Wings and Wheels
EAGLE TRANSPORT CORPORATION
Large Enough to Serve—Small Enough to Care
3rd & 4th Quarter 2015
Two Leaders Retire from Eagle Transport
As we begin 2016, our company will be losing two leaders from our
midst (“sort of”; I will explain this later.) Bill George will be retiring after
16 years as President of Eagle Transport, and Bob Heinisch will be retiring
after 26 years of leadership in our Safety Department.
These two men have enjoyed outstanding lifelong careers in transportation. They have impacted our industry through their involvement with associations like National Tank Truck Carriers and the North Carolina Trucking
Association. They are considered leaders within the transportation business.
Both have often been called upon for advice and opinions on issues that
Bob, joined by wife Sylvia,
impact all of trucking, not just Eagle business.
& Bill with friend Laura
I started this note by saying that we will “sort of” miss them from our
daily routine. Over their respective careers at Eagle, they have imbedded lessons and philosophies in each of us such as
“work hard and smart, consistency, professionalism, and integrity” to name but a few. Those philosophies will not
leave with them; they will remain and be part of their legacies, and our future. We can thank them for the firm foundation on which we have to build upon.
We gathered in mid-January to honor these two leaders. Many speakers talked about these men, which really
brought into focus how important Bill & Bob were for the success of our Company. Many fond memories were reminisced upon, a few tears were shed, and a lot of fun was had by all. Even though they’ll both be moving on and away
from Eagle Transport, they have both promised to stay in touch, visiting regularly and answering the phone when we
invariably need some advice.
Lance working
Gentlemen, enjoy the next chapter of your life, and please accept our
the room!
heartfelt thanks for all you have done for each of us at Eagle Transport!
The Staff gives Bill a cash gift.
The Safety Dept. gives Bob a Yeti “softside” cooler
Herb & Bill compare travel plans!
Don & former President John T.
Teeny does a bit of “Roasting” on Bill & Bob
Page 2
Wings and Wheels
From the President’s Desk...
Starting a New Year normally comes with resolutions. Tradition demands that we make enriching
change(s) in our life. Here are the “Top Five” New Year
Resolutions:
1. Lose Weight
2. Get Organized
3. Spend Less – Save More
4. Enjoy Life
5. Stay Fit & Healthy
These are all great goals. We could all benefit
from achieving some, if not all of them in 2016. Let me
add one more to the list, not so much as a resolution but
more of a way to live our lives:
6. Stay healthy and happy by being safe; Think
before we Do!
I have heard it said that we are safe “a mile at a
time”, and that’s true! I’ve also heard that safety focuses
on “one second at a time”. A lapse of attention, for just
one second, can change a life forever!
History is full of seemingly harmless decisions or
lapses of judgment that ended up with horrible consequences. The Titanic always comes to mind for me: “Full
speed ahead; we want to break the record for crossing the
Atlantic”! Of course, icebergs are never that far south,
right? You know the answer.
Let’s make a resolution to ourselves and each other that when we look back on 2016, we will have no regrets concerning our decisions, especially regarding our
safety and the safety of those who depend on us. Let’s
stay focused. Choose the one day, one load, one mile, or
one second…whatever safety method speaks the loudest
to you!
I wish everyone a SAFE and Happy New Year!!
Lance
Christmas Eaglets
Margaret N. from Corp.’s
granddaughter Leah
Judy B.’s granddaughter
Burgess having “none of
that”!
Judy B.’s grandson
Blake
Tammy M.’s kids
Trenton & Tanner
Harold R.’s son Austin &
NEW grandson Noah Ellis
Ben F. from Tampa’s NEW baby Adelaide
Frances, with Big Brothers Silas & Declyn
Jesse E.’s boys Asher, Sam
& Gus all dressed up!
Shelley L.’s daughter
Kenley
Page 3
Wings and Wheels
Richmond Once Again Named
“Ter minal of the Year” for 2015
There are many goals that we set each January for our
terminals, goals set by the Terminal Managers and their
staffs. Two of the most important to any terminal are
their rankings in the “Terminal of the Year” and “Safest
Terminal of the Year”. We are pleased to announce the
verdict is in, and here are the Top 5 terminals for this
prestigious award:
1st Place – Richmond VA
2nd Place – Knoxville TN
3rd Place – Spartanburg SC
4th Place – Wilmington, NC
5th Place – Port Everglades FL
Terminal of the Year looks at six major components
with each carrying a weight to determine an overall score
for the terminal. Just like golf, lowest score wins!!! The
six components are:
 Safety- The most impor tant, and it car r ies the
heaviest weight at 30 points out of 100.
 Profit- Also ver y impor tant, so it comes in r ight
behind safety at 20 points.
 Operating Ratio- Over all oper ating r atio of the ter minal for the year carries a weight of 20 points.
 Load Count Growth -Compares the terminal’s annual
load count to the prior year; carries a wt. of 10 points.
 Loads/Truck- Number of loads r un on each tr uck
per shift compared to the prior year; 10 points.
 Utilization- Avg. miles per unit for the year , compared to the prior year; also 10 points.
For 2015, it’s sort of like the movie “Groundhog
Day”; Richmond once again comes out on top as the
Joe and the PROFESSIONAL group in Richmond !!
Eagle “Terminal of the Year”, a repeat of the award in
2014! Coming in FIRST Place in Safety & FIFTH Place
in Profit (largely because of very low Safety Costs) really
paved the way for their repeat. Congratulations once again
to Joe A. and his staff, maintenance group, and especially
the great drivers in Richmond!!
Knoxville jumped into the Top 5 this year finishing
in SECOND Place. This achievement was won due to a
very strong 4th place finish in Safety, but Newly W. and
his great crew also crushed it for Loads/Truck &
Equipment Utilization finishing 1st & 2nd respectively.
This was a tremendous achievement for Knoxville; in
2014 they finished 16th, improving 14 spots…sweet!!
Spartanburg finished in THIRD Place, a dr op fr om
their 2nd Place finish last year (we should all fall so
much!!). Team Symuel has shown consistent excellence,
only surpassed slightly by Richmond; sort of Scotty
Pippen to Michael J.! Once again, and for 3 years running,
a top 3 finish…just outstanding!
Wilmington finished in FOURTH Place for 2015,
moving up 4 spots from their 2014 finish. Steve K. and his
beach crew handled some of the most treacherous driving
situations you can imagine for 5 months; the dreaded
family on vacation in Myrtle Beach!! How can you guess
when they might turn or maneuver when they’re sun-fried,
frazzled, and lost! Great work by the whole group!
Port Everglades r ounded out the top 5, showing a
huge improvement over 2014 when they came in18th.
