spring 2011
Pipeline
wiginton
FI
Table of
Contents
04
01
03
05
07
01.
From the Top
Alan & Don Wiginton
03.
Safety First
Martin Morales
04.
Operations Update
Mark Erickson
05.
Employee Spotlight
Branch AA’s Focus
07.
HR Spotlight
Steve Browne
08.
Quality Corner
Dave Capalino
09.
Awards and Honors
2009 & 2010 Recipients
1 1.
Branch Updates
Orlando / Tampa / Miami / W.P.B
08
09
Wiginton Corporation
Pipeline Winter 2010
699 Aero Lane
Sanford, Florida 32771
Phone 407-585-3200
Fax 407-585-3280
wiginton.net
qualityfab.net
Creative Services
Six Degrees
Marketing/Insights/Creative
630s. Maitland, Ave. Suite B
Maitland, Florida 32751
407-644-1596
sixdegreeshigher.com
Managing Editor
Steve Browne
Contributing Editors
Steve Browne
David Capalino
Mark Erickson
Martin Morales
Don Wiginton
11
From the top
Confronting Reality
Alan Wiginton // President
EO
Don Wiginton // Chairman/C
Nothing exists except
atoms and empty
space; everything
else is opinion.
H.O.W. Do We Grow?
We have tremendous opportunities to take advantage of all of our strengths and the current market to
continue to grow. How will we do that?
H.
Handshakes - Handshakes are the opportunities for us to meet new people, greet old friends, make
commitments, congratulate teammates, and develop and build RELATIONSHIPS!
O.
Ownership thinking - Owners think about customer satisfaction, profitability, continual improvement,
quality, and operational excellence. They are concerned about sustained success over the long term.
Ownership thinking involves WE, not ME.
W.
Work well-done - “When your work speaks for itself, don’t interrupt.” - Henry J. Kaiser
– Democritus
We’ve gone through some terrible economic times in the last few years. The good news is that trends are
generally encouraging and it seems that things bottomed out in 2010. While we are confident that the worst is
behind us, we still anticipate growth to be slow for the next couple of years. Typically commercial construction
lags behind residential construction and with the housing market still soft and net migration still slow, we will
still have a few years to go before things return to what we are used to as normal.
All that said, we are in really good shape to take advantage of our opportunities. We are diversifying into
other markets such as aircraft hangars and rack supported structures. We have done a great job of growing
our Service and Inspections business and infrastructure. We have diversified our fabrication to include
mechanical fab. We have moved into the Atlanta market and are aggressively pursuing opportunities
throughout the country.
The Wiginton Difference
We offer our customers solutions to their fires. We have a unique selling advantage. That is we have the ability
to manage and deliver engineering, fabrication, installation, and service for our customers from conception
through installation on into many years of maintenance and lasting protection.
We have a unique and winning culture that has been instrumental in our success for 43 years:
1.
We care. About employees, our customers, our environment, our industry, and the communities in which
we live and work.
2.
We stay socially connected to each other and our customers. We like to have fun and understand there is a
good balance between work and play.
3.
We have VERY high standards and expectations of performance and accountability.
We also offer a number of competitive advantages that many of our competitors are unable to match: our
full integration, National reach, expertise in cold storage, multi-disciplined capabilities in all aspects of fire
protection, size and sophistication, employee ownership, and strong National reputation.
01
Our Marching Orders
1.
2.
3.
Renew our mind-set. Get happy and get busy!
Return to the fundamentals, sticking to our principles with a willingness to get out of the box and innovate
our approach.
MAKE IT HAPPEN! Enjoy LIFE!
02
By Martin Morales
Just a few days ago I
read in the newspaper
about a group of five
young men dying of
carbon monoxide
poisoning at a motel/
apartment in South
Florida. They parked their vehicle in the assigned
parking underneath their rented room. They were
having problems with the car thus they left the
engine running. They had plans to go later on to
celebrate one of their friend’s birthdays. So with car
motor running, they left the door open leading to
the room above; no one made it to the party…
Safety
is common
sense,
isn’t it
???
