APG Newsletter November 2018

ASSOCIATE NEWSLETTER

Linville Falls in Linville Gorge, NC – Photo by Jeff Rowton, HR Safety Manager

NOVEMBER 2018

CONTENTS

SHARE YOUR AMAZING PHOTOGRAPHY SKILLS! Did you take a photo that you love for an article, a project you are working on, or from your last adventure? Send your image with a description to AskHR@adamspg.com and it may be featured in the next newsletter.

Cabin during fall at Cades Cave in the Great Smoky Mountains.

Photo by Sarah Mast, The High Road Agency 2

NOVEMBER 2018 NEWSLETTER

Human Resources

APG East

APG Central and West

APG

OPEN ENROLLMENT, EMAIL SCAMS, PTO REMINDER, MINUTE WITH MARK

CALL CENTER HOMECOMING, SPOOKY FUN TIMES, CELEBRATIONS

EVENT-FILLED FALL IN EAST CENTRAL MICHIGAN AND THE 7 DWARFS

MOVIE TRIVIA, CALL FOR NEWSLETTER SUBMISSIONS

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HAPPY THANKSGIVING I truly hope each Associate realizes how THANKFUL I am that he or she is a part of the Adams Family.

Sincerely, Mark Adams

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HEALTH & WELLNESS

END OF YEAR REMINDERS WINTER WELLNESS 8 WAYS TO FIGHT COLDS AND THE FLU

FLEXIBLE SPENDING ACCOUNT (FSA)

Cough, sniffle, ah-choo! Cold and flu germs have some crafty ways of getting around.

Often these viral villains take to the air. They spread by airborne droplets when someone coughs, sneezes or even talks. They can also land on surfaces — and hitch a ride when you touch them with your hands.

IT’S TIME TO USE – OR LOSE – YOUR 2018 FSA MONEY (or at least all but $500 of it).

GERM FIGHTING 101

With all the holiday craziness, yet another endof-the year shopping spree is going on. It’s that last dash to use up the remaining dollars in your health care FSA. FSAs can be a blessing – and a curse. Time is running out to use the money in your FSA. APG associates have until March 15, 2019 to spend the $500 (if you have that much left) in remaining funds in their healthcare FSA. Submit paper claims and receipts for covered expenses incurred in the 2018 plan year by March 31, 2019 at 10:59 p.m. CST.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a yearly flu vaccine for everyone 6 months and older is the single best way to avoid getting influenza. But there’s more you can do. These stay-well strategies can help keep you and your family from getting — or passing along — a cold or flu bug:

You must provide a receipt and an itemized statement from your provider in order to be reimbursed.

1. Hit the sink. Be sure to wash your hands regularly to remove any germs. A good, thorough scrubbing is key. That means for at least 20 seconds with soap and warm water.

2. Have sanitizer at the ready. Soap and water aren’t always available. So keep hand sanitizer in your car, your bag or tote, and your workspace too.

3. Be hands-off! Try to limit how much you touch your face. Germs can enter your body through your eyes, nose or mouth.

4. Cover that cough. Make it a habit to cough or sneeze into a tissue or the crook of your elbow. Teach kids this trick too.

5. Keep your distance. As much as possible, try to avoid close contact with anyone who’s ill. If you do get sick, stay home until you’re better.

PAYROLL UPDATE REMINDER: Has your personal information changed this year? Make sure to update your personal and W4 information.

If you claimed exempt for 2018, you will need to renew your exempt status for 2019. Letters will be sent out to employees with an exempt status to remind them to renew for 2019.

UPDATE DEADLINE: 12/21/2018 4

6. Wipe ’em out. Regularly clean surfaces you touch often — such as keyboards, phones, remote controls, door handles and countertops.

7. Share not. Remind your family not to share items such as cups, silverware or toothbrushes.

8. Build a strong defense. When you take care of yourself, you help your body fight off illness.

So be sure to get plenty of sleep. Choose healthy foods — and get regular exercise.

