The March Dispatch 2023

Safety Anniversaries

Congratulations to the following locations who celebrated February Safety Anniversaries:

February 1 - Bronx Dedicated Terminal (NY)- 8 years

February 1 - Brooklyn Dedicated Terminal (NY) - 8 years

February 1 - Roanoke Transload Terminal (TBT) (VA) - 8 years

February 3 - Port of Vicksburg (MS) - 2 years

February 4 - Linden Dedicated Terminal (NJ) - 3 years

February 10 - Hammond Switching (IN) - 1 year

February 11 - Dallas Zacha Transload Terminal (TX) - 1 year

February 15 - Port Arthur Dedicated Terminal (TX) - 8 years

February 16 - Columbus Transload Terminal (TBT) (OH) - 8 years

Reminder:

Scholarship Applications Due March 31

High school seniors, apply today to earn a $2,000 scholarship. To be considered, you must be:

• An eligible dependent of a Watco team member

• In good academic standing

• Planning to attend a post-secondary institution within one year of graduating high school

Complete the scholarship application here Questions? Email watcogives@watco.com.

Congratulations to the Newest Winter FREEZE Winners

At Watco, safety is at the center of everything we do. That’s why we celebrate team members who strive to improve their workplaces. We’re proud to announce the newest winners of the Winter FREEZE (Following Rule Every Day Ensures Zero Errors) safety award. These team members earn a $200 cash bonus for spotting a hazard, reporting a near-miss incident, or submitting a safety suggestion.

“We are only human; we never want to admit our failures,” said SVP of Environmental Health and Safety Travis Herod. “But everyone makes mistakes. Thanks to these team members for reporting near-miss incidents and safety suggestions. Your feedback is valuable, and allows us to better our training programs and improve overall safety.”

Name: Ivan “Dale” Smith

Location: Coffeyville Repair and Maintenance Terminal (KS)

Safety Suggestion/Near Miss: Smith noticed a contractor approaching the location’s entrance who was not wearing a hard hat or safety glasses.

Solution: Smith talked to the contractor, who put on the required personal protective equipment before entering the location.

Name: Robin Doom

Location: Grand Rivers Repair and Maintenance Terminal (KY)

Safety Suggestion/Near Miss: While the team was preparing to use a new cutting-torch assembly, they heard a leak coming from the regulator’s hose crimp.

Solution: The oxygen valve was turned off and the faulty crimp was replaced. Doom reminded team members the importance of inspecting equipment before use.

Name: Nicholas DelSignore

Location: Omaha Repair and Maintenance Terminal (NE)

Safety Suggestion/Near Miss: While preparing to use a forklift, DelSignore’s foot slipped on the bottom step. No injury occurred because DelSignore maintained three points of contact.

Solution: A meeting was held to emphasize the importance of maintaining three points of contact.

Name: Omar Reyes

Location: Greens Port (TX)

Safety Suggestion/Near Miss: While unloading a railcar, Reyes noticed no sign posted stating the powerline height clearance for the line crossing at the yard entrance.

Solution: The team added height clearance signs.

Name: Harold Cornelius

Location: New Martinsville Dedicated Terminal (WV)

Safety Suggestion/Near Miss: Cornelius noticed hydraulic oil dripping from a vacuum arm into a barge.

Solution: Cornelius inspected and tightened the vacuum arm’s bolts. His quick actions prevented a potential hydraulic oil spill into the river.

Name: Elliot Bercier

Location: Fryburg Dedicated Terminal (ND)

Safety Suggestion/Near Miss: Prior to loading a car with odorized propane, Bercier noticed a pressure relief valve bubbling.

Solution: Bercier immediately shut off the loading valves and vented the car so repairs could be made.

Name: Joseph Helire (left) and Jyron Glenn (right)

Location: St. Charles Industrial Rail (LA)

Safety Suggestion/Near Miss: While a train pulled out of a port yard, an electric gate malfunctioned and accidentally closed.

