THE MBS INFORMANT | VOLUME XIII, EDITION III | AUGUST 2018
Vacation season is in full swing with some employees traveling out of the state or internationally while others opt to enjoy free time at home. The Marketing Department recently redesigned our “Where in the World is MBS?� T-shirt, which will be available for employees soon. If you have upcoming travel plans and are willing to share a photo of you wearing the new T-shirt on your journey, stop by Human Resources to pick one up. The only requirement is that you return with a photo for The Informant!
Special thanks to Brian and Olga Fowler, who visited Olga's home country of Russia in May 2018 and returned with a fun photograph of themselves in the "Where in the World is MBS?" T-shirts.
Editor-in-Chief Nancy Scott Designer Erin Chambers
HR CORNER | THE MBS INFORMANT
HR CORNER HELP WANTED MBS is a great place for students to find a summer job. Human Resources interviewed more than 375 individuals interested in summer employment, hiring 219 for West Ash and 27 for the Call Center. Of these staff members, 62 were returning employees. If you have a friend or acquaintance who may be a good full-time fit for MBS, invite them to apply at MBSbooks.com/hr. If they remain on staff for the required length of time, you will receive a $100 bonus! For more information, contact HR.
SAVE THE DATE The annual Service Awards Luncheon will take place on October 2, 2018. Held as always at the Courtyard Marriott, the event will recognize approximately 129 employees at five year increments beginning with five years of service. Watch your email for additional information and a theme announcement as the event nears.
MBS EMPLOYEE SHIPPING If you choose to ship personal packages from MBS, please remember that no claims are permitted against UPS for damaged or lost items. This is due to the huge savings UPS provides MBS and employees on outbound shipping. If there is a concern about shipping a particular item, consider using regular USPS or UPS channels outside the building.
FREE TEXTBOOK LOANER PROGRAM Since MBS’ founding in 1973, our goal has been to provide quality used textbooks to students across the country. MBS also takes care of its own in many ways, including allowing fulltime employees and their immediate family members to borrow books from the library. To take advantage of this program, simply visit the Employee Intranet and click the MBS Employee Bookstore banner. Once
With MBS’ new Office 365 email, you can personalize your account by replacing your initials with a photo. Your Employee Intranet photo would be a good choice! To have a new headshot taken, stop by HR or send an email to Nancy at nscott@mbsbooks.com.
you have placed your request for loaner books, HR will notify you when your order is available for pickup. For books not available in the MBS database, you may purchase items through the Employee Bookstore at significant savings. According to HR assistant Tiffany Paige, “There are a number of employees who take advantage of the loaner book program. It varies from time to time, but currently there are more than 55 MBS employees enjoying huge savings on the cost of their textbooks by borrowing the books for themselves or an immediate family member. If anyone has any questions about borrowing textbooks, feel free to give me a call!”
Follow the steps listed to personalize your email photo: 1. Open your web browser and log in to your email
MOVING ON UP Are you interested in climbing up the MBS ladder? Are you looking for an enjoyable challenge? Be sure to check the Employee Intranet periodically to view any open internal positions. ■
Representatives from MBS’ insurance providers are available on site each month to address any questions or concerns you may have. To take advantage of this opportunity, simply visit the West Ash employee break room at your convenience at the following dates and times. Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield: Second Tuesday of each month, 10:00 a.m. to noon AFLAC: Second Wednesday of each month, 8:00 to 10:00 a.m. Guardian Life Insurance (dental, basic life, long-term disability and voluntary life): Last Tuesday of each month, 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
2. Click on the circle with your initials in the upper right side corner 3. In the flyout menu, click “my account”
4. In the left side menu, click “personal info” 5. Click the box next to your name to upload a photo AUGUST 2018 | PAGE 3
THE MBS INFORMANT | EMPLOYEES
NELS GRAY Nels Gray, MBS’ 223rd Elite Edition recipient, joined the Call Center crew in June 2004. He later moved to customer service team lead and currently serves as eContent Support Supervisor.
