Stevens Worldwide Van Lines • "The Way to Move"

Stevens and its Records Management Division in Toledo -- one of Stevens' newest and most rapidly growing divisions -- have received ISO 9001:2008 certification. This is the first time the Ohio records management facility has been included in the scope of Stevens' certification.

The other Stevens' entitites that are certified under the quality management standards include Stevens Worldwide Van Lines, which is the moving and storage business; Stevens International Forwarders, which handles international moves and general commodities shipments; and Stevens Records Management in Waterford, Mich.

Stevens first acquired ISO 9001 certification in 2001 and has maintained a level of the certification since. However, this is the first time that Stevens Records Management in Toledo, Ohio has been part of the scope. For more details about Stevens Records Management, visit www.svlrecords.com

ISO 9001 is a quality management standards. Specifically, ISO 9001:2008 specifies requirements for a company's quality managment system where the origanization demonstrates its ability to consistently provide a product or service that meets customer standards as well as statutory and regulatory requirements and works to enhance customer satisfaction through continual improvement and regulations.

On this July 4, Stevens Worldwide Van Lines reminds all citizens to fly the flag as a patriotic symbol in honor of our country.

Philadelphia seamstress and upholsterer Betsy Ross is long credited, but sometimes disputed, with sewing the first American flag. Legend has ingrained  that Ross was commissioned by the Second Continental Congress' Flag Committee in early 1776 to make the flag. Ross was an experienced flag maker, as upholsterers often were called up to make flags at that time. She was a member of the church George Washington attended. However, some historians frequently have disputed the Ross claim to history.

But, in April 2009, citing testimony from Ross' family members and paper patterns, the Pennsylvania Historical Museum Commission officially recognized Ross as "credited with making the first stars and stripes flag."

Some other July 4th history that might be of interest:

• The Declaration of Independence was not approved and signed on July 4, 1776. Although the Continental Congress put five representatives in charge of developing a declaration, the other four selected Thomas Jefferson as the main author, as he was considered the most eloquent and influential writer of the group. Jefferson presented a draft to the Continental Congress on July 1, the the group made numerous revisions on July 3 and July 4. All of the delegates except those from New York approved it on July 4.
• On July 5, 1776, a rough draft of the declaration was taken to a printer for leaflets to be produced.
• On July 8, 1776, the Liberty Bell sounded from the tower of the Pennsylvania State House (which is now known as Independence Hall) summoning citizens to gather for a reading of the draft.
• On July 9, 1776, the New York delegates finally approved the declaration.
• It wasn't until Aug. 2, 1776 that 50 of the delegation signed the Declaration of Independence. Later five more signed, and the last signed in January 1777.
• The first public Fourth of July event at the White House did not occur until the early 1800s.
• Both John Adams, the second president of the United States (1797-1801) and Thomas Jefferson, the third president of the United States (1801-1809) died on July 4, 1826.

Stevens Worldwide Van Lines is proud of its 105-year heritage as an American company, and as our country celebrates Independence Day this weekend Stevens joins the national salute to the United States.

With a history that dates to days of horses and wagons, Stevens has grown and progressed in stride with America, but has worked diligently to maintain the traditional business and family values that started the company.

When Frederick Stevens first started moving families and their belongings using one horse and a flat-bed wagon in 1905 in Saginaw, Mich., he likely never would have envisioned the nationwide footprint and hundreds of moving vans the company has today.

With a vision, hard work and a gentleman's promise to treat customers fairly, Frederick Stevens built what some may call an American dream -- a company that has endured the test of time. Generations of Stevens' descendents have grown and expanded the company, but maintained its headquarters in the same middle-American city where it began.

Stories like Stevens' are not unique, but they are largely American -- thanks in great part to the freedoms we enjoy as Americans and the work and passion of our forefathers.

Throughout this July 4th holiday, amid the barbecues, festivities and fireworks, remember the privileges we have as Americans and living in the "home of the free."

This is not your typical packing and moving job.

Throughout the past few weeks, and continuing for the next few, Stevens Worldwide Van Lines crews have carefully packed, transported and unloaded items ranging from test tubes to specialized microscopes to book collections of PhDs to the new University of Toledo College of Pharmacy facility.

The pharmacy college, which in the past eight years has seen its enrollment nearly double to more than 1,500 students, is relocating its location on the main University of Toledo campus to the Health Sciences Campus.

The new College of Pharmacy building started in early Fall 2009 and the dedication ceremony for the $25 million facility is scheduled for Sept. 3.

The new pharmacy center includes modular laboratories, a 500-seat lecture hall, various sized classrooms, video conferencing rooms, research areas, a public drug information center, a pharmacy museum, offices and many other amenities. The building is designated to receive a Silver Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Certification. This certification indicates that the building meets high standards for energy performance, construction pollution prevention and recyclables collection.

Some of the special considerations for the Stevens crews with the College of Pharmacy move include the careful packing and coordination of 24 laboratories and the specific equipment for each lab, and packing and movement of regulated chemicals and substances that must be kept at constant temperatures throughout the move.

The move will be completed by mid-August.

The move of the College of Pharmacy to the Health Sciences Campus helps to integrate the pharmacy studies, faculty and students with other efforts and disciplines taking place on the Health Sciences Campus, including disease treatment research and techmology.

Peninsula Transfer Moving & Storage of Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin is the newest interstate agent to join Stevens Worldwide Van Lines.

Peninsula Transfer can provide service for any type of residential move and are specialists in moving pianos and other specialty items. The company provides service throughout the Sturgeon Bay and metropolitan Green Bay regions.