That’s right, a jump of 13 places for the “southernmost”
terminal. Rick C. and his sunshine guys & gals worked
hard in 2015 to bring back the glory days in the Port, and
I’m sure Rick C. will be
talking junk to everyone
that’ll listen that they’re
back and better than ever!
“Terminal of the Year”
isn’t achieved with luck,
but rather from hard work,
dedication, making smart
decisions and doing things
right the first time! Congratulations to everyone at
these 5 Terminals!!!
Page 4
Wings and Wheels
THE OPERATIONS PERSPECTIVE
To sum up the year of 2015 in one word, I would have to say the best word to use would be “CHALLENGES”. I am
proud to say that our group took each challenge in stride daily. We reacted to them, made smart decisions, kept the customers serviced and kept the trucks rolling. What were these challenges you ask?
 Allocation: Or should we say no pr oduct available anywher e, for anyone!?
 DEF Issues: What gover nment agency decided to add this to our tr ucks anyway? What is a “One Box” any-
way?
 Sleep Apnea: Has anyone r eally figur ed it out? Who has it? Who doesn’t? And what are the rules!?
 Supply Changes: Pr oduct switching fr om one loading ar ea to another , with about 250 miles in between! This
creates a shift where you once were able to haul three to four loads, but now you can barely haul one legally!!
 Acquisitions: Many of our customers are buying each other, merging with each other and taking on additional loca-
tions. No chance for any confusion there, right!?
Through all this, our team of professionals, our Terminal Mangers, Operation Managers, Dispatchers, Clerks, Mechanics, Corporate staff and most importantly our drivers showed our true professionalism on each load. No matter what challenges we were dealt we continued to do our jobs while still being the BEST in the industry. Here are some quick statistics
for 2015 that the people at Eagle accomplished:
 We delivered over 505,000 loads (& 99.93% were handled with NO ERRORS!!)
 We hauled over 4.25 billion gallons of product,
 We drove over 55.5 million miles.
As we enter 2016, I’m afraid to say we expect more “challenges”, which is just the nature of the industry going forward.
But that won’t deter us from making 2016 a great year. We will continue to grow with current customers, as well as by the
addition of new customers. We will continue to purchase the most advanced equipment available to lessen the carbon
impact on the environment, increase MPG, and lower our maintenance costs. Our chemical side of the business will continue to grow, as evidenced by nearly $750,000 in chemical revenue for December 2015 alone. This revenue is created by
several terminals, not just Kingsport, which is something we’ve been trying to achieve for a long time!
We currently have over 825 professional drivers, and due to customer demands, we’ll be looking to push that number
toward 900 this year, necessary due to growth in both petroleum and chemical. But as we grow, we still need to remember
our motto: “Large enough to Serve, Small enough to Care!” All of us at Eagle are ready for what 2016 brings our way!!!!
Jonathan Greer
The President’s Million Mile Club Grows by 16 in 2015 !
Extraordinary recognition goes to the 16
new inductees to the “President’s Million Mile
Club” in 2015 for achieving 1 Million Safe
Miles without a preventable crash. The 2015
Class of Million Mile Drivers brings the Club
total to 98 active drivers, and a total of 166 President’s Million Mile Drivers! This means that
nearly 12% of our Driver population is a Million
Mile driver...outstanding!!
As 2016 rolls on, we plan to have celebrations with all these remarkable drivers & their
families. Stay tuned for these celebrations in
upcoming “Wings & Wheels”!
David Adkins, Ashland
Thadas Williams, Wilmington
Anthony Palmer, Chesapeake
Danny Adams, Chattanooga
Billy Taylor, Chesapeake
Larry Gaylon, Chattanooga
Mike James, Roanoke
Mark Carr, Tampa
Don Snow, Roanoke
Alan Lutes, Tampa
Mike Waddell, Roanoke
Gary Titak, Tampa
Ron Burress, Charlotte
Kenny Boston, Jacksonville
Andrew Wilkes, Charlotte
Joe Rooney, Jacksonville
Page 5
Wings and Wheels
Eric Wood fr om Chesapeake and Stacey Daniels fr om Selma wer e the final 2 Million Mile dr iver s r ecognized in
2015 for induction into the 2014 Million Mile class. A large bash was held in their honor, along with 3 Million Mile
Driver David McLawhorn (highlighted in the Fourth Quarter 2014 W&W) and 2 Million Mile Driver Randy Lemon
Eric Wood - Chesapeake
can add another driver to
the prestigious President’s
Million Mile club, Eric
Wood. This brings Chesapeake’s total to NINE
professional drivers that
have achieved this honor.
Prior to coming to work
Eric W, with Bill G
for Eagle, Eric was previously transporting fuel for
Oil Transport, working there for 8 years before making the
decision to come to Eagle. Being familiar with the petroleum hauling and Hampton Roads & Tidewater area he was
able to make a smooth transition to Eagle. Even early in his
tenure, other senior drivers spoke highly of Eric and respected his work ethic.
Eric has just marked his 12th year working for Eagle
Transport. Over that time Eric has become a great Driver
Trainer, passing along and teaching helpful information to
new hires. Through
his & the other Trainer’s efforts, the Chesapeake terminal has
been able to increase
the quality drivers
that help provide
great service to our
customer base.
Eric notes the
Eric W, with TM James B &
key factors helping
DM Don E
him accomplish a
million accident-free
miles are being constant alert, developing and maintaining
good habits and abiding by the Smith system. Eric goes
above and beyond to help take care of Eagle equipment,
and he teaches his Trainees to notice small problems before
they may become a major issue.
When not working Eric has many hobbies that he enjoys with his friends and family; fishing, water sports, motorcycles and stock car racing are some of his favorite leisure time activities. Eric also has a private pilot license, and
when time and weather permits he enjoys flying.
Eric has many qualities that portray his high character
and great personality. Looking ahead we know Eric’s leadership will be a key factor in helping Chesapeake continue
making strides in the right direction!
Stacy Daniels—Stacy has become the 22nd President Million Mile inductee from Selma. Originally from Manteo, NC,
just outside of Nags Head,
Stacy started his career in
driving with Jenkins Gas and
Oil in 1995 as a Class B driver. Stacy then moved to MS
Carriers, an OTR carrier,
where he obtained his Class
A license through a driving
program offered by the comStacy D, with Bill G
pany. He drove with MS for
the next two years, then
moved to Nashville, TN and worked with Star Transportation
for a year.
When he came back home to NC for a weekend visit Stacy
saw an Eagle truck delivering fuel and thought “that is some
clean truck”; that’s when he decided to make the move to Eagle. Stacy contacted the local terminal manager, Wade Johnson
and that was all it took.
Stacy joined Eagle Transport in July, 2003. Once completing training on day shift, Stacy moved to nights where he has
spent the last 13 years working
night shift. WOW!!