SAFETY

SAFETY

SPACE HEATER TIPS

SPACE HEATER FIRES ARE COMMON AND COSTLY JEFF ROWTON, APG SAFETY MANAGER

Portable electric space heaters are commonly used to provide supplemental heat during the colder months. Unfortunately, space heaters can increase the risks of fire and electric shock if not used properly. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) estimates that there were:

THESE HOME FIRES, CAUSED BY SPACE HEATERS, RESULTED IN:

21,800

HOME FIRES

490 CIVILIAN DEATHS

Involving stationary or portable space heaters in 2007

1,180 INJURIES $330 MILLION IN DIRECT PROPERTY DAMAGE

Space heater safety is not just a residential concern. Portable electric space heaters are also used in workplaces across the country and can pose a major workplace safety hazard. Fires can be caused by space heaters without adequate safety features, space heaters placed near combustibles, or space heaters that are improperly plugged in.

Educating Associates about safe space heater practices can reduce the risks to Associates and facilities. The Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI) offers the following space heater safety tips:

• Associates are required to obtain approval from a

• Plug space heaters directly into a wall outlet. Do not

• All space heaters should have the certification of an

• Do not plug any other electrical devices into the same

• Proper placement of space heaters is critical. Heaters

• Operating space heaters should never be left

supervisor or facility manager prior to using a space heater at work. independent testing laboratory.

must be kept at least three feet away from anything that can burn, including papers, clothing and rugs.

• Locate space heaters out of high traffic areas and

use an extension cord or power strip, which could overheat and result in a fire. outlet as the heater.

unattended. They should be turned off and unplugged at the end of the work day or whenever the Associate leaves the room.

doorways where they may pose a tripping hazard.

3-FT

KEEP IT LEVEL

THREE FEET RULE

DON’T FORGET

SMOKE ALARMS

DON’T EXTEND

Always place the space heater on a hard, level and nonflammable surface.

Ensure the space heater is at least 3-ft from anything that can burn.

Never leave a space heater on when you leave.

Install working smoke alarms on every level of your office and test monthly.

Avoid using an extension cord. Plug a space heater into a high capacity outlet.

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HUMAN

HOW TO AVOID & HANDLE

EMAIL SCAMS DO YOU KNOW YOUR

If an email looks suspicious, don’t risk your personal information by opening or responding to the message. Below are some suggested guidelines to help protect yourself against these threats when suspicious email arrives within your email inbox: BEWARE OF ATTACHMENTS

THINK BEFORE YOU REACT

• Don’t open an attachment unless

• Hover your mouse over links before

• Be cautious about email messages

• Instead of clicking on links, open a

you know who it is from & are expecting it.

that instruct you to enable macros before downloading Word or Excel attachments.

• If you receive an attachment from someone you don’t know, don’t open it. Delete it immediately.

PROTECT YOURSELF

• Use anti-virus software on your

local machine, and make sure it’s kept up-to-date with the latest virus definitions.

• Don’t give your email address to sites you don’t trust.

• Don’t post your email address to public websites or forums.

HOW TO RECOGNIZE PHISHING

• Requests for personal information such as passwords or Social Security numbers

• Forged email addresses • Poor writing or bad grammar

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IT MAY BE TIME FOR A VACATION!

you click on them to see if the URL looks legitimate.

new browser and manually type in the address.

• Don’t click the “Unsubscribe” link

in a spam email. It would only let the spammer know your address is legitimate, which could lead to you receiving more spam.

• Understand that reputable

businesses will never ask for personal information via email.

• Don’t send personal information in an email message.

• Don’t reply to spam. Be aware that

if you reply to a spam email, your reply most-likely will not go back to the original spammer because the FROM header in the spam message will most-likely be forged.

• Don’t share passwords.

• Words like “Urgent” – false sense of urgency

PAID TIME OFF BALANCE?

When in doubt contact a supervisor or contact the person by phone to verify email.

Accrued, unused paid time off of up to 80 hours can be carried over to the following calendar year.

View PTO Policies online at: hr.adamspg.com/handbook

SIGN UP TO RECEIVE TEXT BREAKING NEWS TEXT ADAMSPG TO 41411 TO SIGN UP

RESOURCES A MINUTE WITH MARK ADAMS:

O PE N

Who owns APG? Watch this month’s video: hr.adamspg.com/minute

E N RO LL ME NT REMINDER: OPEN ENROLLMENT ENDS DECEMBER 15TH

Submit your question: AskMark@adamspg.com

Who owns APG?