What were they thinking? Doesn’t everyone know
about carbon monoxide poisoning and cars? Maybe
they knew, but thought it’s just for a few minutes,
maybe everyone thought that the last person
coming up would close the door behind them or
maybe they just didn’t know.
That’s the problem when you leave safety to
common sense. If safety were simply common
sense we wouldn’t hear about accidents like the
one I just described. It is only common sense if
you know what to do and you do what you know.
Unfortunately the reality is that sometimes we either
don’t know or we don’t care. Otherwise how can
you explain driving drunk or leaving a loaded gun
without a key padded lock?
It’s the same way at work. We know not to
use an extension cord without a GFCI (ground
fault circuit interrupter) or an ungrounded
cord. We know it’s unsafe to use a defective
wobbly ladder or standing on top of the last
step – its all common sense isn’t it?
2011 is here and with that comes an opportunity for
a renewed zeal for safety. Thus I ask you to be safe
by learning and by implementing what you learned.
Make safety relevant in your life and those around
you. Supervisors: Inspect what you expect; we all
expect quality work and safe job sites. Don’t take
safety for granted.
Live Long and Prosper… Be Safe.
03
Operations
Update
We did it!
By Mark Erickson “Many economic
indicators are starting
to improve and
we are cautiously
optimistic that things
are getting better”.
Are we out of the woods?
We should all take a minute to realize that this
team did it. While we can’t spend too much time
patting ourselves on the back we all need to
recognize that together as a team we have and
are enduring one of the worst economic climates
since the Great Depression.
• Continue to grow service and inspection
• Improved communication among our
Sales Teams
• Contract Margin Improvements
• Build Backlog
Many economic indicators are starting to improve
and we are cautiously optimistic that things are
getting better, however we’re going to need
to be creative along the way. Until housing
and unemployment rebound, many market
segments like retail and office will not see
significant amounts of new construction. We
have hard working, creative sales staff seeking
out and finding every opportunity.
Keys to 2011
How can YOU help?
With your help we were able to
achieve the following:
• All Branch offices are profitable!
• We have held the core of our teams together!
• We grew service 20%!
• We opened a new office in Atlanta!
• We added new talent and additional
sales staff!
• Our competition is hunkering down and
we are growing!
The real difference maker is you! The difference
is how we answer the phone when a customer
calls. It’s how you look when you arrive at
the job, inspection, or service call: Looking
clean, neat, and professional, truck sparkling,
andbeing friendly, smiling and professional.
It’s the little things that separate us from our
competition; it’s the little things that are the
real difference makers. It the little things we
call the “Wiginton Way”.
Otmara Lzqu
Joane Suarez // Sanford
ierdo // Miam
Employee
Belen Roman
Valerie Beer
Otmara Izquierdo (Miami): It was October 31,
Joane Suarez (Sanford): I started at Wiginton as a
1989, a year after my first child was born, and I was
ready to get back to work. The best place I could think
of to find me a job quick was a personnel agency. When
I arrived and took their required exams, the very first
company the agency told me about was a fire sprinkler
company that was looking for a secretary… even though
I had no clue about fire sprinklers, the office was
located near my home, so I said “I’ll take it”! Half an hour
later, I was at Wiginton and was hired that afternoon!
temporary in Corporate AP Dept in November of 1997.
Jenni Brown (West Palm Beach): I started at
Wiginton in May of 1999 as the service administrative
assistant and took over as Sr. Branch AA in January
of 2001.
Belen Roman (Tampa): I was hired on September
9, 1996. After relocating from Chicago, I became
interested in the construction industry because in a
state like Florida, construction is constant - whether
projects are commercial or residential, construction
is something you notice in Florida all the time. It feels
good inside to work for a company that provides fire
protection services to new construction and existing,
all in an effort to save lives.
