of Account Services Manager Chris Watchous. The university also moved the rest of its e-packages and all of its subscriptions to EBSCO, and added EBSCO MARC Updates and EBSCONET® Usage Consolidation. Congratulations to Regional Sales Manager Richard Bramwell on this sale.
Aston University, United Kingdom
Aston University, in Birmingham, United Kingdom, now part of the Southern Universities Purchasing Consortium (SUPC), has moved approximately $1 million in subscriptions and e-packages from Swets to EBSCO. The university also purchased EBSCO Discovery Service™ from EBSCO Publishing. Congratulations to Regional Sales Manager Richard Smart on this sale.
S.S. Nesbitt Sees Growth Recently S.S. Nesbitt expanded their home office in Birmingham, Ala., by not only adding more staff, but by hiring specialists to bring new and innovative products and services to clients and grow the business. In the employee benefits department, a new account executive and two account managers were added to serve clients and support the efforts of Cindy McCain, RN, in providing health and wellness services to employee benefits clients. Brent Nast, Investment Services specialist, joined the team to offer clients investment portfolio design and management as well as retirement planning. He can also work on a commercial level to implement employer-sponsored retirement plans. The commercial and personal insurance departments have
Ferring Pharmaceuticals, Denmark
Ferring Pharmaceuticals, in Copenhagen, Denmark, had single subscriptions worth $30,000 with EBSCO, in addition to EBSCO Discovery Service™. Now the company has added e-packages and outsourcing services worth $400,000. Congratulations to Regional Sales Manager Jonas Hallström and Sales Manager Jakob Harnesk on sealing this deal. –
Rossi Morris / TITLE??
General Services
expanded with the addition of several new account executives. Brandon Baird, risk manager to the Personal Lines team, helps personal clients review their exposures and find coverage that will meet their specific needs. Scott Nesbitt was also added to the Commercial Lines department to write property and casualty coverages for middle market businesses. “As we continue to grow and develop as a full service agency, we realize the importance of adding new talent to continue to grow our business,” Steve Nesbitt, president and general manager, said. “In addition, with the growth we’ve experienced over the years, it is equally important to provide the support and resources to properly service our clients.” – Claire Wright / TITLE?? September/October 2012 / 7
Around EBSCO
Around EBSCO
Publishing Services
Cheeriodicals continued from page 2
EBSCONET continued from page 6
Magazine Express Rebuilds Brand
box along with a photo and personalized message for the card. Customers may also add a subscription to any magazine they choose. To date, VIP has made two runs of 2,000 boxes each for a total of 4,000 boxes for Cheeriodicals. Chris Melson, VIP sales representative, said, “Cheeriodicals’s business continues to grow, and we look forward to assisting them with their packaging needs in the years to come.” “The VIP Cheeriodicals boxes are such a hit with our customers,” Gary Parisher, Cheeriodicals president, said. “The one common thread we see is that everyone smiles when they first see the box! We really appreciate that our customers keep their Big Green Box to store their keepsakes after the magazines are read and the edibles are gone. Our brand lives inside their homes for years to come.”
• A new “Quick Search” feature that allows searching of key fields relevant to the areas being searched (titles, orders, renewals, etc.) — saving valuable staff time
In an effort to capitalize on their 80,000+ unique titles, Magazine Express is in the early stages of rebuilding its website, brand image and value to publishers. The redesigned website (www. magazineexpress.com) will offer a more simplified and fluid process to purchase and manage subscriptions and an option to auto-renew subscriptions. The long-term goal is to make Magazine Express the leader in online subscrip-
tion services with the short-term goal of making Magazine Express one of the top three online magazine subscription service providers. Two new hires have joined the Magazine Express team to assist in achieving these goals. Randy Mountain, web marketing manager, will work closely with EBSCO Subsidiary Web Services and Information Systems and Services on site design and functionality as well as
marketing the website through paid search, organic search, email, social media and affiliate marketing. John Crouse John Crouse, director of publisher relations, will be responsible for establishing and promoting the value that Magazine Express provides to publishers. Crouse joins Magazine Express with 18 years experience in sales and marketing with magazine publishing houses including TV Guide and Reader’s Digest as well as Time Inc. “I see tremendous upside for the business by expanding our magazine offering and getting the best prices available from publishers,” Crouse said. “I am just a member of the team that is helping build Magazine Express into an industry leading, high volume, consumer focused website — a destination site for magazine buying.” – Rachael
Green Mountain Rifle Barrel Increases Production
8 / September/October 2012
• An easy-to-navigate display of data pertaining to titles and orders, including improved access to information about licensing, registration and more — making vital collection management details available at the librarian’s point of need
Crawley Sigsbee / Managing Editor
Outdoors
Green Mountain Rife Barrel (GMRB) has established itself with firearms manufacturers as a solid supplier that goes above and beyond to meet the needs of its customers. With current market conditions demanding an increase in volume, GMRB’s machine capacity has been pushed to its limit. With no room to add machines and no time to wait months for delivery, GMRB moved from a twoshift operation to a 24-hour, seven-days-a-week operation. To achieve the higher volume without putting employee’s health and safety at risk, Vice President and General Manager Rick Sanborn said the plan for coverage required more creativity than mandatory overtime, which resulted in four teams working three 12-hour shifts and one six-hour shift per week. “While this plan is still in its implementation stage, it shows great promise for success. The past fiscal year saw record
– Sheri Thompson / Internal Communications Director
sales and net income, but the price paid in overtime and turnover was substantial,” Sanborn said. “With the current year’s outlook even better than 2012, this plan positions EBSCO for even stronger results.” – Rick Sanborn / TITLE??
