News

A quick Google search on warehouse injuries brings up some truly alarming statistics. At AMS we have a strong focus on warehouse safety, so thankfully AMS is not among those with four out of ten workers suffering some sort of injury. There are many months when AMS has no injuries. We obviously can’t prevent them all, but let’s just say that injuries are rare at AMS. In other words, our record in the industry is very good and we are beyond mindful when it comes to safety in the warehouse.

Most Common Injuries

What are the most common injuries in the warehouse? Number one would be slips, trips and falls. We prevent these injuries with careful maintenance of the aisles – nothing to slip on, nothing to trip over, and careful prevention of falls. Maintaining safe aisles is common sense and for us it is a given.

Another area where accidents can happen is in the operation of forklifts. There could be a collision, or the forklift could strike a person. It could overturn as well and the driver or others could be seriously injured. That is why at AMS we very thoroughly train our forklift operators on how to operate the equipment safely, at all times. This training is thorough and our forklift operators know how to handle their tasks safely.

Another injury on the list, related to improper operation of forklifts, is falling objects. If objects are improperly stacked or secured, they can fall, striking an employee and causing injuries that could be severe. Once again, we return to the thorough training of our forklift operators. Operating a forklift is a skill, and we make sure our operators have the skill and training to properly stack items, and make sure they are secured.

A much more common injury can come from lifting or manually handling heavy objects. Improper or unsafe lifting or handling can lead to sprains, strains, hernias – musculoskeletal injuries. At AMS the most frequent injury would be strains. Our employees are carefully and thoroughly trained in how to properly handle heavy objects and avoid these types of injuries. We do our best and yet we do experience an occasional injury.

Now let’s look at the injuries falling into the category of ‘other’. Number one is called repetitive stress. This means injuries that can occur due to repetitive movements like lifting, bending or twisting. Injuries can happen from overextension and overexertion, cuts or lacerations from using tools, handling sharp objects or dealing with machinery. Conveyor belts have their dangers as well. Finally, we’ll mention accidents involving trucks backing up.

As readers can see, working in a fulfillment warehouse has its dangers built in. AMS is well aware of the importance of safety training and we strongly encourage employees to bring any safety concerns to the attention of their supervisor – don’t wait – see something, say something immediately.

We want to have the best safety record in the industry among fulfillment warehouses, and we are definitely doing our best to achieve it. AMS has few lost-time injuries and when we do experience an accident resulting in injury, we learn from it.

Why the Focus on Safety?

Let’s start answering this question with a quote from Mr. Jeff Bruce, VP of Human Resources at AMS Fulfillment.

“We are working on a Safety strategy to ensure all of our practices are in alignment in all of our facilities and we are in full compliance with all of the ever-changing rules and laws. Our main goal is to keep all of our associates safe and have a safe workplace to be at. It’s the right thing to do and we want to be industry leaders. Our desire is to make things safe for every associate through training, supervisor interactions, and promoting good safety habits.”

We could say that the focus on safety comes from actually caring about our employees… and we Do actually care. Our conversations about employees being stakeholders in our business isn’t ‘woke’ propaganda. We live what we believe, and what we believe is… do what’s right by the employees, the clients, the environment and ourselves.

We don’t talk about it often, but AMS has been a very dedicated B Corporation for several years. We do it for ourselves, and we also do it for our other stakeholders. Our clients are proud to do business with a B Corporation, and their customers appreciate it as well. Most customers would prefer to buy a product from a company that cares not only about the quality of the product, but also integrity in the manufacturing and handling of the product.

What Does Safety do for fulfillment Clients?

AMS is proof that a fulfillment company can care about employees and still be a successful business. We encourage all eCommerce businesses looking for the right fulfillment provider to ask about the fulfillment company’s record with regard to warehouse injuries. Respect for employee safety matters, and it leads to excellent service in fulfillment.

How does it lead to excellent service? Fulfillment clients looking for a good safety record, also can take a good look at what a safe warehouse actually means for their business.

#1. First of all, experienced and skilled workers want to work at the safe warehouse, and stay there. So, in the safe warehouse clients get an experienced workforce with skills.

#2. Secondly, a fulfillment service with a low injury rate will be a positive for the brand’s image.

#3. A safe warehouse for employees is also a safe warehouse for the client’s products. No accidents means nothing in the warehouse damaged.

#4. No supply chain disruptions due to equipment malfunctions or accidents, which means timely delivery of the client’s products. When a client partners with a fulfillment company that prioritizes safety, the client protects its investments and enhances its brand image.

Please feel free to contact us at amsfulfillment.com.

What is a full-service fulfillment company? What services are included within full-service? Let’s say that you operate a business where you design and manufacture products for online sales. You enjoy conceptualizing and creating, manufacturing, marketing and selling your product, and you prefer focusing your efforts and expertise on these activities. This allows you to prioritize quality and the growth of your company.

Fortunately, you have a business partner who manages the warehousing of your products, picks and packs your orders, and ships your products while ensuring optimal pricing and timely delivery. This fulfillment company also takes care of customer service inquiries via email and phone, it manages returns processing and repairs, it does the kitting and necessary assembly, and there is even more. Your fulfillment partner provides value-add services like gift wrapping, labels and UPC stickers and Back-Office Support.