Solution: Helire and Glenn stopped the locomotive before hitting the gate.

Name: David Glover

Location: Freeport Industrial Rail (TX)

Safety Suggestion/Near Miss: After receiving double verification for railcars to move, Glover noticed a person from another company go underneath the hopper car he was preparing to couple.

Solution: Glover called for an emergency stop and prevented a serious injury or death.

Name: Sean Fuselier

Location: DeRidder MeadWestvaco Switching (LA)

Safety Suggestion/Near Miss: While team members pulled a rack, another rack lowered, fouling the track.

Solution: Fueslier stopped train movement until the rack was successfully raised back into place.

Name: Matthew Budda

Location: Wisconsin & Southern Railroad

Safety Suggestion/Near Miss: Budda noticed a door threshold was rotting.

Solution: To prevent tripping hazards, Budda removed and replaced the rotting wood. And the threshold plate was reinstalled.

Name: Gregory Barnett

Location: Wallula Switching (WA)

Safety Suggestion/Near Miss: Barnett noticed clearance marks in the yard were fading. Solution: During his breaks, Barnett repainted clearance marks.

Do you have a safety suggestion or near-miss incident to report?

Share it with your local manager! Don’t delay, Winter FREEZE runs through March 31, 2023.

Plan for Retirement Now

If extra income should come your way –maybe some overtime pay, a tax refund, or an inheritance – you might consider contributing that to a retirement plan. With this valuable company benefit, Watco helps team members save money that will be needed when they retire.

All team members are eligible to contribute. You can sign up at any time; there’s no waiting for annual open enrollment in the fall. And it doesn’t matter if you’re new to Watco. New hires are eligible to sign up on Day 1 of employment.

Some financial advisors say that during retirement, people will need 60-80% of their work income to live comfortably. Workers can’t rely solely on Social Security. In fact, the SSA has reported that starting in 2034, unless Congress comes up with a funding solution, retirees will only receive 77% of their Social Security benefit.

Watco offers a retirement-income solution. Watco helps team members save by providing a 401(k) retirement plan, and the company even gives team members money on top of what team members put aside. The company

matches 50 cents of every dollar contributed by team members, up to 10% of compensation. If you’re in a position to do so, take advantage of this company match.

When you sign up, you can choose the money markets and investment funds where you want dollars invested, or go with age-based default investment selections. You can contribute a percentage of income or a flat dollar amount per paycheck. You can change your contribution rate at any time, and you can even stop contributions and later restart them.

There are options for easily opening and managing a 401(k) account:

• Go to the Start Right website, startright.bokf.com. Or, use go.watco.com and in the HR and Benefits section, select the BOK Financial 401(k) icon. You can create your own personalized retirement plan on the website using the My RetireRight Planner.

• Get the StartRight RetireRight phone app on Apple’s App Store or Google Play.

• Call BOK Financial at (800) 876-9557.

New Leadership, New Goals for Watco Australia

After spending nearly a decade as a customer of the Watco team Down Under, last year Gavin Bignell switched teams. He’s now the CEO of Watco Australia.

And as a former customer, Bignell experienced firsthand the one-of-a-kind service Watco provides. He said: “I absolutely saw the unique benefits Watco offers. The team brings a customer-first approach to everything they do. It was a fantastic experience.”

Now Bignell uses the same approach to strengthen existing customer relationships and pursue new business opportunities at Watco. And he’s relying on all 400 team members for support.

“I’m fortunate to have inherited an experienced team,” Bignell said. “Their commitment to customers and safety has paved the way for Watco Australia to expand its footprint nationally since starting operations in 2012. I’m excited for what’s to come next.”

One opportunity for growth this year lies in cattle train service. This once-shrinking market is rapidly becoming a core business for Watco Australia since landing its first livestock contract in 2021.