Peninsula Transfer has a 6,000-square-foot warehouse and can handle long-term and short-term storage needs, including commercial storage.

Peninsula Transfer can be reached at 920-743-1234 or via their website www.peninsulatransfer.com

The manager of vehicle safety and maintenance at Stevens Worldwide Van Lines will get to see firsthand what law enforcement officers are seeing and doing when they inspect a truck of bus on the side of a highway.

John Flanagan, manager of quality, safety and fleet services at Stevens, will shadow Michigan State Police troopers on Tuesday, June 8 at Roadcheck 2010, which is the world's largest targeted enforcement program on vehicles.

He will see what the officers see and observe which drivers are given the OK to continue with their over-the-road journeys, what type of problems prompt citations and what type of safety violations put a driver out of service.

By observing RoadCheck 2010, Flanagan will gain important information and insight for managing and enforcing safety standards for the Stevens Worldwide Van Lines fleet of vehicles, and in obtaining enforcement information for the moving industry in general. He is currently co-chair of the American Moving & Storage Associations's Safety Management Committee. The American Moving & Storage Association is the trade association for nearly 3,200 professional moving companies across the country. The Safety Management Committee addresses accident and injury prevention, industry training and safety promotion throughout the moving industry.

Roadcheck is in its 23rd yearof intensive inspections in the United States, Canada and Mexico. Last year, officials inspected 72,782 trucks and buses in 2,184 locations during Roadcheck. Of the inspected vehicles, nearly 19.6% -- 14,265 trucks and buses -- were placed out of service for mechanical and safety reasons.

 Stevens will partner with OneSource Relocation, a leader in corporate relocation management servivces, to present a special webinar on the growing trends in employee relocation.

The webinar is:

Time: 11 a.m. (EST)

Date: Tuesday, June 22

Title: Maximizing Your Lump Sum Relocation Program: Adding Value Without Adding Cost

Presenters: Michael Schaetzle, Vice President of Relocation Services at Stevens Worldwide Van Lines; and Michael Nimer, Chief Operating Officer at OneSource Relocation

The webinar will be hosted by HR.com, the country's largest social network for human resources executives and suppliers.

Registration is simple. Click here.

If those wishing to participate in the webinar are members of HR.com, the link above will provide easy registration. Those who are not members of HR.com must sign up for a FREE HR.com membership. Registration is quick and easy. After membership in HR.com is confirmed, new members can register for this complimentary webcast.

Topics of discussion for the webinar will include:

• Building an effective lump sum relocation program
• Ensuring that an organization gets the most out of its lump sum relocation dollars
• Maximizing lump sum relocation programs
• Stretching employees' moving budgets through cost-saving alternatives and rebate programs
• How transferees who own homes can receive rebates, credits or cash back bonuses to help reduce the cost of relocation

Stevens Worldwide Van Lines is pleased to welcome Braun Moving & Storage Company of Newtown, Conn., as an interstate agent.

Braun Moving & Storage moves household goods and office and commercial equipment, as well as specialized items such as medical and lab equipment, fine arts and antiques and trade show exhibits and displays.

Braun Moving provides serve to several areas in Connecticut, including the metropolitan areas of Hartford, Danbury and Stamford, as well as New York City.

Braun Moving has a 48,000-square-foot warehouse and can handle long-term and short-term storage needs.

Braun Moving can be reached at 203-426-2394 or via their website www.braunmoving.com

Stevens Worldwide Van Lines is proud to be an American company and pleased to have the ability to provide service to thousands of military personnel and their families each year.

As a symbol of patriotism and honor to those who we remember on Memorial Day, Stevens reminds you of the following etiquette for the American flag.

·         On Memorial Day, the flag should be flown at half-staff until noon. When placing the flag at half-staff, it should be hoisted to the peak of the flag pole first, then lowered to the half-staff position. The flag should again be raised to the peak position before lowering for the day.

·         When hanging the flag from a window or draped from the edge of a building, the flag should hang vertically, with the field of stars to the left for those viewing it

·         Always hang the American flag above any other flag on the same pole

·         No other flags in a display may be larger than the American flag

·         The American flag is always the first to be raised and the last to be lowered

·         Flags may only be displayed after dark if they are properly illuminated

While several stories seem to conflict about the actual origin of Memorial Day, the holiday was officially proclaimed by General John Logan, national commander of the Grand Army of the Republic on May 5, 1868. It was first nationally observed on May 30 of that year when flowers were placed on the graves of Union and Confederate soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery. However, many cities, towns and women’s groups, especially in the South, lay claim to the origin, as they had set aside days to decorate the graves of fallen soldiers.

Stevens Worldwide Van Lines – which provides moving and storage service to thousands of military personnel and their families every year – encourages the celebration of Memorial Day for its true meaning.

First enacted to honor soldiers of the Civil War, after World War I the holiday changed to remember Americans who died fighting any war. The memorial originally was called Decoration Day, and although the name Memorial Day came into some use as early as the 1880s, the name did not officially change to Memorial Day until 1967.

Although many cities and towns will have parades and other celebrations honoring service men and women during this holiday, the majority will not – treating the three-day weekend as little more than the unofficial start of summer.

Two of the largest remaining observances of Memorial Day that involve youth and families occur Saturday and Sunday. Today, Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts will place more than 15,300 candles before gravesites in Fredericksburg National Cemeteryin Virginia. Tomorrow, in St. Louis, Mo., Boy Scouts andtheir families will plce nearly 165,000 flags on sites at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery -- one of the National Cemetery Adminstration's oldest internment sites. The scouts started this tradition in 1951.