Valerie Beer (Jacksonville): I came to be with
the company in 1999 after being transferred from
Chicago where I worked at Riddell/NFL as a Product
Assistant manager to open a distribution center here in
Jacksonville. After 7 years the plant closed down and I
managed to get a job here at Wiginton. I enjoy teaming
with the great people here!
05
Beach
// Jacksonvill
1997
Featuring the Senior Branch Administrative Assistants
1989
// West Palm
// Tampa
Spotlight
When/how did you
come to the company?
Jenni Brown
i
1996
e
1997
1999
Valerie Beer (Jacksonville): Apart from the
with reaching their goal to collect money for Dylan’s
changing faces, we have had a tremendous advance in
our technology and we are still advancing ahead.
trust fund. Dylan is less than 10 yrs old, and has been
battling Muscular Dystrophy – he was losing his ability
to walk and his parents needed money to help pay for
What has changed the
most since you got here?
Otmara Izquierdo (Miami): I would say the everchanging technology. When I first started at Wiginton
I actually had to type on a typewriter!! Boy, those were
the days… that I do not miss!! Ha!
Joane Suarez (Sanford): I have to say technology
the apparatus to make his young life more comfortable.
has changed the most. We didn’t have email or Internet
when I started my career with Wiginton. Without the
Internet, finding out state hotels would be awful.
We had a short deadline to work with - I posted a plea
Any short stories or
memories to share?
for help on a Monday morning at the office, and by the
end of the day, the wonderful individuals I work with
donated a large sum of money to help this young boy.
My daughter was happy and her teacher was totally
impressed with WFS – she sent us a thank you letter
Jenni Brown (West Palm Beach): I think the
biggest change has come in the decentralization of
accounting functions being dispersed to the branches.
It has presented many challenging opportunities for me.
Belen Roman (Tampa): What has probably
changed the most is the way we handle all of our
processes. Since the day that I started, it has always
been a priority to continue to make necessary changes
with our processes – whether it’s with our standard
operating procedures, or computer hardware &
software purchases. We always manage to be one step
ahead by implementing changes that our customers
and prospective customers require / expect from us.
And all of it is necessary if we want to continue to play
in the big leagues.
At the end, the changes also benefit all WFS employees
at the branch and corporate levels, by having
information made readily available for daily use. The
process changes that have taken place so far, and
continue to be tweaked here & there, keep my job
interesting and challenging – which I definitely enjoy.
Otmara Izquierdo (Miami): I guess one of the
funniest memories I have was the very first day I came
in for my interview, which happened to be October 31st
(Halloween). As soon as I walked in the door, the first
person I see is the manager wearing a clown mask with
a bright red afro. My first thought was “Oh, boy, what
have I gotten myself into, what is this place??!!”
Jenni Brown (West Palm Beach): I can’t pick
just one experience. Everyone at Wiginton makes
each day memorable in its’ own special way. These are
memories that will stay with me always.
signed by all the students and herself.
Valerie Beer (Jacksonville): Memories of
Wiginton are the Christmas parties where we put faces
to the names & voices that we talk to and they have
become special to me. As far as stories go, well we
could start with the fishing stories that I hear but don’t
we all have those stories?
Joane Suarez (Sanford): On April’s fools day one
year, we got Robert Jolly to call the Sanford Zoo and
ask for “Mr. Monkay”!! I also brought Mike a “Woody”
Belen Roman (Tampa): One story, I’m very proud
from the Toy Story Movie, not remembering that he
of, involves the need to help a young boy named Dylan.
My daughter informed me that her school needed help
didn’t have little ones and was oblivious as to who
“Woody” was.
It feels good inside to work for a company that
provides fire protection services to new construction
and existing, all in an effort to save lives.
Belen Roman
06
Human Resources
Sp tlight
Another year has come and gone and
now we have another new beginning with
promises and resolutions to make changes.
