The Custom Companies, Inc.

25th Silver Anniversary

Valentines Day, February 14, 2011 will mark the 25th Silver Anniversary for The

Custom Companies, Inc. In 1986 after serving in the United States Marine Corps and work-

ing in the transportation industry, Perry Mandera our founder and owner, started The Cus-

tom Companies, Inc. From the beginning, Mr. Mandera’s vision and goal was to be a one

stop shop to meet all of its customer’s transportation needs. Despite numerous transporta-

tion executives telling Perry that his idea and vision would never work, Perry persisted with

his vision to prove them wrong. Starting with only two trucks and 5 employees in a five-

door facility the company began in Elk Grove Village. In February of 1989, the Company

moved to an eight-door facility in Bensenville and expanded to over 50 employees/workers.

In January of 1993 the company moved to its current corporate location in Northlake IL.

With over 325 associates located at its two locations, Northlake, IL and Carson, CA, the

company and its divisions, CDN Logistics, Custom Global Logistics provide World Class Cus-

tomer Service to over 25,000 customers in 48 states as well as Canada, Alaska, Hawaii, Mex-

ico, and Puerto Rico. Custom Global Logistics, our air freight division provides services

throughout the world. The Custom Companies has rapidly grown to be a revered leader in

the transportation industry and has earned the reputation for excellence in the industry.

With the implementation and integration of some of the most sophisticated soft-

ware and hardware in the world, The Custom Companies has set out to provide World Class

Customer Service while providing maximum opportunity and incentives for the growth and

well being of not only the company, but also all of its associates.

Our Team Members, through their Winning Attitude and Teamwork, define the Cus-tom Culture. Thanks to these dedicated Team Members, our committed Management Team and our Founder Perry Mandera for making his dream a reality. Happy Silver Anniversary!

And don’t forget to “Find Perry’s Moustache” for a chance to win a $50.00 Gift Card-email your entry to tmroz@customco.com by Friday, February 18th.

VOL IV No. 6 Feb. 2011 / Mar. 2011

Custom’s 25th Anniversary 1

Black Gold & Green 2

One of Our Own 3

HR Corner / Valentines Day 4

The Globe Pub 5

Filling in the Blanks 6-7

FMCSA Proposal 8-9

Woods & Water 10

IT Department 11

Sports Corner 12

Super Bowl Party Recipes 13

2011 A Trucking Odyssey 14-15

The Custom Companies, Inc. - 317 W Lake Street Northlake, IL 60164 - www.customco.com

St. Patrick’s Day Folk Lore...

St. Patrick was actually

of Scottish descent, not Irish,

and contrary to popular folk-

lore he never chased any

snakes out of Ireland.

The shamrock is the

traditional symbol because St.

Patrick used it to explain the

connection between the fa-

ther, the son, and the holy

spirit in the Christian religion.

The city with the largest

population of Americans of

Irish descent is Boston (23%).

It is considered lucky to

find a four leaf clover on St.

Patrick's Day.

The children and grand-

children of people born in

Ireland can obtain dual citi-

zenship with the US and Ire-

land.

At one time, there were

more Irish living in New

York City, than in Dublin,

Ireland.

25

Years

The Custom Companies, Inc. - 317 W Lake Street Northlake, IL 60164 - www.customco.com

VOL IV No. 6 Feb. 2011 / Mar. 2011

Page 2

NEW HIRES

Francisco Hernandez

Ron Marcelin

Luis Dominguez

James Hammon

James Parkhill

Jose Lara

Roy Lawson

Phillip Jones

Black, Gold and Green by Tom Kennedy, Bruce Lenau and Carol Guarino

When one thinks about going green, most people think of the three R’s; reduce, recycle and reuse. But another way to be green is by choosing eco-friendly products.

Eco-friendly, or environmentally friendly, is a term used to refer to goods and ser-vices considered to inflict minimal or no harm to the environment. The environ-ment includes all living and non-living things occurring naturally on Earth. An eco-friendly product can be something constructed in an environmentally friendly way or is designed to benefit the environment.

One eco-friendly product is paint. Many paint manufacturers have created green paints that are safer to breathe and made with natural materials. Some of the top brands to look for are:

REAL MILK PAINT COMPANY: milk paint comes in a bag, can be mixed with any color pigment, and mixed with water. This company also offers milk paint thinner and a citrus solvent.

BENJAMIN MOORE: features a line of zero-VOC premium paints called Nature, that are durable and fast-drying. These come in a variety of colors and are virtually odorless.

SHERWIN-WILLIAMS: several products are available under their GreenSure Initia-tive – their commitment to providing products that reduce the impact on the envi-ronment. Their Duration brand interior paint is low in VOC’s, mildew resistant and cleans with soap and water. Their Harmony brand is a zero VOC’s paint with E-barrier, a reflective energy efficient coating to help reduce heating and cooling costs.

LIVOS: all natural products that include sealers, stains, finishes and thinners for wood flooring and other exterior and interior uses. Also available is Kuros Natural Oil Sealer, a natural polyurethane alternative that is perfect for preserving every high-traffic surface.

Page 3

VOL IV No. 6 Feb. 2011 / Mar. 2011

The Custom Companies, Inc. - 317 W Lake Street Northlake, IL 60164 - www.customco.com

CONGRATULATIONS to Craig Evans and his wife Gloria who had a baby girl Gemma Mae born 12/8/2010 2:40 a.m. 7lbs, 19 ½ inches.

We missed listing

Izabella Czarnewicz’s

birthday on 1/13.

Happy Birthday,

Izabella!

ONE OF OUR OWN! By Jeff Guthman

This year The International Wheelchair & Ambulatory Sport Fed-

eration (IWAS) will hold the Junior World championship in Du-

bai United Arab Emirates on April 12th through April 21st. When

this Olympic sanctioned championship is held, I am proud to say

that the son of one of Custom’s family members will be represent-

ing the United States team. Kyle Gribble will be in Dubai partici-

pating in Wheelchair Sports USA. Their mission is to provide

multi-sport and recreation opportunities for people with physical

and visual disabilities by facilitating, advocating, and developing

a national community-based outreach program, providing re-

sources and education, conducting regional and national competi-

tions, and providing access to international competitions.