Stacy is our most senior night
driver and Selma’s “go to” night
driver. He is always willing to
help our newer drivers during afterhours, as well as the Call Center
dispatchers should drivers have
issues. Many drivers and dispatchers have complimented how Stacy D, Selma
Stacy has helped them.
TM Mike S
When he is not working, Stacy enjoys playing golf. Stacy and Selma shop Mechanic Bobby
Gaspers play every Friday. Stacy is still waiting for the chance
to play Mike Proffitt, allegedly one of the better golfers in the
Operations department!
Way to go Stacy! Eagle Selma is proud to have you as our
newest Million Mile driver!!
It should be noted that John Wooldridge & Joe Shrader
from our Roanoke Terminal became the 14th & 15th Million
Mile drivers in that terminal. Both were given the opportunity to
be celebrated in their terminal but declined, not wanting to make
“such a fuss” over their inauguration. Well John & Joe, we had
to at least mention what true professional’s you are, and thank
you for being such great representatives of Eagle!
Page 6
Wings and Wheels
Randy Lemon Reaches 2 Million Safe Miles
It is our honor to announce that in 2014, Mr. Rudolph
“Randy” Lemon became one of only nine dr iver s in the
history of Eagle Transport Corporation to record TWO
MILLION SAFE MILES. Randy was inducted into the
President’s Million Mile Club, with his first million safe
miles, in 2003.
Randy is originally from Latta, a small town along the
I-95 corridor in northeastern SC. He has resided within 10
or 15 miles of Latta for most of his life. After graduating
high school, Randy studied drafting at Denmark Community College in South Carolina and then architecture at Hampton University in Virginia. Family obligations led Randy to
set aside his education and return home, where he, among
other things, drove trucks for his family’s logging business.
Unfortunately, things didn’t work out with the logging
business, so Randy found himself needing a new way to
support his young family. Fortunately for all of us he decided trucking might be it. He worked with a few other trucking companies, but eventually found his way to Eagle
Transport. At that time we had a terminal in Florence and
mainly hauled dry-bulk materials (plastic granules) for
Wellman Plastics, but we also supported the Florence, SC
Petro Truck Stop’s fuel needs. Randy was cross-trained in
both fields. When the dry-bulk part of our business was
sold, Randy and a few other drivers stayed on with us to
continue servicing the truck
stop and our convenience
store customers in South
Carolina. The rest, as they
say, is history. He was originally assigned to our Fayetteville, NC terminal, then to
Selma, and is now a member
of the Charlotte, NC team.
Randy and his
wife Valeria, who
now live in Marion,
SC, have raised two
wonderful daughters,
Vanessa and Christina, & along the way
and
have
been
blessed with a grandson, Brice.
Randy, with Bill G
First and foremost, Randy is grateful to Valeria for all these years of love
and support, but he also credits strict observance of the “Five
Keys” to “Space Cushion Driving” for enabling him to travel
so many safe miles. He has never forgotten that every
professional driver, regardless of how skilled or experienced,
still needs distance and time to know what dangers exist and
be proactive in his actions to manage them. He says, “It’s what
makes the difference between being part of a crash and
avoiding one”.
Our thanks go out to both of them. We know that it’s
“teamwork” that made Randy such a valuable part of Eagle’s
team.
Selma’s 1, 2 & 3 Million Milers: David M,
Stacy D, & Randy L (with Mike S)
Calling All (young) Artists!
Eagle Transport wants to support all our young artists by creating the 2017 Eagle
Calendar containing Eagle pictures drawn by Eagle kids. Any Eagle family member
under the age of 14 can contribute a color drawing that contains the Eagle logo or the
word “Eagle” somewhere on the picture (Eagle truck, driver, Eagle terminal, etc.).
Pictures should be no larger than 8 1/2 x 11 in their original format and NOT folded.
Entries should include the following information: Name & age of person who drew the
picture, name of Eagle employee, & terminal location. All entries must be in the Corporate office no later than Friday, April 1st.
12 entries will be chosen as winners (1 for each calendar month) & ALL entries will be displayed on the back pages of the
calendar! The 12 winners will be announced by the end of April, and each winner will receive a $50 Wal Mart Gift Card!
We expect to have the calendars completed by late October, and we generally print about 1000 calendars for employees,
customers & vendors. So get those art supplies out and give us your best Eagle picture…this might be the start of a great
career for a budding artist!!
Page 7
Wings and Wheels
It’s Pyro Time!!!
Two years ago the National Tank Truck Carriers (NTTC), our industry’s trade association
started the “Professional Tank Truck Driver of the Year” award. Each carrier-member, of
which there are more than 240 for-hire trucking companies, could submit up to two entries
for the contest from their driver fleet. A panel reviews each application and selects 8 finalists.
These finalists then travel to Washington and receive personal interviews by the entire panel.
The eight will go to our industry’s annual conference, held this year in San Diego, and the
champion crowned as the main event of the week.
The criteria for consideration as the “Best of the Best” include a spotless driving record,
professionalism, community involvement, and pride in our industry. This year, Eagle is
pleased to announce that Darryl Nowell from our Richmond operation has been selected as a
finalist! Darryl, or “Pyro” as many know him, has already interviewed in Washington and
will be traveling to San Diego in April for the “final reveal” during the annual conference.
Part of the application process involves a letter of introduction & a short video that tells a
little about the driver candidate. In the case of Darryl, he’s not only a consummate professional driver that has an infectious
personality, but he has a full plate once he gets off work. He’s active in coaching little league, leading Boy Scouts, volunteering with a local search & rescue team, and also working as a professional wrestler in the
East Coast Professional Wrestling circuit, as his alter-ego “Pyro, the Human Incinerator”! Pyro not only competes in the squared-circle, but also has starred in a series of public service announcements broadcast on local TV stations in the Virginia Tidewater area
to educate the public on different aspects of home fire safety.
Darryl started driving while stationed at Fort Bliss, Texas in 1984. After 11 years in
the Army, driving was in his blood, and we were lucky enough to employ Darryl 9 years
ago. He has been a tremendous asset for our Company. A well-respected Driver Trainer,
he has the opportunity to work with many of our new hires from day one with the Company, and continues to mentor them through their development into professional tank
truck drivers.
So, everyone keep their fingers crossed and send good wishes to Darryl!!
We Get Letters
Winter REALLY hit us hard in January, but our Salisbury, Md.
& Richmond, Va. terminals did outstanding work:
Now that the January 2016 “Snowmageddon” is behind us, I would like to sincerely
Thank Everyone for their efforts in braving the storm so that Kroger & most importantly
our Kroger Customers had fuel during this critical weather event.
To the Dispatchers, Drivers & Terminal Managers that made it happen: Job Well Done!