If you think hunters simply head into the woods to shoot game, think again. MBS’ Elmo Overton, quality assurance data specialist coordinator, is proof that there is much more to a successful hunter than what meets the eye. An avid hunter and bluetick hound breeder, Elmo recently received the 2017 Bluetick Breeders of America Lifetime Achievement Award for Zone 1, which includes Colorado, Illinois, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, Utah and Wyoming. He joined the group over 20 years ago and has been hunting since age 12. CONTINUED ON PAGE 11 PAGE 4 | AUGUST 2018
A Columbia native, Nels has previously worked at a research lab, animal control and the Central Missouri Humane Society. In these positions he worked with the public and “dealt with various stressful situations,” which has served him well at MBS. Why does he like working at the Call Center? “Honestly, the people make this job the most rewarding,” Nels said. “The individuals that I’ve worked with will always be what I remember from my time working at MBS. … As much as I’m
honored to receive the Elite Edition, I’m more humbled by hearing the kind words of my coworkers and the courage and faith they had in their nominations of me for this award.” Traveling, hiking, watching movies and just “spending time with the people I care about” are Nels’ favorite pastimes. As for his bucket list, he would enjoy taking another trip to Europe as well as traveling to Australia.
JOE PRITCHARD In early June, 10-year MBSer Joe Pritchard was named MBS’ 224th Elite Edition recipient. Joe began his MBS career in the warehouse, later moving to quality assurance specialist. After a stint in Systems, he joined the Computer Operations team. As Mac administrator, he loves “working with tech and learning new things.
Since 1994, a total of 224 employees have earned the Elite Edition title. Winners are recognized in the Columbia Daily Tribune; an engraved plaque; $150 cash; a $100 gift card to a local fine-dining restaurant;
I also like resolving people’s issues.” In an Elite Edition recommendation, a coworker praised Joe for “grasping new tasks and responsibilities. He has even refined many of them to be more efficient. He is definitely a source of knowledge for others in the department and willingly accepts ongoing projects.” Joe, who hails from Cleveland, is an accomplished musician. He creates, records and produces music at his home studio. He also enjoys working on cars and motorcycles. Joe’s favorite quote is: “Everything in moderation, for satisfaction is the death of desire.” As for his bucket list, he hopes to “take a ride in a rocket with Elon Musk!” ■
and free use of a new car of their choice for a weekend, compliments of Joe Machens. If you feel a coworker should be recognized, make your recommendation through the Employee Intranet. ■
EMPLOYEES | THE MBS INFORMANT
THINKING OF YOU, TAONLINE CREW! While visiting the Cayman Islands this summer with his fiancée Samantha and 4-year-old daughter Bailey, TAonline client representative Brett Williams wrote TA2 in the sand as a greeting to fellow MBSers. ■ Ashley Amelunke Direct Business Analyst Lead
Eldin Caldarevic Retail Database Manager
Jamin Coleman Direct eContent Specialist
Rita Hanley Front Office Manager
Trisha Kanatzar eContent Team Leader
Sanela Karabegovic Direct Database Supervisor
Day picker and People First of Boone County cosecretary Don Zawadzki was pictured in a Columbia Missourian article in May. Marc Lampton Customer Service Specialist
Dylan Nighswander Computer and Network Help Desk
Cassi Lander Direct Course Materials Supervisor
Omara Ouk Linux Administrator
Dodi Newsom eContent Team Leader, Call Center
Chastity Pethan Contract Account Manager
People First of Boone County is an advocacy organization which promotes the inclusion of individuals with developmental disabilities in the community and local workforce. Board members met May 3 to discuss public perception of mental illness and the special needs community and their problematic connection with gun violence as portrayed in the news media.
Topics of discussion included the February 14 school shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, and “the way mental illness was being used as an explanation for the gunman's motives and the trend toward violence in schools.” According to a 2015 study published in the American Journal of Public Health, fewer than 3 to 5 percent of crimes in the United States involve individuals with mental illness. For more about People First of Boone County, visit the full article at: tinyurl.com/ycfqdb8u. ■ AUGUST 2018 | PAGE 5
THE MBS INFORMANT | EMPLOYEES
In June 2018, MBS switched email providers from IBM Notes to Microsoft Outlook. This transition included replacing the Sametime chat program with Microsoft Teams. Before Sametime was phased out, MBS users could personalize their availability status. We therefore bid farewell to Sametime by presenting you with some of our favorite clever availability notifications.