Kyle Gribble, who is the 14 year old son of our very own Sherri

Gribble, was born with great challenges facing him and his fam-

ily. He has Blount's disease, a growth disorder of the shin bone

(tibia) in which the lower leg turns inward, resembling a bowleg.

This has caused Kyle to go through over 9 operations on his legs

and caused him long hours in surgery and therapy. As a result he has spent much of his life in

wheel chairs and crutches just to be able to get around. The effort and determination that Kyle

and his family have gone through just to be able to lead as much of a normal life that many of

us take for granted would be inspiring by itself, but Kyle has not been satisfied with just those

seemingly lofty goals. However, despite his disabilities, Kyle has the heart and drive of an

athlete. That drive has led him to wheelchair sports where he has been competing for the last 4

years. He plays with both the Windy City Warriors and the Chicago Wheelchair Bulls.

This last summer Kyle competed at the NJDC (National Junior Disability Championships)

where he set 3 national records in Discus, Shot-Put and Javelin competitions. He was then

accepted by International Wheelchair & Ambulatory Sport Federation (IWAS) to compete as a

member of Team USA. Kyle has said of this great challenge “Through my participation with

the teams, I have learned about teamwork, passion, dedication, will and determination. I am

proud be a part of these teams and look forward to new challenges. I have accomplished so

much in such a short time. I just keep pushing to always do better and reach new goals”. You

can see the determination in his words and the belief in efforts to be the best he can be.

Unlike many other countries, U.S. Olympic athletes and organizations such as IWAS are not

funded by the United States government; so much of the expenses must be borne by the ath-

letes and their families. Kyle still needs help to make this trip to Dubai and is hoping for dona-

tions to help defray these costs. You can contact Sherri Gribble at extension 5369 for details.

Or mail Kyle Gribble (IWAS 2011) 625 Northview Lane, Hoffman Estates, Illinois 60169. I

am pleased to say that the Custom Cares Charities has donated $1,000.00 to help with getting

Kyle over to Dubai so that he can compete and not only represent his family and country but

also his extended family here at the Custom Companies. I am hoping that others will contrib-

ute to this worthy effort.

To Donate to Kyle go to: http://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=GSE3NYS6ZE99A

Page 4

VOL IV No. 6 Feb. 2011 / Mar. 2011

The Custom Companies, Inc. - 317 W Lake Street Northlake, IL 60164 - www.customco.com

HR CORNER by Tom Kennedy

Ignacio Molina 2/1

Darrell Nelson 2/1

Joe Klikas 2/2

Jasson Landsdown 2/2

John Villescas 2/2

Jason Badziak 2/3

Tom Mroz 2/3

Adalberto Franco 2/4

German Melendez 2/5

Terri McGrath 2/7

Christopher Moran 2/7

Aroldo Velazquez 2/7

Glenn Castillo 2/11

Albert Gjata 2/11

Frank Funari 2/13

Custom Companies 2/14

Raul Soto 2/14

Paul Trippett 2/14

Tom Dunaj 2/15

John Sarlo 2/15

Claudia Mendoza 2/16

Peter Mudiyappan 2/16

Rosendo Padilla 2/19

John Santoro 2/21

Pedro Antunes 2/22

George Maciel 2/22

Francisco Huerta 2/24

Ron Pearce 2/24

Thomas Keegan 2/28

Valentine Lore: Cupid by Petra Gumieniak

Cupid has long been one of the most distinguishable symbols of Valentine’s Day. But why is this mischievous, winged child the poster boy for the holiday meant for romance and true love? To the Grecians, he was known as Eros, his mother being Aphrodite; the goddess of beauty and love. To the Romans he was known as Cupid, his mother being Venus.

The most well-known legend is the tale of his undeniable love for the mortal princess, Psyche, who was so beautiful citizens of earth began paying homage to her… Homage that was entitled and due only to Aphrodite. The temples soon became vacant while mortal men turned their eyes and devotion. She beseeched her son, Eros, to do her bidding and instructed him to cause Psyche to fall in love with the most repulsive creature he was able to unearth. But, when Eros laid eyes upon Psyche he fell madly in love with her, neglecting his mother’s commands. Eros forbade Psyche to ever look at him and they were lovers for quite some time…

Psyche was happy until her two sisters persuaded her to unmask the identity of her mysterious sweetheart. Eros, fearing what Aphrodite might do to him now that the secret was out in the open, left Psyche. With him went their castle and gardens while Psy-che found herself alone in a barren field.

As Psyche wandered the Earth in search of Eros she came upon the temple of Aphrodite. Wishing to destroy her, the Goddess of Love gave Psyche a series of tasks, each harder and more dangerous than the last. The last task consisted of giving Psyche a little box and instructed her to take it to the Underworld, where she was to obtain a small sample of the beauty that was Persephone, the wife of Hades. She was never to open the box and peer in. Overwhelmed by the temptation, she ignored this warning and in-stead of finding beauty, she found a deadly slumber. When Eros discovered his personal goddess lying lifeless upon the ground, he gathered the eternal slumber from her body and returned it to the box.

Aphrodite was persuaded to forgive Psyche for her transgression. Zeus, moved by Psyche’s love for Eros, made her immortal, agreeing that the lovers could be united for all eternity…

HR Corner by Tom Kennedy

Nurse Advice Line: I would like to remind you about Humana’s Nurse Advice Line. Many of our employees/workers have told us that they have received good advice by using this benefit in their time of need. With so many of the doctor’s offices and hospitals

over crowded during this flu season, who do you call when a family member is sick? You can call the Humana Health Insurance Nurse Ad-

vice Line at 1-800-622-9529.