Back Office Support

What is back-office support? Allow us to quote from AMS Fulfillment’s website: “At AMS, our definition of Back-office Support as a fulfillment services company is unique in that much of it is client-facing… and it is led by an experienced, proactive, and robust Client Services Team that serves as the conduit to all facets of the business, including information technology (IT), finance and of course warehouse operations!”

Another term for Back Office Support could be client engagement. It’s important for the fulfillment service partner to understand the needs and objectives of the client, and that kind of understanding comes from engaging with the client and responding to the needs. Fulfillment services are complex. The integration of the systems could be an issue, or the client may need the fulfillment service to handle returns, or any one of the other services included in ‘full-service’. As the quote tells us, the Client Services Team is ready to engage with the client, and basically, they provide the Back Office Support.

A Closer Look

The standard offerings of a fulfillment center will include the pick and pack services, eCommerce and B2B fulfillment services, shipping services, warehousing services and inventory management services. Services in addition to these basics will be found in a full-service fulfillment service.

Let’s see what AMS says about additional services: “As a major, high-capacity player in the world of pick pack ship fulfillment, we are also very nimble and accommodating to the brands we serve.  At AMS, we have engineers, equipment, and expertise in a variety of special handling services, including large scale kit assembly, product-relabeling or packaging, B2B routing-based VAS work (e.g. price stickering, hang tags, hanger insertion/removal, compliance labeling), B2C branded pack-outs… and even higher-end product manipulation work such as engraving!” Add to these services Back Office Support, and we have a fairly good idea of what full-service means in fulfillment.

Full-service caters to the growing number of creative and innovative eCommerce businesses that wish to concentrate on product creation, marketing, and sales, while entrusting fulfillment services to a partner who ‘does it all’.

There are four stakeholders that AMS is committed to – our clients, our employees, our Mother Earth and ourselves. Businesses that are thinking about outsourcing fulfillment have a lot of choices. The ideal choice is one that provides all of the services needed (full-service), and one that is able to integrate with the client as would a partner. Integration and communication, both verbally and with data exchange, is vital – not listed as a “service” but perhaps the most important service a client could ask for.

Readers who wish to find out more about AMS Fulfillment, please visit our website at amsfulfillment.com.

Our report this week is on the importance of a positive workplace culture. We are living and raising families in a time where there are quite a few negative things going on in the world; things that create stressors in our minds. Going to work and making a living should not create stress. Instead, our workplace culture should bring about confidence and physical and mental well-being.

People working in the fulfillment industry definitely need their workplace culture to be encouraging, supportive and respectful with regard to benefits and safety. Safety means a lot in fulfillment. Also, creating a positive workplace culture is vital to the physical and mental health of employees.

At AMS Fulfillment we are committed to the well-being of our employees, and this is well known by our clients. AMS is a B Corporation, which means we have made a legal commitment to conduct our business to Benefit four stakeholders. The stakeholders are our clients, our employees, our environment and ourselves.

Our clients truly appreciate partnering with a fulfillment service that has integrity and values its employees and the environment. One benefit for our clients is that they can inform their customers that the product they are considering purchasing will be warehoused, fulfilled and shipped with respect for the environment and employee safety. Shoppers care about that – it’s a big plus.

Here’s what Google says about the workplace culture: “A positive workplace culture is crucial for an organization’s success, impacting employee engagement, productivity, and overall business performance. It fosters a sense of belonging, encourages collaboration, and can be a key factor in attracting and retaining top talent.”

The Benefits of Respect

Benefit #1 of a positive workplace culture is that we attract and retain talented individuals. AMS has more than a few talented employees that have been with the company for many years. What Google says on the subject is true: “When employees feel valued, respected, and connected to their work, they are more likely to stay with the company long-term, reducing turnover costs and maintaining institutional knowledge.” 

Reducing turnover and maintaining knowledge is so beneficial to AMS and our clients. We encourage our employees to share their good ideas, and when they do, we listen. Google goes on to say that a positive environment… “…can lead to reduced stress, improved morale, and a greater sense of job satisfaction.” Yes, we agree – a positive environment can reduce stress.

The Workplace

Working in a warehouse, our employees are exposed to and operating machinery, making repetitive movements and moving heavy packages and items. Therefore, there is risk – injuries can happen. Statistically we have a very good record, with very few lost-time injuries. The reason for our exceptional record is our training. It is extensive. We adhere to OSHA standards, and go above and beyond, taking safety walks every month. Employees should be able to trust in the efforts to provide a safe environment. We do our best to provide workplace safety, and that is definitely part of a positive culture.

Google actually has some pretty wise conclusions on a positive workplace culture. We’ll conclude with Google’s opinion!

“In essence, a strong workplace culture acts as a foundation for success, impacting everything from employee engagement and productivity to attracting talent and shaping the company’s reputation. It’s not just about having a list of values on the wall; it’s about consistently living those values through actions, policies, and behaviors.” 