• Flexible options for displaying search results; “sticky” functionality intuitively shows preferred search criteria, data fields and columns — creating a workspace that is tailored to each user’s specific needs
Stewart Signs continued from page 3
Uzbekistan continued from page
one-time sale for the most part, so the more traction a consultant gets in the territory, the more efficient they can be at networking within that territory.” Keller looks forward to an even better finish in 2013, with new products available that will further enhance sales, such as the TekStar, which was released in mid-2012 and already accounts for almost half the company’s volume. “In addition, as the new sales teams get more time under their belts, the average revenue per person will increase,” Keller added. “This is the second tier of the sales growth strategy for Stewart, which should bear fruit in 2013. I am very optimistic that our growth trend will continue in fiscal year 13 as we have invested heavily in growing our sales team.” – Sheri Thompson / Internal Commu-
at MetaPress, explained how the hosting service “bridges the gap between print and electronic content.” The group also met with Information Systems and Services’ Brett Steele and Publisher Services’ Beverly St. John and Mari-anne Honkanen. Despite the language barrier, the librarians nodded in unison to a great deal of what they heard, particularly Henderson’s mention of budget challenges. Another topic of agreement: the natural beauty of EBSCO’s campuses. The librarians were enthralled by the fawn camped out by the lobby entrance at Headquarters and the overall atmosphere of Mt Laurel. “The meeting was very interesting and informative,” interpreter Yevgeniy Galperin said on behalf of the group. “Thank you for the warm welcome.” –
nications Director
Moreover, the enhanced EBSCONET® E-Package Renewals tool now offers customers the option to renew packages earlier with estimated pricing, allowing them to complete renewals in a time frame more in line with the regular subscription renewal process using pricing based on their contract terms with each publisher EBSCONET’s revamped interface and improved package renewal capabilities lay the foundation for even more features and functionality designed to streamline the subscription management process. To stay in step with librarians’ evolving needs, updates will be released on an ongoing basis, as EBSCONET Subscription Management continues to strengthen its position as the librarian’s one-stop shop for subscription-related tasks. – Tanya ??
Tanya ??
September/October 2012 / 9
Feature STORIES
10 / September/October 2012
Feature Stories
September/October 2012 / 11
Health FOCUS
Feature Stories
In Support of Breast Cancer Research
Health Focus Success
For Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October, two EBSCO divisions are supporting the cause. by Rachael Crawley Sigsbee / Managing Editor
Luxor/H.Wilson Luxor/H.Wilson is supporting Breast Cancer Awareness Month with A Cart for the Cure™, which is being sold to healthcare professionals in support of the Susan G. Komen for the Cure. The idea for the pink cart was created by Mike Whaley, director of sales, and Zachary Kozak, central territory sales manager, as a product that would appeal to a variety of markets dedicated to helping support breast cancer awareness. After two months of market research and gaining feedback from the medical industry, Luxor/H.Wilson chose MarketLab Inc. as their partner to help promote and sell the pink cart because of their specialization in the sale of unique
12 / September/October 2012
medical and laboratory products. Additionally, MarketLab would donate 10 percent of the proceeds generated by the cart to help support breast cancer awareness and prevention. Luxor/H.Wilson entered into an agreement with MarketLab as their exclusive distributor for the pink cart. To gain exclusive distribution rights, MarketLab committed to a minimum sales order of 200 units with the ability to extend their exclusive agreement if they sell 1,000 or more units within two years. MarketLab’s willingness to commit to these sales volumes and their prior affiliation with Susan G. Komen for the Cure made them an ideal partner. According to Kozak, “Sales have been fairly moderate; however, we expect to see a spike this fall in October for Breast Cancer Awareness month,” he said. “We feel this is a great opportunity to expand our presence in the healthcare industry.” Whaley added, “We are pleased by the launch and our partnership with MarketLab Inc. to help support Breast Cancer Awareness Month this October.”