A nurse is always just a phone call away. Nurses are available around the clock. Nurses can answer your

immediate heath-related questions like:

Should I go to urgent care or the emergency room?

Is this reaction to a new medication normal?

How often do I change a bandage on a surgical wound?

You always have medical advice available 24 hours a day by using the Nurse Advice Line.

The Nurse Advice Line number is also on the back of your Humana Insurance Card.

Open Enrollment for Health Insurance:

The month of March is open enrollment for Humana Insurance.

You can sign up to join our Health Insurance program with Humana, add a dependant, delete a dependant or cancel you Health Insurance

only during this month. All changes are effective April 1st, and will remain in effect until the next open enrollment or qualifying event. The

required forms to make any changes are in the Human Resources Department. Please forward all the change forms to Tom Boyle.

The Custom Companies, Inc. - 317 W Lake Street Northlake, IL 60164 - www.customco.com

Page 5

The Globe Pub

1934 West Irving Park Road Chicago, IL 60613-2408

(773) 871-3757

http://www.theglobepub.com/

Review by Daniel Leach

I was hoping, for my first review, to find an unsung family restaurant to write

about. A reputable, yet seldom heard, place waiting for a heroic writer of the age to

grace it from afar with a pen and quill. But let’s face it, I’m single with no children and

you rarely find me in such places. So here’s a place I do know about and would highly

recommend for any avid sports fan, or solo joy-goer, looking for a unique experience.

You walk in and your eyes gaze at all the prized collections of team scarves cov-

ering the walls. They stand out, yet fit in, blending in with the surroundings while add-

ing a distinct array of color wherever you sit. Two dining areas, light and dark, offer the

patron the choice of lighting for their meal. And, though a tad steep, The Globe Pub

offers good breakfast options for any avid fan of European Football eager to watch a

live game from over 20 flat-screen HDTVs.

Now it’s no surprise that I mention my fandom for futbal, yet again, however

The Globe Pub offers many viewing events for multiple international sports. Viewing

schedules for cricket, rugby and even Aussie rules football can be found on their web-

site. And, if you’re not a sports fan, The Globe Pub offers open mics, stand up comedy,

live bands and Disco Night Fridays (Louie?).

Again, not a family place, but definitely a pub worth trying. Food’s decent but

they offer a vast beverage selection that’ll put your palate to the test. And you can find

me there, every Saturday morning, getting my futbal fix. A hat-trick out of 4 stars!

VOL IV No. 6 Feb. 2011 / Mar. 2011

Erick Lucena 3/1

Jayne Pakosta 3/1

Enoch Palacios 3/1

Jim Mazeika 3/2

Milton Ayala 3/3

Steven Bartolone 3/4

Lisa Smith 3/4

Simon Tapia Sandoval 3/5

Sergio Dela Torre 3/6

Michael Shipinski 3/6

Tina Velez 3/6

Armando Ortiz 3/7

Tony Crespo 3/9

Marie Podolak 3/10

Jose Garcia 3/12

Irene Wodzinski 3/12

Louie Clemente 3/13

Osmond Joseph 3/14

James Campbell Jr. 3/16

Richard Nielsen 3/17

Araceli Arballo 3/18

Jose Fabian 3/19

Jose Gualito 3/19

Jon DuJardin 3/21

Jim Schnur 3/21

Waclaw Jarzabek 3/22

Ruben Medina 3/22

James Parkhill 3/24

Blake Sterling 3/25

Adam Baltz 3/26

Mary Holowicki 3/26

Silvester White 3/27

Ramon Badea 3/28

Pedro Escanio 3/29

Page 6

The Custom Companies, Inc. - 317 W Lake Street Northlake, IL 60164 - www.customco.com

FILLING IN THE BLANKS with Jim Schnur

VOL IV No. 6 Feb. 2011 / Mar. 2011

FILL IN THE BLANKS with Jim Schnur

I have a feeling the future of transportation… will continue to grow and continue to be as

successful as it has been.

Even in grammar school I learned that transportation… is one of the many things that make

this world go round. This industry will never die.

As Perry Mandera says… Well I really don’t know Perry that well on a personal level. How-

ever, almost 2 years ago at one of our drivers wakes (Bob Modes) I had the pleasure of

spending about 30-45 minutes alone with Perry. We had good conversations about Mr.

Modes as a driver and as a person and about kids. One of his sons is about the same age as mine so we had quite a few things to

talk about with that subject. But I do know that he says MAKE IT HAPPEN.

My Mother had good advice… about life. She said life isn’t always easy. Always make the best of what you have.

Of the things that I have done here at Custom I am most proud of is… I am the longest reigning co-worker in Dispatch that Bob

Zdych has ever worked with here at Custom. And to me, that says a lot. J

At Custom, the most important task I do on a day-to-day basis is… to make sure that all the pick-ups are made. On a regular day

we are making between 420-460 pick-ups.

The word Team means… a group of professionals, each with his/her style for complementing that of the other, all focusing on

securing joint goals rather than on who gets the credit. Remember, there is no I in TEAM. But there is an I in WIN. – Michael

Jordan

When my family/friends ask what I do...I tell them that I am a traveling clown for the Ringling Brothers & Barnum Bailey Circus.

But seriously I just tell them that I supervise drivers and dispatch trucks for The Custom Companies.

In my opinion top three things that separate The Custom Companies from our competitors:

The way that we handle our customers on a day to day basis. They are all treated like they are our # 1 customer. The workload.

Everyone here at The Custom Companies busts their behinds day in and day out to make this company what it is. Our drivers.

We have the best and the safest drivers on the road. BAR NONE!

I don’t know why… Fred Flintstone kept ordering those brontosaurus ribs through the drive thru when he knew that every

time he ordered them they would tip over his car. Lol.

You wonder sometimes… Life isn’t so bad. It could always be worse.

In the next year I anticipate learning more about… The Cheetah system and the management side of our business.

My favorite thing about Chicago… is the sports and the food. Both are second to NONE!