How true!! At AMS Fulfillment we actually do live our values. It matters to us, our clients, and our employees… and maybe even our Mother Earth.

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With regard to the environment, at AMS we do everything we can to protect our beautiful Earth. When we saw that from July 25 to August 3^rd is “Love Parks Week,” it seemed a good idea to talk about our families and our beautiful Earth.

As our readers know, at AMS we highly value our employees and we also highly value our Mother Earth. We know that it is our employees who create client success, and we value them for that reason… and much more. We value them as human beings, with families and home lives as well as work lives. And one more thing that matters… our clients appreciate doing business with a fulfillment company that values its employees and protects the environment.

Volunteer and Enjoy

According to Google, the commemoration is about volunteering and enjoying our parks. “Love Parks Week in the USA is celebrated annually at the end of July, with specific dates varying by location and organization. This week-long event is dedicated to appreciating and enjoying the beauty and benefits of local parks and green spaces. It’s a time for communities to come together, participate in volunteer activities, and enjoy various park-related events and programs.”

As our readers know, our AMS Fulfillment employees do volunteer in cleaning up outdoor spaces, and we sincerely appreciate their dedication to environmentalism. For this special week, we hope that our families find time to enjoy the parks in their neighborhood and volunteer if there is a clean-up in which they want to participate.

History of “Love Parks Week”

We went to National Today [LINK] for the story of this commemorative week. National Today goes into the history, and they offer some inspiring words about the value of our parks and natural spaces:

“Throughout history, civilization has used the land for different purposes other than agricultural ones. In Egypt, they had gardens for their homes and temples, and hunting parks were also built by the Assyrians. The gardens built by the Greeks, on the other hand, served as a meeting and market location, safe from attacks by the city’s enemies. The Romans continued to build public gathering spaces, but the other three types of parks were incorporated into the imperial villa and its descendants. The park-making goals of Hadrian and Diocletian’s palace gardens were combined in the Roman era.

“Parks were built for family enjoyment, exercise, hunting, the fine arts, and the celebration of the emperor’s godlike status, among other purposes. Because of this, Renaissance villas in Italy and Europe from the 15th to 17th centuries were based on these properties. North European park and garden designers paid homage to their Greek and Roman roots by incorporating statues from those cultures into their work.

“Persia’s royal hunting preserves, which had been established over hundreds of square feet by the kings of Persia, evolved as riding trails and shelters were built into the landscape. Another sort of park developed from ancient Athens’ open-air public gathering spaces, where the functions of an exercise ground, a social concourse, and an athletes’ training ground were merged with features of a sculpture gallery and religious center.”

At AMS we Love Our Earth

We have talked many times about the very extensive recycling efforts at AMS as well as energy-saving efforts. We have also talked about our efforts to support employee health, including physical, mental and social health. AMS is a certified B Corporation and we gratefully operate with high moral standards. In fact, let’s close with the AMS Mission Statement and wish every reader a wonderful “Love Parks Week.” Here below is the Mission of AMS Fulfillment:

“We will provide our service in a manner that recognizes that profit and growth are not goals unto themselves, but merely outcomes of uncompromised attention to our customer, our organization, our community, our planet, and ourselves.”

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July is ‘social wellness’ month, and social wellness in the workplace is a subject deserving of our attention. At AMS we are invested in the wellness of our valued employees, and that includes their physical wellness, mental wellness and social wellness. Is a workplace a social environment? The answer is yes, of course, and very much so.

Most of us spend a third of our 24-hr. day at work! We make friends at work, we enjoy each other’s company at work, we eat together, take breaks, and even enjoy each other’s company outside of work. Social wellness in our warehouses and offices is very important to us and we encourage it.

Google gives us a description of what social wellness in the workplace looks like: “Social wellness in the workplace refers to the positive connections and relationships employees have with each other and their sense of belonging within the organization. It’s about fostering an environment where employees feel comfortable, supported, and valued, which in turn can improve engagement, productivity, and overall well-being.”

Workplace Relationships

At AMS we have always highly valued our employees, encouraging in them a sense of belonging and providing for them a strong support system. Our management is respectful of all employees with a focus upon teamwork and collaboration.

The AMS culture is inclusive, and diversity is highly valued. We encourage the connections our employees create with each other for mutual support within work and outside of work. Truth is… we meet friends at work and if we’re exceptionally lucky we may even meet our spouse at work. So, as readers can see, social wellness matters.

The Workplace Benefits

According to Google, the benefits of social wellness are as follows: “Increased employee engagement, improved productivity, enhanced morale and job satisfaction, reduced stress and burnout, increased retention.” In this instance Google makes a whole lot of sense. We know that when we foster social wellness in our warehouses and offices, intentionally creating an inclusive and collaborative work culture, everyone benefits.

An article in National Today [LINK] on the history of the commemoration, gives us a beautiful look into not only the history, but the benefits of social wellness.