Looking back to 2010, it is easy to see that many people in our company made some
healthy changes. While I don’t want to name anyone by name for fear of embarrassing
them or naming a few and omitting a few, I know of people in every location who made
lasting lifestyle changes.
Some examples, several people who have or who are at risk of having Type 2 diabetes that made lifestyle changes
and lost significant amounts of weight. Several others who made commitments and stuck to them regarding
weight loss, quitting smoking, and starting an exercise program. We also had a number of people run and/or walk
in a 5K race for the first time. For all of you who made these changes to improve your mental and physical health,
you are to be congratulated. Also, spread the word. We are doing more races, participating in more activities, and
offering more assistance for your mental and physical well being than ever. Let’s all make 2011 as healthy and
happy as we can for all of our families and us!
As a recap, here are the 2011 Wellness Initiatives:
• Continuing the Wiginton 5K Challenge with races scheduled
throughout Florida and one in Georgia.
• Offering a one-time reimbursement of up to $200 for smoking
cessation therapy, weight loss, nutritional counseling, or
personal training. This is for those who are looking to make
a serious lifestyle change and must be approved.
• Continuing with the additional $50 Publix gift card for any
qualifying wellness activity.
• Introducing Charles Nechtem Associates Employee Assistance
Program to all employees and anyone in their household.
They can be reached at 1-800-531-0200.
07
Manager
Corner
By Dave Capalino
By Steve Browne
• Continuing with the $50 Publix gift card for getting an
annual physical.
Quality
Dave Capalino // Sr. VP + Gen
eral
2011
Wellness
Initiatives
Well, 2010 is behind us and
the folks at QFS are excited
about entering a new year.
Last year had plenty of challenges for us as a group,
but we feel like the changes we made have positioned
us for a successful 2011. At the end of 2010, the
decision was made to consolidate fabrication to our
Sanford Plant. It was a decision that was not made
lightly as it affected some of our best associates.
The reality of the situation was that we were simply
operating too much capacity in a diminished market
and we had to adjust. We made the announcement
and continued fabrication at the Pompano Beach
plant for another six weeks. That allowed additional
time for our associates who were leaving to work on
their transition plans before their severance packages
began. I am very proud of how they served the
company until fabrication was moved to the Sanford
Plant. I also have great respect for the loyalty they
showed their leader, Lester Green. Our Pompano
Beach Branch will continue to serve our South Florida
customers’ loose materials needs on a daily basis.
Please join me in welcoming two new Sales
Associates to the Sanford Plant.
Amanda Baumann is our new inside sales associate.
Amanda grew up in the sprinkler business as her father
owns and operates his own fire sprinkler company.
Amanda has worked in the field, has some design
experience, and is a certified fire sprinkler inspector.
C.J. Alicea is our new mechanical stock lister and will
back up Amanda in inside sales. C.J. has an Auto CAD
background and comes to us from an engineering
firm where he drew various piping systems. His Auto
CAD expertise and our new Auto CAD software seem
to be the final elements needed to be best in class at
mechanical piping fabrication.
We look forward to providing world-class service to
all our clients in 2011!
2011 is here and we are excited. Both our mechanical
and export business continue to grow and our fire
sprinkler business is slowly but surely coming back
to pre-recession levels. Hopefully by the end of 2011,
the economy will have improved and we will be in
great shape to take full advantage of it.