Alys Beach Caliza Pool and Restaurant in Alys Beach, Fla., will be glowing pink in October during the second-annual Breast Cancer Awareness dinner in the Florida Gulf Coast town in October. The event is spearheaded by Caliza Restaurant chef Kevin Korman, who started the fundraiser for breast cancer research after his mother was diagnosed with the disease in 2004. “Among others affected on our staff, we all have a vested interest in making this event a huge success,” Korman said. The night offers a five-course meal featuring cancer-fighting ingredients and a silent auction with proceeds being donated to Sacred Heart Cancer Center, Emerald Coast Services and Susan G. Komen for the Cure, Maryland affiliate. Lisa Burwell, breast cancer survivor and co-owner of VIE Magazine, a regional publication based in the Walton County area, will be the guest speaker for the event to discuss her battle with the disease. In addition to raising money for breast cancer research, the organizers of the event hope to bring awareness to the cancer-fighting foods on the menu, to honor those who have fought breast cancer and to give hope for survival to those affected.
September/October 2012 / 13
Health Focus Everyday Prevention
Health Focus
“My Health Conditions are Under Control”
Virgin HealthMiles
by Rachael Crawley Sigsbee / Managing Editor
Not everyone who joins the Virgin HealthMiles (VHM) program does so just to lose weight. Sheare Bliss, SQA engineer in EBSCO Information Services Software Quality Assurance, joined the program on day one to help improve her symptoms from fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome. To help control the pain and exhaustion associated with the conditions, exercise is key, so the VHM program was exactly the boost she needed to get on track. “I found the idea of starting to exercise at my own rate and then gradually improving pretty attractive,” Bliss said. In addition to her two conditions that leave her tired and restless, Bliss also has an unhealthy thyroid, which makes losing weight nearly impossible in some cases. But thanks to VHM, Bliss has lost 30 pounds while improving her overall health. “My Body Mass Index and my body fat percentage are much improved, and my muscle mass has increased,
Get awarded 200 bonus HealthMiles! Email your success story to Sheri Thompson at sthompson@ebsco.com.
Tracking the
CO$T
which is awesome since it revs the metabolism,” Bliss said. “While I still have bad days and even bad weeks with the fibromyalgia pain and exhaustion, I feel stronger. I’ve lost weight and I have tons more energy. And as everyone knows, when you have more energy, you’re better able to focus.” Bliss set a goal of 7,000 steps daily but averages between 3,500 and 5,000 steps by walking in the afternoons with coworkers and walking at home to achieve the steps to meet her daily goals, which allowed her to achieve level 2 last year. Thanks to EBSCO’s wellness program, Bliss has been able to improve her health with the unique benefits offered by VHM. “Virgin HealthMiles has such great tools for helping track progress and improvement. It has definitely been an important part of my overall approach to getting fit and staying healthy,” she said. “As much as I complain about exercise, the VHM program makes exercise nearly painless, especially with the GoZone pedometer. I tend to be suspicious of wellness programs, but I am sincerely delighted that EBSCO is continuing the partnership.”
of Healthcare
Providing you with employee healthcare costs for fiscal year end 2012. by John Thompson / Vice President and Director of Human Resources
14 / September/October 2012
After a 3.4-percent decrease in overall health benefits costs for fiscal year (FY) 2011, EBSCO saw a 13.6-percent increase for FY 2012. The average cost per employee for medical increased 12.4 percent and for drugs by 13.3 percent. One bright spot was that the average out-of-pocket expense for each employee decreased by 6.8 percent for medical, and 3.3 percent for drugs. Out-of-pocket expenses include hospital inpatient and drug deductibles and outpatient, physician and drug co-pays. Realizing that our healthcare costs are still a significant expense for EBSCO and for you, we must pay attention to ways we can help keep costs under some level of control. Insisting on generic drugs from your physician, stopping the use of all tobacco products and paying attention to proper nutrition are all activities we can engage in as necessary and permanent parts of our lives and the lives of our families. Health care coverage is an important benefit we at EBSCO enjoy. Each of us, doing our part to make ourselves as healthy as possible will help control the costs.
