Company News and Highlights

August 25, 2017

Congratulations Employees of the Month – July 2017

In the fulfillment industry employees are much more than human resources. They directly serve the company’s clients, making their efforts vital to the growth and success of the business.

AMS Fulfillment is a large company with a number of facilities and several hundred employees. Even though we are large, AMS has nurtured a corporate family culture from the beginning and to this day. We value a close environment that takes note of and cares about the people who work here, their wellbeing, and their job satisfaction.

Each month the supervisors within AMS’ Valencia CA facilities nominate an employee who has provided outstanding service to the clients. The nominations and supervisor comments demonstrate that the individual being recognized has gone above and beyond, and deserves Special Thanks!

It’s our pleasure to recognize the following Employees of the Month for July 2017: Raul G., Jerry F., Adela V., Christy G., Danny B.

Raul G., Account Manager (02/2012)
HQ Office: 29010 Commerce Center Drive

During the month of June, Raul helped to launch a full service model client called Bandolier. Raul located the best platform to use for customer service, and set it up by himself with the clients’ email credentials, auto responses and customer service templates. He learned a new apparel management system that handles the client’s credit card processing, Hilldun factoring, order entry and customer profiles. He has already become proficient in both systems and didn’t just utilize clients’ knowledge, but did lots of his own research online, on the phone with technical support agents and through the help pages that these systems had to offer. During this launch, Raul also created and supplied all of the UPC barcodes for the product. He did an excellent job communicating with the client and operations teams alike and was always available to talk. Raul never complains or gets stressed about his workload, and is an amazing asset to our team and to AMS.

Jerry F., Return Clerk I (04/2015)
HQ Warehouse: 29010 Commerce Center Drive

Jerry is a great and fun co-worker. He’s very dedicated to the returns department. He is very well organized, on time and receives our incoming mail and distributes it in a timely manner. Jerry is a hardworking man, always on time and gets the job done with a positive attitude at all times. He is very organized with handling the mail, and he has helped out organizing the return department and throughout the warehouse. He’s a great asset to our company and always a pleasure to work with. Jerry’s dedication, talent and abilities reflect what we are doing with the company. We thank him for all of his good work and support throughout the year and hope that he will remain with us for many years to come! We are very glad to have Jerry on our team.

Christy G., Operations Lead (04/2012)
WIL1: 28624 Witherspoon Parkway

Christy has been working in Receiving for a short time and has already made a great impact with the new clients. She is always willing to learn and has great attention to detail. She has shown she can take responsibility and work well with the entire team. Christy goes above and beyond to get the job done, she always stays busy and is cross-trained on multiple clients, excellent with instructions and goes the extra mile. She is a key to the WIL1 Warehouse Team.

Adela V., Shipping Lead (01/2004)
SCO3: 27801 Avenue Scott

Adela has taken on the role of shipping lead in our facility and is doing an outstanding job. She is always here on time and with a smile no matter how much the workload is. She has become a great trainer and mentor for the picking staff and a great leader.

Danny B., General Warehouse I (05/2016)
IND1: 28220 Industry Drive

Danny is a great worker, has a great attitude, quality driven, positive outlook focused on his work. He is willing to help out at any time. We really appreciate all that Danny does and the quality of his work.

***

No matter which department they work in, which task they do, or which location or warehouse we find them in, our outstanding employees are the reason that AMS succeeds so well and continues to grow. Employees of the Month recognition is meant to be a sincere Thank You from the entire AMS Fulfillment Family! You are the reason for our success!

Not pictured: Danny B.

August 17, 2017

AMS Supports Longtime Friend and Supporter

AMS Fulfillment takes to heart the relationship between business and community, and the relationship between employer and employee. When employees and friends of AMS are facing challenges, we use whatever means of helping that we can through word of mouth, social media and charitable events.

We have enjoyed a long-standing relationship with donors to AMS’ own SCV Sheriff’s Foundation & Search and Rescue Golf Tournament. One of those donors, a friend of the AMS family, is Teri Fox. Teri describes herself as wife, mother, philanthropist, advocate, President and Board Member of the Paul A. Hughes Family Foundation.