When you “double the pleasure, you double the fun,” which is what took place July 26 at the double retirement celebration for Kevin McKiernan and Nelson Durk. Friends and family of the long-time employees listened as Kevin shared his thoughts about more than 30 years at MBS. PAGE 6 | AUGUST 2018
“You celebrate an employment anniversary, then you celebrate another, then another and you end up here as I have at a retirement party,” Kevin said. “MBS’ strong retirement program enabled me to be here today!”
Nelson echoed similar sentiments, recognizing those responsible for his decision to join the MBS team 45 years ago. View his comments at tinyurl.com/y9uegsyh. Best wishes to these dedicated, knowledgeable, respected men! ■
EMPLOYEES | THE MBS INFORMANT
Systems installer Matt Simmons and Systems trainer Raven Owens recently provided such exceptional customer service that a representative from Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College took the time to show their appreciation. “I know you know how wonderful Matt and Raven are, but I just really want
104 DONATIONS, 300+ LIVES SAVED Senior network engineer Carl Johnson recently reached a significant milestone — since his first donation in 1975, he has given a total of 13 gallons of blood to the American Red Cross! Carl has rolled up his sleeves at least 104 times, donating a pint of blood at each session. According to the Red Cross, one pint of blood can save three lives — that means Carl has personally contributed to the lives of more than 300 people! “My first donation was a direct response to my father’s first open heart surgery,” he said. “At that time, they allowed blood donations to be directed to specific patients and actually preferred to
to thank you for sending them! They were both so professional but real and made everything so easy! Matt: I could tell in the first fifteen minutes that he has a heart of gold and is a genius at what he does!
use immediate family members with the same blood type. It felt good knowing I could contribute in some way to a situation I had absolutely no control over. That feeling has stuck with me ever since, and I think of him with every donation.” Carl’s blood has also been used to help save the life of a newborn baby. The Red Cross is “really good at sending follow-up emails telling where and how some donations have been used,” he explained. “If you have never given, be assured there is no better feeling than knowing that in some small way, you may have helped save someone’s life,” he said. “I encourage you to become a blood donor.”
Raven: I couldn’t help but give her a hug when I met her after a brief phone conversation. I had a great time with her the past three days. She is fantastic at her job and just a fabulous person. I cannot say enough good things about both of them!
I could tell that you all work as a genuine team. I was so impressed with how well everyone pitches in and helps one another. You all should be proud of your team! Thank you as well for all the-behind-thescenes stuff no one knows about — and all of your encouragement!” ■
JUNE BLOOD DRIVE A SUCCESS The first of two summer blood drives was held June 27, during which MBS employees donated a total of 29 pints. “The MBS team hosted a great blood drive,” business analyst and blood drive coordinator Tracey Summerfield said. “It’s not easy work collecting these most-needed resources, and many of the team stepped in as donors and volunteers to make this event a success.” From signing in to leaving the American Red Cross bus, donating blood takes 45 to 60 minutes; the physical donation process is approximately 10 minutes. Employees who donate during MBS drives receive Show-Me BBQ sauce, a T-shirt, complimentary snacks and beverages and miscellaneous giveaways. ■
THE PERKS OF BLOOD DONATION Six volunteers and donors at the June blood drive won a pair of movie tickets each. Winners were: Jamie Cole Returns Office Clerk Kayln Taylor Swing picker Amanda Early, Senior Accounting Specialist Josh Oliver, Windows Systems Administrator Ashley Amelunke Business Analyst Beverly Schooler Inventory Purchasing Agent Mark your calendars for the next MBS Blood Drive on August 29.
AUGUST 2018 | PAGE 7
THE MBS INFORMANT | I REMEMBER WHEN...
PARIS ROAD CIRCA 1991
NINTH STREET CIRCA 1973
PARIS ROAD CIRCA 1978
After 44 years, 7 months and 27 days with the company, Vice President Nelson Durk — the No. 1 employee on the MBS seniority list — officially retired. Those who haven't heard Nelson’s vivid recollections of the “good ole days” when MBS was young have missed out on some extraordinary tales. His great gift of gab and animated expressions pull you right into the center of his stories. With only about 35 employees remaining from those “good ole days,” we have documented many of Nelson’s most entertaining MBS memories.
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FRUGAL FASHION
NINTH STREET
WATERWORKS
We used to go to the discount store and buy shoelaces for 47 cents a pair and use them to repair aprons in the receiving department.