We may not always know everything that you go through to get fuel to our locations but
we do appreciate it when you go the extra mile in challenging conditions. Your communications to us during the storm was exceptional!
Richard Barth, Kroger Company
The extra effort today is especially
Director of Petroleum Transportation
appreciated after ALL of your crew
did such a great job yesterday. The
work dispatchers and drivers did the
Hey Guys,
I just wanted to express my gratitude for your per- last two days to keep up with the retail fuel demand and avoid major product
formance with the weather. Your team did a great outages was exceptional. Please express my appreciation to all who
job getting ahead of the storm and getting invento- contributed to the successful management and execution of this challenging
ries to higher level which helped sustain us through situation created by such a significant
most of the panic buying. We had a couple hiccups weather event.
Great work Matt, Joe &
but we expect that during a storm of this magnicrew, and especially the
William E. Gordy
tude.
DRIVERS that performed
JoeWills
President
safely…
PricingandLogisticsManager
J. William Gordy Fuel Co.
Eagle Proud!!!
TheWillsGroup,Inc.
Page 8
Wings and Wheels
Greetings
From
Beth M, Bob H, & Bree B from
Top (L-R): Jenny G, Alice
W, Wendy W, Wanda B, Margaret N, & Pat
H.
Top (L-R): Janice M, Una W,
Dani B, Max F, Otassa B, & Barbara D (back row)
Trevor H, Jesse E, Carolyn R,
Mark R, & Robert B from
Barbara D, Janice M, Dani B, Una W, & Otassa B
Bottom: Tina O, Tina P, & Tina T
Page 9
Wings and Wheels
YOUR
Corporate
Staff !
Tondra N, Susan W, & Cindy P
Top (L-R): Joe P, Don S, Barbara D, Lance C,
Bob H, Robert B. Bottom: Jonathan G, Ron T,
Joe D, & Herb E.
Harold (on toes!),
Max F, Barbara D, & Joe D
: Judy B, Ron T, Sandy
H, Tammy M, Shelley L, & Kirsten E
Page 10
Wings and Wheels
Tampa & Corporate Says a Loving
Farewell to Two Fabulous Ladies
Harold Rackley, Eagle’s Controller, probably knows Una Waterfield as well
as anyone here at Eagle. Here are some of his thoughts:
The first time I met Una was about 30 years ago. Una was already employed
at Eagle Transport at the time I began working at Stallings Oil Company.
I wondered about her at the beginning; she seemed a little “different” (I
know, I’m one to talk!). But over 30 years I’ve grown to respect & love her.
Her selflessness, as I watched her take care of one after another of her family
was humbling.
Una is a driven woman, who only knows how to take care of others…& not
really herself. Her love for her family was unceasing, as was her undying love
Una’s group of Admirers!!
of Elvis (he always made her cry!).
In the years of working together, I didn’t want to be in the parking lot when
she came to work or when she left work …I was afraid of getting hit! She had a love for most foods, but never chicken ,
mainly due to a pet she had earlier in life (you can’t make this stuff up!!)
She was a hard working lady, and was dedicated to her company. She always had a smile and a kind word for everyone.
Her great attitude and loving spirit will be greatly missed!
Jason Neifa, Tampa Terminal Manager, has worked with Loretta Figler for 5years in Tampa. Here
are some of his thoughts about Loretta:
Many of us here in Tampa were fortunate to have been trained by Loretta (myself included) and
worked alongside her during the night shift. Her caring nature, wealth of experience in her 19 years
with Eagle, knowledge in the petroleum industry and fortitude will obviously be missed.
She always knew how to break away from the madness of being a night dispatcher just long enough
to show you a picture of her dog Corky and tell a quick story, and then just as quickly get back to what Loretta, the “Heart”
she was doing without missing a beat!
of Tampa!!
When she was diagnosed with Cancer back in 2013 & took a leave, she still kept in touch with everyone. Once she recovered from her chemo treatment she came right back to nights and picked up where she left off. She put
cancer in her “rear view” and kept looking forward!
Adored by all the night drivers that called in with issues, many drivers would call in just to say hi and see how she was
doing. She almost always stayed a bit longer after her shift was done to catch up face to face with returning night drivers and
with the day shift dispatchers
So let’s wish her the best in retirement, now able to spend more time in her new home with husband Al and her dog Corky.
We certainly miss her here, but lucky for us that she still stays in touch. Loretta, the door is ALWAYS open!
Ditch the Workout – Join the Party !
Here in the Corporate Office, a group has decided to take fitness to the next level by
jumping into Zumba twice a week. Zumba fitness attracts exercisers with fun dance
moves from styles like Salsa, Merengue, Reggaeton and Flamenco, and the sort of
choreography you might see in a nightclub. But Zumba fitness leaves more room for
interpretation…& it’s non-judgmental! You don’t have to move exactly like the instructor. It’s more like dancing in a club…you can move the way you want, and to
your ability.
Zumba is both a dance class and a fitness class. Aside from its heart-health benefits,
Zumba provides a workout for the whole body. This fitness method touches on nearly
every muscle and joint. Flexibility is not ignored, with warm-ups and cool-downs
being a regular part of the routine.
Beside from the above benefits it also works for every age, it’s addicting, it’s customizable, and IT’S UPBEAT AND FUN!
Maybe you can find a Zumba Fitness Class in your area…and shake your booty!!
Page 11
Wings and Wheels
In the Eagle Transport Corporate office, we’ve
carried
on a tradition of reaching out to our employees in times of need, as well
as the community around Rocky Mount. This Holiday season we once
again manned the bell and rang for the Salvation Army. The weather
was brisk, but we all bundled up and said “Merry Christmas” about 500
Ella B & Ron T
times, which really gets you in the spirit!
For the past 14 years “The Eddie Fund” has done Christmas outreach to a local shelter, “My Sister’s House” by adopting families that are in need. We also picked
up 10 Angel Tree kids, plus 15 Salvation Army stockings. It’s always such a joy to give to those
that don’t have what we are blessed to have!
We also continued our support for the “Backpack Buddy” program, which sends home
Bree & Bob Ring the Bell
food with kids each weekend so they can have a consistent meal plan on the days they are out
of school. Each of you might want to look in your town
for Backpack Buddy program and possibly adopt a kid or
two, unfortunately a big need in all communities.
And the Outreach was not just in the Corporate office.
Many terminals had food drives, such as John and the
Jacksonville team. They collected a huge box of nonperishable foods for the local food banks in the Jacksonville area. Great work folks!!