In Chicago the difference between the city and the suburbs… are a lot of things. I was born and raised half my life in the city

and have lived in the burbs the other half. There is NO place like the city. I love the city life but the suburban life AND the

schooling system is much better for my 13 year old son.

You can’t stop dreaming about… one day winning the big lottery. I know I do it all the time.

At my time here at Custom the most significant changes in technologies have been… the switch from the Qualcomm system to

the Cheetah system. Cheetah has been a tremendous help.

Customers love… when you are able to take care of their needs ASAP.

The best things that children teach you… is PATIENCE. Being a young father of an autistic child, it is sometimes very challenging

on a daily basis. But in the end I wouldn’t have it any other way.

My hobbies outside of work are… I love to play and watch sports. Big BEARS, BULLS, and CUBS fan. Also root for the BLACK-

HAWKS too. I am also big into music. Going to concerts and listening to good music is what I love. I also like to go shooting at

the range, working out, playing my 360 online and hanging with friends and family.

I never did, but some day I will… get with my buddies and travel around to different baseball, football, and basketball stadiums/

fields. Again, I am a big sports junkie and it’s what I love.

My favorite sport moment was… being there at the old Chicago Stadium for Game 6 Bulls VS. Blazers when the Bulls won their

second NBA title. I was only 15 years old and it was simply AMAZING!

Perry Mandera 25

James Kince 14

Gail Abdallah 11

Andrzej Kolodziejczyk 9

Karl Mozina 9

Waclaw Jarzabek 7

Pedro Antunes 7

Martin Magana 7

Roel Lazaro 6

Victor Gurrola 6

Rob Catanese 5

Chad Preston 5

Alfredo Rodriguez 5

Efrain Rivera 4

Ericson Domingo 4

Adam Gonzales 4

Steve Holowka 3

Jim Mazeika 3

Danielle Pitsenbarger 3

Angel Rodriguez 3

Vicente Sanchez 3

Don Weiner 3

Alfredo Calero 2

Jason Badziak 1

Tomasz Biskup 1

Rocco Abbinante 1

Sylwia Wozniak 1

The Custom Companies, Inc. - 317 W Lake Street Northlake, IL 60164 - www.customco.com

Page 7

VOL IV No. 6 Feb. 2011 / Mar. 2011

FILLING IN THE BLANKS with Ivan Aguirre

FILL IN THE BLANKS with Ivan Aguirre

I have a feeling the future of transportation… Will have many obstacles with

all the new green laws but I know Custom will be successful.

Even in grammar school I learned that transportation… Is the first step to

mobilize the items needed for societies to receive raw and finished goods.

My father had good advice about… a job, make sure you secure it and work

hard because it’s not easy finding employment.

At Custom, the most important task I do on a day-to-day basis is… Making sure there are ZERO

missed pickups.

The word Team means… all the procedures are being well handled by the appropriate personnel and

making sure nothing slips through the cracks.

When my family/friends ask what I do, I tell them… I make sure the things you order are delivered on

time.

In my opinion top three things that separate The Custom Companies from our competitors:

– Heart

– Loyalty

– Efficiency

A department I would not mind working for is/why… Air Freight because it’s unfamiliar territory.

My favorite thing about Los Angeles is … The beach; it’s sunny, relaxing and always full of activities.

In LA the difference between the city and the suburbs are… much clearer skies.

You can’t stop… time from passing but I can control my present time.

New technologies means… faster handling of customers’ merchandise.

Customers love… hearing the solution and not the problem.

The best things that children teach you… innocence, you can’t learn it, you are born with it.

The surest sign that the economy is improving are… LAX had record-breaking pick up counts and bill

counts.

I never did, but someday I will… sky dive.

I think working side by side with Marc Inman for 10 or so hours per day, 5 days a week is… a tough job

but a great learning experience.

Marc Inman 23

Bruce Schaller 22

John Angelopoulos 22

Donna Robinson 19

Eric Pocius 19

Russ Krezel 13

Mircea Dulgheriu 13

Laura Montanez 12

Michael Duncan 10

Thomas Boyle 9

Dale Burt 8

Walter Gustafson 7

Franklin Osborne 6

Peter Schmit 6

Jeff Dayton 6

Stephen Coffey 5

Silvester White 4

Murray Bannerman 3

Enoch Palacios 3

Tomasz Jedynak 2

Izabella Czarnewicz 1

Sean McLaughlin 1

Scott Tenbroeck 1

Felix Torres 1

Oscar Aceves 1

Rosendo Padilla 1

Ezequiel Ortega 1

Edison Sharaxhija 1

Page 8

The Custom Companies, Inc. - 317 W Lake Street Northlake, IL 60164 - www.customco.com

NOV 2010

MVP Winners

VOL IV No. 6 Feb. 2011 / Mar. 2011

FMCSA Issues Proposed Rule on Hours-of-Service Requirements for Commercial Truck

Drivers - by Bruce Lenau ATA Truckline

The Obama Administration's proposal is "overly complex, chock full of unneces-sary restrictions on professional truck drivers and, at its core, would substan-tially reduce trucking's productivity," commented Bill Graves, President and CEO of the American Trucking Associations. The proposal has three main elements. It would: (1) likely reduce the maximum daily driving time to 10 hours (currently at 11 hours); (2) reduce the maximum daily working time window by an additional hour to 13 hours (currently at 14 hours); and, (3) counter to the government's news release, abolish the 34-hour restart (currently drivers can use the restart at any time to reset on-duty hours to zero, following 34 consecutive hours off-duty) as it exists today. The trucking industry's safety performance while operating under the hours of service rules in place since 2004 "has been remarkable" said Graves. Crash-related fatalities are down 33 percent from the 2003 level; both fatality and injury crash rates are at their lowest level since the USDOT began keeping records. Trucking's never been safer. "When viewed against trucking's sterling safety record," said Graves, "it's plain that the Obama Administration's willingness to break something that's not bro-ken likely has everything to do with politics and little or nothing to do with high-way safety or driver health." Below are a few graphs showing the continuous decline in large truck crash fatality and injury rates over the last decade.

