Celebrating Service & Excellence

Celebrating Service & Excellence

Now that we are publishing a monthly newsletter and actively promoting the Collaborative Way, we have decided to significantly change up the award process to align with these new initiatives.

In an effort to give everyone the opportunity to practice the Acknowledgement & Appreciation principle of the Collaborative Way, the goal is to have all awards based on nominations from coworkers in the company. Nominations must be accompanied by one or more detailed paragraphs discussing why that person should receive the award. There will be four quarterly awards (only if people are nominated) and three annual awards.

We have reduced the number of Excellence Awards from the long list of 13 used in the past, down to four main categories which we believe encompass the values we want to promote most:

  • Excellence in Analytical Thinking
  • Excellence in Customer Service
  • Excellence in Mentoring
  • Excellence in Technical Abilities

In addition to gifts and/or physical awards for the winners of these four Excellence Awards, the person whose nomination resulted in any of those four awards will receive a $50 gift card.

The Champion Award and the Collaborative Way Award will remain as annual awards that will be announced at the Christmas Party, and we encourage detailed nominations for these awards as well. As a new addition, we have created the Team Excellence Award to recognize outstanding team efforts which will also be announced at the Christmas party.

All nominations should be made using the form located at the Acknowledgement & Appreciation link. The link can also be found on the homepage of the SharePoint site. All nominations will be reviewed on a quarterly basis by the Business Managers, Ken, Gary, and Laurie, and awarded when appropriate.

In the past, when waiting until the Christmas Party to make announcements, we were up to 11 months late in recognizing some people for their awards. Starting with this issue of The Champion, we will be announcing each person that will be reaching a service milestone during the month of the newsletter (using this issue to catch up on January through April 2015). Service awards are for employees in long-term roles for the first and fifth year’s of employment and every five years afterwards. The associated gift or award will be shipped to each individual’s office around the same time as the newsletter announcement. Please see our Service Excellence Award recipients for January through May of 2015 on the next post!!

Service Awards – Celebrating Service & Excellence (May 2015)

5 Year Service Award Recipients

Wade Smith
HS&E Manager
ASSIST Team
5 Years in February 2015

______________

Girish Palange
Automation Engineer II
Houston Automation
5 Years in March 2015

1 Year Service Award Recipient

Brent Hutson
Automation Engineer II
Baton Rouge
1 Year in January 2015

______________

Lauren McCutchin
Technical Writer
Lake Charles
1 Year in February 2015

______________

Krista Barden
Office Administrator
New Orleans
1 Year in February 2015

______________

Jeff Stewart
Manufacturing Technician II
Salt Lake City
1 Year in March 2015

______________

Matt Andrepont
Automation Engineer I
Lake Charles
1 Year in March 2015

______________

Dona Wallgren
Office Administrator
Salt Lake City
1 Year in April 2015

______________

Angel Theriot
Technical Writer
Baton Rouge
1 Year in April 2015

______________

Kimberley Adams
Administrative Assistant
ASSIST
1 Year in May 2015

______________

Garrett Kopcso
Automation Engineer I
Baton Rouge
1 Year in May 2015

Employee Spotlights (May 2015)

Mother’s Day – Great memory of your Mother?

I have been blessed with two great mothers in my life, my own Mother Jean and the mother of my son, my wife of 20+ years, Nancy. They both shared a common passion for gardening, flowers, etc., and when I reflect on either of them that come through as my fondest memories. Their mutual love of all things that grow and bloom.

Cinco de Mayo or Memorial Day plans?

My Grandson Max’s first birthday, we had hoped he would wait to be a true Cinco de Mayo baby, but he had other plans and arrived on May 3rd, which is close enough in my books. Let’s party, little buddy!

Greenscaping plans?

My wife Nancy is from a very large farm in Ohio which has carried over into our own yard. If there is a spot available, then there is a garden or a flower bed. She is the mastermind; I am the cheap labor that makes her dreams a reality. And this time of year…ah how I enjoy the results, from blooming flowers, to home grown sweet corn and other vegetables…

What’s the weirdest thing you’ve ever eaten?