Our Ninth Street location was an old A&P grocery store. We had a retail section in the front that we spent all weekend painting and getting ready. It was mostly trade books but in those days the public could roam the stacks and hunt for books and buy them at the register.
Our facility on Ninth Street was spartan! We were downtown so there were nice restaurants. But inside our building, amenities were lacking. One day we bought a drinking fountain and hooked it up on the warehouse floor. Everyone was so excited that we all gathered around and took a drink!
Being such a new company, we couldn’t afford new aprons when the ties broke or wore out, so we had an employee who knew how to sew take them home and replace them with the shoelaces.
Later on, we opened the Campus Book Shop a little further down the street. We sold the same types of books and also conducted buybacks there for a few years.
WEIRD WALLS When we moved to the Paris Road location in the late 1970s, we were
I REMEMBER WHEN... | THE MBS INFORMANT
PARIS ROAD CIRCA 1991
CAMPUS BOOK STORE CIRCA 1980
greeted with a building shell with concrete floors and steel beams. In order to maximize the heat for working conditions and to minimize expenses, we cut up MBS boxes and used the cardboard to stuff between the beams for insulation. We put drywall over that and we were ready for business. Be grateful for this fabulous building we now have!
A POLICE MATTER Our former location on Paris Road was next to train tracks, so we would always have homeless people sleeping near the building. We would call the police and they would ask me if I was management and did I want them off our property. I would say yes, and they would go outside and run them off.
STICKER SHENANIGANS Overstock stickers were used on the shelf copies to denote where to find the extra copies that couldn’t all face out on the shelf. There were also OE stickers in
bright florescent orange that indicated which books were ‘Old Editions.’ Speaking of OE stickers: One day an employee climbed on top of wooden shelving in the warehouse where the overstocks were located. He secretly took the bright orange OE stickers and spelled out ‘Jesus Saves’ across the top of the shelf. His employment didn’t last too long!
SODAS ON THE SLY Another employee would clock in at the regular time. Soon he would come up missing but no one knew where he was. One day it came to light that he was climbing up on top of the rough plywood shelving, where he had a little nest made to take a nap! Eventually he was caught redhanded when Alan Leach
(retired) happened to be around at the right time and witnessed another employee reaching up high to hand him a soda. His employment didn’t last too long either!
HIGH-TECH TELEPHONES
the office could shout ‘Page him!’ and a page would go out on the loudspeaker for Joe to dial Station 30 (Dan Shuppan’s extension) or some other extension. Sometimes the person
During the 1980s, we had what we thought was a pretty modern telephone system. But we did not have the ability to use e-mail, Sametime or any of the other enhancements we have today. Without these modern bits of technology, we had to dial an extension and if no one answered we would simply holler for Joe, Bill or Diane etc.
you were looking for would be in the office and would run toward the phone yelling ‘I’m coming’ so you wouldn’t hang up.
If no one picked up the phone, someone else in
AUGUST 2018 | PAGE 9
THE MBS INFORMANT | EMPLOYEES
Throughout the year, MBS staffers participate in fundraisers, fostering camaraderie and bringing together employees who may never have had a chance to meet. Direct’s main fundraiser each holiday season is the Adopt-A-Family Christmas Program gift drive benefiting the Voluntary Action Center, a nonprofit organization which assists local low-income individuals and families bridge the gaps between crisis and stability.
CHRISTMAS CHILI Jamie Hofeditz, MBS Direct administrative assistant and chairperson for the most-recent Direct VAC fundraiser, hosted her first chili cook-off in 2016. “I took over the Voluntary Action Center drive for Direct last year and loosely based my fundraising efforts on my daughter’s school fundraiser,” she said. “It ended up being a huge success.” PAGE 10 | AUGUST 2018
Employees participated in a silent auction and raffles and voted on the best chili; Josh Wheatley, Direct general manager retail operations, proved to be the MBS twotime champ. “I love seeing people sitting down to enjoy a bowl of chili and talk to people they might not talk to on a normal basis,” she said. “I was amazed this year at the talent our co-workers shared with me so that I could have wonderful pieces in the silent auction … not to mention everyone that came out to participate.” Event co-chairs were Nicole Guaetta, Liz Jennings and Julie Dudenhoeffer; basket donors and coordinators were Joel Deiber and Lisa Nelson as well as the Direct Data team, the Direct Client Services team and the Direct Party Planning Committee.
