David Guernsey, a member of UPS’s Corporate Sustainability Team, has been honored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for his long-term contribution to advancing the EPA’s SmartWay program. The SmartWay program helps businesses assess and reduce fuel use and emissions from shipping. Created in 2004, the program addresses the marketplace’s growing need for a transparent and sophisticated level of carbon footprint assessment. This is the first time the agency has honored individuals as “SmartWay Champions.”
David Guernsey, a member of UPS’s Corporate Sustainability Team, has been honored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for his long-term contribution to advancing the EPA’s SmartWay program. The SmartWay program helps businesses assess and reduce fuel use and emissions from shipping. Created in 2004, the program addresses the marketplace’s growing need for a transparent and sophisticated level of carbon footprint assessment. This is the first time the agency has honored individuals as “SmartWay Champions.”
According to the EPA website: “Dave Guernsey has been actively engaged in SmartWay since its inception, providing valuable stakeholder input into the program’s development and encouraging his organization to join as a SmartWay Charter Partner. As Senior Sustainability Manager, Dave supports his organization’s efforts to work with EPA on projects to improve the emissions and fuel efficiency of commercial trucks with hybrid and other advanced technologies. By adopting advanced technology, alternative fuel and operational strategies into his organization’s trucking operations, Dave was instrumental in improving overall environmental performance. Dave’s insight into industry and supply chain carbon accounting and his willingness to participate in stakeholder discussions made him a valuable contributor to EPA’s recent enhancement of its SmartWay partner tools. Dave has also educated many others about the economic and environmental benefits of sustainability and how the SmartWay program can help businesses to assess and reduce fuel use and emissions from freight shipping. “
In other words, Dave championed UPS’s sustainability efforts and then drove change within the industry for more than a decade. That’s why his nickname is affectionately “the father of UPS sustainability.”
“Dave is truly a pioneer in the field of transportation sustainability,” said retired UPSer Mike Herr, who was Dave’s manager in the beginning of UPS’s sustainability journey. “He invented our energy consumption metrics and designed and produced the first sustainability report in 2003. For Dave, sustainability is not a job or a scholarly endeavor, it’s a passion. He turned me from a conservative engineering type into a tree hugger like him. “
More than a decade ago, Dave was an environmental affairs manager in the Plant Engineering department. Through his job, he began to understand the power of environmental data and foresaw the increasing demand for information about a company’s environmental impact. Because of its obsession around number and metrics, UPS was uniquely prepared to be a pioneering participant in the EPA’s SmartWay program.
He encouraged the company to join emerging groups like the SmartWay Transport Partnership, the Clean Cargo Initiative (a part of the Business for Social Responsibility organization) and the Carbon Disclosure Project. He also was a key supporter of following the new Global Reporting Initiative, which is the framework for modern sustainability reporting today. Through these and other organizations, he collaborated with his counterparts at other interested companies to benchmark and then recommended how to set efficiency and energy saving targets.
These relationships have served UPS well. We have influenced how guidelines and standards were established and we’ve learned from others about how we improve our performance.
He also led a project with the Environmental Defense Fund that increased the amount of recycled content we have in our envelopes and boxes – he was doing “stakeholder engagement” before it was cool!
Many times Dave has been a lone voice, advocating new ideas and action that are far ahead of the marketplace.
UPS’s Chief Sustainability Officer Scott Wicker echoes the thought: “We are fortunate to have David as the heart of our sustainability program at UPS. He was here from the beginning, almost by himself. Over the past decade he has educated himself, our company and the community on how to be more sustainable. Back in 2007 it was David Guernsey who educated us as to why we needed to evolve our sustainability program at UPS. We followed his advice and just last month, UPS received the highest score in the country from the Carbon Disclosure Project.”
Dave is a pioneer in sustainability, a change agent and yes, a nice guy, too. Congratulations to Dave.
Being a line maintenance mechanic for nearly 56 years has helped Robert “Bob” Taylor see the world. It has also enabled him to receive the Charles Taylor Master Mechanic Award, one of the most prestigious awards presented to an aviation employee by the FAA.
The FAA presented Taylor with the award March 28, at the recommendation of his management team in the Las Vegas and Ontario, Calif., gateways.
Being a line maintenance mechanic for nearly 56 years has helped Robert “Bob” Taylor see the world. It has also enabled him to receive the Charles Taylor Master Mechanic Award, one of the most prestigious awards presented to an aviation employee by the FAA.
The FAA presented Taylor with the award March 28, at the recommendation of his management team in the Las Vegas and Ontario, Calif., gateways.
Taylor is one of two mechanics who works at the Las Vegas gateway. He is in his second year at the gateway, which is in its second year with zero delays.