To support the current workload and potential new agriculture business opportunities, Watco Australia plans to add 65 wagons (also known as “railcars”) to their fleet in 2023. The team also anticipates hiring 30 new train drivers.

In addition to cattle, the team also hauled over 600,000 tonnes of grain in 2022. Bignell hopes to increase that significantly to 800,000 tonnes this year by working closely with an existing customer.

Improving Watco Australia terminals is key to helping foster future growth in the container business. This year the team plans to work with stakeholders, including the government, to help make the necessary improvements at its terminals.

Expanding the intermodal business is also a top priority. Watco Australia began this service in 2016, and now moves 13,000 20-foot containers by rail each month.

These goals may seem lofty, but not to Bignell. Instead, he believes majority of the growth will come organically thanks to the team’s customer-first focus. He said, “The best form of business development is by serving our customers really, really well.”

Joining Bignell on the Watco Australia leadership team are Vice Presidents David Rankine (Western Australia/New State Wales), Maria Zappala (Queensland), Adam Lebihan (Intermodal), Cameron Swaine (Maintenance and Rollingstock Maintenance), Ken Hammat (Corporate Services and Chief Financial Officer), and Paul Hamersley (Customer Service, Marketing, and Development).

Screenings Are Key to Preventing Colorectal Cancer 85 76-85 45-75

Screening for colorectal cancer is typically recommended to begin at age 45. Screening before age 45 (with specific tests and/or with greater frequency) is a consideration for people with a family history of polyps or colorectal cancer, or who have other risk factors.

March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month.

To help prevent colorectal cancer – the third most common cancer worldwide – get regular screenings. It’s recommended that regular screenings (typically every 10 years) begin at age 45 and continue until at least age 75.

If you have risk factors, then screening before age 45 (and with specific tests and/or with greater frequency) might be a good idea. Risk factors can include family history of colorectal polyps (growths) or colorectal cancer, having inflammatory bowel disease, or having type 2 diabetes. Race and ethnicity can play a role; African Americans and people of Ashkenazi Jewish descent (descending from Central or Eastern Europe) are more susceptible to colorectal cancer. There can also be a connection between colorectal cancer and having received radiation treatment to the abdomen or pelvic area to treat an earlier cancer.

Common screening methods include at-home tests and colonoscopies. Both types of screenings are considered preventative, and if you are participating in a Watco medical plan, they are covered by insurance. “You’re allowed one per year,” says Benefits Manager Diana Peak. “Whichever a team member chooses to do, they are covered at 100%.”

Watco plans cover routine colonoscopies in full after age 45. If there is a family history of colon cancer, then the age requirement is lifted.

You can use the Healthcare Bluebook tool (found here or on your phone’s app store) to research colonoscopies and associated costs. Use the access code “Watco.” By selecting a procedure – for example, “colonoscopy (with biopsy)” – you can see options and costs for doctors and facilities. Under the indicator “Go Green to Get Green,” a selection highlighted in “green” means the doctor-facility combination has been determined to be a “fair price.” You can save money by going green, with the possibility of earning rewards credited to your Watco Health Savings Account or Health Reimbursement Arrangement account.

If you have questions, email benefits@watco.com or call (844) 859-2826. Visit American Cancer Society’s website for more information.

1 Year:

Team Member Anniversaries

Congratulations to the following team members celebrating March anniversaries:

Anthony Arceneaux, Rex Aultman, Roy Austin, Rigoberto Barajas, Joshua Beaudry, Lucas Bellamy, Brian Blackburn, Zachary

Boehme, Sean Cochran, Dustin

Coronado, Shawn Cotter, Chad

Crosswhite, Jose De La Torre, Kodi

Dean, Marcos Dominguez, Katelyn

Dupuis, Nova Edwards, Cortnie

Escobedo, Daniel Ferguson, Dalton Fischer, Linda Galvan, Cameron Gregg, Jonathan

Grimes, Dustin Hall, Heather

Harris, Jeremy Hernandez, Jacob Hollins, Joshua Hyde, Daniel Jaremba, Dustin Jensen, Adam Kaiser, Robert Knox, John Krug, Caitlin Lacy, Wayne