Jax. Norman E Delivers Food
And the giving trend continued with Ireanea Williams, wife of driver Michael Williams in Kingsport,
Tennessee that reached out to “Operation American
Soldier” to help support our true American heroes this Christmas season. Ms. Williams
went to several businesses in Kingsport to set up collection bins for items such as food
items, coffee, protein bars, batteries, Chap Stick & DVD’s. Once collection was complete,
Ms. Williams (with a little help from Eagle) boxed the items up and sent them to Operation
American Soldier in Massachusetts. The collection amounted to 124 pounds of goods sent
overseas to our men and women serving overseas. Ms. Williams thanked Eagle for our help
to let our service members know that “someone took the time to remember them at this time
of year.” Well Ireanea, thank you for remembering our troops this year!
Rachael Clamon in Kingsport had a strong
desire this Christmas to reach out and help those less fortunate. Rachael did
some research and located a group of kids that really needed any assistance they
could get: “This year for the holiday season the Kingsport terminal came together in raising money to buy presents for an Angel Tree at a local elementary
school, Yuma Elementary. Together we were able to raise nearly $1000 in total. An average of $250 was spent on 4 children to buy them winter coats,
shoes, clothes, toys and stockings.”
“Although the identities of the kids were kept confidential and we weren’t Kingsport’s Angel Tree Kids
able to meet them, it was a great feeling knowing that we might have been able
to have to make a small difference in their lives. It also proved once again how big the hearts of
our drivers & staff truly are… and it was a great reminder of how fortunate we all are. It was a
very heartwarming and rewarding experience that I hope we get to continue as a work family.”
Great work Racheal, and all the folks in Kingsport!
To round out the Outreach done by the great people of Eagle (and our nation!), Eagle was
involved this year in “Wreaths Across America”. The goal of this great organization is to have a
Christmas wreath on every veteran’s grave each Christmas. On the WAA website, they say this
annual drive “is made possible by thousands of volunteers who organize local ceremonies, raise
funds to sponsor wreaths, and participate in the events. We receive no government funding. The
cost of our programs is paid by individual wreaths sponsors, corporate donors and volunteer
truckers.”
Our Selma terminal, through the North Carolina Trucking Association, help move the wreaths
this year. As you can see we have an Eagle Tractor pulling a Barnes
Jonathan T on his Day Off! Transportation trailer, being loaded by employees of at least 10 other
Page 12
41 Years
Margaret Narron, Corporate
32 Years
David McLawhorn, Selma
31 Years
Donnie Barnes, Selma
29 Years
Barbara Dawson, Corporate
27 Years
Jenny Gibson, Corporate
Bryan O'Dell, Charleston
25 Years
Tina Proctor, Corporate
22 Years
Bruce Smith, Selma
20 Years
Ralph Waltz, Corporate
17 Years
Dewey Fortenberry, Spartanburg
Richard Jenkins, Charleston
16 Years
Billy McFarland, Richmond
Richard Fitzgerald, Jacksonville
15 Years
Vernon Smith Jr, Tampa
Donnie Ewalt III, Corporate
Steve Larsen, Tampa
Carmen Ditullio, Jacksonville
David Suite, Richmond
Joe Bralick, Tampa
14 Years
Hank Grabowski Jr, Corporate
Donnie Sims, Tampa
Bob Holmes, Ashland
William Santiago, Tampa
Tim Houston, Charlotte
13 Years
Allen Davis, Charleston
Rex Johnson, Selma
Eric Lesage, Jacksonville
12 Years
James Upson, N Augusta
Drew Graham, Corporate
Jennifer Wickham, Salisbury
Stacy Daniels, Selma
Vernon Wall, Selma
Andy Britt, Selma
Ed Mutek, Nashville
Collin Debellotte, Ashland
Thadas Williams Jr, Selma
Paul Plant, Jacksonville
Wings and Wheels
11 Years
Jean-Marie Roch, Pt Everglades
David Adkins, Ashland
Barry Andrews, Selma
Ronald Burress Jr, Charlotte
Phillip Clyburn, Roanoke
Proctor Dean II, Corporate
Carl Fay Jr, Roanoke
Eugene Harvey, Roanoke
Stephen Holland, Roanoke
Leonard Keaton, Roanoke
Roger McBride, Roanoke
Joey Payne Jr, Roanoke
Joseph Shrader, Roanoke
James Shumate, Roanoke
Michael Waddell, Roanoke
Andrew Wilkes, Charlotte
Herm Rogers, Salisbury
Tammy Moss, Corporate
Joseph Rooney, Jacksonville
10 Years
John Fischer, Chesapeake
Tim Crane, Corporate
Dennis Strain, Spartanburg
Michael James, Roanoke
Reginald Moore, Selma
Jason Odum, Knoxville
Derick Hudson, Chattanooga
Margaret Burchell, Knoxville
Mark Carr, Tampa
Bree Bryant, Corporate
Ronald Scott, Roanoke
9 Years
Anthony Jackson, Tampa
Phil Stringfield, Tampa
Winslow Roddey, Jacksonville
James Morris Jr, Pt Everglades
Duwuan McGill, Charlotte
Arnold Palmer, Salisbury
Cynthia Johnson, Jacksonville
Richard Culbreth, Spartanburg
8 Years
Lamar Wright, Richmond
Peter Danos, Knoxville
James Durant, N Augusta
Manny Avalos, Pt Everglades
Terry Robertson, Nashville
Earl Miller, Pt Everglades
Damon Loftis, Roanoke
Jason Fonseca, N Augusta
Christopher Jones, Charlotte
7 Years
Joe Falls Jr, Corporate
John Groover, Taft
6 Years
Douglas Henderson, Tampa
Joe Duncan, Corporate
Wayne Leveque, Nashville
Ivan Ballate, Pt Everglades
Randal Odell, Roanoke