Cow’s tongue – it is a farm thing, something I was introduced to on the wife’s family farm and to this day I still swear there was hair on it. Yuk comes to mind, and I can still see her dad snickering at me.

Favorite movie?

I am loving all the remakes of the comic books I grew up with, especially all the Marvel-related story lines.

NBA East & West Conference Final Matchups?

My sports interests are more along the lines of the Red Bull Air Races –come on team Chambliss (http://www.teamchambliss.com/)! Not being able to participate in this sport myself, I fly radio controlled scale versions of the same types of planes flown in these races.

Mother’s Day – Great memory of your Mother?

As crazy as this may sound, my greatest memory would have to be from 14 years ago when my mom, at 40 years old, told us that she and my dad were expecting. Of course we all thought they were joking because, let’s face it, most people don’t have kids in their 40’s! But to this day, I admire her for expanding our family even at an age many others wouldn’t even consider.

Cinco de Mayo or Memorial Day plans?

My Memorial Day plans will probably include something outdoors with my kids. Whether it be the park, grilling, or beach, weather permitting we will be outside!

Greenscaping plans?

I actually recently did a vertical herb garden out of a reclaimed pallet. I love re-purposing things and knew I wanted an herb garden this year, so I just put the two together!

What’s the weirdest thing you’ve ever eaten?

A chocolate bar my aunt brought back from Finland for me. It was made by a company called Frazer’s, and the chocolate had cayenne pepper in it. It was pretty interesting!

Favorite movie?

Walk the Line. Biographical Drama Film about Johnny Cash and June Carter starring Joaquin Phoenix & Reese Witherspoon.

NBA East & West Conference Final Matchups?

Honestly? I have no idea because I don’t follow basketball.

Mother’s Day – Great memory of your Mother?

Her teaching me how to play basketball when I was younger… and killing me and all my friends at a game of HORSE. That experience alone definitely taught me not to even consider being sexist.

Cinco de Mayo or Memorial Day plans?

Heading to Gulf Shores for the week of Memorial Day with some friends – just living the dream.

Greenscaping plans?

I don’t really “greenscape” besides cutting down everything I see in my yard before it takes over the house. If there were an easy way to plant/grow different meats, I’d have “Meatscaping” plans for sure; maybe I’ll just barbecue a lot instead.

What’s the weirdest thing you’ve ever eaten?

Ponce, which I think is more like sausage, or cow tongue. Nothing too crazy or weird.

Favorite movie?

Wedding Crashers.

NBA East & West Conference Final Matchups?

NBA Final – Bulls vs. Warriors
Conference Finals – EAST: Bulls vs. Wizards
Conference Finals – WEST: Warriors vs. Clippers

Mother’s Day – Great memory of your Mother?

One good memory I have about my mother is that she’s always been there for me.

Cinco de Mayo or Memorial Day plans?

Right in between, we will spend quality time with some relatives in LA area.

Greenscaping plans?

This year we will add new trees, shrubs, and flowers to our front yard.

What’s the weirdest thing you’ve ever eaten?

I cannot point my finger to only one thing. I did eat a few weird things during my Singapore project visit.

Favorite movie?

Star Wars.

NBA East & West Conference Final Matchups?

West.

Champion Technical Community Toolbox
(May 2015)

 

RSLogix 5000 Add-On Instruction Library

Donald Zoricak from the Baton Rouge office created a library of commonly needed add-on instructions that can be used in RSLogix 5000 for both CompactLogix and ControlLogix PLCs that are not included in Rockwell’s default instruction set. These functions are useful for a wide variety of applications involving communication checks between devices, first out logic, or voting logic between multiple Boolean inputs:

Trigger an output based on a settable number of inputs being triggered. This add-on is used in shutdown logic for voting based trips or monitoring multiple conditions to trigger sequence steps.

Check communication status between two devices. This logic is used to monitor a Boolean (heartbeat based) or an integer value (clock based) to determine if the value has changed in a configurable amount of time. This value is typically linked to a value that is programmed to change being read frequently from a remote device through a communication link.