Jamie commented, “The auctions becomes really good internal community team-building exercise — well, as long as you aren't the one being out-bid!” “I love seeing everyone sneaking around the silent auction tables, trying to up the bid without being seen. I love when they gather right before the bell goes off to get that one last bid in. I love hearing people talk about the baskets and what they like most in them. Overall it just really puts me in a good spirit.”
SANTA'S HELPER Jamie is no stranger to holiday shopping. She began helping her grandmother pick out gifts and, after she passed away, Jamie became the leader “of our rowdy six-family group." She then took over the responsibility of collecting cash and shopping for personalized gifts for multiple people. When her extended family grew too large to exchange
individual gifts, they decided to “donate to those families who were less fortunate” instead. “Shopping for both my personal family sponsorship, and Direct's family sponsorship, plus the add-on of three additional VAC sponsorships — I think I was at the store more than I was at home!” Jamie said. “My living room looked like Santa's workshop while we worked to tag everything correctly.” After Jamie’s grandfather passed away in 2017, the family also became more involved with the Honor Flight in his memory. “I do it for my family. We were always taught to do good in the world,” she said. “I hope that my time put into making other people feel good will have a trickling effect. If you have a chance to join fundraising committees, I hope you will feel the urge to participate and [leave with] the same feeling I do time after time.” ■
EMPLOYEES | THE MBS INFORMANT
‘Dad, I found one, come see!’” Elmo said. “My coon hunting and dog training is what has kept me going through my health issues. Just taking my dogs out with someone and hearing
“Hunting these dogs takes patience and countless hours in the timber,” he said. “It takes dedication, learning about the dogs and good public relations with “Being in the woods is hunters across the so relaxing. You have United States.” An MBSer for more than 30 years, Elmo said he has occasionally hunted overnight and into the early morning hours before returning home to get ready for work!
time to forget about your problems and just listen to the sounds of the night until your hound bawls, ‘Dad, I found one, come see!’”
“Being in the woods is so relaxing. You have time to forget about your problems and just listen to the sounds of the night until your hound bawls,
them work is a blessing. I can forget my issues for just a little while.” In addition to breeding and training blueticks, he has also created his own line of hounds called
Breathless Blues which is on its sixth generation. The name for his line was inspired by a hunt during which his hounds treed a raccoon and refused to give up. The dogs barked so much that they ran out of breath! “What I do is simple: it is like going to college and learning all the pedigree and what works and doesn’t for a certain line,” he said. As demonstrated by his many awards, Elmo is also a fierce competitor on the national stage. “You have to have faith in your dog,” he said. ■
In the mid-1980s, we were in our young, formative years and were developing procedures — finding our way. As such, we had a fear of the original owners of the company showing up unannounced and questioning our policies.
An updated MBS map was recently created. Contact HR for a full-size electronic version.
BREEDING AWARDS During his decades as a breeder, Elmo has earned numerous awards including: Zone 1 Bluetick Breeders of America Lifetime Achievement Award, 2017 Dog of the Year, MidMissouri Coonhunters Association Worldwide Top 100 Breeders, 2005 Top 5 United States Bluetick Breeders King of the Hunt, Bluetick Breeders and Coonhunters Association
So, at my suggestion, we mimicked the procedure we used when I worked at the White House during my military years. If one of the owners showed up unexpectedly, we would get on the loudspeaker and request a certain employee to report to a part of our building that they would have no reason to usually go. In these instances, we would announce, ‘Patty Kendrick, come to the loading dock.’ This was the code for the owners being in the building and for everybody to immediately look busy! Patty was the perfect employee to use since, as manager of order processing, she had no need to ever go to the loading dock; hence the secret code! ■ AUGUST 2018 | PAGE 11
THE MBS INFORMANT | MBS 101
Barnes & Noble Education announced an exciting new partnership with Pearson Publishing Company on June 19. BNED will soon distribute rental titles at the company's 1,483 physical and virtual campus bookstores nationwide, thereby providing greater access to more affordable course materials. “Students today want to have access to their course materials at an affordable
Before the days of desktop computers and email, MBS issued a print buying guide on a regular basis — initially 10 times annually, then transitioning to one monthly issue as time went on. Customers used these books to look up information about new and pending editions, prices, etc. The following are comments from Nelson Durk, newly
price and in the format of their choice,” Pearson North America President Kevin Capitani said. According to President David Henderson, “This partnership with BNED expands our rental program to reach more students than ever, not only in those stores operated by BNED, but also in up to 600 independent bookstores through MBS’ POS system.”