Pete Grau

CHI Driver

Sharon Klomfar

CHI Accounts Rec.

Victor Sanchez

CHI Dock

The Custom Companies, Inc. - 317 W Lake Street Northlake, IL 60164 - www.customco.com

Page 9

VOL IV No. 6 Feb. 2011 / Mar. 2011

Hard-pressed to argue safety benefits of further restricting truck driver productivity, the Obama Administration is trying to justify its proposed changes as needed to improve driver health. A big problem for the Obama Administration, however, is that FMCSA has consistently gone on record over the last 5 years, with supporting information and data, stating the current rules are having no negative effect on driver health.

Especially troubling is this Administration's disregard for the negative safety impacts the proposed changes would have - impacts expressly recognized by FMCSA in the past. For example, FMCSA previously found that the 11th hour of driving time does not increase driver weekly hours; is used for flexibility pur-poses; does not increase driver-fatigue risks; and that eliminating it would pro-mote more aggressive driving (to meet time constraints) and lead to placing tens of thousands of less experienced drivers on the road who would pose greater crash risks. With respect to the 34 hour restart, FMCSA has correctly found in the past that requiring two nights of sleep would disrupt drivers' cir-cadian cycle and add to more daytime driving in congested periods, again in-creasing crashes. FMCSA's reversal on these crucial matters is hard to ex-plain in other than political terms. The changes proposed today "will be enormously expensive for trucking and the economy" said ATA's Graves. FMCSA estimated, just two years ago, costs of over $2.2 billion if the daily drive time was reduced by 1 hour and the restart provision was significantly changed. In fact, FMCSA had concluded that "eliminating the 11th hour is unlikely to be cost effective under any rea-sonable set of circumstances." "This proposal includes even more restrictions than what FMCSA previously considered" said Graves, and "as a result, we will be evaluating FMCSA's proposed costs and benefits very carefully."

The American Trucking Association and the Illinois Trucking Association are opposed to these proposed hours of service as are we. The ITA is proposing a massive write in campaign to the FMCSA by those of us affected to communi-cate our comments and objections. Members of the Safety Department will be providing information on how to do so. This affects all of our livelihoods, and there is no apparent need to revise the rules that appear to be working well now to make our highways safer. Who really benefits from these proposed changes? Let’s get Involved!

Efrain Serrano

CHI Dock

ASSOCIATES

AT WORK

Ruben Calvo

CHI Dock

Greg Rogers

CHI Dock

Page 10

The Custom Companies, Inc. - 317 W Lake Street Northlake, IL 60164 - www.customco.com

VOL IV No. 6 Feb. 2011 / Mar. 2011

by Eric Pocius

California’s Big Game Animals

With California’s massive geographic size of 155,973 square land miles (3rd highest in the

country) and its varied ecosystems they have a diverse array of wild game.

Of the 27 big game animals of North America, Illinois only has one (Whitetail Deer), but

California provides opportunity for hunters to legally pursue 6 of them:

Blacktail Deer – Prefer edges of forest areas and eat western poison oak.

Range in weight from 105 – 200 lbs. Distinctive black tail.

February

2011

Holidays 1 National Freedom Day 2 Ground Hog Day

2 Candlemas

3 The Day the Music Died - Buddy Holly, Richie Valens and the Big

Bopper died in a plane crash in 1959.

4 Create a Vacuum Day 4 Thank a Mailman Day

5 National Weatherman's Day

6 Lame Duck Day 7 Wave All you Fingers at Your

Neighbor Day

7 Send a Card to a Friend Day - obviously created by a card company

8 Boy Scout Day - celebrates the

birthday of scouting 8 Kite Flying Day - in the middle of

winter!?!

9 Toothache Day 10 Umbrella Day

11 Don't Cry over Spilled Milk Day

11 Make a Friend Day 11 White T-Shirt Day

12 Abraham Lincoln's Birthday

12 Plum Pudding Day 13 Get a Different Name Day

14 Clean out Your Computer Day - second Monday of Month

14 Ferris Wheel Day

14 National Organ Donor Day 14 Valentine's Day

15 Candlemas - on the Julian Calen-

dar 15 National Gum Drop Day

15 Singles Awareness Day

16 Do a Grouch a Favor Day 17 Random Acts of Kindness Day

18 National Battery Day

19 National Chocolate Mint Day 20 Cherry Pie Day

20 Hoodie Hoo Day

20 Love Your Pet Day 21 Card Reading Day

21 President's Day - third Monday of

month 22 George Washington's Birthday

22 Be Humble Day

22 Walking the Dog Day 22 International World Thinking Day

23 International Dog Biscuit Appre-

ciation Day 23 Tennis Day

24 National Tortilla Chip Day

25 Pistol Patent Day 26 Carnival Day

26 National Pistachio Day - it's a

nutty day! 26 Tell a Fairy Tale Day

27 Polar Bear Day

27 No Brainer Day - this day is for me!

28 Floral Design Day

28 Public Sleeping Day 28 National Tooth Fairy Day - and/or

August 22

Mule Deer – Named for its large mule like ears, prefers the foothills

and mountain areas. Range in weight from 150 – 300 lbs and eats leafy

plants, berries and conifers.

Elk – One of the largest land mammals of North America. Can

weight 500 – 700 lbs. Resides in a wide range of terrain and will

consume up to 15 lbs of food a day in the summer months.

Pronghorn Antelope – Second fastest land animal. Typically resides

in grasslands, brush land and deserts eating shrubs, grasses and

cacti. Weight averages between 105 – 120 lbs.

Big Horn Sheep – Can weigh up to 300 lbs, with the horns weighing

up to 30 lbs. They are named for their large curved horns and lives in

mountainous, steep terrain grazing on grasses and shrubs.