“However, even before science stepped into the picture, during 3000–1500 B.C., the ancient Hindu Ayurvedic text emphasized the fulfillment of an individual’s needs that range from nutrition, hygiene, and exercise to social interaction. According to the text, a balance had to be maintained amongst all these factors to achieve harmony between body, mind, and spirit. These teachings were further complimented by American health expert Dunn H. Travis (1896–1975) who strongly believed that health was affected by environmental friendliness. This message was further reiterated by other scientists who revealed how social interactions with friends, family, and neighbors can influence our well-being. After many such studies, an emphasis was placed on searching for ways where one could be involved with a community and have several social interactions.”

Our AMS World Today

Readers of this blog know that we often talk about our employees joining in various community events and supporting our sustainability efforts with the AMS Green Team. We are more than happy to provide the Employee Assistance Program, which offers free counseling and services to employees facing personal or work-related problems. EAPs address mental health, substance abuse, stress and family issues and these offerings are all focused upon social wellness.

So, yes, social wellness in the workplace matters to AMS and always has. It matters to us that all employees are respected and encouraged, receiving benefits and fair pay, as we know that people spend a good portion of their lives at work and they depend upon work to provide for them. Work relationships matter to our employees, and our employees matter to us.

To all of our employees, clients and friends… have a wonderful ‘social wellness’ month and enjoy your workplace community – your co-workers and your friends.

What can we say about the July 4^th holiday that hasn’t already been said? We all know that this holiday has to do with the founding or the birthday of the United States of America. But did we know what the colonists were having to go through with regard to the British king?

That is an interesting story! We found some of the early details at National Today website [LINK].

“In the 1700s, America wasn’t really a nation of ‘united states.’ Instead, there were 13 colonies with distinct personalities. From 1763 to 1773, Britain’s King George III increasingly placed pressure on the colonies as he and the British Parliament enacted a succession of draconian taxes and laws on them. Excessive taxes on British luxury goods like tea and sugar were designed to benefit the British crown without any regard for the hardships of the colonists. By 1764, the phrase “Taxation without representation is tyranny” spread throughout the colonies as the rallying cry of outrage.

“The more the colonists rebelled, the more King George doubled down with force. Imagine if enemy soldiers not only had the right to enter your home but the soldiers could demand that you feed and house them. The Quartering Act of 1765 allowed British soldiers to do just that.”

The Battles Begin

Yes, the fight was on. The British passed something called the Stamp Act, which basically taxed any piece of printed paper, including newspapers, legal documents, ships’ papers — and even playing cards! The story tells us about the first real fight: “Tensions boiled over on March 5, 1770, in Boston Harbor during a street fight between a group of colonists and British soldiers. The soldiers fired shots that killed 47-year-old Crispus Attucks, the first American and Black man to die along with three other colonists in the Boston Massacre.”

Readers have probably heard about the Boston Tea Party. A group of colonists dressed up as Native Americans, (the Mohican tribe) and they boarded a British ship and threw all of the tea overboard. The article tells us: “Continued pressure led to resistance and the start of the Revolutionary War in the towns of Lexington and Concord when a militia of patriots battled British soldiers on April 19, 1775.  Conditions were ripe for American independence.”

American Independence

We’re now entering a significant meeting, with an important document being created. “On June 7, 1776, the Continental Congress met at the Pennsylvania State House (later Independence Hall) in Philadelphia and Richard Henry Lee, the Virginia delegate, introduced a motion calling for the independence of the colonies. Amid heated debate, Congress rescheduled the vote on Lee’s resolution but appointed a five-man committee — including Thomas Jefferson of Virginia, John Adams of Massachusetts, Roger Sherman of Connecticut, Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania, and Robert R. Livingston of New York — to draft a formal statement justifying the defect from Great Britain.”

Now we’re approaching the date of July 4^th. Let’s see the document they’re creating: “On July 2, 1776, in a virtually unanimous vote, the Continental Congress voted in favor of Lee’s resolution for independence, and on July 4th, it formally adopted the Declaration of Independence, which had been written largely by Jefferson.”

Well, there we have it… the representatives of the Colonies argued quite a bit about what to include and what to leave out. Thomas Jefferson was the one who pulled it all together. The document made it clear: “The document proclaimed the 13 American colonies’ liberation from Britain and reaffirmed their rights as free men — declaring that they were no longer subject (and subordinate) to the monarch of Britain, King George III, and were now united, free, and independent states.”

Enjoy the Holiday

We went to the government’s Archives website [LINK] for the text of the Declaration of Independence, written in most part by Thomas Jefferson. Here we will offer the first paragraph, and we encourage readers to enjoy the full document.

“The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America, When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.”

This incredible moment in time is what we celebrate on July 4^th, with fireworks and picnics and all kinds of enjoyable recreation. We encourage readers to visit the document and get a feel for what these incredibly brave leaders told the King.

We’re celebrating the birthday of America at AMS Fulfillment and we wish all of our employees, clients and friends a wonderful 4^th of July weekend!

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The date was July 26, 1990, and the law was called the “Americans with Disabilities Act.” This law prohibited discrimination based on disability. Let’s pause for a moment and reflect on the difference this law made in the lives of individuals with disabilities. We can only be grateful for the opening of the door to civil and human rights that occurred with the passage of this Act (the ADA).

