Tag: 3BL

This story was submitted through the Foundation’s Share Your Story campaign and represents Maximus employees’ commitment to creating positive change. Read this story of impact told by Dr. Carolyn J. Wiltshire (photo on the right), Director of Clinical Management for the New York Independent Assessor Program.

It is a stiflingly hot Sunday morning in April of 2023. We see a long line of locals forming as we get off the bus. People call out in excitement, shouting, “The doctors are here! The doctors are here!” They are huddled in the fast-disappearing shade along the side of the old, abandoned house that will be our office for the next seven or eight hours. Some run back to their homes to inform their families and neighbors of our arrival. We set up a triage station and started the intake process outside. We are in Saint Ann, Jamaica’s largest parish and one of the oldest populated areas of the island. Our mission has begun.

Everyone in line has one thing in common: They are desperately seeking healthcare. Against the backdrop of stunning mountains, sandy beaches, and dense rainforests, Jamaica suffers from alarming poverty. Approximately 80% of the Jamaican population is without health insurance. Public hospitals are overcrowded, underfunded, and lacking skilled personnel. Twice a year, in April and October, the Jamaica Medical Mission provides medical treatment and supplies to people in the poorest parts of the country. In truth, if we don’t provide medicine and vitamins, they probably won’t get them at all.

On our arrival, representatives of the Catholic Church welcomed us with a blessing for the five challenging days of work ahead. I stand alongside Dr. Randy Pellew, a nurse practitioner and clinical manager with the New York Independent Practitioner’s Program (NY IPP), who has done this mission 15 times before. Like myself, he was born in the Caribbean, and we are both excited to give back to the community. Tricia Robinson and Mavis Bailey are also clinical managers and nurse practitioners from the NY IPP, who accompanied us and worked on this mission. This experience is my first. Like my colleagues, I have brought a suitcase full of blood pressure monitors, glucometers, pulse oximeters, bandages, and reading eyeglasses. We all collectively have three to six month supplies of medications for high blood pressure, diabetes management, high cholesterol, asthma, intestinal worms, and vaginal infections to list a few, which we hope will last the residents until we return in the fall.

The people in line are desperate. They have diabetes, high blood pressure, untreated wounds, and various tropical illnesses. For many of them, this is their only chance of receiving treatment. We can only provide general care, but they must also see ophthalmologists, OB-GYNs, dentists, and so much more! We travel from one parish to another for the next five days, sometimes visiting two or three per day. We don’t stop until we’ve seen every person in line.

This mission is no walk in the park. The roads are bumpy. The climate is dry and hot. Several sections of the island have limited access to running water due to a worsening drought affecting Jamaica. But we persevere.

Now, it is Sunday afternoon. I am seated comfortably on an air-conditioned aircraft headed back to New York. I am exhausted! I look out the window at the sandy bays, narrow coastal plains, and green rainforests below. Yet all I can think about is a tiny old lady who came to me complaining of headaches. After examining her and asking some questions, I realized she was probably having trouble with her vision. I returned to our medical supplies area and got a $9.99 pair of reading glasses for her. She put them on, her eyes filled with tears as she realized she would no longer be in pain. Mine filled with tears as I realized how little it took to help her.

You may wonder if participating in this mission is worth the hard-earned money, PTO, and time away from my family. And I will eagerly reply – YES! I can honestly say that this is one of my life’s most rewarding and humbling experiences. While I thought I was coming to help the locals, the transformation happened to me. A sigh of relief and gratitude, knowing I’ll return there in October. And I hope the residents can sleep better at night knowing that “the doctors are here.” In our hearts, we are here forever.

Giving back to the communities we serve

The Maximus Foundation is one of the ways Maximus employees are doing something greater together. Established by the Maximus Board of Directors in 2000, the Maximus Foundation is an independent, employee-led, 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Employee donors pool their charitable contributions together through the Foundation, double their impact on the grantmaking program through Maximus’ dollar-for-dollar matching pledge, and make their voices heard by nominating and voting for future grantee partners. Though the Foundation focuses its giving strategy on grantmaking, it also helps coordinate corporate-wide humanitarian efforts and empowers employees to donate their time and skills to nonprofits. Their inspired giving and volunteerism help accelerate the missions of nonprofits on the front lines of the communities we serve. Learn more at maximus.com/foundation.

