Goblins, Ghouls & Ghosts
Holly Betit, Scariest
Mike Wert, Funniest
Teresa Hutchinson, Most Original
As All-Hallows Eve crept over Mack’s headquarters plant, the list of visitors grew more and more suspect. First, a ‘killer’ ghost appeared. Then, an ape, willing to “work for Quirky crates.” And a snowman, in October!
Finance, 1st, Group Award
Next Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, with a complete cast of Oompa-Loompas marched right out of the Finance department, followed by none other than Mother Nature and her Weathermakers from Manufacturing!
They, along with many other good sports, took part in Mack’s annual Halloween costume and pumpkin-carving contests. Holly Betit won the award for Scariest with her bloody ‘killer’ ghost. Mike Wert, the ape, got the most laughs for Funniest. And Teresa Hutchinson won Most Original for her snowman rendition.
Manufacturing, 2nd, Group Award
The winning group award went to Florence Belnap and the Finance department for Willy & the Ooompa Loompas, followed in second by Bryan Campbell and staff for the kind visit from Mother Nature and her weathermakers.
These winners were joined by Sue Bromirski, Megan Goddard and Bob Waters for Most Creative, Scariest and Funniest carved pumpkins, respectively.
Thanks to all who bewitched and bemused – it was great fun for all!
Sandy Kind to Vermont
Hurricane Sandy was, fortunately, a non-event in Vermont. We had no power outages or flooding, and all of our plants continued normal operations. Our thoughts are with our customers and suppliers that were not so lucky. If there is anything that we can do to assist you in the days ahead, please contact us at any of our facilities. We stand ready to help!
Jeff Somple
President, Northern Division
Mack Molding
Scott Curtis: Vietnam Vet Builds 42-Year Career at Mack…and Still Counting!
Editor’s Note: Another Mack is ME! post, this series spotlights the people and personalities behind our services. Check back frequently or subscribe to the feed, as these profiles will be interspersed with news updates on a regular basis. We hope you’ll enjoy getting to know us!
Scott Curtis, Senior Technician, is a specialist at molding large industrial battery cases.
Name: Scott Curtis
Title: Senior Technician, East Arlington Plant
What does that mean? Technicians are the masterminds behind starting up the injection molding presses. Whenever a new tool comes in, molding technicians “debug” it. They figure out what times and temperatures are needed to make each part and input those parameters and more into the process control system. As a senior technician, Scott is responsible for defining the process parameters required to meet each product’s specifications.
Time at Mack: Almost 43 years.
Experience: Scott spent six years in the Marine Corps after graduating high school in Arlington, Vt. He was stationed all over the world, in places such as North Carolina, the Caribbean, Vietnam, Cuba, Puerto Rico, and California. He was working toward becoming a drill instructor, but after the Vietnam War, decided to leave the service. Scott joined the Mack team when he returned to Vermont, and has since become a 40+-year veteran of the East Arlington plant’s molding department. Starting as a press operator, Scott was eventually promoted to molding supervisor, and now, senior technician.
Favorite Mack project: Several years ago, a customer asked Mack to make 50 parts for a frame. However, the mold wasn’t ready to run when it arrived at Mack. Scott and his team worked around the clock to get the parts out the door the next day so as not to disappoint the customer. Even though it was a long day (and night!) of work, it brought the Mack team together and demonstrated that no task was too difficult for Scott and his fellow workers.
Personal Life: Scott is originally from Arlington, where he lived until joining the Marines. He continues to make his home there today with his wife of 43 years, Connie, who is now retired. Together, they have three adult children: one son and two daughters. His son is involved in engineering and construction; one daughter is a nurse; and the second is a housewife. Scott has eight grandchildren.
Caught in Mystic, Conn., Scott’s striped bass was the biggest catch of the day (almost 43″ long)!
When Not at Work: Scott enjoys hunting and fishing near his home in Vermont. On weekends, he gets involved in various construction projects, as time allows. He enjoys building houses and additions, and has worked with several construction businesses, including his son-in-law’s. He also enjoys spending time with his family.