• HAVE YOU ENROLLED YET? • All employees MUST log in to elect coverage.

• This is NOT a passive enrollment.

IF YOU DO NOTHING, you will be enrolled in company-paid Short Term Disability, Long Term Disability and Basic Term Life. All other healthcare benefits will be WAIVED. If you require assistance in completing your enrollment or waiver, please contact APG Human Resources personnel.

Enrollments or waivers made during open enrollment will go into effect Jan. 1, 2019.

Contribute to the APG Newsletter We want to hear what is going on in your neck of the woods. hr.adamspg.com/submitnews

Visit the HR Portal to subscribe and to receive the monthly newsletter in your inbox.

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APG EAST

CALL CENTER COMES HOME APG CHESAPEAKE REOPENS IN-HOUSE CALL CENTER On August 24, APG Chesapeake reopened the phone lines to an in-house call center. Previously outsourced, we felt we could provide more of a local feel from a staff that lives, works and plays alongside our reading audience and advertisers while at the same time reducing expenses.

Prior to picking up a phone, our new call center team was treated to a week of PowerPoints and training on the world of Circulation, product familiarization, independent contractor relations, subscriber retention and of course customer service. Moving from the conference room to the front lobby, the team took part in role playing, learning the Circ-Pro system and finally live calls.

Eleven paid publications, four free weeklies and numerous military magazines means

a lot of phone calls. To ease the team into the program, we intentionally moved two to three publications in-house per week. This not only provided for an easy transition, but also gave the team time to learn how to handle calls from the differing products and the corresponding publishing days. We also added a large monitor on the wall in the call center to offer real time visual call volumes coming out of our Nextiva Phone system. The launch was a huge success.

The superstars elevating our service and brand are, (from left to right) Bonnie Barrett, Jamie Carter, Heather Jordan (Call Center Manager), Michael Kovalcik and Kenya Townsend. This group brings a renewed energy and sense of enthusiasm to the circulation department.

Their excitement is contagious.

Beyond the launch and providing the highest level of customer service, the Call Center team is positioned to aid in audience growth & retention. With a team focusing on retention, we will improve and expand upon subscriber touch points and the way we interact with our audience beyond the renewal notice.

CELEBRATING ONE YEAR OF SHORE MONTHLY MAGAZINE APG Chesapeake celebrated the one-year anniversary of their new lifestyle magazine, Shore Monthly, this past month.

The birthday party included an unveiling of the one year anniversary cover and special remarks to Associates and clients in attendance. Shore Monthly generated over $300,000 in new revenue in its first year of publication.

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APG EAST

ASHLEY VANCE – GOING ABOVE AND BEYOND Over the last couple of months, Ashley Vance, of APG Corporate Finance, has been able to collect large amounts of very old debt from advertisers that went well back into 2017! A few of these advertisers have changed advertising agencies along the way, making it even more of a challenge.

Ashley’s great success took place while she has also been taking on additional responsibilities while coworkers were out on leave! Thanks for going above and beyond!

Pictured (left to right): Chris Ricca, Ashley Vance, Kim Whiteley, and Debbie Spurry

SPOOKY SOIREE LADIES NIGHT OUT

– The Logan, Ohio Daily News –

CONGRATS ALEX! Mountain Times Publications customer service representative Alex Rutherford is honored as the Third Quarter Employee of the Quarter 2018 by MTP group publisher Gene Fowler.

SUPPORTING AND THINKING PINK Members of The Daily Post-Athenian, Athens, TN show off their support for cancer awareness.

In addition to selling the t-shirts in the picture, the group also hosted many survivors and their families at a “Think Pink” luncheon.

Pictured (front, left to right): Patricia Mckenzie; Tina Huckabey, April Hutsell, Kim Thompson, Doris Sylvester, Brooke Buckner, Julia Pressley, Sheila Watson and Michelle Schumacher.

(Back, left to right): Jeff Schumacher, Joel Lewis, Shane Duncan and Dewey Morgan.

The Logan Daily News hosted its first Spooky Soirée on Wednesday, Oct. 17 at The Hangar on Murphy Road in Logan, Ohio. The event, for ladies only, was well attended with over 100 wild and crazy ladies dressed in costumes to fit their personalities. Some traveled as far as Marysville, Newark and beyond to attend this spooktacular event.