AMS has worked with Teri and her husband Michael on a number of projects, including the Hirshberg Pancreatic Cancer Foundation 5k – 10k Run/Walk. Teri also shares AMS’ passionate commitment to veterans’ causes, in particular veteran homelessness, so we know how Teri and her husband have gone to bat for others for a long time.

Like any one of us, they prefer to be the givers of help, rather than the ones who need to receive help. But life doesn’t grant us exemption from personal mountains to climb.

The family has been fundraising for gene replacement therapy for their son Sebastian, a therapy that could save his life and the lives of others who suffer from a rare and fatal disorder called Batten Disease CLN8. This regression disease is expected to take away Sebastian’s life before he turns 20.

So for Teri and Michael this is the real fight of their lives – to be able to raise the millions of dollars needed to provide cutting-edge gene replacement therapy for their son. They have decided to partner with anyone in the community who wants to help.

Sebastian’s story can be found on the website of the Sebastian Velona Foundation, which invites direct donations and guides the fundraising effort and the partnerships.

In telling the story, Teri says, “For several years, we searched the world for treatments or therapies to stop this disease. There was nothing. However, in 2016, we met the Gray family. They have two young daughters who suffer from Batten Disease CLN6, and they were instrumental in putting together a genetics team to develop a gene replacement therapy for children suffering from Batten CLN6. Their daughters both received the gene therapy eight months ago, and they are doing very well.

“Because it is relatively new, the treatment and research are extremely costly, time consuming and not covered by insurance. Nevertheless, we are determined to raise the money necessary to treat Sebastian and other children diagnosed with Batten CLN8. No one should have to suffer like this.”

Here at AMS we agree: no one should have to suffer like this. We encourage our employees, friends, and readers of this blog to visit the Sebastian Velona Foundation website, contribute if you can, and share the information. Teri is much loved by AMS and many others in the SCV community. One way we can thank her for her dedication to helping others is to help her son Sebastian have a chance at life through gene replacement therapy.

Dan Watson
Sebastian kisses Annabelle after their riding demonstration at the 19th Annual Heart of the West, “Home at Last” event held at Carousel Ranch in Santa Clarita.

August 14, 2017

AMS Ranked #1 Family-Owned Business

There is a corporate family focus at AMS, and we often talk about what this focus achieves: from the free educational and job training opportunities to the wide-ranging hiring practices to safety training and community service, we focus on the family. AMS knows it’s our employees who serve the clients and make a fulfillment business successful. But what we don’t often talk about is how AMS started, and the fact that we are not just family-focused, we are also family-owned and operated.

Recently the Santa Clarita Business Journal ranked AMS the #1 family-owned business in Santa Clarita. Santa Clarita is the 3rd largest city in Los Angeles County, with Los Angeles and Long Beach coming in as one and two. At AMS we are very proud to employ more than 300 individuals, and grateful to the Journal for the ranking as #1.

The AMS family began with Jay Catlin and his father David Catlin. David had been a successful business owner for a number of years when he acquired an independent packaged media (DVD/CD) company. Since Jay had been working in fulfillment for nearly a decade, he was a perfect fit to assist David in shoring up his company’s distribution operations. Jay’s first order of business was to form a new fulfillment entity to assemble packaged media, warehouse and manage inventory, fulfill orders and process returns. That was the beginning of AMS – Advantage Media Services, Inc. – and the year was 2002.

Now, fifteen years later, AMS has grown tremendously from 15 employees to over 300, and from one client and product line to 50+ clients and 10s of thousands of unique product types. David Catlin remains Chairman of the Board and co-owner along with two others: Jay, who serves as President, and Ken Wiseman who serves as CEO.

Reflecting on the past, Jay comments, “It’s really incredible to see how much AMS has grown over the past 15 years, and fun to tell the story of our journey from packaged media to where we are today with so many unique clients and industries that we serve.”

Jay and Ken have managed the rise of AMS into a large and successful fulfillment company with Jay focusing primarily on client development and Ken focusing on workforce development, training and community relations. Both business partners work together in overseeing operations, technology and finance.