COMMIT NOW
08
30 Years
Mike McKeever - Orlando Branch
Judge Peterson - Orlando Branch
Jim Wilkins - Orlando Branch
Jeff Bryant - Daytona Beach
David Callaghan - QFS - Sanford
2009-2010
w
i
g
i
n
t
o
n
+
qual
i
t
y
Honors
28 Years
14 Years
Gail Wiginton - Corporate
Bene Nieves - Orlando Branch
Jim Erwin - QFS - Sanford
Cliff Lore - Tampa
Justin Edwards - Orlando Branch
Robert Ferguson - Daytona Beach
Ray Cavender - QFS - Sanford
Barry Grable - Corporate
Yvonne Whitlow - Corporate
Javier Nieves - Orlando Branch
Charlie Powell - Orlando Branch
Patrick Cordi - Atlanta
Bill Hall - Tampa
Belen Roman - Tampa
Monica Assaf - Miami
Greg Toledo - Miami
Jason Godown - West Palm Beach
Victor Perez - West Palm Beach
Owran Green - QFS - Pompano
26 Years
Doug Russell - West Palm Beach
Todd Weaver - Orlando Branch
24 Years
Allen Scott - Orlando Branch
Robert Jolly - Corporate
Ron Theison - Orlando Branch
Gary Inglis - QFS Sanford
Tommy Gant - Tampa
Wayne Faircloth - Jacksonville
22 Years
Skip Houston - Corporate
Rusty Parris - Tampa
20 Years
Dave Capalino - Corporate
Arlene Rust - Corporate
Dana Hoyt - Orlando Branch
Pete Ayala - QFS - Sanford
Robin Lamond - QFS - Sanford
Linda Barrett - Corporate
Debbie Bien - Corporate
Mark Erickson - Corporate
Rosie Roedig - Corporate
Tom Otto - Orlando Branch
Steve Dibble - Melbourne
Robert Cariveau - Jacksonville
John Lucas - West Palm Beach
Jose Feijoo - Miami
Nelson Gonzalez - Miami
Alan Tuck - Miami
18 Years
Anita Mann - Corporate
Mike Thomas - West Palm Beach
Hugo Gonzalez - Miami
Otmara Izquierdo - Miami
Ralph Pettus - Tampa
Marc Crossgrove - QFS - Pompano
16 Years
Lawton Essick - Miami
Chris Hendricks - Orlando Branch
09
Marie Lussier - Corporate
Dan Kennedy - Melbourne
Leland Brown - West Palm Beach
Mark Galavan - West Palm Beach
Lester Green - QFS - Pompano
Bill LaRue - QFS - Pompano
Thank you for
all the years
of dedication!
12 Years
Randy Almond - Corporate
Angel Barreto - Orlando Branch
Larry Harrell - Orlando Branch
Juan Nieves - Orlando Branch
Joane Suarez - Orlando Branch
Jeysson Geronimo - QFS - Sanford
Chuck Lake - Corporate
Chuck Patrick - Orlando Branch
Aaron Bellemore - Jacksonville
Mark Fretwell - Jacksonville
Herman Suero - Pensacola
Ruben Gallardo - Miami
Ernie Rodriguez - Miami
Joel Summerfield - West Palm Beach
Brian Epstein - QFS - Pompano
Mary Troiano - QFS - Pompano
David Hart - Orlando Branch
Jose Paredes - Orlando Branch
Harry Connelly - Corporate
Luis Cotto - Orlando Branch
Inti Martinez - QFS - Sanford
Ruben Mercado - QFS - Sanford
Pedro Pomales - QFS - Sanford
Valerie Beer - Jacksonville
Charles Chancey - Jacksonville
Paul Lutman - Jacksonville
Chuck Scheerer - Gainesville
Randy Agee - Tampa
Brad Peters - Tampa
Jenni Brown - West Palm Beach
Hector Ramirez - West Palm Beach
Larry Boraiko - West Palm Beach
Fidel Cirino - West Palm Beach
Alain Nodar - Miami
Robert Castro - Miami
Abel Delgado - Miami
Hector Gonzalez - Miami
Jose Pineiro - Miami
Stephen “Nick” Nicklow - QFS Pompano
Fabian Noboa - QFS - Pompano
Lester Vazquez - QFS - Pompano
5 Years
Michelle Duckett - Corporate
Eduardo Cruz - Orlando Branch
Tyler Hughes - Orlando Branch
David Rodriguez - Orlando Branch
Bill Young - Orlando Branch
Harold Leake - Melbourne
David Walker - Melbourne
Dianna Fettinger - Corporate
Teresa Luster - Daytona Beach
Tommy Fourman - Orlando Branch
Patty Theison - Orlando Branch
Shannon Stevens - Orlando Branch
Kevyn Torres - Orlando Branch