What is Disability Pride? We went to the Americans with disabilities website [LINK] for their definition: “Disability pride is defined as accepting and honoring each person’s uniqueness, and seeing it as a natural and beautiful part of human diversity. Disability pride is an integral part of an inclusive crusade and, furthermore, a direct challenge to systemic ableism and stigmatizing definitions of disability.”

The opposite of pride is shame, and sad as it is, there was a time when a person with a disability would be looked upon as “less than” or “broken” to the degree that they would feel shame. We are grateful that the ADA acknowledged the discrimination and offered respect and rights to individuals with disabilities. The article goes on to say… “It’s a time to recognize and celebrate the history, achievements, and struggles of people with disabilities. The ADA, a landmark civil rights law, prohibits discrimination based on disability, and Disability Pride Month is a way to honor its impact and promote disability culture and visibility.”

The History

Many of us can remember the ‘Capitol Crawl’ image referenced in this upcoming quote. Through the brilliant actions of activists, the public became aware of something as simple as ‘access’ for individuals with disabilities. From Wikipedia [LINK] we read:

“On March 12, 1990, over 1,000 people marched from the White House to the U.S. Capitol to demand that Congress pass the Americans with Disabilities Act. Upon arrival, about 60 activists, including eight-year-old Jennifer Keelan-Chaffins, physically demonstrated the inaccessibility of public spaces by getting out of their wheelchairs or setting aside their mobility aids and crawling up the Capitol steps in an act of civil disobedience that later became known as the Capitol Crawl. Police then arrested 104 activists for unlawful demonstration, many of whom were in their wheelchairs.”

Imagine that!! Children abandoning their wheelchairs and crawling up the steps of the Capitol. It happened and it had a profound impact. The activists, who were arrested (amazingly), actually achieved a profound change in our thinking and our culture. Today there are ramps for the wheelchairs and curb cuts in the sidewalks plus a whole lot of other means of assisting individuals with disabilities.

It was President George H. W. Bush who eventually signed the Americans with Disabilities Act into law. This Act prohibited discrimination in employment, public accommodations, transportation, government services of state and local governments and telecommunications. As pointed out by the activists, these protections were very much needed.

More About the Why

Once again we ask… why was there a need to not only protect people with disabilities from discrimination, but to uplift them as well, and change the way a disability is perceived? We went to Wikipedia for an answer as to the Why:

“Disability Pride Month celebrates people with disabilities, their identities, their culture, and their contributions to society. It also seeks to change the way people think about and define disability, to end the stigma of disability, and to promote the belief that disability is a natural part of human diversity in which people living with disabilities can celebrate and take pride. It is a chance for people with disabilities to come together and celebrate being themselves, no matter their differences. It is also a chance to raise awareness of the challenges they still face every day to be treated equally.”

Yes there is a reason for this commemoration and at AMS Fulfillment we join in to celebrate the fact that individuals with disabilities are now able to enjoy equal civil and human rights. May it continue and may every individual with a disability take pride in themselves and celebrate Life in all of its diversity.

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What day is Summer Solstice in 2025? We’ve been loving the long hours of daylight, and we know the longest day is coming right up. To answer our question, here is Google’s response: “The summer solstice will occur on Friday, June 20, and it will be both the longest day and shortest night of 2025 in the Northern Hemisphere, according to the National Weather Service (NWS).”

We would like to look into how Summer Solstice has been embraced in past years. The Latin word for the sun is Sol and the ‘stice’ means to stand still. So from the name we can conclude that the sun stands still when it reaches its highest point in the sky. This moment has been celebrated by different cultures for a very long time, and the people of those ancient times had rituals and traditions, recognizing that this hour of this day signals both Stillness and Change… and… it tells us that the natural world is governed by cycles. Summer solstice signals to the people the next cycle – the growing season – and that is worth celebrating.

The Stonehenge Monument

What is actually going on? The earth is tilted on its axis toward the sun and the sun is tracing its highest path across the sky. This reality has astounded human beings for a long, long time. We went to the Eugene Parks Foundation [LINK] for information a famous monument to the Summer Solstice… Stonehenge.

“One of the most iconic monuments associated with the summer solstice is Stonehenge in England. This prehistoric structure, believed to be over 4,000 years old, is aligned with the solstitial sunrise. Each year, thousands of people gather at Stonehenge to witness the sunrise, as the sun’s rays line up perfectly with the Heel Stone and the central Altar Stone, creating a breathtaking spectacle. The alignment suggests that the solstice was significant to the builders of Stonehenge. The reason behind the significance remains unknown, but it could be related to agricultural practices, religious beliefs, or social structures of the ancient civilization.”

Stonehenge captures the sunrise and it does so every solstice. But Stonehenge isn’t the only ancient celebration of the arrival of Summer. In ancient Egypt the solstice coincided with the annual flooding of the Nile. The aforementioned article tells us the following: “The flooding of the Nile was seen as a divine gift, replenishing the land and ensuring the survival of their civilization. Celebrations included offerings to the gods and rituals to honor the life-giving waters.”