retired vice president, about the legacy of the buying guide. For more of Nelson’s entertaining MBS memories, visit page 8. “The MBS Buying Guide was a big deal to create and maintain. It was the main avenue for obtaining our product. Customers knew what we would pay for books we wanted and would exchange them for
With our centrally-located distribution center, MBS provides “frictionless integration for publisher rental programs, including Pearson’s.” “For years, MBS has demonstrated its ability to drive successful rental programs, and we are pleased to extend this knowledge and expertise to partners
For more about MBS’ exciting new partnership with Pearson, visit tinyurl.com/ycczv8r7. ■
the price printed in our buying guide. Two women from our Catalog Department on Paris Road would troop off once a month to use the copier at the Missouri Book Store. ‘Bird dogging it at Lowry’ became a phrase for a couple days each month when the guide would be printed. The saying came from bookstore being located at 909 Lowry. People would sit in a circle in the office every so often and cut guides from customers that didn't send books. Our guide was unique in that we sent out entire pages when prices changed instead of having customers hand write updates. The guide was soon printed inhouse and was joined by a half-price short guide for our Contract
PAGE 12 | AUGUST 2018
such as Pearson as they grow their own rental offerings,” Henderson said. “This partnership will further drive positive outcomes for our clients, allowing them to offer the students they serve greater access to more affordable rental titles. We look forward to working with Pearson.”
Department. The guide was then printed for a time at an off-site location. Thanks to technology, printing was eventually discontinued altogether except for the short guide used by our Contract Department field force. To our knowledge, this Contract Guide is the last to survive to date in the printed form.” Stop by the lobby to view the buying guides pictured here, which are now featured in our new historical display case! ■
BUZZIN' AROUND | THE MBS INFORMANT
DEBBIE COLA: MACC It’s never too late to challenge yourself and accomplish something you’ve always wanted. Quality Assurance staffer Debbie Cola, who is in her 50s, proved that in May 2018 when she walked across the stage and accepted her associate of arts degree from Moberly Area Community College. After leaving high school on the first day of her senior year, the self-proclaimed “wild child” moved out. She began taking classes at the University of Missouri and, before the year ended, she received her GED at the same time as her class graduated.
Through the years, Debbie lived many different places. She eventually returned to Missouri where she “got it together” and went to college, where she realized she “loved learning.” She has no regrets about her past decisions and accepts that life might have been different if she hadn’t left high school. “It sometimes takes time to decide what you want to do,” Debbie said. During her time in the warehouse, Debbie said she is inspired by summer MBS workers who “are good students with good study ethics.”
Her advice to young students is “find something you’re passionate about and learn as much as you can.”
ANDREW MEAD: LIBERTY UNIVERSITY Territory manager Andrew Mead, pictured on the front cover, received his business administration and project management degree in spring 2018 from Liberty University, one of MBS Direct’s largest customers. The award-winning photo was captured while celebrating with family. “We were on our way back to the lake house,” he said, “and we were taking about
how much we pay for the graduation gown. … My uncle thought there would be no better way to wash off the stresses of school than to leave it on and get thrown off the tube.” Andrew was launched off the innertube, which was being pulled by a boat, immediately after the photo was snapped. “It surprised me when I found myself a couple feet in the air!” he said. In addition to fame (he was interviewed about
AUGUST 2018 | PAGE 13
THE MBS INFORMANT | BUZZIN' AROUND
THREE OF A KIND
TIM PINGELTON: UMKC the photo for a radio show — he has gained valuable perspective on the student experience. “Going back to school has helped me talk to bookstore managers and school administrators because I am seeing what the current students see,” Andrew said. “Therefore I can better help explain the expectations of today’s students.” While traveling the country as an MBS sales representative, he appreciated the varied course material options provided by MBS Direct. “I have done homework in hotel rooms, rest stops, airplanes and buyback counters. But no matter the internet connection or the amount of battery on my laptop, I always had access to my textbooks,” Andrew, a fan of traditional print textbooks, said. PAGE 14 | AUGUST 2018
MBS Systems trainer Tim Pingelton received his PhD in Arts & Sciences (English) from UMKC.