Black Bear – Can weigh between 120 – 550 lbs and can

reach speeds of 15 – 30 mph. Hibernate in dens 3 – 5

months of the year and are omnivores, eating a wide vari-

ety of foods.

The Custom Companies, Inc. - 317 W Lake Street Northlake, IL 60164 - www.customco.com

Page 11

VOL IV No. 6 Feb. 2011 / Mar. 2011

March

2011

Holidays

1 National Pig Day 1 Peanut Butter Lovers' Day

2 Old Stuff Day

3 I Want You to be Happy Day 3 If Pets Had Thumbs Day

3 National Anthem Day

3 Peach Blossom Day 4 Employee Appreciation Day first Friday

in March

4 Holy Experiment Day 4 Hug a GI Day

4 National Salesperson Day - first Friday

in the month 5 Multiple Personality Day

6 Dentist's Day

6 National Frozen Food Day 7 National Crown Roast of Pork Day

8 Be Nasty Day

8 International (Working) Women's Day 9 Panic Day

10 Middle Name Pride Day

11 Johnny Appleseed Day 11 Worship of Tools Day - guys, you can

relate

12 Girl Scouts Day 12 Plant a Flower Day

13 Ear Muff Day 13 Jewel Day

14 Learn about Butterflies Day

14 National Potato Chip Day 14 National Pi Day- Why today? Because

today is 3.14, the value of Pi.

15 Everything You Think is Wrong Day 15 Ides of March

15 Incredible Kid Day

15 Dumbstruck Day 16 Everything You Do is Right Day

16 Freedom of Information Day

17 Submarine Day - the hero sandwich or the boat??

17 Saint Patrick's Day

18 Goddess of Fertility Day 18 Supreme Sacrifice Day

19 National Quilting Day - third Saturday

of month 19 Poultry Day

20 International Earth Day

20 Extraterrestrial Abductions Day 20 Proposal Day

21 Fragrance Day

22 National Goof Off Day 23 National Chip and Dip Day

23 Near Miss Day

24 National Chocolate Covered Raisin Day

25 Pecan Day

25 Waffle Day 26 Make Up Your Own Holiday Day

27 National "Joe" Day

28 Something on a Stick Day 29 National Mom and Pop Business Own-

ers Day

29 Smoke and Mirrors Day 30 National Doctor's Day

30 I am in Control Day

30 Take a Walk in the Park Day 31 Bunsen Burner Day

31 National Clam on the Half Shell Day

The Custom Companies, Inc. IT Department…submitted by the IT Team

Your Information Technology Department or otherwise known as IT, spans a wide variety of

areas that include but are not limited to things such as processes, computer software, computer

hardware and communication equipment. In short, anything that renders data, information or

perceived knowledge in any visual format whatsoever, via any multimedia distribution mecha-

nism, is considered part of the domain space known as Information Technology (IT).

Blake Sterling, Jason Badziak and Dorland Henderson perform a variety of functions that

range from installing applications to designing our computer networks and information data-

bases. A few of the duties that your IT team perform include but are not limited to supporting

over 300+ users, maintaining our 40+ servers, network, printers, phone system and all com-

pany issued cell phones.

The infrastructure we maintain is extremely diverse. Our CLI system is used by 80% of the

entire company in Northlake, IL and Carson, CA. CLI uses a Redhat Linux operating system

that provides information to most departments ranging from LTL Customer Service, Truck-

load Division, Accounting, City Dispatch, and the Dock Management System. We maintain

30+ hand scanners as part of the Dock Management System that instantly updates CLI when

loads are put on trailers. CLI is integrated by a system known as “CHEETAH” which provides

real time GPS positions and load optimizations for our drivers. Our Accordex system provides

scanned images of BOL’s, POD’s, and invoices which is also integrated into the CLI system.

CDN logistics, which is our over the road division, uses a system called TMW. This system

fully dispatches our OTR drivers and maintains various types of information regarding Trac-

tors, Trailers, and Drivers. CGL uses a system called TransSoft. This system handles most Air

Freight activities, including quotes, label printing and customer data.

Your IT Department handles all backups, all user creation, remote users, user authentication

and user deletions. We enforce system securities, policies, hardware and software manage-

ment. We update and maintain all company websites. We also assist our customers with any

issues that they may encounter.

IT keeps your Custom World running!!

Pictured above: Blake Sterling, Dorland Henderson and Jason Badziak.

Super Bowl Fun

Facts

8 Million pounds of Guacamole

are consumed on Super Bowl

Sunday.

14,500 Tons of potato chips are

consumed.

Increase in Antacid sales Mon-

day after game is 20%.

Desmond Howard was the first

special teams player to win

MVP in a Super Bowl.

The first team NOT to score a

touchdown in a Super Bowl

was Miami.

The first wildcard team to win

a Super Bowl was the Oakland

Raiders.

In Super Bowl XXXII, each

member of the winning team

received $48,000. Each mem-

ber of the losing team received

$29,000.

The percent of people who call

in sick on the Monday after

Super Bowl is 6%.

The total game time is 60 min-

utes.

The total commercial time is 30

minutes.

Well it’s that time of year again when we gather in bars, friend’s

homes and our living rooms to watch the most viewed television event of the year. The Super Bowl extravaganza is more than just the sport alone. It is all the parties and excitement which make it part sport and part circus. But who’s it going to be this time? Will an old favorite resurface, or will a less-celebrated team rise up to make Super Bowl history? Super Bowl history began, unsurpris-

ingly, with a rivalry between two competing football leagues: the National Football League (NFL) and the American Football League (AFL).

The NFL had long dominated the sport, and by 1960 had already gobbled up three other AFLs. However, the new AFL was stronger than its predecessors and had deeper pockets; by the mid-1960s it had captured a significant portion of the NFL's fans. It wasn't long before people began to wonder what it might be like if the best teams in the two leagues had a real championship bowl game to determine the best football team on the planet.

Soon after the first Super Bowl championship was held in 1967.