AMS has tapped into the skills of three more Catlin family members as well; Jay’s step-brother, Craig McCracken, works part-time for AMS in online marketing, Jay’s mom Ida Lawrence writes web content and blogs for AMS, and his 16-year-old daughter Trinity Catlin was recently introduced to the family business as she worked an internship in client services and sales.

Ken and Jay were acquaintances within the fulfillment industry at the time AMS was formed in 2002. Ken’s son Eric was actually the first Wiseman to join AMS, after Jay hired Eric to serve in warehouse operations. Within months (after a ‘thumbs up’ report from Eric about the team at AMS), Ken joined Jay and David as a partner in the business, coming in as CEO.

Ken and his wife Betty Lou have been together for 38-years, and have worked together for 37 of those years! The two were reunited at AMS soon after Ken’s arrival, with Betty Lou coming in as Vice President of Client Services (now EVP). Ken and Betty Lou’s older son Justin Wiseman, a fulfillment-lifer himself, arrived at AMS in 2004 as well, and holds the position of Director of Operations. Eric now serves as Operations Manager at AMS.

Ken summed it up well by saying, “It is very fulfilling to share my career with my wife, my boys, and the Catlin and AMS family. We have had the chance to grow together. I’ve watched people start in entry-level jobs and develop a career at AMS. There is a level of trust, expectation, and reliance that comes from working with family and long-time associates that feel like family.”

Thank you again from AMS to the Santa Clarita Business Journal for ranking AMS the #1 family-owned business in Santa Clarita! We are proud of our company and of the city we call home.

July 26, 2017

11th Annual SCV Sheriff’s Foundation Golf Tournament

AMS Fulfillment CEO Ken Wiseman would like to announce one of our favorite events of the year! The SCV Sheriff’s Foundation & Search and Rescue 11th Annual Golf Tournament has been scheduled to take place on Monday, September 18th at TPC Valencia, 26550 Heritage View Lane, Valencia, CA 91381.

The SCV Sheriff’s Foundation & Search and Rescue Golf Tournament has been honoring fallen officers since 2014. The officer to be honored this year is the late LASD Officer, Sergeant Steven C. Owen.

Ken Wiseman has been a long-time member of the Search & Rescue Team, and he has also served as President of the Sheriffs Foundation since 2011. Ken created the golf tournament eleven years ago as a fundraiser and has been putting it on and managing it ever since.

Tournament proceeds will go toward supporting our local Sheriff Station’s purchase of state-of-the-art lifesaving and law enforcement equipment, training for professional and volunteer staff, and for the Search and Rescue Team’s equipment and training.

A $2,000 scholarship is also granted to four local, deserving students who have been selected by the William S. Hart Union High School District Board.

The proceeds of the Golf Tournament are in excess of $200,000. Ken states: “Early on, when I joined the team, I found that in addition to the incredible amount of time that our volunteers were providing to our community, there were also a fair amount of costs that our team incurred to support their participation. I really felt that we could cover those costs, and also make sure that our team had access to cutting edge safety and technical resources.”

AMS Fulfillment has been a Diamond Sponsor of the event for nearly eleven years. Most of the sponsors of the event have also been involved since the inception including: Arrow Recycling, California Resources Corp, Chiquita Canyon, City of Santa Clarita, Coyle Reproductions, Global Protective Services, Global Trade Marketing/Ziglift, Merchants Bancard Network, Numatic Engineering, Paul A. Hughes Family Foundation, Santa Clarita Studios, SCV Auto Dealers, Six Flags Magic Mountain, The Laker Girls, Sun Valley Paper Stock.

Ken, Jay and the AMS team would like to thank all past participants, and welcome and invite new participants to this very enjoyable event benefiting our local Sheriff’s Station.

For details on the Golf Tournament and registration, you are invited to call Ken or Margie at 661-775-0611, or email Margie Melendez: [email protected].

July 20, 2017

AMS Employees of the Month for June 2017

Congratulations and a very big Thank You to these outstanding members of our corporate family: Mayra J., Ignacio G., Alex L., Mariela M., and Francisco G.