Total Health Costs Costs
Average Cost per Covered Employee
FYE 2012
$31,463,445
$6,389.00
FYE 2011
$27,684,314
$5,683.00
Difference
$3,779,131
$706.00
Increase/Decrease
13.7% Increase
12.4% Increase
Prescription Drugs Plan Costs # of Rxs
Cost per Rx
FYE 2012
$5,721,952
85,053
$65.14
FYE 2011
$4,966,402
85,724
$58.07
Difference
$755,550
(671)
$7.07
Increase/Decrease
15.2% Increase
0.78% Decrease
12.16 Increase
September/October 2012 / 15
In Every ISSUE
In Every Issue Division Profile
Management Memo
16 / September/October 2012
September/October 2012 / 17
In Every Issue
In Every Issue
Notables
Outstanding Employees
The EBSCO Engineer
Administration
Bridgette Reynolds Title Information Department
by Rachael Crawley Sigsbee / Managing Editor
Danny Pardue, general manager of the Engineering department, has worked tirelessly over the past 40 years to ensure EBSCO properties in the Birmingham, Ala., area run efficiently and effectively. After transferring from a smaller company to EBSCO just three days after applying for the job, Pardue began working in the landscaping department in 1972 and worked his way up to general manager of the Engineering department in 1989. “There were only five people in Engineering [when I started] with only two old trucks,” Pardue said. “We now have 23 people and 15 trucks in our fleet, which is quite a growth since 1972.” In 1979, Pardue led the team that cleared the land on Highway 280 to make way for International Headquarters, one of the many EBSCO properties Pardue helped break ground on over the years. He now oversees all maintenance operations at multiple EBSCO properties. “We all work so hard to make sure all EBSCO facilities are in the best condition we can,” he said.
Lisa Le Corporate Accounting (ACC) 20 years
John Yax EBSCO Sign Group (ESG)-Sarasota Product Manager 20 years
Gina Kang Vicki Nicholson EBSCO Information EIS-Korea Administrative and Accounts Services (EIS)Australia Director, Receivable Manager 15 years Planning & Analysis 15 years
Ana Owen EBSCO Publishing (EP) Specialist Abstractor 15 years
Joy Hallex Pam Rodriguez Brian Wilson Assistant Vice Presi- Information Systems ISS Computer Support Analyst dent and Assistant and Services (ISS) IT 15 years Director of Human Machine Operator 15 years Resources 20 years
Teresa Mitchell, ISS 50 Years Jim Stephens, Administration William Wood, Vulcan Information Packaging (VIP)
40 Years
Juanita Caldwell, Vitronic Promotional Group (VPG) Sandra Mccollumn, VPG Danny Pardue, Engineering
35 Years
Hank Fletcher, Valley Joist (VJ)-East Richard Hamilton, PRADCO-Fishing
Before the Engineering office moved to the current location in downtown Birmingham, Ala., at 1303 1st Avenue North, Pardue said his most memorable time at EBSCO was at the former Engineering office just a few blocks away. “When it rained a couple of inches, [our section of] 1st Avenue North would flood,” Pardue said. “Trucks would pass by and the waves of water would bust out the windows on the first floor. We would spend most of the day moving employees’ cars to a higher ground.” Pardue plans to retire in the next year or so and looks forward to having time to explore new hobbies, but EBSCO will always be a part of his life, he said. “Working at EBSCO has been a joyful experience for me, and I have never regretted coming to work for the company. I have always worked closely with the Stephens families, and they have always treated me with the upmost respect,” Pardue said. “I somewhat look forward to retirement, but I will miss the company because EBSCO has been a part of my life for 40 years.”
Beth Sanchez Steve MacRae Kimberly Twymon EP Accounts Payable EP Senior Director, EBSCO Reception Manager Strategic Alliances Room Subscription 20 years 20 years Services (ERRSS) Sales Representative 15 years
Stephen Evans PRADCO-Fishing Shipping Dock Supervisor 15 years
Pamela Brunke, Salem Press Debra David, PRADCOFishing Sarah Marcarian, CINAHL® 30 Years Information Systems Wanda Lauderdale, Keith Odom, EBSCO Media Accounting (EM) Lisa McDaniel, Administrative Barbara Finch Thompson, Services (AS) EM Sid McNeal, EBSCO International (EI) 20 Years Matt Andros, EP 25 Years Greg Coleman, AS Teresa Arnold, Ellen Finley, EM EIS-Birmingham Catryna McCord, Accounting
Shirley Deason Publisher Services (PS) Customer Service Supervisor 20 years
Bill Haver (Publishers’ Warehouse Vice President and General Manager), left, is recognized by Dixon Brooke (President and CEO) for 20 years of service.