Lawrence, Scott Lightfoot, Alondra Lozano, Zachary Martin, Sean McCarthy, Ryan Milstead, Scott Mink, James Moser, Brandon Nielsen, Kyle Persinger, Joseph Robertson, Sterling

Robertson, Francisco Rojas

Zuniga, Elizabeth Ross, Saul

Salazar Botello, Brandon Schuh, Adam Sipes, Paul Soliz, Hunter

Stewart, Dorothea Stroup, Dawson Sturtz, Christopher

Sutton, Henry Thomas, Randy Vosper, Evan Wallace, Corey

Warner, Jeremy Williams, Lavarius

Williams, Desiree Winegarner, Elijah Witte, Ryan Woodman

2 Years:

David Bailey, Melissa Castillo, Katia Chiri Flores, Rodolfo

Crespo, William Diehl, Keith

Donelow, Randy Eddy, Ismael

Escobedo, Jailene Fierro, Michael

Harmon, Brian Harris, Jose

Hernandez, Michael Howell, Bryan Hughes, Paige Hunt, Jesse Jacobson, Rebekah Jeans, Jamaih

Joseph, Sandra Kirkwood, Jessi Lacher, Eric Lavergne, Zacharie Maynard, Rory McQuerry, Joseph Naab, Triston Parham, Joanna Perez, Matthew Pittman, Chelsea Rackleff, John Reinertsen, Kane Rockwell, Bryant Scallorn, Chris Senecaut, Joseph Smith, Dewey Stafford, Mark Trosclair, Rico Valle, Edward Verlanic

3 Years:

Ervin Adams, Francisco Alvear, Gelman Aranda Valladares, Aaron Awbrey, Joseph Bell, Kirby Bilsland, Reene Bruce, Ted Buchler, Vincent Caprini, Alberto Cardenas, Lisseth Casco, Lawrence Egbujor, Johnny Fonseca Jr, Sean Fuselier, Luis Granados, Sergio Guerrero, Derick Handegan, Tyarias Haynes, Paula Horne, William Horne, Andre Jackson, Cedric Jones, Bernanbe Juarez Camey, Danielle MacKenzie, Derwin Malloy, William Martinez, Julio Melendez, Joe Munoz, Jose Najera, Victor Nerys, Romeo Olvera, Eliseo Ortega, Manuel Penaloza, Eric Perez, Darrell Phillips, Lindsey Phillips, Melvin Rodriguez, Joshua Roy, Nazim Russell-Elizee, Raphael Salinas, Johnathen Smith, Richard Sosa, Terri Spiller, Billy Starks, Danielle Turner, Jesus Vieyra Alvarez, Gregorio Villa, Mario Villalobos, Damon Washington

4 Years: Clarence Brindley, Jose Carrizales, Alexander Dakar, Isaias Diaz, Enrique Garcia, John Garrison, Nichole Grove, Benjamin Hasselbusch, Matthew Inman, Tristan Ivy, Michael Lawson, Skyler

Mack, Devinaire Martinez, Bryan Melgar, Dylan Nesbit, Sara Peak, Hunter Perryman, Jose Piedra, Francisco Ramirez, Travis A Robertson, Richard Rockwell, Eduardo Sierra abarca, Tim Wolfe

5 Years:

Joel Armenta-Delgado, Bobby Baker, Tanner Bond, Linda Cisneros, Antonio Colunga, Talon Cook, Aaron Dean, Aaron Eriksen, Amanda Evers, Kyle Futrell, Jordan Garcia, Jeremy Horning, Laura Jagels, Katelyn Junyor, Gavin Laquet, Giles Olsen, Jonathan Pierangeli, Davis Rodriguez, Joseph Santucci, Montel Stanley, Dustin Tally, Justin Wooten