Larry Kemple, Chesapeake
Roger Perry, Tampa
Jen Poythress, Selma
5 Years
Toika Ancrum, Chesapeake
Jeffrey Presto, Chattanooga
Thomas Bass, Tampa
Daniel Dejesus, Tampa
Anthony Stevens, Charleston
Charles Tucker, Greensboro
Roy Fish, Jacksonville
John Cross, Selma
William Shifflett, Chesapeake
Cary Leiphart, Tampa
Jesse Ethridge, Corporate
4 Years
Michael Hines, Selma
David West, Nashville
Theodore Miller, Greensboro
Max Fletcher, Corporate
James Ester, Greensboro
Susan Stern, Pt Everglades
Barry Dooley, Roanoke
Shannon Parker, Salisbury
Bruce Polley, Tampa
Elijah Williams, Jacksonville
Philip Dunson, Nashville
Titus Harvey, Chesapeake
Michael Whitehurst, Tampa
David McIntyre, Roanoke
Micah Steele, Tampa
Thomas Moyer, Charlotte
Shawn Johnson, Ashland
Bradley Bledsoe, Kingsport
Ernest Vaughn, Kingsport
Linwood Jones Jr, Salisbury
Bryan Hobbs, Knoxville
Tito Hamlet, Tampa
Timothy Cannon, Salisbury
Ben Fiore, Tampa
3 Years
Bruce Bounds, Salisbury
Cory Tanner, Nashville
Brian Bass, Charlotte
Neil Mota, Tampa
Sedrick Mckenzie, Jax’ville
James Maxwell, Tampa
Joseph Verissimo, Tampa
Anthony Fizzano, Chesapeake
Jesus Pillot, Taft
John Denny, Nashville
Melvin Hathorn, Kingsport
Darrell Hall, Jacksonville
Ronald Smith, Tampa
James Eller, Salisbury
Jose Febres, Tampa
Jonathan Snow, Taft
2 Years
Joseph Thompson, Taft
Daniel Jordan, Roanoke
Daniel Torres, Selma
Charles Sampson, Tampa
Carl Harrison, Salisbury
Stephen Williams, Jax’ville
Joseph Youngblood, Grns’boro
Kenneth George, Kingsport
Michael Harwood, Kingsport
Joseph Killough, N Augusta
Raphael Osorio, Tampa
Kenneth Barber, Ashland
Vladimir Sushko, Charlotte
Gregory Nelson, Selma
Jonathan Shadden, Spartanburg
Johnny Cartner, Selma
Shelley Lane, Corporate
Rodney Mack, Kingsport
Craig Bunch, Chesapeake
Miguel Mendoza, Pt Everglades
Mark Fleenor, Kingsport
Toby Aimar, N Augusta
Michael Murr, Kingsport
Charles Ratliff, Tampa
Truong Nguyen, Tampa
Jennifer Stovall, Greensboro
Brice Lee, Richmond
Terrence Johnson, Jacksonville
Joshua Trigg, Chesapeake
Ron Brantley, N Augusta
Jordan LaChappelle, Knoxville
Ronald Brawley, Spartanburg
Tina Tippette, Corporate
(Cont. on page14)
Page 13
30 Years
Teeny Jones, Corporate
Curt Odem, Corporate
29 Years
Wanda Battle, Corporate
26 Years
Herb Evans, Corporate
25 Years
Pat Holland, Corporate
Richard Overman, Corporate
21 Years
Judy Bunn, Corporate
Randy Lemon, Charlotte
20 Years
Larry Corcoran, Chattanooga
Robert Walters, Jacksonville
Susan Weaver, Corporate
19 Years
Chris Stone, Tampa
18 Years
Charlie Briddell, Salisbury
Randy Schram, Tampa
17 Years
Steven Ayers, Jacksonville
Joel Aoun, Richmond
16 Years
Jonathan Greer, Corporate
Alice Whitehurst, Corporate
Jose Pineda, Salisbury
15 Years
Danny Hopson, Spartanburg
Pete Deregt, Jacksonville
14 Years
Marvin Haner Jr, Richmond
Michael Manning, Richmond
12 Years
Pete Palmer, Chattanooga
Richard Shipley, Chattanooga
Kenny Boston, Jacksonville
Louis Smith Jr, Corporate
Walter Bearden, Chattanooga
Steven Thompson, Selma
Frank Urena, Tampa
11 Years
Gaither Bunch, Chesapeake
Frank Skoler, N Augusta
Rob George, Taft
Andrew Renner, Tampa
Steven Adams, Chattanooga
James Bradshaw, Charlotte
Larry Galyon, Chattanooga
Robert Jaspers, Selma
Wings and Wheels
Jonathan Holland, Jacksonville
Rick Crismond, Pt Everglades
10 Years
Donnie Plumley, Roanoke
Cindy Proctor, Corporate
Steven Hayes, Tampa
Darryl Richmond, Greensboro
John Cooper, Corporate
Tommy Dunn, Richmond
Armando Quijano, Pt Ev’glades
Merl Askvig Jr, Nashville
9 Years
Bart Pell, N Augusta
Mark Lowe, Corporate
Christopher Ferguson, Selma
Earl Allen, Knoxville
Kim Lastrapes, Pt Everglades
Steve Smith, Pt Everglades
Robert Certain, N Augusta
Jun Quilon, Jacksonville
8 Years
Eric Mandell, Charlotte
Albert Elliott, Chesapeake
Guy Eason, Spartanburg
7 Years
Ly Kim, Richmond
Samuel Sterling, Knoxville
Thomas Hamlett III, Roanoke
Michael Desrosiers, Tampa
Errol Carson, Selma
Ronald Neice Jr, Roanoke
James Underwood, Greensboro
Benjamin Camejo, Pt Ev’glades
Brian Beckel, Selma
6 Years
Donnie Hines, Selma
Steven Kirkman, Selma
Travis Ellis, Selma
5 Years
Jerome Bell, Tampa
Douglas Sanchez, Tampa
Cameron Choate, Nashville
James Bryant, Jacksonville
Cleve Wiggins, Selma
Channing Berry, Richmond
Walter Rodriguez, Pt Ev’glades
Christopher King, Chesapeake
Carlo Diaz, Tampa
Davie Edwards, Selma
Jamie Callis, Savannah
4 Years
Luis Rivera, Tampa
Troy Gibson, Spartanburg
Jonathan Ball, Kingsport
Ronald Perry, Jacksonville
Liane Stamper, Ashland
Jason Neifa, Tampa
Charles Purgason, Greensboro
Tim Royalty, Ashland
Rickey McFall, Knoxville
Larry Marlow, Kingsport
Jimmy Troublefield, Selma
Jose Izquierdo, Tampa
Michael Parker, Charlotte
Michael Robinson, Kingsport
Paul Haire, Tampa
Johnny Ramos, Selma
Jose Zuniga, Pt Everglades
3 Years
Timothy Baldwin, Charlotte
Zachary Williams, Charlotte
Jessica Culbert, Nashville
Noel Vadnais, Tampa
Raul Villarini, Tampa
Ovrille Frederick, Richmond
Gerry Scarborough, Salisbury
Deshaun Dillard, Jacksonville
John Pabst, Knoxville
Kirk Ritchings, Charlotte
Bradley Willemsen, N Augusta
Tommy Miller, Jacksonville
Florencio Rios, Tampa
Charles Winkler, Nashville
Reginald Turner, Selma
Christian Mobley, Savannah