Janet Odom, VPG Tom Paolucci, EP Danny Raughton, VJ-East Mark Sinclair, EIS-Chicago Mary Jane Webb, Corporate Communications (CC)
15 Years
Sheri Alford ERRSS Sales Representative 15 years
Brad Arnold, EIS-Project Management Office Jerry Bridges, VIP Brian Caskey, CC Phyllis Chism, Siegel Display Edna Ferguson, Vulcan Industries (VI)
Margaret Hitt, Vulcan Service Mark McGaha, VI Heather McKenna, EISRed Bank Sandra Stacey, EP Rene Tidwell, EI Rebecca Day Tucker, EIS Bruce Wallace, Siegel
Bridgette Reynolds is very knowledgeable about her job duties and responsibilities as an E-Journal Relations assistant supervisor in the Title Information Department (TID). According to TID General Manager Tracy Housch, “I trust that Bridgette will work hard and exert the effort necessary in order to meet any goals that are set. She is highly respected by her team, and I think this has a lot to do with her regular meetings she conducts with them to share concerns, problems and accomplishments.” Reynolds understands the strengths and weaknesses of her team. She consistently shows leadership by having a good attitude and promoting teamwork and is committed to being a team player.
Production
Jeff Farrington Green Mountain Rifle Barrel Jeff Farrington, factory specialist at Green Mountain Rifle Barrel (GMRB), is a critical member of the production team. He is responsible for hands-on machine repair, training of operators and the coordination of tooling requirements and vendor contact. Rick Sanborn, general manager of GMRB, said it would be difficult to replace Farrington with two people splitting his duties due to the large amount of work he is responsible for each day. “He is a strong asset to Green Mountain,” Sanborn said.
Sales
Richard Sawyer EBSCO Publishing For 12 years in a row, Richard Sawyer, senior key account manager in the Publisher Relations department at EP, has signed the most contracts out of the members of the Content Licensing team. Sawyer coaches and mentors his group and has helped them all sign the most contracts this team and any other licensing group in the industry has signed in one year. “He continues to push the bar higher and higher and broke his own impressive record this year,” said Collins.
Technical/Professional
Jeremy Bifano EBSCO Publishing
As senior technical support representative in the Customer Satisfaction department at EBSCO Publishing (EP), Jeremy Bifano provides EBSCO customers with the same level of professionalism and assistance with which he provides his team. He frequently conducts innovative and exemplary training sessions to enhance product awareness and technical expertise. “Jeremy sees the big picture and is constantly looking for how he can fit into it, and how he can improve it,” said Tim Collins, president of EP. “Jeremy’s performance with customers, his proactive outlook toward learning and sharing new innovation, and his ability to see the big picture have drastically improved our team’s performance and knowledgebase.”
May/Jun 2009 / 19
In Every Issue Accounting
International Headquarters reported by Catryna McCord
Regional Reports Married
Noteworthy
Sherry Norcross (Accounts Payables Analyst) to Joseph Hoium May 12
Michelle Dobbins (Accounts Payables Manager) graduated summa cum laude with a 4.0 GPA from Strayer University with a Master of Business Administration with a concentration in accounting.
EBSCO Anniversary Jawahar Reddy (SAP Developer), 10 years
Zachary Mayfield, son of Sherry Norcross Hoium, graduated from Chelsea High School in Chelsea, Ala.
Administrative Services
EIS-Berlin
EIS-Corporate & Federal Division
reported by Charlie Ellis
reported by Andrea Vahrenwald
reported by Kathleen Laudicano
EBSCO Anniversaries
EBSCO Anniversaries
Lara Malone (Facilities/Space Planner) and David Johnson (Shipping), five years
Cary Bruce (General Manager) and Sabine Sommerkorn (Manager, Finance & Accounting), 10 years
International Headquarters
In Memoriam ‹ Johan Lehr, who joined EBSCO
Alys Beach reported by Kerri Price
EBSCO Anniversaries › Jeff Armstrong (Chief Financial Officer), five years Robbie Roberts (Sales Associate), right, is recognized by Jason Comer for five years of service.
reported by Jessica Hastings
Tyeshia Cleveland (Printer) to Larry Cook June 9
20 / September/October 2012
of Danette Loney (Customer Service Representative), received a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Temple University in Philadelphia May 10.
reported by Gina Kang
reported by Julia Green
reported by Corey Collins
Ipswich, Mass.
