One of the core values of Titan America is Corporate Social Responsibility. We serve our communities as active and concerned corporate citizens. We believe we are responsible to future generations, and therefore we are guardians of our environment.
Following are a few examples of how Titan America participates in and gives back to, the communities we serve:
Titan America Supports Community through Crop Walk ‘06
On Sunday, March 5, 2006, Titan America again sponsored Church World Service’s annual Crop Walk in Orlando. Approximately 300 people retained enough sponsorship to participate. We raised nearly $40,000.00 for food and shelter for poverty stricken areas in 80 countries. Over the last couple of years, much of the proceeds has been used to assist those in tsunami or hurricane relief areas; but other poverty or war-torn areas have not been forgotten.
Of the funds we raised Sunday, 30% stays in our local area and is distributed to support the Christian Sharing Centers around metro Orlando. The funds here are used to purchase bulk food at the Food Bank for $0.10/lb. This, of course, translates to 1000lbs. of food for $100. Think what the $13,000 that we raised for our local centers can buy. Titan America alone was responsible for purchasing 10,000lbs. of food.
We would like for Titan America to sponsor this event again next year but with the added effort of getting other local Titan America/Tarmac employees involved as walkers. Generally, this means getting friends and family to sponsor a walker for a donation. This can be done on a per lap basis or as a flat amount donation. Flat donations are more common and can be any amount. Crop Walk encourages walkers to get pledges totaling a minimum of $100 per walker.
One highlight of this year’s event was a gentleman who raised $600 from his friends and he celebrated his 101st birthday by walking with us again.
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Titan Hosts Workshop for William Turner Tech Students
Pennsuco needed a dedicated area for research and development of Titan products. The original plan was to hire a block mason. Instead, students at the Mason Pre-Apprentice Program at William Turner Technical High School were hosted to a field trip on March 31 unlike any other they had ever experienced.
According to Craig Leonard, “We had a work area set up for them and each attendee did his or her part in laying concrete block for seven 6’X8” walls that will be used for research and development of Titan products. These students experienced a jobsite work environment and for many, they had the opportunity to use their tools outside of the classroom for the first time.”
This project was designed with dual purposes in mind. First, it allowed us to develop an area for testing, research and development of Titan products. Secondly, it enabled Titan employees the ability to get involved in the community and assist in the education of Florida’s future construction workers.
As added learning benefit, videotape was shot by students throughout the day so the project could be reviewed in the classroom for further explanation and instruction.
A good day’s work produced a group of tired but proud students. Mr. Leonard reports that he’s looking forward to hosting similar classes in the near future.
The following Titan employees contributed to making this excellent learning experience possible:
Jim Taute, Alfredo DeLaCadena, Sherrin Burks, Jose Brito, Jesus Socarras, Al Williams, Kurt Trump, John Lyon, Joe Rivero, Greg Herndon, Barbara Avila, Jim Simon.
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Titan “Rocks for a Cure” at Relay for Life 2006
The Titan America Relay For Life® Team made an outstanding showing at this spring’s event at the Virginia Beach Amphitheater to benefit the American Cancer Association. This year’s team, “Remember the Titans” was made up of employees from Azalea Garden Road and Campostella, and used “Rockin’ for a Cure!” as their theme to keep motivated and energized throughout the night.
Relay For Life® is a fun-filled overnight event designed to celebrate survivorship and raise money to help the American Cancer Society save lives, help those who have been touched by cancer, and empower individuals to fight back against this disease. During the event, teams of people gather at schools, fairgrounds, or parks and take turns walking or running laps. Each team keeps at least one team member on the track at all times.
Long before the actual event, Titan team members began collecting donations and raising money in a variety of creative ways, such as Blue Jeans Friday, baked goods sales, specialty lunch sales, 50/50 raffles, and a yard sale. They also raffled off a basket packed with items for a perfect day at the beach.
By early June, the Relay for Life® Team collected more than $8,000. With Titan’s corporate match, the total exceeds $16,000!
Bravo to everyone who participated, and special thanks for Nicole Patino, Team Captain, Dee Crowthers, an experienced captain, for inspiration and guidance, and Bob Thomas for agreeing to sponsor.
Tarmac Provides Donation to World Center for Concrete Technology
Kurt Trump, general manager, block division of Tarmac, recently presented a $50,000 check to the World Center of Concrete Technology (WCCT). The WCCT is a premier research and educational facility serving the concrete and concrete products industries, and one of the few training facilities in the world that provides hands-on material-based training. Students learn about concrete and concrete products using the same equipment and materials that are used in actual production facilities.
The WCCT relies solely on funding from industry organizations. Titan’s generous donation is an excellent reflection of our corporate value for social responsibility. Also, by supporting education, Titan is funding an important training tool for the industry as a whole and bolstering the health of a facility our staff has reaped value from time and again.
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Titan Helps Resuscitate the Malabar Fire Rescue Department
It’s devastating when hurricanes ravage private property and residences. When they also strip the volunteer rescue department of vital facilities and equipment, the situation quickly becomes grave for the entire community.
Such was the case with the Fire Rescue Department in the town of Malabar, Florida But a group of Titan employees, including Rob Keeler and Tom Sinquefield recognized the severity and consulted Tom Tichacek and Bob Sells with suggestions about how Titan could help.
Titan donated 180 yards of concrete to help rebuild the slab for the foundation, which was poured in early June. Titan also plans to provide an additional 20 – 25 yards to build a ramp for the trucks to enter and exit the station.
Determination of the citizens, ingenuity of Chief Joe Gianantonio, and donations from companies such as Titan, are breathing new life into the Malabar Fire Department.
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Titan Package Sales Team Promotes Continuing Education
The Florida package cement sales team is promoting better education for industry professionals including architects, engineers, contractors, sub-contractors and supply company personnel through new and innovative classes designed specifically for the stucco and masonry industry.
It became evident after the hurricane season of 2004 that the understanding of how to prevent water leaks in houses was woefully lacking. The media were erroneously blaming cracks in the stucco for all water intrusion problems experienced by homeowners during this period. Even some consulting engineers were issuing reports that laid the blame everywhere but the right place. The package cement sales team wanted to do something about that. Craig Leonard Package Cement Sales Manager, and Tim Kuebler, VP, Sales and Marketing, Cement and Aggregates, appointed Mike Starks to the newly created position of Specifications Representative.
Mike was first tasked with producing the group’s first Architectural Technical binder, the first printing of which has just been released. Mike’s new duties also included providing technical support to the package sales team and their extended customer base. It soon became obvious that there was a need, even among the stucco subcontractors, for more information on how to prevent water leaks. Mike spent several months collecting and organizing the information into a continuing education class that the group offers free of charge to anyone with the desire to learn to stucco correctly. The class has been submitted to both the American Institute of Architects and the Florida Construction Industry Licensing Board and has been approved for 2 hours of credit by both organizations. To date, Mike has presented his class “Stucco 101 – Water Resistant Structures” to nearly 200 people.
Mike says he is working on revising the program to one hour segments and adding further topics. Each one hour class will have to be approved as well. He is also working on developing a class for masonry and has an unaccredited class on cement production and cement types that is used as a training program for new employees of the Customer Service and Sales Coordinator teams.
The Architectural binder is also an ongoing project. New information can be printed and inserted at any time. Each binder is tracked to the holder so that the local representative can update it.
Future plans include making a CD version of the binder and a website redesign that also includes the information. Their vision is to build value and create solutions for Titan America customers by becoming the primary source of technical information and assistance.
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