John King, Roanoke
Jamal Chestnut, Chesapeake
Walter Kulhanek Jr, Salisbury
2 Years
David Barickman, Selma
Harley Dyer, N Augusta
Leonard Fuller, Knoxville
Brandon Parris, Charlotte
Nathan Francis, Selma
James Dozier, Charlotte
Jeremy Johnson, Richmond
Jonathan Tart, Selma
Charles Browning, Kingsport
Gerald Thomas, Jacksonville
Paul Augevich, Roanoke
Joel Blight, Charlotte
Jeroy Barnwell, Selma
Opio Corbin, Tampa
Jeffery Person, Selma
Avigdor Gonzalez, Pt Ev’glades
Daniel Brunetti, Corporate
Darren Nerbonne, Selma
Michael Crockett, Salisbury
Thomas Jones, Corporate
Blake Fuller, Taft
Eric Austin, Selma
Tyshawn Edwards, Richmond
Terry Cooper, Salisbury
James Young, Selma
1 Year
Clifford Garrison, Richmond
Jimmy Holloman, Selma
Guerry Belony, Pt Everglades
Benjamin Floyd, Tampa
Robert Kamsch, Greensboro
Matthew Falls, Chesapeake
James Pearson, Selma
Kevin Blackburn, Tampa
Donald English, Selma
Jeremy Hughes, Salisbury
Nicholas Lendrum, Pt Ev’glades
Chris Parker, Selma
David Kilbourn, Knoxville
Rick Thomas, Charlotte
Joshua Fortenberry, Spartanburg
Ronald Whayland, Salisbury
Daniel Zaenkert, Tampa
Jerome Evans, Salisbury
Terry Nixon, Charlotte
Christopher Norman, Tampa
John Barnes, Chattanooga
Claude Isaacs, Kingsport
Mary Matthews, Corporate
Michael Reed, Knoxville
Michael Arriaga, Tampa
Anthony Burnham, Chesapeake
Timothy Krepfle, Taft
John Pezzi, Pt Everglades
Jammie Fyler, Greensboro
Valeri Kolev, Tampa
William Jefferson, Chesapeake
Jimmy Sapp, Taft
Stephen Walker, Richmond
Page 14
Robert Clune, Knoxville
Chad Treblic, Richmond
Michael Johnson, Selma
Kawal Guptar, N Augusta
Joseph Moore, Chattanooga
Ashlee Warman, Chesapeake
David Morgan, Chattanooga
Jeffrey Mountcasel, Richmond
Douglas Stanish, Jacksonville
Leander Miles, Savannah
Carlton Brown, Pt Everglades
Brandon Goff, Chesapeake
Jamie Mays, Knoxville
Dale Rickert, Taft
Chantell Styles, Spartanburg
Ronnie Wise, Selma
Ravi Anantaraman, Roanoke
Dwight Norman, Selma
Kenneth Mays, Ashland
Hayward Palmore, Greensboro
Michael Clark, Ashland
1 Year
Thomas Dwyer, Jacksonville
Harold Blomquist, Jacksonville
Robert Galli, Tampa
Norman Echols, Jacksonville
Lance Lamar, Pt Everglades
John Deverell, Jacksonville
Stephen Hall, Ashland
Michael Etue, Roanoke
Michael Perry, Greensboro
Richard Proctor, Richmond
Robert Ruerup III, Charlotte
Charles Webb, Knoxville
Mark Bouffard, Kingsport
Wings and Wheels
Jeffrey Lang, Richmond
Clint Moneymaker, Richmond
Julius Ingram, Selma
William Jones, Selma
James Pond, Selma
Marcus Smith, Selma
Jonathan Workman, Chattanooga
Dean Freehling, Taft
Maurice Wedman, Spartanburg
Matthew Berner, Ashland
Billy Evans, Selma
David Harper, Chattanooga
Horace Swint, N Augusta
Melissa Wallace, Salisbury
Jarraun Gamble, Charlotte
Wayne McCullough, Jax’ville
Arthur Johnson, Chesapeake
Travis Arend, Kingsport
Timothy Callahan, Charlotte
Delrick Truesdale, Charlotte
Randy Willard, Spartanburg
David Thibodeau, Chesapeake
Craig Modjewski, Greensboro
David Winters, Taft
Kenyon Fuentes, Selma
Richard Bartlett, N Augusta
Angela Speights, Tampa
Quashone Williams, Charlotte
Eric Kass, Greensboro
Kenneth Coefield, Chesapeake
Curtis Rawls, Taft
Cynthia Corcoran, Ch’ttanooga
Andrew Huff, Greensboro
Matthew Tatum, Greensboro
Bobby Hightower, N Augusta
Charles Giordano, Selma
Jonathan Wates, N Augusta
Timothy Harris, Chesapeake
Eugene Homschek, N Augusta
Kip Huston, Selma
Barry Szczucki, Jacksonville
Glenn Perry, Ashland
Charles Bucy, Chattanooga
Thomas Lintner, Tampa
Martin McKoy, Taft
Christopher Pope, Selma
Charles Wynn, Kingsport
Stephen Marshall, Richmond
Joseph Mascara, Salisbury
John Adkins, Ashland
Gregory Cochrane II, Tampa
Graham Pait, Selma
Pisid Beng, Richmond
Lance Harper, Taft
Tyler Roach, Richmond
Cameron Greenwood, Savannah
David Greer, Kingsport
Tyler Ingraham, Selma
Jeffrey Molock, Charlotte
Steven Newsome, Kingsport
Cameron Page, Selma
Wayne Dawkins, Roanoke
Michael Dunovant, Charlotte
Nathan Godwin, Salisbury
Garrett Johnson, Spartanburg
Michael Williams, Kingsport
Bevon Subiah, Pt Everglades
Antonio Burnett, Tampa
Anthony Egipciaco, Salisbury
Christopher Eiklor, Selma
Don Parris, Chattanooga
Francisco Rodriguez, Tampa
David White, Kingsport
Kirsten Eisenman, Corporate
Willie Adams, Tampa
Antonio Taylor, Selma
Alvaro Ramos, Pt Everglades
Derek Daniels, Charlotte
Scott Porter, Kingsport
Frank Sotomayor, Selma
William Stott, Spartanburg
Robert Fogle, N Augusta
Joshua Marchman, Taft
Jerome Johnson, N Augusta
Carlton Marshall, Salisbury
Timothy Bennett, Tampa
(cont.) trucking companies making all this happen. What a wonderful expression of respect for all our
veterans.
These are just a few examples of Eagle being a committed partner to the communities we live in. Great work to all!!!
Mike S from Selma Helps!
Page 15
Wings and Wheels
the average for the company). Great work Kingsport!
For 2015, we also recognize the Safest Petroleum Terminal as a “co-terminal” winner, and that terminal is
Richmond. J oe and his dr iver s aver age 1 deliver y er r or
every 5300 loads delivered…outstanding focus on “Doing
It Right the First Time”! And as stated before, excellent
safety results is often a catalyst for other Terminal honors.