Taylor began his aviation career unlike most mechanics. Originally, Taylor’s dream was to be a plumber in his small Massachusetts town, but he found no room to grow in that career path. Due to his aptitude for mechanical things, it was suggested that he pursue aircraft maintenance, which is what he did when he graduated from high school and enlisted in the United States Air Force in 1956.
It was in the Air Force that Taylor learned a lot about aviation, working on B-66 Bombers, F-111 fighter jets, B-57s and the T-33. It was also the Air Force that enabled Taylor to see the world. During his time with the military, he lived in both Vietnam and Japan.
“I served my country during the Vietnam war, working on military aircraft. There were more than a few times when we had to take cover as our workstation fell under attack,” Taylor said. “We’d hear the alarm, head to a safe place and when it was over, get back to work.”
Taylor has worked with various aviation companies throughout the Middle East, living both in Iran and Saudi Arabia, where he worked for Iran Aircraft Industries and Saudi Arabian Airlines. In 1980, he returned to the U.S. with his wife, Shokat, whom he met while working in Iran.
Back in the states, he worked on F-16 aircraft for General Dynamics and in 1981 he worked on helicopters at Augusta International.
In 1987, Taylor landed a job at Orion Aircraft Industries, a vendor that maintained aircraft for UPS.
A year later, UPS started hiring its own mechanics to take care of line maintenance work and offered Taylor a job in Ontario, Calif., where he worked for 21 years before transferring to the Las Vegas gateway.
“It was difficult at first,” he said. “UPS was just starting its airline and getting things going, but we pulled together and made it work.”
Throughout the years, Taylor has seen changes in procedures and personnel but the goals have remained constant — maintain the aircraft and get the packages out on time, he said.
“Ultimately, we have to get packages to our customers and that’s why our planes have to be on time. I do everything in my power to make sure that happens,” he said. “If I have to do a little extra to make sure that happens, I will.”
Taylor is known throughout the UPS system by mechanics and crewmembers alike. He has volunteered for more than a few temporary duty assignments — assignments mechanics can take at other gateways to help if another AMT is sick, hurt or on vacation.
Taylor, who wears a UPS “DC-8 generation” hat, said he is recognized throughout UPS because of the hat he received years ago during a training session he attended in Louisville.
“Everyone knows my hat,” he said. “It’s very popular. I’ve had one crewmember offer me as much as $75 for this old hat.”
But for more than his hat, his gateway, his management team and the FAA recognize him for his dedication to both UPS and the aviation industry.
“Bob is committed to making every departure a safe and on-time event,” Aircraft Maintenance and Engineering Manager David Bonner said. “Bob Taylor has made a great impression on all who know him and have had the opportunity to work with him.”
According to Taylor, winning the Charles Taylor award is very special.
“It’s a very good feeling to know that I’ve achieved something most people can’t. There’s been 1,527 of these awards given out and I’ve got one of them.”
Caroline Henley (Girls Inc. National Scholar) and Teri McClure, photo: Alan Perlman Photography
This past week, our own Teri Plummer McClure, senior vice president of legal, compliance & public affairs and general counsel & corporate secretary at UPS, was honored at 2011 Girls Inc. New York Luncheon Celebrating Women of Achievement.
Teri was joined by top female executives from the PNC Financial Services Group, Inc., Rite Aid, Gensler and American Express who, through their work and example, are creating a better future for girls. This is the 27th year that Girls Inc. has celebrated such individuals and the Girls Inc. mission of inspiring all girls to be strong, smart and BOLD. Pretty cool!
Girls Inc. is a nonprofit organization that inspires all girls to be strong, smart, and bold, through a network of local organizations in the United States and Canada. In 2009, Girls Inc. reached more than 900,000 girls through Girls Inc. affiliates and educational publications. UPS regularly donates to Girls Inc. and our employees volunteer with local affiliates in the US and Canada.
Caroline Henley (Girls Inc. National Scholar) and Teri McClure, photo: Alan Perlman Photography
This past week, our own Teri Plummer McClure, senior vice president of legal, compliance & public affairs and general counsel & corporate secretary at UPS, was honored at 2011 Girls Inc. New York Luncheon Celebrating Women of Achievement.
Teri was joined by top female executives from the PNC Financial Services Group, Inc., Rite Aid, Gensler and American Express who, through their work and example, are creating a better future for girls. This is the 27th year that Girls Inc. has celebrated such individuals and the Girls Inc. mission of inspiring all girls to be strong, smart and BOLD. Pretty cool!
Girls Inc. is a nonprofit organization that inspires all girls to be strong, smart, and bold, through a network of local organizations in the United States and Canada. In 2009, Girls Inc. reached more than 900,000 girls through Girls Inc. affiliates and educational publications. UPS regularly donates to Girls Inc. and our employees volunteer with local affiliates in the US and Canada.