EBSCO Anniversary Michelle Choi (Customer Service Representative), five years
EIS Division
EIS-Australia
Born
reported by Roberta Stamp
reported by Wendy Ko
Sara to Ana Iscar (Account Services Manager) and Angel Lopez Nov. 19, 2011
Born
EBSCO Anniversary
Grayson Douglas Stamp, grandson of Roberta Stamp (Research Coordinator), June 10
Sarsha Dudley (Technical Services Officer), five years
International Headquarters
Sydney, Australia
EBSCO Reception Room Subscription Services International Headquarters
Jon Braswell, husband of Sandie Braswell (Training Specialist), with the Alabama National Guard CO D 1/167 Infantry Division was deployed to Afghanistan in June. Special thanks to all of our troops and their families.
Born
Married
‹ Vanessa Loney, right, daughter
EBSCO Publishing
Madrid, Spain
Noteworthy
Keilea Ryann Spratt to Jessaca (Customer Service Representative) and Ricky Spratt May 23
Laudicano (Customer Service Supervisor), graduated cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in communications from Manhattan College in Bronx, N.Y., May 20.
EIS-Spain
reported by Stacy Bean
Landon Joseph Robinson to Klain (Art Director) and Chrissy Robinson May 25
Noteworthy › Amy Laudicano, left, daughter of Kathy
EIS-Korea Seoul, Korea
Regional Reports Mobile, Ala.
Tinton Falls, N.J.
Publishing (EP) in Berlin as an account executive in March 2009, passed away July 7. Lehr is remembered by his team for his warmth, kindness, his willingness to help and his readiness to always offer a helping hand. Lehr was a part of the first account executive training group organized in Ipswich, Mass., for extended training and was also one of the founding team members of the EP Augsburg office in Germany.
Alys Beach, Fla.
Crown Products
Berlin, Germany
Special Workplace Accomplishment Darren Viollett (Publisher Relations Manager, EMpact Sales-Australia) won the Continuing Quality Work and Top Performance award May 24.
Special Workplace Accomplishment Christy Dupree (Accounts Receivable) was named Employee of the Quarter for the 2nd Quarter.
Born Jeffrey Michael Page to Shelly (Customer Account Specialist Lead) and Shawn Page April 3 Taryn Rae Flood, granddaughter of Robin Radanovics (Content Quality), April 10
Married Anthony DiZazzo (Discovery Solution Specialist) to Helena-Marie Leclerc May 19 Jessica Belanger (Vendor Relations Implementation Manager) to David Dennesen June 2
EBSCO Anniversary
Hired
Chris Rager (Specialist Content Editor), five years
Jessica Belanger as Implementation Manager, Vendor Relations
Engineering
Finance
Birmingham, Ala.
International Headquarters
reported by Twanda Pippen
EBSCO Anniversaries Dane Sims (Landscaping), five years Chris Albrets (HVAC/ Maintenance Technician), 10 years
reported by Laurie Morris
EBSCO Anniversary Crystal McLean (Financial Analyst), right, is recognized by Mandy Catrett (Manager of Finance and Treasury) for 10 years of service. September/October 2012 / 21
In Every Issue
Regional Reports
Hallmark Data Systems, LLC
Human Resources
S.S. Nesbitt & Co.
reported by Suzanne Polerecky
reported by Molly Bush
reported by Claire Wright
EBSCO Anniversary
Born
Michael Blakely (Senior Account Manager), five years
Avia Eleanor Alverson Lathem, granddaughter of Leann Alverson (Benefits Coordinator), April 25
Skokie, Ill.
Promoted
International Headquarters
Title Information Department
Retired › Ron Early from Decatur-
Birmingham, Ala.
Commercial Sales
International Headquarters
reported by Lianna Brewer
EBSCO Anniversary Sheri Meares (E-Content Manager), 10 years
Married ‹ Andrea Davis (Account
Tatyana Slutsky to Web Application Developer-JR Erica Pascual to eMarketing Data Analyst Paul Augustyn to eMarketing Data Analyst
Noteworthy
Manager) to Brian Davis May 3
Emily Norman (Research Clerk) graduated from the University of Alabama at Birmingham in Birmingham, Ala., in May with a Master of Business Administration.
Married Holly Jinks, daughter of Terry and Patti Jinks (Administrative Assistant), to David Porch June 2
Information Systems and Services International Headquarters
reported by Kim Newlin
PRADCO-Fishing
Valley Joist West Fernley, Nev.