National Truck Driver Appreciation Week is Sept. 10-16. It’s a time to recognize the professional truck drivers committed to delivering goods safely across the U.S. At Marathon Petroleum, we thank all our drivers for the work they do to safely transport products around the country. We also recognize our professional drivers who have reached a significant safety milestone in their career.

365 Safe Drivers

Our 365 Safe Driver program highlights those drivers who worked a large majority of the year without a single dash cam event that had a coachable behavior associated with it. We are proud of the 176 men and women who made the list of our 365 Safe Drivers for 2022.

“On our trucks, we use technology to improve driver safety,” said Wes Grady, Transport Operations Senior Manager. “The dash cam generates a clip during braking, swerving or even hitting a bump. Then the software provider reviews the recording to determine if there’s a need for driver coaching. Numerous activations can occur in a typical shift making driving a full year without any incidents quite an accomplishment!”

“Safety is the top priority of our transport operations, and your accomplishment shows your commitment to this priority.”

Million Mile Drivers

At Marathon Petroleum, we also celebrate our drivers who have reached three or more years without a preventable accident. Those drivers are eligible to receive the Million Mile Award at intervals of 1 million, 2 million and 3 million miles driven.

“Your ability to stay focused on the task at hand and to repeatedly do so safely is greatly appreciated,” said Mike Johnson, Vice President of Transport & Rail. “Safety is the top priority of our transport operations, and your accomplishment shows your commitment to this priority.”

National Truck Driver Appreciation Week is Sept. 10-16. It’s a time to recognize the professional truck drivers committed to delivering goods safely across the U.S. At Marathon Petroleum, we thank all our drivers for the work they do to safely transport products around the country. We also recognize our professional drivers who have reached a significant safety milestone in their career.

365 Safe Drivers

Our 365 Safe Driver program highlights those drivers who worked a large majority of the year without a single dash cam event that had a coachable behavior associated with it. We are proud of the 176 men and women who made the list of our 365 Safe Drivers for 2022.

“On our trucks, we use technology to improve driver safety,” said Wes Grady, Transport Operations Senior Manager. “The dash cam generates a clip during braking, swerving or even hitting a bump. Then the software provider reviews the recording to determine if there’s a need for driver coaching. Numerous activations can occur in a typical shift making driving a full year without any incidents quite an accomplishment!”

“Safety is the top priority of our transport operations, and your accomplishment shows your commitment to this priority.”

Million Mile Drivers

At Marathon Petroleum, we also celebrate our drivers who have reached three or more years without a preventable accident. Those drivers are eligible to receive the Million Mile Award at intervals of 1 million, 2 million and 3 million miles driven.

“Your ability to stay focused on the task at hand and to repeatedly do so safely is greatly appreciated,” said Mike Johnson, Vice President of Transport & Rail. “Safety is the top priority of our transport operations, and your accomplishment shows your commitment to this priority.”

In 2019, 54.2 million tons of food was wasted in the United States. That is equivalent to 130 billion meals wasted. 27.6 millions of these tons went to a landfill, where they provided no value to society. A significant portion of this food could have been donated to hungry people, animal feed, composted, or sent to anaerobic digestion. The immense amount of food waste across the country requires various creative solutions. The latest trend: upcycling ingredients.

The Upcycled Food Association defines an upcycled product as “foods that are made with ingredients that would otherwise have ended up in a food waste destination such as a landfill or incinerator.” These upcycled foods are good for people and the planet because they create a more sustainable and resilient food system. Most people upcycle food in their cooking without even knowing. For instance, if you freeze your overripe bananas to use in smoothies or banana bread, you are participating in the upcycling economy by not buying new products and sending the imperfect ingredients to an end-of-life destination such as a landfill. Now, moving beyond just your kitchen, food manufacturers are following suit by implementing upcycled ingredients and foods into their product lines.

At Vanguard Renewables, we believe that edible and usable food scraps or ingredients should be upcycled, given to those in need, or to animals, before they reach our facilities. The EPA’s Food Recovery Hierarchy prioritizes anaerobic digestion as the best option when food is not donatable such as expired food or manufacturing byproducts that are unfit for human consumption. Upcycling is not explicitly included in the food waste hierarchy, but it contributes to the reduction of surplus food generated source reduction by using products that are already in the value chain instead of sourcing new ingredients.