Determine the first Boolean input to trigger out of a set and latch the value until it is reset. This logic is useful in situations where multiple alarms or shutdown conditions can occur simultaneously. All signals can be monitored by this block to determine the first condition for troubleshooting and finding root causes.

Timer based add-on instructions. These instructions include a Heartbeat generator which pairs well with the communication check instructions, a pulse timer which allows the programmer to configure a pulse on-time and off-time for a Boolean output, and timer converter instructions.

These instructions are not just limited to the cases illustrated above and can be used and various other ways. Past projects have required similar functionality, but now we have a concise and proven way to implement these functions into future projects without repeating what already has been done.

The RSLogix 5000 Add-On Instruction Library can be found on the SharePoint engineering site under templates or by clicking the following link.

Thanks, Don, for your contribution!

If you have created any utilities (not just related to programming), email Joe Driver to have it uploaded to SharePoint and it may be featured in a future spotlight.

Please continue to contribute to the Technical Community Toolbox on SharePoint, and offer your support and input to Joe as he helps us move forward with this important endeavor.

Welcome Our New Hires (May 2015)

Michael DeLatin
Baton Rouge Automation
Automation Engineer I
______________

Alexis “Lexi” Adams
Design Team (BR)
CAD Technician
______________

Manufacturing Southern Region (LC)
Manufacturing Technician II
______________

Daniel Ricsi
Salt Lake City Automation
Automation Engineer I

______________

Chris Bingham
Denver Automation
Automation Engineer I

What’s Been Happening (May 2015)

Safety Training Cards – What’s the difference?

OSHA training, MSHA training, basic Safety Council training, and Site Specific training are all vital to Champion’s ability to provide service to our customers. Without these trainings, we would not be allowed to step foot on many customers’ worksites. Various customers require one or more of the different available training certifications. In addition, many customers require even more training based on location and the hazards associated with the site, such as HUET (Helicopter Underwater Escape Training), SafeLand, SafeGulf, or Tower Climber.

OSHA training is regulated by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Department of Labor. There are two main courses, the OSHA 10-hour training and OSHA 30-hour training which are both good for life and do not need to be renewed unless a customer requires that the training have been completed within a previous amount of time – say 3 years. Both courses cover a large list of topics at an ‘awareness’ level of training, with the 30 hour training being more depth and adding several additional topics. There are various online and in person training locations where employees can receive OSHA 10 and OSHA 30 certification, including their local Safety Councils, which also offer many additional OSHA specific training courses required to perform specific tasks, such as forklift operation or crane operation.

MSHA training is regulated by the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA). Many of the topics are the same as those in the OSHA training, but also some specific for working in above ground or underground mines. There are several different trainings 3 Year, 1 Year, and refresher courses which all have different lengths of training time and depth of topics. Employees can receive MSHA training at various Safety Councils as well.

Basic Safety Council training is the base for many customer site specific training courses and must meet and/or exceed the minimum OSHA regulations, but unfortunately they are not interchangeable with OSHA training. Also the Safety Council training is generally only valid for one year. Many of the Gulf Coast councils will recognize the basic training from other councils, but the Rocky Mountain Region council in Salt Lake City will not recognize the Gulf Coast training and vice versa.

Lastly, many customers require Site Specific training which is either done on site or at the local safety council after the base training is complete. As you can see from the list of training on the Alliance Safety Council website (click here), it can be quite extensive.

In general, many of the training certifications are similar in content, but are not interchangeable, which results in numerous hours of training and different cards depending on which customer or site you are working for.

The table below provides a brief comparison of the differences between OSHA and the base Safety Council training.

If you have any questions about OSHA training, Safety Council training, or other safety-related topics, please do not hesitate to contact Wade Smith, HS&E Manager, at wade.smith@champtechnology.com.