Everyone enjoyed the free food and desserts provided by local businesses.

However, the auction was the most exciting part of the evening with the ladies purchasing items with “bat bucks”. They were earned by playing games, competing in dance-offs, a karaoke contest and the prize wheel.

Bat bucks could also be used for the silent auction where items sold for as much as $3 million in bat bucks. OSU vs. Michigan football tickets were also up for grabs in the Buck“eye” Brew contest.

Altogether, The Logan Daily News generated over $9,000 in revenue from the event, with a $400 donation going to the Logan Police Department for its Shop With a Cop program; and over $400 was given to LoganHocking School District for the Newspapers in Education program.

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APG EAST

FLAG RETIREMENT CEREMONY ORGANIZED BY NEWPORT PLAIN TALK COLUMNIST Hundreds gathered on the lawn of the Cocke County (TN) Courthouse earlier this year to view a formal retirement ceremony for the United States flag.

The ceremony, which was designed to retire Old Glory with dignity and respect, was organized by Newport Plain Talk columnist Rob Watkins, along with representatives from AMVEST Post 75, Disabled American Veterans Chapter 102 and the Boy and Cub Scouts of Cocke County.

Over 500 flags were retired at the solemn and respectful ceremony.

“This was a great community event to help show our commitment to being invested in the local Cocke County and Newport area,” Newport Plain Talk publisher and editor Seth Butler said. “We always want to be involved in the happenings of our community, so this was just one way we were able to lend a hand with several organizations to help organize an event that meant a lot to many different people.

“When Rob first began organizing the event, it started as something small, but grew into event that grew by leaps and 10

bounds, seemingly each day,” Butler said.

Watkins has written a Veterans-focused column for the Newport Plain Talk since late 2017. The column, entitled View from the Bunker, relates to local and national issues facing Veterans, profiles of local Veterans and other relevant news. The columnist, who worked in the newspaper industry earlier in his life, currently is associated with the DAV Chapter 102 of Newport.

U.S. Congressman Dr. Phil Roe took time out from his busy legislative session in Washington D.C. to attend the Saturday morning event as the keynote speaker.

“American blood for this flag meant that there were 50 million people free and producing the 10th best economy in the world,” Roe told those in attendance.

“They now have a freely elected prime minister and the largest christian church in the world is in Seoul, where people pray at the church 24 hours a day.”

Following Roe’s address, which was directed towards the many veterans in attendance, a formal flag retirement ceremony was held. Local Newport-native

veterans Dale Brown and Willie Green, along with an honor guard, ceremoniously dedicated the first five flags for retirement.

Then over the course of the next hour, 500 more flags were retired. Some were retired by local Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts, while some loved ones were able to help retire flags they dedicated in honor or memory of loved ones.

One notable dedication at Saturday’s ceremony was when World War II Veteran, Dr. Nathan Ford, a retired Newport optometrist now in his early 90s, retired a flag in honor of his late five brothers who also served the nation.

APG EAST

COSTUME CONTEST STAR DEMOCRAT – CHESAPEAKE

TRICYCLING FOR THE HEART

1ST PLACE GEORGI CHAUVIN

Classified/Inside Sales

2ND PLACE ASHLEY HALL

Legals

HONORABLE MENTION HENRY CLOUTIER

Circulation Marketing Specialist

– The Logan, Ohio Daily News – APG Media Ohio Editorial staff took part in the Annual Tricycle for Heart fundraiser. The annual event raises funds for cardiovascular health in the region. This year proceeds from the race were used to purchase defibrillators for local sports teams.

While the APG News”pedalers” didn’t come in first place they did put their best foot forward!

Pictured above: Kayla Beard, reporter Athens News; Heather Willard, Staff journalist Athens Messenger; Tyler Buchanan, Editor Athens Messenger; Conor Morris, Associate Editor Athens News. On tricycle: Tyler Buchanan.