Fancypants Baking Co., based in Walpole, MA, is committed to creating delicious hand-crafted non-GMO cookies with minimal waste, sustainable ingredients, and packaging. The company’s sustainable achievements are not only exhibited by their products and packaging, but also by being one of the founding members of the Farm Powered Sustainability Heroes (FPSH) program. The FPSH is a group of single-state or smaller regional food and beverage leaders looking for partnership and collaboratively beneficial opportunities to meet their robust sustainability goals and reduce their food and beverage waste. Throughout the production process, Fancypants Baking Co. unfortunately ends up with broken cookies. However, instead of sending these unsaleable cookies to landfill, this food waste gets turned into energy in one of Vanguard Renewables’ Farm Powered® anaerobic digesters.

To further their food waste initiatives and continue to make a positive impact on the environment, Fancypants Baking Co. joined the Upcycled Food Association and created a line of upcycled cookies.  Using products like okara, the nutritious pulp left over from tofu and soymilk production, coffee cherry, the husk of the coffee bean, and the nutritious pulp leftover from oat milk production, Fancypants Baking Co. is rescuing food that would otherwise be wasted. You can purchase Fancypants Baking Co’s delicious upcycled cookies here.

There are immense social and environmental benefits that will result from more companies bringing upcycled ingredients and food into the mainstream. By changing the concept of food waste to view food scraps or byproducts as a potential source of a new value-added product, consumer habits will favor practicing and purchasing upcycled products and together can reduce the 6% of all global GHG emissions that comes from food loss and waste.

Additionally, Fancypants Baking Co.’s dedication to mitigating climate change and to reaching its own sustainable targets has garnered national attention. Check out this spot from NPR’s All Things Considered where they were featured along with Vanguard Renewables discussing our Farm Powered® movement.

In 2019, 54.2 million tons of food was wasted in the United States. That is equivalent to 130 billion meals wasted. 27.6 millions of these tons went to a landfill, where they provided no value to society. A significant portion of this food could have been donated to hungry people, animal feed, composted, or sent to anaerobic digestion. The immense amount of food waste across the country requires various creative solutions. The latest trend: upcycling ingredients.

The Upcycled Food Association defines an upcycled product as “foods that are made with ingredients that would otherwise have ended up in a food waste destination such as a landfill or incinerator.” These upcycled foods are good for people and the planet because they create a more sustainable and resilient food system. Most people upcycle food in their cooking without even knowing. For instance, if you freeze your overripe bananas to use in smoothies or banana bread, you are participating in the upcycling economy by not buying new products and sending the imperfect ingredients to an end-of-life destination such as a landfill. Now, moving beyond just your kitchen, food manufacturers are following suit by implementing upcycled ingredients and foods into their product lines.

At Vanguard Renewables, we believe that edible and usable food scraps or ingredients should be upcycled, given to those in need, or to animals, before they reach our facilities. The EPA’s Food Recovery Hierarchy prioritizes anaerobic digestion as the best option when food is not donatable such as expired food or manufacturing byproducts that are unfit for human consumption. Upcycling is not explicitly included in the food waste hierarchy, but it contributes to the reduction of surplus food generated source reduction by using products that are already in the value chain instead of sourcing new ingredients.

Fancypants Baking Co., based in Walpole, MA, is committed to creating delicious hand-crafted non-GMO cookies with minimal waste, sustainable ingredients, and packaging. The company’s sustainable achievements are not only exhibited by their products and packaging, but also by being one of the founding members of the Farm Powered Sustainability Heroes (FPSH) program. The FPSH is a group of single-state or smaller regional food and beverage leaders looking for partnership and collaboratively beneficial opportunities to meet their robust sustainability goals and reduce their food and beverage waste. Throughout the production process, Fancypants Baking Co. unfortunately ends up with broken cookies. However, instead of sending these unsaleable cookies to landfill, this food waste gets turned into energy in one of Vanguard Renewables’ Farm Powered® anaerobic digesters.