The Maya and Aztec civilizations also celebrated the solstice in a profound way. The pyramids were constructed in alignment with the Summer and Winter Solstices as well as the Spring and Fall Equinoxes. Quoting from the article as follows: “The pyramid at Chichen Itza in Mexico, for instance, was designed to produce a serpent-like shadow during the summer solstice, symbolizing the descent of the feathered serpent god, Kukulkan. These events were celebrated with feasts, dances, and ceremonies to ensure agricultural fertility and cosmic harmony.”

How Do We Celebrate?

For those of us living our lives in cities, the Solstice is simply enjoyed as a long day of sunlight and the beginning of Summer. While we don’t have a contemporary celebration, some Native American communities do. “Many Native American tribes have rich traditions surrounding the summer solstice. The Sioux hold the Sun Dance, a ceremonial gathering that involves dancing, singing, and prayers to honor the sun and to seek spiritual renewal. This event is a time for communal bonding and reaffirming connections to the land and the cosmos.”

Let’s conclude with one more beautiful thought… the Midnight Sun! Imagine enjoying sunlight all night long! “In Alaska, the summer solstice is celebrated with a midnight baseball game called the Midnight Sun Game. The game starts at 10:00 pm and goes well into the next morning, without the need for any artificial light. The Midnight Sun Game has been played since 1906!”

Happy Summer AMS

Wishing all of our AMS employees, clients and friends a Very Happy Summer! Here we go! It’s the growing season, and our gardens are ready to enjoy. It’s also the season for outdoor fun, trips to the lake or river, hikes in the parks, baseball games with the kids… Summer is here!! Enjoy!!

Juneteenth marks the end of slavery in America by celebrating the day when the enslaved Africans in Galveston, Texas learned that they were free. The shameful part of the story is that the Emancipation Proclamation had been signed two years earlier, but in Texas the enslaved men and women had not been informed of their freedom.

The enslaved human beings were kept in slavery for two more years after the emancipation. June 19^th was the date that General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston and announced the freedom of the enslaved. That event is worthy of Celebration!!

How Juneteenth Began

We went to the website of the University of South Florida [LINK] for some inside information on what started the Juneteenth holiday.

“Dating back to 1865, the holiday commemorates the day when 250,000 slaves in the state of Texas, which became the last bastion for slavery during the final days of the Civil War, were declared free by the U.S. Army.

“As soon as the following year, local festivities were organized in African American communities to celebrate and remember the significance of that day, June 19. The celebrations continued year after year.

“In the 20th century, as African Americans from Texas and neighboring states spread throughout the country, so too did Juneteenth celebrations. In 1980, Texas became the first to make it a state holiday. Shortly thereafter, other states followed suit, along with organizations and businesses across the nation hosting events and educational opportunities dedicated to commemorating the significance of this day.

“In 2021, the day became a national holiday.”

Juneteenth Became a Holiday

From Google we read the following: “Juneteenth is considered the oldest African American holiday and is a significant symbol of freedom and the end of slavery in the United States. It is celebrated with various festivities, including parades, picnics, historical reenactments, educational events, and cultural performances. Juneteenth became an official federal holiday in 2021.” 

It was President Joe Biden who signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act into law. It was signed on June 17^th, 2021. Prior to that, Juneteenth had been celebrated across the US and particularly in Texas. There was a push for recognition by activists, and their drive for a national holiday was successful with President Biden signing the Act into law.

When Did Slavery Actually End?

We might wonder why the enslaved men and women in Texas were not freed with the emancipation proclamation. Apparently the so-called ‘owners’ did not inform their slaves, so the enslaved did not know they had been freed. As we look into it, we see that slavery did not end in other areas across the US as well. The emancipation proclamation did not accomplish the task. It took an amendment to the constitution, which Congress passed in 1865. Wikipedia [LINK] explains it to a degree:

“In the Civil War period, slavery came to an end in various areas of the United States at different times. Many enslaved Southerners escaped, demanded wages, stopped work, or took up arms against the Confederacy of slave states. In January 1865, Congress finally proposed the Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution for the national abolition of slavery. By June 1865, almost all enslaved persons had been freed by the victorious Union Army or by state abolition laws. When the national abolition amendment was ratified in December, the remaining enslaved people in Delaware and in Kentucky were freed.”

We’re grateful that the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution abolished slavery and involuntary servitude, except as punishment for a crime. History tells us that the exception, “as punishment for a crime”, was abused, and that too was something we had to change. It took many years, as we worked to remove the stain of slavery from our culture. The Juneteenth celebration allows us to show our gratitude to African Americans for enduring the long and hard battle to end something that should have never begun.

Yes, we celebrate Juneteenth at AMS, and yes, we do so with immense respect for the descendants of those who were enslaved. We’re grateful that Juneteenth gives every American the opportunity to celebrate the fact that the end of slavery finally did come. History shows us that we have the power to change the culture as we rise to a higher level of consciousness. We have the power to correct past wrongs and honor every human being, knowing the reality that we are One human family. Black history is American history. Happy Juneteenth to every American!