At Ease M I D - AT L A N T I C

M I L I T A R Y

L I F E

AT EASE MAGAZINE

LAUNCHED OCTOBER 2018 The Chesapeake Division launched a new military lifestyle magazine with much success. At Ease is a military lifestyle magazine with a distribution stretching from Southern Pennsylvania to Virginia Beach, VA. With a combined print and email distribution over 100,000, At Ease serves active duty and retired military and their families as well as Dept. of Defense contractors. Its monthly content features focus on family life, veteran-owned businesses, healthy living, regional travel and entertainment, tasty libations and great food, hi-tech tools and toys and financial advice. The first issue brought in over $40,000.

THE LONG RUN

Tips on how to prepare for long distance running, and how to learn to love it

ENJOY THE LIFE

Q&A: About life with recruiting Station Commander SFC Amanda Weber

HOP HAPPY

An Upper Marlboro brewery that blends creative crafting with an approachable taste

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APG CENTRAL & WEST

ECM’S EVENT FILLED FALL FOUR SUCCESSFUL EVENTS HELD OVER FOUR CONSECUTIVE WEEKS

OUR LIFE NW METRO

HELLO BEAUTIFUL!

The inaugural Our Life Expo NW Metro welcomed approximately 600 attendees and 50 (sold out!) booth vendors for a very successful midweek event. The Our Life NW Metro Senior Expo was held Wednesday, September 26, noon-4pm at Green Haven Golf Course, Anoka, Minnesota. The expo was a free resource for attendees to speak with 47 exhibitors (50 booths) on topics ranging from health care, housing, services, financial planning and much more. Vendors conducted five free seminars throughout the day. We also had random prizes (gift cards, gift baskets, etc.) given away throughout the afternoon. Attendees and vendors loved the golf cart shuttles we had available from the parking lot to the door, sponsored by a local auto dealer. It took a great deal of teamwork in prep and on the day of the event to make this event successful right out of the chute.

This inaugural event was held at the Falls Ballroom in Little Falls, MN on Thursday October 4th – 4-8pm.

This event yielded 45 vendors, and 450 attendees. It also included 4 stage presenters – including a women’s selfdefense class, a wine sommelier, a chiropractor, and a Zumba class. “The community support and attendee feedback was outstanding,” said Carmen Meyer, APG ECM West Region Ad Director. She also noted it provided more than $11,000 in revenue in October.

KIDSPO 2018 While the NW Metro was busy with its event, the South Region held its 6th Kidspo event in Eagan, MN. This very popular event is modeled after our branded Our Life events with a kids focus. There were more than 1,500 attendees and 40 booths at the Eagan Community Center at the expo.

Featured events and attractions included The Crayola Experience from the Mall of America, Twin Cities Road Crew provided ongoing stage entertainment and we even had a visit from Miss Teen Minnesota!

OUR LIFE NE METRO Our Life NE Metro was held on Saturday, October 13. The NE Metro event was held at the Forest Lake, Minnesota, YMCA. The Y put on two seminars – healthy cooking and exercise wellness. There was also a popular seminar on Medicare changes. Blood pressure, memory and hearing screenings were also part of the event “Forest Lake and the surrounding area residents attended this event which was a great way to get information and resources for any stage of your life. The Y was a partner in this event and they were able to showcase their beautiful YMCA,” said event organizer Liz Moscatelli.

IN SUMMARY, THESE FOUR EVENTS GARNERED NEARLY $80,000 IN GROSS SALES REVENUE AND A HANDSOME MARGIN

APG WEST A group at Skagit Publishing dressed as the Seven Dwarfs from Snow White for the office Halloween Costume Contest.

“A fine bunch of water lilies you turned out to be. I’d like to see anybody make me wash, if I didn’t wanna.”

– Grumpy 12

SPECIAL NEWS

Pumpers (left to right): Bryan Sandmeier, Mike Sanz, Val Sandmeier, Holly Towle, two friends of United Way, and Jeremy and Joi Whaley.

PUMPING GAS FOR UNITED WAY THE DAILY TIMES Several of The Daily Times staff pitched in to help United Way by pumping gas for tips. It was a very successful day for United Way of Blount County.

Please give to United Way of Blount County to help us fight for the health, education, and self-sufficiency of every person in our community.

Some information about United Way of Blount County: At United Way of Blount County, we are more than fundraisers. We are handraisers. Game changers. No matter the obstacles. No matter the odds. We surround Blount County’s most critical problems.