Coming in behind Richmond were Tampa, Knoxville,
and Ashland showing outstanding safety performance in
2015. Tampa achieved 5 out of 6 Safety Tar gets on their
way to improving from 12th place in 2014. Jason, Mark
and the entire Tampa fleet made huge strides in 2015 to
achieve this honor; quite an accomplishment!
Knoxville was the most impr oved ter minal in the
entire company, rising from 16th place in 2014. Newly and
his outstanding driver staff really had a laser focus on safety, achieving 5 of 6 Safety Targets in 2015. Great job
Knoxville…must be something in that east Tennessee water!?
Ashland made an effor t to push safety at ever y tur n.
Tim & his staff created a safety-centered environment &
improved vehicle maintenance for his driver fleet, which
allowed his professional drivers to concentrate on the job
at hand. Also achieving 5 of 6 Safety Targets, Ashland
improved from 13th place in 2014; a very solid performance!
Congratulations to Kingsport & Richmond, and the
other contenders in the
Safety arena. Your commitment and standards are
what we all should strive
for!
2015 was a very good safety year for Eagle Transport.
There were reductions in both costs and frequencies for
Accidents, Incidents, Delivery Errors, and Injuries. 2015
direct safety costs (including adjustments) were nearly
$400,000 less than 2014, a huge savings for the company.
None of this
could’ve been
accomplished
without
the
focus
and
attention
to
detail in all of
our operational facilities!
In addition to
the Terminal
KINGSPORT-Eagle’s SAFEST Terminal!! of the Year
award,
the
other prestigious award at year-end is the “Safest Terminal of the Year” award. Often the terminal winning Safest
Terminal also has a very good shot at the Terminal of the
Year Award. For 2015, the terminal that displayed the safest operational performance was Kingsport! Crash avoidance, delivery excellence, low VRM Index scores, and injury prevention control led the way
for Kingsport in 2015.They had
ZERO preventable crashes, while
meeting all 6 of the Safety
“Targets” for 2015, the only terminal that performed that feat.
Additionally, their Professional
drivers had the lowest VRM safety-stat score in the company, 1.41
per driver (nearly 12 points below RICHMOND– Eagle’s SAFEST Petro Terminal!!
Darren Blom, Chesapeake
Eric Hall, Tampa
Justin Harmon, Kingsport
Tina Owens, Corporate
Corey Johnson, Tampa
Buford Whitson, Kingsport
Richard Woody, Tampa
Michael Cherry, Savannah
Brandon Staton, Charlotte
James Gary, Richmond
David Marler, Greensboro
Laprentice Mayes, Savannah
Chris Smith-Williams, Taft
Cory Browning, Kingsport
Deanna Ramsey, Charlotte
Tyler Cooper, Nashville
Saad Sebbana, Nashville
Michael King, Greensboro
Roger Shelton, Kingsport
David Hewes, Greensboro
Antny Jones, Salisbury
Brad McCormack, Jacksonville
Timothy Miles, Selma
Sadoc Ortiz Espinosa, Tampa
Shabotika Kelly, Pt. Everglades
James Walker, Selma
Stephen Zaccone, Taft
Kyle Beaton, Nashville
Jason Arrowood, Spartanburg
Willy Butler, Spartanburg
Randy Hopkins, Kingsport
Ricky Jeter, Spartanburg
Kevin McPherson, Savannah
Jerry Meadows, Selma
Rolando Cespedes, Pt Everglades
Billy Higgins, Tampa
Anthony Tate, N Augusta
Will Blevins, Chattanooga
Tommy English, Nashville
Jermaine Drummond, Chesa.
Lionel O'Neal, Selma
Darrell Shine, N Augusta
Mark Reiser, Taft
Joshua Glatt, Roanoke
Richard Tooley, Kingsport
James Atkins, Selma
Andrew Evans, Chattanooga
Ronald Gray, Chattanooga
Louis Moultry, Pt Everglades
Henry Smalley, Greensboro
Erik Mortensen, Tampa
Cesar Morales, Richmond
Omar Lopez, Tampa
Eddie Shannon, Tampa
Alfonza Partin, Selma
Paul Adams, Kingsport
Parish Goode, Charlotte
Ronald Anderson, Roanoke
Eathan Booden, Tampa
Nicholas McKain, Tampa
Aaron Thompson, Savannah
Rashonda Cypress, N Augusta
Timothy Harvey, Charlotte
Jeffery Wilson, Roanoke
EAGLE TRANSPORT CORPORATION
300 S. Wesleyan Blvd., Suite 202
Rocky Mount, NC 27804
Often we eat as a way to celebrate, or sometimes we reach for food when we're sad or bored. A recent study
published in the journal Environment and Behavior points to another factor that can nudge us to eat: Clutter!
"The notion that places — such as cluttered offices or work areas, or disorganized homes — can be modified to help
us control our food intake is becoming an important solution in helping us become more slim by design," report Brian
Wansink of Cornell University and his colleagues in their write-up of the study.
"It's important to know whether a food environment can actually cause you to, unknowingly, overeat," Wansink told
us. So, in order to examine how clutter and chaos can influence what — and how much — people eat, Wansink and his
collaborators designed an experiment. They set up two kitchens. One kitchen was neat and tidy. The other was strewn
with mail, newspapers and dirty dishes. "It was a mess,'" Wansink said. Then, they recruited women to participate in the
study.
"We brought 100 people into [the] kitchens — just one at a time, The participants were given a writing assignment.
Some were told to write about a time they felt out of control. Others were to write about a time when they felt in control.”
The participants were also given snacks — including cookies, crackers and carrots. (The snacks were the same in both
kitchens.) And all were told: "Feel free to eat as much as you want, because we have tons of this food."
Among women who wrote about feeling out of control, those in the messy kitchen tended to consume twice as many
calories from cookies as women in the tidy kitchen. (Those in the messy kitchens averaged 103 calories worth of cookies.)
"We think we're smarter than the environment around us," Wansick said. "That's why these external cues are
so powerful." We're often not aware that they're influencing our behavior.
So, how might these findings translate to a messy desk? After all, many of us do a lot of snacking at the office. "This
study makes a lot of connections to workplace environments," Kathleen Vohs, a psychologist at the University of
Minnesota, who has studied how messy desks or rooms can influence behavior, told us.
"Messy rooms are, sort of, enabling people to break free from what's expected of them," she said.
A few years ago Vohs published the results of an experiment that placed participants either in a messy setting with
papers and office supplies scattered throughout, or in a clutter-free room. She found that people in the orderly room were
more inclined than those in the messy room to choose a healthy snack — an apple.
"The results confirmed the prediction that an orderly environment leads to more desirable, normatively good
behaviors," she and her co-authors write in their study published in Psychological Science.
So take your Mom’s advice and clean up your mess. Your health will thank you!!