 

CURRENT EVENTS (May 2015)

May 10

CELEBRATE MOTHER’S DAY
Happy Mother’s Day. Feliz Dia de las Madres. Furaha Ya Mama Siku. It doesn’t matter how you say it, the sentiment is the same: Happy Mother’s Day, Mom. For around the world customs, click here.

May 20

DENVER OFFICE OPEN HOUSE  
2:00pm – 7:00pm – Celebrating the opening of the Denver Office. Clients and potential clients are invited to tour our new facility and enjoy drinks and appetizers with team members during the event.

May 28

HOUSTON OFFICE SUMMER TRIP
May 28-31 – Summer Trip to Port Aransas, Texas. The perfect getaway and vacation destination, located along the Gulf of Mexico, offering a variety of activities such as fishing, boat excursions and more.

Jun 21

CELEBRATE FATHER’S DAY
Happy Father’s Day. Many countries all around the world celebrate fatherhood by observing a day for dads. To put a new twist on your celebration from other customs, click here.

Jun 21

HONEYWELL USERS GROUP (HUG) AMERICAS SYMPOSIUM
June 21-26 – event will be held at the JW Marriott in San Antonio, TX. Developed by customers for customers. For more information about the Symposium, click here.

Jun 22

SIEMENS – 2015 AUTOMATION SUMMIT
June 22-25 – event will be held at the Aria Resort in Las Vegas, NV. The Summit has demonstrations of the latest technologies – hardware and software. For more information about the Summit, click here.

 


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Healthy & Tasty Pizza Recipe


Wild Mushroom Pizza with Arugula & Pecorino

Mother’s Day is your opportunity to recognize Mom for all the nice things she’s done for you over the years, and what better gift to show her your love and appreciation than to cook something delicious for Mother’s Day? Make this healthy and tasty pizza for Mother’s Day, so easy even the kids can help, which is sure to delight her. Just remember—you need to do the dishes.

Make no mistake, this healthy and tasty pizza recipe is all about the mushrooms; lemon oil and arugula add just enough citrus and spiciness to accent without overwhelming. To that end, Sardinian or Tuscan Pecorino cheese (milder than Pecorino Romano) is called for, but other mellow grating cheeses, such as Parmigiano-Reggiano, will work.

4 servings, about 1/4 pizza each   |   Total Time: 50 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
  • 4 cups trimmed and sliced mixed fresh wild mushrooms, such as hen of the woods (maitake) and chanterelles
  • 1 pound, preferably whole-wheat
  • 2 cloves garlic, very thinly sliced
  • 4 ounces fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced and torn into 1/2- inch pieces
  • 3 cups loosely packed arugula
  • 1 tablespoon agrumato lemon oil (see Tip)
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 3 tablespoons shaved Pecorino Sardo or Toscano cheese
NUTRITION:

Per serving: 495 calories; 28g fat (6g sat, 13g mono); 26mg cholesterol; 50g carbohydrates; 1g added sugars; 4g total sugars; 17g protein; 4g fiber; 610mg sodium; 304mg potassium.

Exchanges: 3 starch, 1 vegetable, 1 medium-fat meat, 3 fat


PREPARATION:

  1. Place a pizza stone or large rimless baking sheet on the bottom rack and preheat oven to the highest temperature, preferably 500°F, for 30 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook mushrooms, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
  3. Roll dough on a floured surface into a 14-inch circle. Transfer to a floured pizza peel (or rimless baking sheet). Scatter garlic over the dough then sprinkle with mozzarella and half of the mushrooms (reserve the remaining mushrooms for Step 5). Drizzle the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil over the pizza.
  4. Carefully slide the pizza onto the preheated pizza stone or baking sheet. Bake until browned, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and cut into 4 pieces.
  5. Toss arugula with agrumato lemon.

TIPS & NOTES:

  • This pizza gets a zesty drizzle of agrumato lemon oil, which is created when olives are pressed together with lemons. The resulting extra-virgin olive oil has an exceptionally bright lemony flavor. It’s worth seeking out at gourmet markets or well-stocked natural-foods stores. If you can’t find it, substitute 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil and 1 teaspoon lemon zest.