6 Years: Amy Andrews, Justin Cunningham, Brent Eggers, Capus Hendrix, Bobby Irvin, Michael Jackson, Thomas Kaczynski, William Lester, Kory Phillips, Joshua Theis, Bobbie Wright

7 Years:

Jake Barefield, John Bates, Myles Black, Anwar Jenkins, Delmer Lydick, Howard Noland, Jared Rahmn, Franklyn Roldan, Zachariah Wilson

8 Years: Zachery Barajas, Christopher Blackman, Gavin Burrell, Corey Corrick, Michael Dally, Joely Gath, Neil Heerdink, Austin Norris

Team Member Anniversaries

9 Years: Cody Brooks, Rasheda Combs, Christian Gomez, Homer Imel, Nathan Kuykendall, Ryan Matthews, Grover Wise

10 Years: Chance Adair, Bryant Boatman, Travis Bost, Jerry Bruce, Rene Cantu, Michael Hayden, Jerry Morris, Colin Pinson, Jeffery Robertson

11 Years: Jacob Bagby, Brent Killian, Marc Massoglia, Brad Payne, Bradley Seideman, Wesley Smith, Jeffery White

12 Years: David Brown, Taylor Carter, Evaristo Corona, Richard Grant, Norman Jones

13 Years: Dustin Coester, Anthony Jones, Vicki Langford, Mickel Reeves, Shelly Rustad, Dean Schexnayder, Kenneth Thomas, James Trammell, Cesar Valentin

14 Years: Kenneth Cathell, Richard Chadwell, Timothy Largent, Gerardo Martinez, Bernardino Osorio Vargas, Johnny Rankin, John Rowland

15 Years: James Maddux, Brett Norris, Judson Rogers, Eva Rokezewski, Lloyd Wilson

16 Years: Kelvin Banks, Mandi Favalora, Paul Minnis, Christopher Noyola, Danny Sims, Guadalupe Villarreal

17 Years: Stephen Brath, Michael Colburn, Vincent Frazier, Marlin Garcia, Joe Sandoval, Heather Sepulvado, Gary Westphal

18 Years: Patrice Audet, Tyler Batley, Robert Boyd, Michael Galla, Brian Maxey

19 Years: Kent Ainsworth, Brenda Caruthers, Charlene Huskey, Bartolome Marrero, Rocky Ramage, Kevin Watkins

20 Years: Louie Albarado, David Bullion, Corwon Davis, Frank Davis, Roger Easterling, Andrew Frazier, Mario Garcia, Arturo Guevara, Kenneth Lucht, Ricardo Martinez, Ruben Martinez, George Spencer

21 Years: James May, James Napier

22 Years: Robert Bradfield, Joshua Kramer

23 Years: Edward Garcia, Andre Ledoux

24 Years: Sunil Bangari, Woodrow Jackson, Mark Krause, Robert Triebsch

25 Years: Tim Langlois, Bridget Liden

27 Years: William Carroll

29 Years: Mark Green, Steven Morgan

30 Years: Mike Broussard, Herbert Lamkin

32 Years: George Kachmar

33 Years: Sherri Leport

34 Years: Michael Howarth

39 Years: James Herman

40 Years: Steven Lowther

42 Years: Steven Lang

Birth Announcements

Joseph Lynn Wolf and Koe Austin Wolf

Joseph and Courtney Wolf announce the birth of their twin boys, Joseph Lynn Wolf and Koe Austin Wolf, born on January 10, 2023. Joseph Lynn weighed 3 pounds, 11 ounces, and was 17 inches long. Koe Austin weighed 3 pounds, 10 ounces, and was 17 ½ inches long. The boys were welcomed home by their brother Elliott James, 5.

Courtney works as an account manager at the Overland Park, Kansas, Logistics office.

Please share your birth announcements

To submit your new arrival send a photo and information to marketing@watco.com