Bowl games are nothing new in football, but the Super Bowl elevated the practice to an American sports tradition. It all started as a way for the champions of the two pigskin leagues of the time, the National Football League (NFL) and the American Football League (AFL), to determine who really was Number One.

Super Bowl I, which capped off the 1966 season, took place on January 15, 1967 at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Almost 62,000 fans were in the stadium to see Vince

Lombardi's Green Bay Packers teach the Kansas City Chiefs a painful lesson about who was boss, to the tune of 35-10. Millions more watched the super cool new bowl game on TV; and thus a new football tradition was born. Then 43 years later we had last year’s Super Bowl between the Indianapolis Colts and The New Orleans Saints that had some 154 million fans tune in to see The Saints in their first appearance ever (since inception in 1967), in a Super Bowl, defeating the Colts by a score of 31-17.

There was some great football played this year; some unexpected successes as well as some failures that cost some of the coaches their jobs. Those of you that are regular readers of this column will remember that I predicted The Baltimore Ravens to defeat the Saints. I missed on the Saints who went down to defeat at the hands of the Seattle Sea-hawks, I also missed on the Ravens that went down to the Steelers. So what do we have left as of the writing of this article, the Packers and the Bears. There is no way I am go-ing to predict the Green Bay Packers are going to win (Even if they are so hot right now

it looks like nobody could beat them). So yes I am going with the Bears to win and go to the Super Bowl. Then you have the New York Jets (who gave everything that they had to beat the New England Patriots) and are going to lay down against the Pittsburgh Steelers. A Steelers-Bears Super Bowl! Well there are many that did not want me to give the kiss of death by predicting the Bears but those that know me know I had to do it! GO BEARS!!!!!

Although the NFL may be the most watched sporting championship, the most talked

about may be the NCAA Men’s basketball championship. March Madness as it is known is College basketball’s playoff format. Where they take the best 65 teams (68 this year)

and play a one game elimination series. This is split up into 4 regions they will have some play in games to get it down to 16 teams in each region. And based on the regular season record will determine where that team is seated. With the 16th placed team play-

ing the 1st placed team and the 15th playing the 2nd and so on and so forth. They will then take the winner from each region and play those (Final Four) teams to determine the champion for that year. Offices, bars and clubs across the country have brackets pools where you attempt to choose the winners of all the games with points given (Higher points given to the higher games) the one with the most point win the pool. I will break down the final games and a review of what happened in the earlier games in the

next issue of The Custom Communicator.

Page 12

The Custom Companies, Inc. - 317 W Lake Street Northlake, IL 60164 - www.customco.com

SPORT’S CORNER by Jeff Guthman

VOL IV No. 6 Feb. 2011 / Mar. 2011

The Custom Companies, Inc. - 317 W Lake Street Northlake, IL 60164 - www.customco.com

VOL IV No. 6 Feb. 2011 / Mar. 2011

Page 13

Kick Off a Winning Super Bowl Party!

Building your own buffet themes is always fun. Here are a few to try out:

Sandwich dip: fill your slow cooker with au jus, and set the table with sandwich meats, bread and all the fixings and condiments.

Chili buffet: a pot of rice and some chili on top with condiments is a meal.

Tex-Mex: fill the slow cooker with beans, taco meat or con queso, and serve lots of tortilla chips, salsa, avocados, and cheese.

Barbeque pork: make pulled pork and sauce, and serve with corn bread, coleslaw, pickles and chips.

Or you can keep it simple by serving snacks and appetizers that can be prepared

in advance. The following recipe will definitely score you some points with your

team:

Seven Layer Dip

Prep Time: 15 Min.

Ready In: 15 Min.

Ingredients 1 1/2 pounds ground beef

1 (16 ounce) can refried beans

4 cups shredded Cheddar-Monterey Jack cheese blend

1 (8 ounce) container sour cream

1 cup guacamole

1 cup salsa

1 (2.25 ounce) can black olives, chopped

1/2 cup chopped tomatoes

1/2 cup chopped green onions

Directions

In a large skillet, brown ground beef. Set aside to drain and cool to room temperature.

Spread the beans into the bottom of a 9x13 inch serving tray that is about 1 1/2 inches deep. Sprinkle

2 cups of shredded cheese on top of beans. Sprinkle beef on top of cheese. Spread sour cream

very slowly on top of beef. Spread guacamole on top of sour cream. Pour salsa over guacamole

and spread evenly. Sprinkle remaining shredded cheese. Sprinkle black olives, tomatoes, and

green onions on top.

Green Bay Packers (1967)

Green Bay Packers (1968)

New York Jets (1969)

Kansas City Chiefs (1970)

Baltimore Colts (1971)

Dallas Cowboys (1972)

Miami Dolphins (1973)

Miami Dolphins (1974)

Pittsburgh Steelers (1975)

Pittsburgh Steelers (1976)

Oakland Raiders (1977)

Dallas Cowboys (1978)

Pittsburgh Steelers (1979)

Pittsburgh Steelers (1980)

Oakland Raiders (1981)

San Francisco 49ers (1982)

Washington Redskins (1983)

Los Angeles Raiders (1984)

San Francisco 49ers (1985)

Chicago Bears (1986)

New York Giants (1987)

Washington Redskins (1988)

San Francisco 49ers (1989)

San Francisco 49ers (1990)

New York Giants (1991)

Washington Redskins (1992)

Dallas Cowboys (1993)

Dallas Cowboys (1994)

San Francisco 49ers (1995)

Dallas Cowboys (1996)

Green Bay Packers (1997)

Denver Broncos (1998)

Denver Broncos (1999)

St. Louis Rams (2000)

Baltimore Ravens (2001)

New England Patriots (2002)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2003)

New England Patriots (2004)

New England Patriots (2005)

Pittsburgh Steelers (2006)

Indianapolis Colts (2007)

New York Giants (2008)

Pittsburgh Steelers (2009)

New Orleans Saints (2010)

SUPERBOWL

WINNERS

2011: A Trucking Odyssey by Matt Foley….