Vulcan Industries
Ft. Smith Ark.
reported by Mike Ledford
reported by Jamie Burkett
reported by Ellen Harrell
Born
Born
David Ira Wood, grandson of David Wood (Maintenance), May 25
Owen Michael Duke to Matt (Sales Representative) and Danielle Duke June 22
EBSCO Anniversaries Jan Humphrey (Document Specialist), left, and Deborah Nelson (Software Quality Assurance Engineer), right, are recognized by Brett Steele (Vice President and General Manager) for 10 years of service.
EBSCO Anniversaries › Evangeline Brake (Work Cell) is recognized by Mark Cowan (Operations Manager) for 10 years of service.
Katelyn, granddaughter of James Raynor (Plant Manager)
› Lawrence Taylor ‹ Debbie Putnam
Moody, Ala.
(Public Relations Manager), 10 years
Emma Rose, granddaughter of Patrick O’Rourke (Regional Sales Director)
(Customer Service), 10 years
EBSCO Anniversaries
EBSCO Anniversary
Publisher Services International Headquarters
reported by Barbara Burt
EBSCO Anniversaries › Frank Mapes (Vice President and General
(International Payables) to Ashtin Bivins Oct. 8, 2011
22 / September/October 2012
Special Workplace Accomplishment
Manager), back center, recognizes Janis Hinton (Utility Clerk), back left, and Michael Rice (E Package Renewal Clerk), back right, for five years of service and Michelle Mitchell (Payables Clerk), front left, and Jodi Courington (Manager, Customer Service and Credits) for 10 years of service.
Married ‹ Dannette Burns
Noteworthy › Mariana Baidan (Customer Service Representative) graduated from Birmingham-Southern College in Birmingham, Ala., May 19 with a bachelor’s degree in political science.
Brenda Wingard (Lead, Packing) is recognized by James Raynor (Plant Manager) for five years of service.
Byron Tierney (Sales Representative), five years
Noteworthy
› Michele Brasher, daughter of Jeanne Brasher (Administrative Assistant), graduated from Vincent High School in Vincent, Ala., as valedictorian with honors.
Diasha M. Hubbard, daughter of Andre Hubbard (Spotweld Supervisor), graduated from Talladega High School in Talladega, Ala., and has joined the U.S. Army, where she will be a dental specialist.
Amy Oliver (Accounting Clerk), April Employee of the Month
Johnny Hill (Welder), May Employee of the Month
September/October 2012 / 23
Ide as
In Every Issue
h g Progress Throu Get awarded for your ingenuity
Manufacturing
Vulcan Industries
Luxor/H. Wilson
John Patterson $400 for developing a method to import address files into the shipping system using Microsoft Excel or Access for bulk label production on repetitive shipments, allowing much smoother handling.
Randy Douglas $800 for having a popular imported product reclassified as “mobile furniture,” making it duty free, resulting in a significant cost reduction and ongoing benefits.
EBSCO Media
Vulcan Information Packaging
Phil Beaumont and Kenneth Duck $750 each for developing a new method for custom binders to exit the binding machines, reducing the number of employees required to pack the binders from two to one. Barry Pace $1,000 for engineering improvements to the sealing machine, reducing the number of “die” or stamping tools needed, for a dramatic cost reduction, and adding a quick-mount plate that enables dies to be changed easily from one job to the next.
Mike Mooney and Keith Odom $250 each for prolonging the life of the blades on the cutters used to cut finished print jobs in the bindery by moving chipboard to a different machine to be cut.
Paul McGrann and Eric Higginbotham $250 each for programming printers to pull all two-sided sheets first, which would allow all one-sided sheets to run through the machine only once, eliminating the “double click” charge for the one-sided sheets and saving wear and tear on the printers. Siegel Display Products
Jeff Brisbane $700 for redesigning a popular rotating wire display rack for easier 24 / May/Jun 2009
In Every Issue
June Winners
EBSCO rewards employees who develop ways to make positive change happen — reducing costs, increasing output, saving time. Congratulations to the winners from June 2012.
assembly, reducing the number of shipping crates needed and eliminating the need for packing peanuts altogether.
Information Services EBSCO Publishing
Daniel Robert $2,500 for retrofitting an existing scanner with a Canon DSLR camera to enable oversize materials to be scanned, eliminating the need to purchase a new, expensive piece of equipment. Joanna Hanson $1,200 for developing a shortcut key to automatically copy emails containing publisher agreements to a file, paste the email into the correct field, choose the correct call type, update the call date and follow-up date and close the entry. Cindy Grove $2,500 for developing a macro to improve the quality control process and reduce the time needed to locate common errors in newly created headings by vendors and in-house indexers in the Editorial department.