To further their food waste initiatives and continue to make a positive impact on the environment, Fancypants Baking Co. joined the Upcycled Food Association and created a line of upcycled cookies.  Using products like okara, the nutritious pulp left over from tofu and soymilk production, coffee cherry, the husk of the coffee bean, and the nutritious pulp leftover from oat milk production, Fancypants Baking Co. is rescuing food that would otherwise be wasted. You can purchase Fancypants Baking Co’s delicious upcycled cookies here.

There are immense social and environmental benefits that will result from more companies bringing upcycled ingredients and food into the mainstream. By changing the concept of food waste to view food scraps or byproducts as a potential source of a new value-added product, consumer habits will favor practicing and purchasing upcycled products and together can reduce the 6% of all global GHG emissions that comes from food loss and waste.

Additionally, Fancypants Baking Co.’s dedication to mitigating climate change and to reaching its own sustainable targets has garnered national attention. Check out this spot from NPR’s All Things Considered where they were featured along with Vanguard Renewables discussing our Farm Powered® movement.

Marnie Weber serves as the Global Vice President for our Ability Inclusion Movement (AIM) inclusion business group. Based in Seattle, Washington she has been an Expedian for over 5 years and currently works as Senior Learning and Development Manager.

How has your background shaped your values, beliefs and who you are today? 

I was raised in a super small town, which enabled me to participate in anything and everything. If we didn’t all participate, we wouldn’t have a team. Cheerleading was my favorite, and I learned most of what I know about building community and leadership from that experience. Being able to participate gave me the confidence to try things that I wouldn’t have been able to in a larger environment.

My mom battled a long illness during my childhood, and I lost her when I was 20. My youngest sister was paralyzed in a car accident during that time, and I tried to fill my mom’s gap. These experiences shaped the love, empathy, and care I bring to every part of my life.

I’m a single mom, divorced twice, with five children ranging in age from 30 to 17. Because I was diagnosed with mental illness and ADHD when I was 49, I had already passed on my genetics to them. Most of them inherited some of my illnesses, so I’m learning how to support others with mental illness and neurodiversity.

What inspired you to become a part of the AIM leadership board? 

When I first joined EG 5 years ago, I met Toby Willis. He’s blind and I have a host of mental illnesses and attention deficit disorder. We hit it off and both believed we needed an IBG for people with disabilities – an IBG that would represent physical disabilities as well as mental illness + neurodiversity. I felt called to break down taboos. So, he and I, along with a few other folks, founded AIM and I became our first Global Vice President.

What’s an example of a time when you led a change initiative that benefitted your underrepresented community? 

My primary impact has been to make it OK to talk about not being OK. I share my experiences often and talk about mental illness and neurodiversity wherever I go. I believe my willingness to be vulnerable has a broad impact on the AIM community and anyone else I interact with and was a catalyst for EG’s focus on mental wellness.

How has supporting the AIM community changed your personal journey for the better? 

Being involved in AIM has changed my life. I’ve built confidence, presentation skills, and skills for leading a global community. I’ve met, worked with, and learned from amazing people. At EG, more people know me. I can send messages to most executives, and they’ll respond. People reach out to me for support and care. Being known for AIM has been an advantage.

What is one piece of advice you would give to someone looking to become more involved in supporting an underrepresented community or IBG? 

Jump in! Whether you lurk on our Slack channel, volunteer to lead or support an event, or run for office, bring your passion to AIM or any of the other IBGs. We always need new ideas and support. You’ll learn so much and you’ll make new like-minded friends!

At Expedia Group, we are a diverse collective of travelers, innovators, learners and leaders who believe that travel is a force for good and are driven to power global travel for everyone, everywhere. Learn more about our culture.

Marnie Weber serves as the Global Vice President for our Ability Inclusion Movement (AIM) inclusion business group. Based in Seattle, Washington she has been an Expedian for over 5 years and currently works as Senior Learning and Development Manager.

How has your background shaped your values, beliefs and who you are today? 

I was raised in a super small town, which enabled me to participate in anything and everything. If we didn’t all participate, we wouldn’t have a team. Cheerleading was my favorite, and I learned most of what I know about building community and leadership from that experience. Being able to participate gave me the confidence to try things that I wouldn’t have been able to in a larger environment.

My mom battled a long illness during my childhood, and I lost her when I was 20. My youngest sister was paralyzed in a car accident during that time, and I tried to fill my mom’s gap. These experiences shaped the love, empathy, and care I bring to every part of my life.