We wondered… how can we possibly tell the employees who are Dads and the clients who are Dads and all of the readers who are Dads… how can we tell them how highly we value them as Fathers and Father figures?

For our message we settled upon a poem written by Elizabeth Barrett Browning. The most famous love poem of all time is for You, Dad!!

“How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of being and ideal grace.

“I love thee to the level of every day’s
Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light.
I love thee freely, as men strive for right.
I love thee purely, as they turn from praise.

“I love thee with the passion put to use
In my old griefs, and with my childhood’s faith.
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
With my lost saints. I love thee with the breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life; and, if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after death.”

The Role of the Father

It goes without saying that the role of Father is equally as vital to the child as is the role of Mother. Father is most often pictured as serving in the role of protector and provider. He is also a guide, an inspiration, a friend, a supporter, a leader, a comforter, and an example for his sons and daughters.

The story of the first Father’s Day points toward the father as provider – it was held to commemorate the lives of 250 fathers who died in a mining accident. The Farmer’s Almanac [LINK] tells the story:

“Some attribute the first Father’s Day observance to the 1907 Monongah, West Virginia mining disaster that killed 361 men—250 of them fathers— and which left more than a thousand children without a dad. Grace Golden Clayton, whose father was killed in the tragedy, suggested a service of commemoration to the pastor of her local Methodist chapel. But it never really caught on as an annual observance.”

The story goes on to talk about the efforts of a woman named Sonora Louise Smart Dodd of Spokane, Washington. She was raised by her father as a single parent. To commemorate the life of her father, she brought the idea of a National Day of Recognition of Fathers to the YMCA. It was well received, leading to Spokane holding the first Father’s Day celebration on June 19, 1910. What followed was a long and sustained effort by Ms. Dodd to persuade the government to create a national holiday. The article goes on to explain:

“Undeterred, Dodd took her mission on the road and spoke publicly to fathers to gain their support. But she was met with hard criticism. According to The Spokesman-Review, they laughed at her and said they didn’t want a Father’s Day. “A national fishing day would be better,” they told her.

“The effort to formally recognize a day for fathers met with even more hurdles over the years. In 1924, President Calvin Coolidge urged states to observe the day nationwide but refused to issue an official proclamation for the holiday, and by the 1930s there was an effort to combine Mother’s Day and Father’s Day into a single “Parent’s Day” holiday. Even the newly formed “Father’s Day Council,” made up (and funded by) of members of men’s clothing retailers, couldn’t get the holiday recognized by 1938, only succeeding in getting calendar makers to mark the third Sunday in June with tie and pipe illustrations. And the general public had no interest in buying cards or gifts for dad that he probably didn’t need.”

A Senator Intervenes

Finally, Senator Margaret Chase Smith of Maine spoke some sense, saying: “Either we honor both our parents, mother and father, or let us desist from honoring either one. But to single out just one of our two parents and omit the other is the most grievous insult imaginable.”

Thank You to Senator Smith for speaking the Truth! The role of Father is equally as vital to the child as is the role of Mother, and as the Senator indicated, omitting the Father is not going to be allowed!! We’ll go back to the article for the rest of the story:

“More than 50 years after Dodd’s initial efforts, Father’s Day was recognized as a holiday to be celebrated on the third Sunday of June by President Lyndon Johnson’s Executive Order in 1966. But it was still not officially recognized as a federal holiday until six years later, in 1972 when, during his re-election campaign, Richard Nixon signed an official proclamation setting Father’s Day permanently on the third Sunday in June nationwide.”

Happy Father’s Day to every Dad, every Step Dad, every man waiting to be a Dad, every Father figure… you matter a whole lot… maybe more than you know. We hope you have an amazing day with lots of love coming your way!!

There are some wonderful commemorations in June… such as Father’s Day, commemorating and honoring our beloved Fathers. We also see Flag Day, honoring the patriots and the US flag, Eid al-Adha commemorating sacrifice, Juneteenth commemorating the end of slavery and the Summer Solstice, which is both a promise of change and a celebration of light. All of these are worth thought and appreciation of what is being commemorated and experienced anew.

Sometimes we need reminders of our high points and our cultural growth.

June is also Pride Month and we are well aware of what Pride represents in this case. We would like to acknowledge it without giving way to the corporate marketing that diminishes it. Pride is the replacement for shame. It means a lot to overcome being shamed for being you.

Pride Month commemorates a significant cultural correction and an elevation of human consciousness. We’ll go over the history of what it was that needed correction and how the correction was achieved.

Let’s Look at the History

Google tells us that ‘Pride’ “…commemorates the Stonewall Riots of 1969, a pivotal moment in the LGBTQ+ rights movement. The riots, sparked by a police raid on the Stonewall Inn in New York City, ignited a wave of resistance and marked a turning point in the fight for LGBTQ+ equality.”

Moving forward to the History website [LINK] we need to take a look at the struggles that came before the Stonewall Riots:

“The roots of the gay rights movement go back to the early 1900s, when a handful of individuals in North America and Europe created gay and lesbian organizations such as the Society for Human Rights, founded by Henry Gerber in Chicago in the 1920s.

