Agents and HQ Staff Travel to Kauai, HI to Celebrate the Year's Achievements.
Convention kicked off with a display of true Hawaiian culture as employees of host agent Pacific Transfer, LLC (1579) performed on stage, followed by a welcome message from Alvin Tanaka, President & CEO.
Atlas 'Ohana gathered at the the 67th annual Convention in November to celebrate the year end and take a glance at what's ahead. Atlas revealed pioneering initiatives that will benefit customers and create a lasting impact on the relocation industry, plus recognized esteemed agents as recipients of renowned company awards.
A Time for Family
This year, the theme focused on family, or 'ohana, which is a Hawaiian concept that emphasizes the meaning of family. Convention attendees were encouraged to think of Convention as a time of togetherness and to see the Atlas agency network as their 'ohana. Since Atlas had not held a Convention in Hawaii for 20 years, "coming home" was the underlying message of the event.
A true 'ohana, Paxton Van Lines displayed their spirit of togetherness at the President's Reception on the final night of Convention.
Looking Ahead to 2018
It’s proving to be a time of ample progression for Atlas. In the opening general session at Convention, Atlas leaders provided an overview of Vision: 2018, the strategic plan for Atlas in the next 5 years.
The launch of new tools and initiatives were also revealed in the opening session. The Spanish website, Atlas en Español, was discussed as a platform for conducting business and connecting consumers to bilingual Atlas agents that provide a full suite of moving services. Also detailed was the launch of an online version of the corporate magazine, Amplifier™, making company and industry news more readily available. Finally, initial insights were shared pertaining to the upcoming release of a new brand identity and strategic direction for Atlas Logistics.
Pictured above: President & COO Jack Griffin, Mary Beth Johnson, Assistant Vice President of Avail Move Management, Jeff Schimmel, Vice President of Transportation Services, and Ryan McConnell, Vice President of Corporate Marketing discuss their strategic initiatives as part of Vision: 2018.
Recognizing the Best in the Business
Throughout the various sessions of Friday, Atlas honored award winners that continuously exceed business expectations and establish new standards that motivate others in the industry.
Most notably, quality awards were presented to agents whose performance exemplifies their dedication. Fifty-three agents were named recipients of the Milton M. Hill Quality Award, an award that recognizes agents who demonstrate industry superiority and uppermost quality of customer service. Five agents were named recipients of the Specialized Transportation Group (STG) Award, which recognizes agents’ unfailing sensitivity and creativity while implementing moving strategies that successfully relocate high-price or unique items. Lastly, 31 agents were named recipients of the World-Class Commitment Award, presented to agents who rank highly in 12 critical areas, including estimating accuracy, claims experience and customer satisfaction.
Many additional quality, sales and hauling award winners were recognized. A full list of award recipients can be seen in the Convention awards brochure.
An award that can't be found in the booklet is Move For Hunger's Mover of the Year winner. This year, the award was presented to Imlach Group, who donated 87,886 pounds of food or 73,238 meals to local food banks in 2014.
Move For Hunger received their own special surprise at Convention this year. Larry Writt, a representative of National Association of Independent Truckers (NAIT), presented the organization with a $50,000 donation.
Larry Writt presents a surprise donation of $50,0000 to Kristy Redford and Alexandra Marcus, who represented Move For Hunger at Convention this year.The money was donated through NAIT's charitable organization, Truckers Helping Truckers.
Atlas Chairman & CEO Glen Dunkerson reflects on the importance of Convention and gather together as one big family to recognize the years endeavors.
“The annual convention holds a special place in our company’s heart, as we love to recognize our agents and bestow them with the highest industry honors for their consistent growth and hard work. This year, we also provided a snapshot of our newest enterprises to better provide services to new and existing customers, as well as showcasing our forward-thinking leadership in the industry," he said.