I’m a single mom, divorced twice, with five children ranging in age from 30 to 17. Because I was diagnosed with mental illness and ADHD when I was 49, I had already passed on my genetics to them. Most of them inherited some of my illnesses, so I’m learning how to support others with mental illness and neurodiversity.

What inspired you to become a part of the AIM leadership board? 

When I first joined EG 5 years ago, I met Toby Willis. He’s blind and I have a host of mental illnesses and attention deficit disorder. We hit it off and both believed we needed an IBG for people with disabilities – an IBG that would represent physical disabilities as well as mental illness + neurodiversity. I felt called to break down taboos. So, he and I, along with a few other folks, founded AIM and I became our first Global Vice President.

What’s an example of a time when you led a change initiative that benefitted your underrepresented community? 

My primary impact has been to make it OK to talk about not being OK. I share my experiences often and talk about mental illness and neurodiversity wherever I go. I believe my willingness to be vulnerable has a broad impact on the AIM community and anyone else I interact with and was a catalyst for EG’s focus on mental wellness.

How has supporting the AIM community changed your personal journey for the better? 

Being involved in AIM has changed my life. I’ve built confidence, presentation skills, and skills for leading a global community. I’ve met, worked with, and learned from amazing people. At EG, more people know me. I can send messages to most executives, and they’ll respond. People reach out to me for support and care. Being known for AIM has been an advantage.

What is one piece of advice you would give to someone looking to become more involved in supporting an underrepresented community or IBG? 

Jump in! Whether you lurk on our Slack channel, volunteer to lead or support an event, or run for office, bring your passion to AIM or any of the other IBGs. We always need new ideas and support. You’ll learn so much and you’ll make new like-minded friends!

At Expedia Group, we are a diverse collective of travelers, innovators, learners and leaders who believe that travel is a force for good and are driven to power global travel for everyone, everywhere. Learn more about our culture.

Originally published by FWD>DFW in the Dallas Morning News

By Kiara Jones, Social Impact, Frito-Lay North America

Frito-Lay partnered with LULAC National Educational Service Centers (LNESC) to expand their innovative P.U.E.N.T.E.S. program to bring digital literacy training to Hispanic communities in key markets.

Pathways to Uplift and Empower through Novel Technology and Education Services (P.U.E.N.T.E.S.) is an expansion program of LNESC that now serves seven markets, including Dallas. The goal of the program is to cultivate a learning opportunity for families in newly immigrated and first-generation Hispanic communities to receive the necessary skills, resources and tools needed for digital literacy.

Throughout the P.U.E.N.T.E.S. program, families take part in cohorts where they learn valuable skills to thrive in today’s digital age. A consistent barrier to digital literacy for the Hispanic community is access to bilingual education, which the P.U.E.N.T.E.S. program combats with Spanish-speaking instructors. The program also pairs a grade-school student with their adult family member(s) to display a safe space through trust. The students help their families by joining the instruction, which also translates to being able to continuously practice new skills at home.

As captured in pre- and post-cohort surveys, 51.5% of participants began the program not feeling fully confident with technology, while 100% of participants felt more confident with their usage of technology and navigating their digital device upon completion. Each LNESC location offering a P.U.E.N.T.E.S. program leads three different cohorts per year that have totaled 161 participants in the inaugural year. In Frito-Lay’s second year of partnership, it is projected that 360 participants will complete the P.U.E.N.T.E.S. program with more testimonials of confidence and success.

Celebrating the proven success of the P.U.E.N.T.E.S. program, Joan Cetera, vice president of Communications and Community Engagement at PepsiCo Foods North America, stated, “Frito-Lay takes pride in the transformative impact of our partnership with LNESC in advancing digital literacy. This endeavor reinforces our commitment to deliver more smiles and a brighter future within the Hispanic community, including our neighbors right here in Dallas.”