HIGH SCHOOL HONORS Casey Aholt, daughter of returns manager Amanda Meyer and business analyst Warren Aholt, graduated May 20 from Glasgow HS. She joined the Returns Department summer staff, following in sister Christi Aholt’s footsteps; Christi joined the Direct Acquisitions team in November 2017. Kylee Johnson, daughter of IT administrator Brad Johnson and former MBSer April Johnson, graduated from Rock Bridge HS. Heather McGuire, granddaughter of quality
assurance supervisor Julie Leffert, and Karissa Eaton, Leffert’s “granddaughter by choice,” recently graduated from Rock Bridge HS. Julie also shared a photo of former MBSer Steven Berhow, who graduated with honors from the MU engineering program.
In a happy coincidence, a trio of women recently wore nearly identical tops to work on the same day. Two said they hadn’t worn their blouse in months but happened to wear it that day! Pictured are Chas Pethan, contract shipment manager; Nermina Halilovic, accounts payable clerk; and Kristen Townsend, AR account specialist. ■
Koby Abel, son of returns department office clerk Lori Burton, graduated from Boonville HS. Sales tax specialist Tammy Keffer’s daughter Madison Keffer graduated May 20 from Hallsville HS, where she designed and painted a two-wall mural highlighting school sports and activities. Madison also received the Dennis E. Gallup Memorial 4-H Scholarship in the amount of $2,500. Karissa Reynolds, middle niece of Beverly Schooler, inventory purchasing agent, graduated from Glynn Academy in Brunswick, Georgia. ■
HONOR FLIGHT On July 5, former MBSer Blair Kniptash, director of Direct retail inventory Arlee Lee, and hundreds of other motorcyclists escorted an Honor Flight bus from Kingdom City to Columbia. Inside were many veterans, their assistants and medical team fresh off a trip to Washington D.C., where they viewed military memorials. Since 2009, the nonprofit Central Missouri Honor Flight has safely flown more than 3,700 veterans to our nation’s capital. ■
BUZZIN' AROUND | THE MBS INFORMANT
AUDREY MAE KERR
GARION SIFLING
Call Center staffer Savannah Kerr and her family welcomed Audrey Mae on April 12. Baby Audrey weighed 8 pounds, 8 ounces and was 21 1/2 inches long.
At 8:09 a.m. on June 27, Call Center staffer Logan Castonguay became a proud father. Baby Garion Sifling weighed 7 pounds, 3 ounces and was 20 inches long.
PATRICK JOSEPH CERVENIK, JR.
KATHY'S CANINE COMPANION
Sawyer Boehm, Direct senior implementation manager, recently returned from a seven-day jury duty stint expecting a normal workday. What he didn’t know was that his coworkers had planned a fun, fashionable surprise!
Systems sales consultant Pat Cervenik welcomed his namesake June 7 at 1:06 a.m. Baby Patrick weighed in at 8 pounds, 10 ounces and was 20 3/4 inches long. Also pictured is his curious canine “brother” — family pet Frankie.
After much urging by her coworkers, Kathy Moser, AP manager, brought her 10-weekold, full-blooded German Shepherd named Meka to the office for everyone to see. Meka proved to be quite entertaining and put a smile on many faces. ■
According to Sawyer’s coworkers, he is a vital member of the team. They decided to recognize the often silent staffer, who was noticeably missed while absent, by wearing plaid shirts — which is his design of choice nearly every day.
TELLURIDE BLUEGRASS MUSIC FESTIVAL Recently retired VP of Inventory Control Kevin McKiernan and his wife Michelle attended the 45th annual Telluride Bluegrass Festival in Colorado at the end of June. The festival
is a weekend celebration of Americana roots music where artists are “encouraged to push the limits of their genre.” Kevin retired on July 13 after 30 years of service to MBS. ■
Sawyer returned a day early, so the team came to work in plaid as planned on his second day back. He didn’t put two and two together until he received an email from executive director for client services Nicole Guaetta asking the staff to gather in the lobby for a group photo. With everyone together, it was clear that something was up! The team posed for their group photo with a banner reading, “Sawyer Appreciation Day: Plaid You’re Back!” “I don’t usually aim for too much attention but it was really touching to see everyone participate, to hear ‘welcome back’ and know that I was missed.” ■
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THE MBS INFORMANT
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