WE HAVE ONE LIFE. TO LIVE BETTER, WE MUST LIVE UNITED. LEARN MORE OR GIVE AT LIVEUNITEDBLOUNT.ORG

A FRIENDLY REMINDER AS YOU SHOP THIS HOLIDAY SEASON:

SHOP SMILE.AMAZON.COM Amazon will donate to the Charity of your choice at no additional cost to you!

THE ADAMS FAMILY WANTS TO

CHALLENGE YOU TO GIVE BACK.

SHARE WITH US YOUR COMMUNITY GOODWILL, SUBMIT YOUR PICTURES AND WORK TO ASKHR@ADAMSPG.COM

TOGETHER, WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN OUR COMMUNITIES 13

HUMAN

CHECK OUT THE APG HR PORTAL HR.ADAMSPG.COM HR STAFF | BENEFITS CONTACTS | JOB OPENINGS | NEWSLETTERS To help simplify your employment at APG, we have built this Associate portal as a resource for you. Inside, you will find quick links and easy access to: human resources staff, benefits contacts, job openings, newsletters and more…

This is a great place to start when you are searching for HR information. Of course, if you can’t find what you are looking for or need additional help, our HR team is always available to assist you. You can find their contact info at hr.adamspg.com/contact or you can send them a quick message to AskHR@adamspg.com.

LOOKING FOR A DIFFERENT POSITION WITHIN APG? CHECK OUT AVAILABLE CAREER OPPORTUNITIES ON THE HR PORTAL.

AskHR!

Have a question, but don’t know whom to ask? The Human Resources staff is listening! You can always send an email to Ask HR if you have questions or concerns. Emails will be kept confidential and, if we print your question in the APG newsletter, we will not use your name.

Questions may be emailed to AskHR@adamspg.com or sent interoffice to your regional HR representative.

DON’T KNOW WHOM TO CALL? CONTACT HUMAN RESOURCES. JO ANN HOPSON, PHR, SHRM-CP, CEBS

APG Vice President of Human Resources joann.hopson@adamspg.com 423.620.8771

TOM CLOUTIER

DEB BROOKS

HR Manager – APG Oregon, Washington, Montana dbrooks@skagitpublishing.com 360.416.2187

CHARLENE VOLD

Talent Acquisition Director for APG HR Manager – APG Maryland/Ohio tcloutier@adamspg.com 410.770.4159

Human Resource Coordinator – APG ECM Publishers, Inc./Southern Minnesota 763.712.2412

PETE PASINI

Payroll/Human Resources Coordinator – APG Eau Claire, Wisconsin deb.machmeier@ecpc.com 715.833.9233

HR Coordinator – APG Idaho/Utah ppasini@idahopress.com 208.465.8102

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DEB MACHMEIER

RESOURCES

SUBMIT TO YOUR REGIONAL HR REP.

CONGRATULATIONS TO 2 ASSOCIATES WHO HAVE BEEN AWARDED THE APG REFERRAL BONUS FOR NEW HIRES! * Julie Spicer referred Brittany Ringhiser for an outside sales position at the Logan Daily News (APG Ohio). * David Parsons referred Amy Hupp for an outside sales position at Brick Street Marketing (APG Ohio).

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MOVIE NIGHT

MOVIE NIGHT NOW PLAYING: THE BLIND SIDE

For your chance to be the lucky winner of an APG Swag and Movie Bag, answer the trivia question below correctly:

IN “THE BLIND SIDE,” THANKSGIVING USUALLY CENTERS AROUND WHAT? All answers should be submitted to AskHR@adamspg.com.

The winner will be drawn on Friday, November 30, 2018.

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR OCTOBER WINNER – TINA HALE, THE OFFICIAL INTERSTATE GUIDE The Question Was: What is the final ingredient for the “life-sucking” potion in Hocus Pocus?

The Answer Was: A bit of thine own tongue. *Contents of winner’s prize pack may vary.

DO YOU HAVE A BRIGHT IDEA FOR OUR COMPANY NEWSLETTER?

WE WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU!

Send your thoughts, suggestions, ideas for future newsletters to AskHR@adamspg.com.

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