Ray de los Santos, director of the LNESC Dallas location, sheds light on the profound impact of LNESC’s presence in the Dallas-Fort Worth (D-FW) area and the significant contributions made by the P.U.E.N.T.E.S. program. He says, “LNESC Dallas is currently celebrating 25 years of service in the D-FW metroplex. Overall, we serve [over] 185 students through our federal grants and many more through our partnerships with our corporate partners like Frito-Lay, which has generously funded our P.U.E.N.T.E.S. program.” He emphasizes that this initiative, designed to enhance internet and computer literacy among parents, has been pivotal in ensuring that parents are active participants in their children’s education. De los Santos underlines the importance of this partnership, saying, “Without this support, our mission of lifting up students and communities is made more difficult because a vital part of the team, our parents, are sidelined. We must do better to lift up the families, and through the P.U.E.N.T.E.S. initiative, we are able to do just that.”

Speaking to the dynamic relationship between LNESC and Frito-Lay within Dallas, de los Santos shares, “We have a powerful and long-standing relationship with Frito-Lay. Our P.U.E.N.T.E.S. partnership has benefited the community by increasing the digital/computer literacy of our residents.”

This newfound literacy opens doors to economic opportunities and enables parents to interact effectively with school officials and other community stakeholders. It empowers individuals by granting them access to the vast world of opportunity available through the internet, bridging the digital divide and enriching lives in ways that were previously unattainable. This partnership extends beyond mere financial support, as it includes in-kind donations, such as Frito-Lay North America donating printers to LNESC regional offices, equaling over $23,000. De los Santos highlights how this collaboration has helped shape and change lives, especially through the P.U.E.N.T.E.S. program, which brings individuals and families into the modern digital age. To learn more about LNESC and the P.U.E.N.T.E.S. program, go to www.lnesc.org/programs/puentes.

Originally published by FWD>DFW in the Dallas Morning News

By Kiara Jones, Social Impact, Frito-Lay North America

Frito-Lay partnered with LULAC National Educational Service Centers (LNESC) to expand their innovative P.U.E.N.T.E.S. program to bring digital literacy training to Hispanic communities in key markets.

Pathways to Uplift and Empower through Novel Technology and Education Services (P.U.E.N.T.E.S.) is an expansion program of LNESC that now serves seven markets, including Dallas. The goal of the program is to cultivate a learning opportunity for families in newly immigrated and first-generation Hispanic communities to receive the necessary skills, resources and tools needed for digital literacy.

Throughout the P.U.E.N.T.E.S. program, families take part in cohorts where they learn valuable skills to thrive in today’s digital age. A consistent barrier to digital literacy for the Hispanic community is access to bilingual education, which the P.U.E.N.T.E.S. program combats with Spanish-speaking instructors. The program also pairs a grade-school student with their adult family member(s) to display a safe space through trust. The students help their families by joining the instruction, which also translates to being able to continuously practice new skills at home.

As captured in pre- and post-cohort surveys, 51.5% of participants began the program not feeling fully confident with technology, while 100% of participants felt more confident with their usage of technology and navigating their digital device upon completion. Each LNESC location offering a P.U.E.N.T.E.S. program leads three different cohorts per year that have totaled 161 participants in the inaugural year. In Frito-Lay’s second year of partnership, it is projected that 360 participants will complete the P.U.E.N.T.E.S. program with more testimonials of confidence and success.

Celebrating the proven success of the P.U.E.N.T.E.S. program, Joan Cetera, vice president of Communications and Community Engagement at PepsiCo Foods North America, stated, “Frito-Lay takes pride in the transformative impact of our partnership with LNESC in advancing digital literacy. This endeavor reinforces our commitment to deliver more smiles and a brighter future within the Hispanic community, including our neighbors right here in Dallas.”

Ray de los Santos, director of the LNESC Dallas location, sheds light on the profound impact of LNESC’s presence in the Dallas-Fort Worth (D-FW) area and the significant contributions made by the P.U.E.N.T.E.S. program. He says, “LNESC Dallas is currently celebrating 25 years of service in the D-FW metroplex. Overall, we serve [over] 185 students through our federal grants and many more through our partnerships with our corporate partners like Frito-Lay, which has generously funded our P.U.E.N.T.E.S. program.” He emphasizes that this initiative, designed to enhance internet and computer literacy among parents, has been pivotal in ensuring that parents are active participants in their children’s education. De los Santos underlines the importance of this partnership, saying, “Without this support, our mission of lifting up students and communities is made more difficult because a vital part of the team, our parents, are sidelined. We must do better to lift up the families, and through the P.U.E.N.T.E.S. initiative, we are able to do just that.”