Every year Climate Counts, an environmental advocacy group, publishes its rankings on which companies are positively addressing climate change. For the second year, UPS tops the list for consumer shipping. The timing couldn’t be better for our customers who care about the environment. It’s the holiday season and shopping and shipping is in full force.
Every year Climate Counts, an environmental advocacy group, publishes its rankings on which companies are positively addressing climate change. For the second year, UPS tops the list for consumer shipping. The timing couldn’t be better for our customers who care about the environment. It’s the holiday season and shopping and shipping is in full force.
I like Climate Counts because it’s got a comprehensive way of evaluating companies (22 criteria) and it makes it easy to make green choices. Not just shipping companies, but also companies that may be the source for gifts over these last weeks of frantic shopping. On their website, you can view companies by sector (i.e. appliances, apparel, electronics), by brands, or even by product type (coffee, toys). To be extra convenient, you can download the mobile app and take it with your shopping. How green is that! No paper!
As a UPSer, I’m proud of this and all the other accolades that we have gotten this year for our sustainability efforts. Climate Counts Green Guide helps me support other climate-minded companies too!
For the sixth consecutive year, UPS has been named to Interbrand’s list of 100 Best Global Brands. UPS ranked among the Top 50 around the world at No. 31 and is also the only transportation company to appear on the list.
According to Interbrand, a leading brand consultancy that has produced the Best Global Brands list since 2001, the companies were rated on the value of their brands as determined by three key factors: financial performance, the role the brand played in influencing purchase decisions and the strength of the brand to continue to secure earnings for the company. UPS’s brand value is estimated at US$11.8 billion.
For the sixth consecutive year, UPS has been named to Interbrand’s list of 100 Best Global Brands. UPS ranked among the Top 50 around the world at No. 31 and is also the only transportation company to appear on the list.
According to Interbrand, a leading brand consultancy that has produced the Best Global Brands list since 2001, the companies were rated on the value of their brands as determined by three key factors: financial performance, the role the brand played in influencing purchase decisions and the strength of the brand to continue to secure earnings for the company. UPS’s brand value is estimated at US$11.8 billion.
In order to be considered for inclusion on the list, several criteria must be met. In general, the brand must be global, visible and relatively transparent in financial results. More specifically, almost a third of earnings must come from outside the home country; the brand’s financial performance must be publicly available, and there must be a presence on at least three major continents.
Just earlier this month, UPS announced the launch of a new brand campaign in the United States, China, the United Kingdom and Mexico, highlighting the company’s expertise in logistics and expansion of its capabilities. The company has evolved beyond just delivering packages. Its products and services portfolio now includes trucking and air freight, retail shipping and business services, customs brokerage, finance and international trade services.
UPS and World Trade 100 magazine want to recognize one U.S.-based small- to medium-sized business (SMB) that is using exporting as a competitive advantage. Through the Growth through Global Trade award, we are searching for an innovative company that has grown its global presence and connected with customers around the world.
The winning company will receive a feature story in World Trade 100 magazine and a custom-made plaque. Anyone can submit a nomination by completing the online form and writing a 200-word essay about the company’s global growth.
UPS and World Trade 100 magazine want to recognize one U.S.-based small- to medium-sized business (SMB) that is using exporting as a competitive advantage. Through the Growth through Global Trade award, we are searching for an innovative company that has grown its global presence and connected with customers around the world.
The winning company will receive a feature story in World Trade 100 magazine and a custom-made plaque. Anyone can submit a nomination by completing the online form and writing a 200-word essay about the company’s global growth.
With the President’s National Export Initiative – which aims to double exports over the next five years – more small businesses should consider reaching out to new markets. Currently, less than 1% of the nation’s 30 million businesses export, despite the fact that 95% of the world’s consumers live beyond U.S. borders. What’s more, with a sluggish economy at home, exporting is even more important.
That’s because many countries around the world are emerging from the recession more rapidly than the United States, and now is the time for SMBs to take advantage of this trend.
We hope that by sharing the winning company’s exporting success story, we can inspire more companies to pursue opportunities overseas. Here are some of my favorite examples of small businesses growing beyond U.S. borders:
Smartphone Experts was founded in 2002 in Diana Broesler’s backyard. While most people store gardening equipment in their backyard sheds, Diana was storing cell phone covers, chargers and other accessories. Eventually the Florida-based company budded from a backyard business into a global growth engine. Today Smartphone Experts sells its products in countries all over the world, including France, Australia and the UK.
Mercedes Electric Supply, a Florida-based distributor of electrical equipment, was founded by Mercedes and Vic LaPorta in 1979. The couple grew the business across the state, and eventually across the U.S., Caribbean and Latin America. New contracts with Burger King and the U.S. government will guarantee further global growth to Canada and the Middle East.
I’m looking forward to hearing new stories about entrepreneurs braving new markets. Submit a nomination for the Growth through Global Trade award or view more details online.
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