After a devastating 2008 and 2009 for the transportation industry and economy as a

whole, many predicted a rebound year in 2010. In some respects, the stock market for

instance, there was positive growth, with the S&P 500 up 13% and the Dow Jones Indus-

trial Average up 11%. In other areas, such as housing, 2010 remained a down year and

continues to appear so for the near future. In the transportation sector, over 5,800

trucking companies of 10 or more trucks have failed since the recession began, account-

ing for more than 200,000 trucks being removed from the market. Many large fleets

have downsized, with the average large fleet declining more than 9%. What has

changed, however, is that many are predicting 2011 to be a ramp-up year into a very

solid 2012, which should spell worldwide recovery. Goldman Sachs predicts real global

Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to rise in the United States by 2.7% in 2011 and 3.6% in

2012 with worldwide growth expected at 4.6% in 2011 and 4.8% in 2012 (China and India

are expected to buoy this growth at near 10% GDP growth each).

One limiting factor for optimism among many is that unemployment appears to be

mired near the 10% mark and does not appear to be rapidly declining. Experts predict

only a modest decrease in unemployment to near 9% by the end of 2011 and only 8.5%

by the end of 2012. During the recession, most companies have not only become more

lean by reducing staffing, but have also become more efficient, requiring less manpower

to complete the same amount of work. This productivity gain means that unless new

industries emerge, there are simply not as many workers needed to complete the same

amount of work. At the same time, the employment pool continues to expand as young

adults enter the workforce and those past traditional retirement age find themselves in

a financial position that will not allow them to comfortably retire.

Page 14

The Custom Companies, Inc. - 317 W Lake Street Northlake, IL 60164 - www.customco.com

VOL IV No. 6 Feb. 2011 / Mar. 2011

ASSOCIATES

AT WORK

Adalberto Franco

CHI Dock

Araldo Velasquez

CHI Dock

The Custom Companies, Inc. - 317 W Lake Street Northlake, IL 60164 - www.customco.com

VOL IV No. 6 Feb. 2011 / Mar. 2011

Page 15

Continued……………………………..

With unemployment remaining at a staggering high,

it now has become clear that most Americans have

significantly altered their spending habits. As you

may know, consumer spending is far and away the

greatest factor in our GDP. Just a few years ago, not

only were many living “paycheck to paycheck” but

also were spending beyond their means on credit

cards and home equity loans. Now that the housing

market has depressed, home equity itself (the value

of your house versus the amount you owe) is non-existent for many. In addition, the credit

market has tightened significantly and many now find they are unable to borrow for new

houses, cars or even open a credit card. What this means is that Americans are saving at a

rate that has not been seen in decades. Those who are out of work no longer have dispos-

able income available for items that are not necessities and many who know someone who

is out of work have restructured their spending to prepare in case they find themselves un-

employed. Whether or not this is a cultural shift that lasts permanently remains to be seen,

but at a minimum a return from saving to spending is not likely to open like a flood gate

when things do improve, which had often been seen after minor recessions in the past.

Transportation, as it is said, is the first to feel movement in the economy. Just as we were

the first industry to feel the decline in 2008, if 2011 and 2012 experience the positive growth

that is predicted, our industry as a whole appears to be in a strong position to move for-

ward. In fact, as you have read, there is a driver shortage predicted to be in excess of

400,000 drivers at the very same time that this positive growth is occurring. Much of this

shortage can be attributed to the failures outlined above combined with other drivers leav-

ing the industry all together. Since much of the recovery has been driven by manufacturing,

these manufactured products must be transported throughout the United States. In addi-

tion, many see the declining domestic consumption as an opportunity to return to a net

positive export position where on a whole as a na-

tion we are exporting more than we are importing.

Despite the hype you have heard about China and

India, the U.S. remains that largest manufacturing

nation in the world. While expectations may be

tempered in the first and second quarters in 2011,

experiencing limited growth, the third and fourth

quarters of 2011 and 2012 should see very large

steps in the United States and global recovery.

ASSOCIATES

AT

WORK

Jonathan Kofoed

CHI Track & Trace

Raul Soto

CHI Track & Trace

Juan Reyna

CHI Driver

Page 16 Page 16

317 W. Lake Street

Northlake, IL

60164

Phone: 708-338-8888

Fax: 708-338-9550

E-mail: newsletter@customco.com

The Custom Companies, Inc.

The Full Service Transportation Company

www.customco.com

Newsletter Committee Members

COUPONS

AND

MORE

In recognition of the Black and Gold,

Dr. Taglia would like to offer

Custom associates and their families

50% off whitening.

This is a great way to get to know us

and brighten that smile for the summer!!

Please visit our website at

www.tagliadentistry.com or

call us at 708-456-1188.

REMEMBER

MARCH 13TH 2011

IS THE DAY TO CHANGE YOUR

CLOCKS FOR DAYLIGHT SAVINGS

TIME.

CUSTOMER SERVICE, SUPPORT AND CARE

At The Custom Companies, our main objective is to deliver your goods

on time and in perfect condition. We understand the importance of a

great customer/vendor relationship. Our customer service center is just a

phone call away to provide a rate quote, track a shipment, schedule a

pickup or access accurate documentation. In today’s fast paced environ-

ment, we work to provide transportation solutions that fit every economic

situation.

Our “Customer First” program ensures that your shipments will be deliv-

ered on time, and with the highest degree of care. In order to maintain

these standards, we measure performance levels on every shipment. As a

result, our internal operational systems are constantly improving to pro-

vide better, more accurate service, allowing our transportation specialists

to meet your growing needs.

Matt Foley

Carol Guarino

Petra Gumieniak

Jeff Guthman

Thomas Kennedy

Daniel Leach

Bruce Lenau

Lisa Ludwikowski

Tom Mroz

Eric Pocius

Mark Schiele

ADDITIONAL CONTRIBUTORS

Dorland Henderson

Jason Badziak

Blake Sterling