Introducing a Cycle of Sustainability
Sustainable Business
During the past few years, Vulcan Industries has implemented greener processes that have lightened the environmental footprint at EBSCO’s oldest manufacturing division.
EBSCO Information Services-Australia
/ Materials /
/ Water /
Brian Choi $300 for suggesting that employees working remotely from the Sydney office submit their expense reports and receipts electronically rather than by mail, reducing the time to sort and process expense claims by half and eliminating postage costs.
➔ All cardboard waste and steel scrap — stainless steel, copper and aluminum — are sold for recycling.
➔ The need to “dump” wash holding tanks was eliminated, significantly reducing water consumption and wastewater treatment.
➔ Damaged wood pallets are returned to the supplier for reuse or grinding into mulch. ➔ Empty drums and totes are returned to vendors for recycling. ➔ Used copper welding tips are reconditioned in house for additional use rather than discarded.
➔ All wastewater from the paint system is treated on site and conforms to Alabama Department of Environmental Management standards. ➔ Treated wastewater is discharged to local sewage system for recycling into fresh water. ➔ Plant water heater changed to high-efficiency system with recirculation pump.
Title Information Department
Brandon Sharp $800 for developing a macro that reduces the number of keystrokes required to look up title information on the mainframe from nine to four, a time-saving method that has enhanced productivity.
Gas consumption reduced 30 percent! ➔ Sprinkler system for facility grounds uses on-site well water.
Corporate Services Finance
Hank Jones $750 for developing a macro to automatically compare and reconcile international currency exchange rate information in SAP with the mainframe, reducing the amount of time needed to complete the task.
/ Chemicals / ➔ Current wash chemicals operate 50° cooler than in the past.
Natural gas consumption reduced 30 percent! ➔ Paint wash system changed to low-phosphate, lowtemperature chemicals. ➔ Products and parts are powder coated with paint that is free of volatile organic compounds (VOCs).
/ Electric / ➔ High-efficiency air compressor with variable flow and reserve tank installed. Compressor
electrical consumption reduced 45 percent annually!
➔ All plant and office lighting changed to high efficiency T5 and T8 fluorescent bulbs and electronic ballasts. Lighting electrical
consumption reduced 37 percent!
➔ Occupancy sensor lighting controls installed in all offices, bathrooms and break areas.
September/October 2012 / 25
PRSRT STD U.S. Postage
Post Office Box 1943 Birmingham, AL 35201-1943 (205) 991-6600 Fax (205) 991-1479
PAID
Permit No. 203 Birmingham, AL U.S.A.
ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED
To help ensure that you receive the BUGLE regularly, please report any changes in your address and/or name to Human Resources Department, P.O. Box 1943, Birmingham, Alabama 35201-1943.
The BUGLE is printed on Chorus Art Gloss paper, which contains 50% recycled material and 25% post consumer waste. © EBSCO Industries, Inc. Printed in the U.S.A. (0912) EBS-1750 65509
Alys Beach • BioDefend • CANEBSCO Reception Room Subscription Services • Carry-Lite Decoys • Code Blue • Commonwealth Productions, LLC • Crown Products • EBSCO Professional Partnership Group • EBSCO Book Services, Inc. • EBSCO Canada Ltd. • EBSCO Development Co. • EBSCO Gulf Coast Development Co., Inc. • EBSCO Income Properties, LLC • EBSCO International, Inc. • EBSCO Investment Services, Inc. • EBSCO Magazine Express • EBSCO Media • EBSCO Creative Concepts • EBSCO Publishing, Inc. • EBSCO Realty • EBSCO Reception Room Subscription Services • EBSCO Research, LLC • EBSCO Subscription Services • EBSCO TeleServices, LLC • Franklin Square Overseas, Inc. • Grand View Media Group, Inc. • Global Point Products • Green Mountain Rifle Barrel Co., Inc. • Hallmark Data Systems • H. Wilson Company • J.M. Stewart Corp. • Knight & Hale Game Calls • Kustom Calls • Lindy-Little Joe • Luxor • MetaPress • Moultrie Feeders, LLC • Mt Laurel • NoveList • NSC International • PPF • Publishers’ Warehouse • PRADCO Outdoor Brands • S.S. Nesbitt and Co., Inc. • Siegel Display Products • Summit Treestands • Town Builders, Inc. • Valley Joist • Vitronic Promotional Group • Vulcan Information Packaging • Vulcan Industries • Vulcan Service/Periodical Sales • Wayne Industries • Wingscapes