Teamwork rewarded

THE VINDICATOR, YOUNGSTOWN
By CYNTHIA VINARSKY
VINDICATOR BUSINESS WRITER
NORTH JACKSON -- Work stopped and employees at the Things Remembered distribution center celebrated a milestone Thursday afternoon as their plant became first in its industry to qualify for a new quality certification.
Located in Jackson Township, the 225,000-square-foot facility is the first retail distribution center to qualify for the ISO 9001:2000 Certification under recently revised standards, company officials said.
Suzanne Sutter, president of the Highland Heights-based Things Remembered, said the ISO certification is an indicator of quality workmanship: "It's being able to deliver a higher level of customer satisfaction."
Dennis Benvenuto, vice president, said the certification process took about 10 months and represents a concentrated effort by all the center's 120 full- and part-time employees.
"It's all about team. It's always been about team," he told the workers.
History: Things Remembered, a retailer specializing in monogrammed and engraved gifts with 800 stores in malls across the country, opened its distribution center in 1997 on a 102-acre parcel on Bailey Road. The center also services the company's catalog department, which mails out 4 million catalogs a year, and its year-old e-commerce division.
Benvenuto said employment reaches about 200 during peak seasons -- July and August are busiest for the shipping department, when goods are trucked out to stores, and November and December are busiest for the engraving and monogramming departments.
Most Things Remembered stores are equipped to do some gift engraving, but officials said hundreds of thousands of gift selections are sent to the distribution center for personalization.
Center employees use computer-controlled engraving machines and embroidery machines to apply names and personal messages to glassware, mugs, jewelry, picture frames, blankets and desk accessories.
Amy O'Malley, human resources administrator for the center, said the company uses incentives to encourage a spirit of teamwork, including monthly luncheons provided by the company and an award program for workers "caught doing something right."
Sharing the profits: Sutter said employees also stand to gain financially when the company does well. Distribution center workers took home gain-sharing checks averaging $2,000 apiece earlier this year because the plant far exceeded its production goals, she said.
"We give our employees lots of recognition," she said. "It creates a very motivated, enthusiastic work force. Our people are excited about working here."
She said the company has an extensive screening process for new hires. Managers look for new employees who have a strong work ethic and the desire to work with a team.
To qualify for its new ISO certification, the company was required to document its business philosophy and every detail of its operation, from employee training to packaging to machine operation.
The ISO 9001:2000 certification was approved by John Sedlak, an Akron-based auditor accredited by the International Organization of Standards in Switzerland.
ISO standards were first established in 1987 when companies around the world recognized a need for standardized quality standards, and they are revised periodically.