Speaking to the dynamic relationship between LNESC and Frito-Lay within Dallas, de los Santos shares, “We have a powerful and long-standing relationship with Frito-Lay. Our P.U.E.N.T.E.S. partnership has benefited the community by increasing the digital/computer literacy of our residents.”

This newfound literacy opens doors to economic opportunities and enables parents to interact effectively with school officials and other community stakeholders. It empowers individuals by granting them access to the vast world of opportunity available through the internet, bridging the digital divide and enriching lives in ways that were previously unattainable. This partnership extends beyond mere financial support, as it includes in-kind donations, such as Frito-Lay North America donating printers to LNESC regional offices, equaling over $23,000. De los Santos highlights how this collaboration has helped shape and change lives, especially through the P.U.E.N.T.E.S. program, which brings individuals and families into the modern digital age. To learn more about LNESC and the P.U.E.N.T.E.S. program, go to www.lnesc.org/programs/puentes.

Electronics are essential to daily life, making mobile device connectivity, air travel, automotive safety, and much more possible. The materials that enable the form and function of many electronic systems are manufactured at Henkel’s Rancho Dominguez facility, which has produced adhesive pastes and films for over 30 years. The team has mastered the production of more than 700 formulations and 5,000 unique products. Learn more in this segment of #AViewFrom: Rancho Dominguez, California.

Located just south of Los Angeles, CA, Henkel’s five-acre, 75,000 sq. ft. Rancho Dominguez site manufactures conductive and non-conductive specialty adhesives, pastes, and films to connect and protect semiconductor packages, optoelectronics, LEDs, electronic components, and printed circuit boards (PCBs). About 130 employees across various production, quality, logistics, engineering, customer service, and management functions produce thousands of unique materials that enable high-performance electronic and industrial products within numerous markets, including telecommunications, aerospace, automotive, and consumer electronics, to name a few.

Henkel’s team at the Rancho Dominguez, California facility manufactures a variety of conductive and non-conductive specialty adhesives, pastes, and films under the LOCTITE® brand. These products enable high-performance electronic and industrial products within numerous markets including telecommunications, automotive, LED Lighting, and consumer electronics, among others.

The complexity of the product portfolio made here, along with our innovative film manufacturing capability, make this site unique among Henkel manufacturing facilities. Conductive Die-Attach Film, which Henkel pioneered and scaled at this facility, is a successful material for semiconductor packaging applications, and Assembly Films frequently used within aerospace systems are equally impactful. Both are produced here. Our team has tremendous know-how, focus, and commitment because they appreciate the magnitude of their work; these materials are often in mission-critical end products, and quality must be exceptional.

Peter Saxton, Operations Director, Rancho Dominguez Plant

Established in 1961, the business now operated at the Rancho Dominguez site came into the Henkel fold when the company acquired the adhesives and electronic materials businesses of National Starch in 2008. Proudly diverse with employees of many different cultures, ethnicities, genders, and tenures, the team here describes themselves as family. Production Manager Curtis Ushijima, who oversees film manufacture, has worked here for 20 years and has held numerous roles with increasing responsibility. “We support each other to get the job done, no matter what that takes,” he says. “There is a shared desire to succeed as a team, and we do that day in and day out.”

Metals Production Manager Randy Clyde concurs, adding, “Henkel is a large global company, but Rancho Dominguez feels like a small, family-run business where everyone has your back. We all take our work very seriously and push each other to be our best. The enriching environment and camaraderie have kept me coming to work at Henkel every day for nearly 40 years.”

A CULTURE OF GENEROSITY:

Inside and outside of the facility, Rancho Dominguez staff extends kindness and gratitude. “We want our team to know how much they are valued,” explains HR Business Partner, Jessica Little. “From birthday celebrations to peer-to-peer recognition for lending a hand or solving a problem, showing appreciation is part of our culture.” Engaging with the needs of its community, the generous team at Rancho Dominguez also consistently participates in local food bank initiatives, toy drives for underprivileged children, and support for local shelters.

DID YOU KNOW:

“People often think of adhesives as just glue,” says Ruth Villareal, Americas Product Manager, Electronics. “While they do stick, adhesives are far more than glue! Medical devices like pacemakers, critical communication satellites, computers, data centers, self-driving cars…none of those things would function properly without our materials, and that’s pretty incredible.”