Fun Fact: Scott’s father worked in Mack’s Shipping and Receiving Department, so Scott has been a part of the Mack family since he was a child.
John Preiser: Fitness Enthusiast Finds Medical Manufa/cturing Rewarding
Editor’s Note: With this post, we are introducing a new blog series — Mack is ME! — to spotlight the people and personalities behind our services. Check back frequently or subscribe to the feed, as these profiles will be interspersed with news updates on a regular basis. We hope you’ll enjoy getting to know us!
Name: John Preiser
Title: Supplier Engineer
What does that mean? John works in the purchasing department of MackMedical, the medical products group of Mack Molding, where he sources, quotes, and qualifies suppliers for MackMedical. He manages supplier quality and assists in manufacturing.
Time at Mack: 5 years.
Favorite Mack memory: During his first year at Mack, John attended the annual Mack Holiday party, where snow is made (if Mother Nature has been frugal). There are sleigh rides, cookie decorating, a Christmas tree lighting, an enormous fireworks display, and a special appearance by Santa. He was impressed and moved by the company’s efforts. “Mack takes care of its employees,” he emphasized.
Most memorable work project: John works on a Class III medical device that allows low body weight patients (such as children) to receive treatment for cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL). Mack has received positive feedback from both customers and health care providers. Through a world-wide map that illustrates all installations of the medical device, members of the Mack team can really see how many people are being helped. “Hearing feedback directly from patients is so rewarding. It’s clear that the products we manufacture are truly helping people.”
Experience: John majored in electrical engineering technologies at Old Dominion University in Virginia. He then worked for IBM. As a supplier to Mack, John worked at Nexus Custom Electronics. He was an engineering manager there before joining the Mack team.
Personal life: John grew up in southern New York and spent 10 years in Los Angeles before moving back to the East Coast. He relocated to Arlington three years ago from Rutland, Vt. John’s wife, Nicole, teaches physics at Burr and Burton Academy in Manchester, Vt., and his son, Adam, is 9. The latest addition to John’s family is a puppy named Cleo (inspired by Cleopatra).
When not at work: He is an avid cyclist and formerly raced mountain bikes in southern California. You can find him outside hiking, camping, biking all over Vermont and New York, or enjoying winter sports.
Fun fact: John is probably the only person to drive a motorcycle with a bike rack attached to the back. Have you seen him before? It’s possible, as he has quite the paparazzi following.
Celebrating 100,000,000 Milkshakes!
Doing a double-take on that figure? Well, don’t. It’s for real — f’real foods, that is!
f’real foods is a frozen blended beverage company that began selling milkshakes, smoothies and frozen cappuccinos to convenience stores, along with a self-serve blender, in 2003. About three years later, Smith Dairy (Orrville, Ohio) came on board as a key supplier to fill the milkshake cups. And today, Smith filled its 100,000,000th cup. To put that in perspective, that’s enough to serve roughly one in every three people in the United States with a f’real milkshake from Smith Dairy. Of course, that’s not how it really breaks down, since once you’ve tried a f’real milkshake, you keep on coming back for more!
To celebrate the impressive milestone, f’real ordered a “gold” blender cup carriage for Mack to install in a self-serve blender that will soon be presented to Smith Dairy employees.
The f’real team at Mack was also recognized for a record month of blender manufacturing and sales. “We’ve enjoyed very good continued growth as a company, especially with our next generation blender,” says Ed Wilks, director of equipment operations, f’real foods. “Mack’s capabilities have stepped up to our needs as our demand for more blenders has exceeded our expectations month after month. This month’s forecast was a record one by a significant percentage – not only did Mack meet the forecast demand but they exceeded it and built safety stock as well.”
Before shipping the “golden blender” to Smith Dairy, the f’real team at Mack assembled for a photo to commemorate the accomplishment. “You are all to be congratulated for the work you have done to make this moment possible,” said Wilks. “You are an extension of f’real foods and we are extremely proud to have you as part of our team.”