Betty Veatch - Orlando Branch
Walt Christoffer - QFS - Sanford
Gary Matthias - QFS - Sanford
Jason Kirk - Jacksonville
Ken Murray - Jacksonville
Miguel O’Connors - Jacksonville
Brian Herbold - West Palm Beach
Ariel Abascal - Miami
10 Years
Deborah Lynch - Corporate
Amy Stier - Corporate
Todd Haigh - Daytona Beach
Joe Bertrand - Orlando Branch
Debbie Brown - Orlando Branch
Juan Fernandez - Orlando Branch
10
Branch
updates
Miami
Orlando
Jacksonville
Everyone in the Sanford Office (Orlando Branch, QualitySanford, and Corporate) came together on December
17th to celebrate the holidays. Lunch was catered by
Bubbalou’s. The Nieves brothers also cooked two whole
pigs which were melt-in-your-mouth delicious. There was
a huge crowd around the pit when those pigs were done!
We had games of chance (lottery tickets) and games of
skill (fishing, golf, dodge ball) in our parking lot, with lots
of great prizes for lots of winners. But best of all was the
chance to interact with each other and have fun!
Sanford Wig, Quality and Corporate worked together on
a parade float for the annual Sanford Christmas Parade,
and we won our division! Our winnings were donated to
a Sanford charity. Everyone had a lot of fun designing,
building and decorating the float, which had a huge
sprinkler head decorated with lights, all in a Christmas
setting. Next year’s plan: go bigger!!
11
West Palm Beach
The West Palm Branch
held their Holiday Party
on December 17th. There
were lots of good food
and raffle prizes.
This year’s annual
Christmas party
was held in the
Jacksonville
warehouse on
Wednesday
December 23, 2010. We all enjoyed a
relaxing couple of hours away from the
hustle and bustle of the job site. The
awards ceremony went well with everyone
five-years and up getting recognition for
the dedicated service to the company. Of
course it was nice having Mark Erickson
visit and make the presentations as we
all had a good time catching up with him.
Finally, we all enjoyed a great lunch from
Woody’s Barbecue. In closing, 2010 was a
fairly good year for the Jacksonville branch
and outlying twigs, and we hope 2011 will be
stronger than last year.
The Miami Branch, and George Stanley, came together on
Friday, December 17th for our annual Holiday celebration!
The festivities began with a delicious catered BBQ luncheon
complete with chicken, baby back ribs, corn on the cob, cole
slaw, baked beans and potato salad. After our “stuff fest”, it was
time for the presentation of our service awards acknowledging
our employees’ years of outstanding service! The afternoon
ended with Santa Tuck raffling out some awesome prizes
including fishing gear, tools, Bath & Body Works candles &
lotions, gift certificates and Florida Panthers tickets. It was a
great day, and we would like to thank all of our employees for
their continued hard work throughout the year!
Tampa
WFS Tampa office Christmas Luncheon consisted of the
grilling of hot dogs & hamburgers - served with baked
beans, potato salad, and sweets. We gathered everyone
together for the service award ceremony. Throughout the
afternoon, winning raffle numbers were announced for
gift card prizes. All who came had a great time.
12
FIRE SYSTEMS
699 Aero Lane
Sanford, FL 32771
www.wiginton.net
inspection
PASS
P. 407.585.3200
F. 407.585.3282
Atlanta // Daytona Beach // Fort myers // Gainesville // Jacksonville
Melbourne // Miami // Orlando // Sanford // Tampa // West Palm Beach