“Following World War II, a small number of groups like the Mattachine Society and the Daughters of Bilitis published gay- and lesbian-positive newsletters and grew more vocal in demanding recognition for, and protesting discrimination against, gays and lesbians. In 1966, for example, members of the Mattachine Society held a “sip-in” protest at Julius, a bar in New York City, where they demanded drinks after announcing that they were gay, in violation of local laws against serving alcohol to gays and lesbians.

“Despite some progress in the postwar era, basic civil rights were largely denied to gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people—until one night in June, 1969, when the gay rights movement took a furious step forward with a series of violent riots in New York City.”

The Stonewall Riots

That’s kind of amazing… civil rights denied to you because of your preference for a partner of the same sex. There was justified resistance to this awful, discriminatory mind-set, and it manifested in the historic Stonewall riots. Once again from the History website, we read:

“As was common practice in many cities, the New York Police Department would occasionally raid bars and restaurants where gays and lesbians were known to gather. This occurred on June 28, 1969, when the NYPD raided the Stonewall Inn, a bar in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of Manhattan.

“When the police aggressively dragged patrons and employees out of the bar, several people fought back against the NYPD, and a growing crowd of angry locals gathered in the streets. The confrontations quickly escalated and sparked six days of protests and violent clashes with the NYPD outside the Stonewall Inn on Christopher Street and throughout the neighborhood.

“By the time the Stonewall Riots ended on July 2, 1969, the gay rights movement went from being a fringe issue largely ignored by politicians and the media to front-page news worldwide.”

Culture Matters

We don’t need to examine the cause of the shaming of gay and lesbian people that existed at that time, as we know and accept its origin. As a result of belief systems, condemnation of gay and lesbian people was deeply ingrained in the culture. How did we overcome it? How was that inhumane prejudice overcome? It came with the people realizing… wait a minute… in a just world everyone should have both the human right and the civil right to engage in consensual intimacy with another adult.

Pride Month is not just an opportunity to sell rainbow flags. It is a whole lot more than symbols. It took a journey into the human heart and an elevation of consciousness to recognize the cruelty of casting ‘shame’ upon millions of persons for being their authentic self. Pride is the absolutely correct response to the twisted culture of judgement and prejudice. It remains the correct response today. Please enjoy Pride Month, with gratitude that we can celebrate the growth and evolution of our culture into one aligned with human rights for everyone, everywhere.

AMS Fulfillment (“AMS” or the “Company”), an industry leading provider of omnichannel fulfillment services to digitally native consumer brands, announced today that it has hired Greg Morello as the Company’s Chief Executive Officer. AMS is a portfolio company of Fort Point Capital (“Fort Point”), a Boston-based lower middle market private equity firm focused on investing in and growing business services companies.

Greg joins AMS with a wealth of experience in the omnichannel 3PL industry, with 20+ years of leadership expertise building, growing and transforming businesses.

Most recently, Greg led the growth of a private-equity backed fulfillment company, Whiplash, and sold the business to a Fortune 500 company in 2021. Previously, Greg was the co-founder of Concentrek, Inc., a non-asset based transportation management company, where he had responsibility for the start-up’s growth strategy and sales. Throughout his career, he has demonstrated a passion for and commitment to building customer-centric companies and creating opportunities for their employees, positioning him perfectly to lead the next stage of growth at AMS.

Commenting on the appointment on behalf of the Board of Directors and Fort Point, Christina Pai noted the strong alignment between Greg’s prior experience and the tremendous opportunity set ahead of AMS. Pai stated, “We are thrilled to welcome Greg to AMS. His proven track record of scaling logistics businesses that support dynamic consumer brands will be invaluable for AMS. We are confident that his strategic vision and leadership will continue to accelerate our efforts for organic and acquisition-led growth.”

“I am excited to lead the next stage of growth at AMS Fulfillment,” said Greg. “We have significant opportunities ahead, given our integrated suite of omnichannel capabilities and commitment to all of our stakeholders as a Certified B Corporation. The Company is extremely well positioned to be the go-to partner for premium brands seeking to delight their customers and reach new heights in their own growth journeys.”

About AMS Fulfillment

AMS Fulfillment is a full-service outsourced logistics provider offering order management, warehouse and inventory management, reverse logistics and other value-added, complex fulfillment services to fast growing consumer products companies primarily in the beauty/cosmetics, apparel, and premium accessories sectors. To learn more, please visit amsfulfillment.com.

About Fort Point Capital

Fort Point Capital (“Fort Point”) brings a management-led, growth-oriented approach to private equity investing, targeting fragmented sectors of the business services industry. Founded in Boston in 2011, Fort Point partners with founders and management teams to accelerate growth and performance by providing resources to help expand teams and establish infrastructure, enhance service offerings, access new markets, and support strategic add-on acquisitions. Fort Point fulfills its commitment to management, employees, and shareholders by employing a repeatable process to drive durable value, as evidenced in over 50 acquisitions since its inception. Fort Point Capital is currently investing from FPC Small Cap Fund III. To learn more, please visit fortpointcapital.com.