In the fulfillment industry employees are much more than human resources. They directly serve the company’s clients, making their efforts vital to the growth and success of the business. AMS Fulfillment is a large company with a number of facilities and several hundred employees. Even though we are large, we make it a point to notice individuals and their achievements.

Each month the supervisors or team members within AMS’ Valencia CA facilities nominate an employee who has provided outstanding service to the clients. The nominations and supervisor and team member comments demonstrate that the individual being recognized has gone above and beyond, and deserves special Recognition!

It’s our pleasure to recognize the June Employees of the Month:

Mayra J., Account Manager (March 2015)
HQ Administration, 29010 Commerce Center Drive

Mayra has demonstrated her dedication to her job. She is always available to help and understands the needs from the client and the AMS point of view. When it comes to taking on a new task, Mayra is always willing. She has a great attitude with her clients and co-workers.

Nacho G., Operations Director (February 2005)
HQ Warehouse, 29010 Commerce Center Drive

Nacho is a great boss to work for. He is very motivating to his leadership team and supports the team making the calls on their own, while at the same time he is always open for team members to come and ask his opinion. He is always open to trying new ideas to improve process and efficiency. Everyone in the warehouse feels comfortable coming to talk to Nacho. His views and opinions in Operations are respected by all HQ employees. He is the kind of boss you want to do a great job for.

Mariela M., Shipping Clerk (February 2008)
WIT2/WIL1: 28624 Witherspoon Parkway & 28936 Avenue Williams

Mariela is always willing to take on new challenges in the warehouse, including learning new procedures. She is there to explain and teach the team on procedures, how to pack, ship and teaches routing whenever someone needs to learn. She is always thinking of safety. Mariela is respectful, has a smile on her face, and her area is organized, and clean. She is a very good motivator and it is important to her that the team is in a happy environment.

Alex L., General Warehouse II (February 2016)
SCO3: 27801 Avenue Scott

Alex shows great leadership skills as well as the ability to maintain good communication with the client service team and his management team. He is also able to prioritize orders and manage his work staff to a peak performance. Alex always does a great job on a daily basis but he really stepped up to the plate the last 2 weeks of the month while Joseph was out on paternity leave. His communication with client service and his ability to meet some very important order deadlines was great. He made the transition to running an entire department seamless.

Francisco G., General Warehouse I (April 2015)
IND1: 28220 Industry Drive

Francisco is always on time and does not miss work. He is willing to help out any department or facility. He has a positive attitude towards everybody and is a pleasure to work with. We appreciate Francisco and enjoy working with him.

***

Whether these outstanding employees are part of the management team, client services, technology, accounting, fulfillment operations, facilities, the warehouse team, taking inventory, answering the phone, training people, making decisions, doing payroll… they are the reason that AMS succeeds so well and continues to grow.

Once again… a sincere Thank You from the AMS Fulfillment Family!

***

June Employees of the Month luncheon from left to right: Mariela M, Alex L, Ignacio G, Francisco G and Mayra J, pictured with Ken Wiseman and Jay Catlin.

July 5, 2017

Let’s Give the Gift of Sight

AMS is a big business with a ‘family feel’. The AMS management and employees support each other and the community in many ways with education, volunteering, holiday giving, charitable endeavors and more. Recently the AMS family has joined in another effort to be of help in a campaign that means a lot to one of their own… driver and in-house messenger, Gene.

Gene’s daughter Natasha lost her eyesight at age twelve due to a rare condition called Stargardt’s disease, which is a form of macular degeneration that affects people in their younger years. She lost all central vision and was left with limited peripheral sight. At that young age she was informed that there is no cure and that her vision would decline further.

But… change does come, and sometimes it comes like a miracle. There is now a device that can return her eyesight, in that when she wears it she can see again. The device houses a high-speed, high-definition camera that captures everything the user is looking at and displays it on two, OLED screens in front of the user’s eyes. With this device Natasha can clearly see a full color video image with no lag time. She can tilt her head without getting dizzy, zoom in and out, and she has peripheral vision.

It must have been difficult for her to put the device down and walk away without it.

The AMS family would love to see Gene’s family able to purchase the device. AMS President, Jay Catlin said, “Technology and innovation is simply amazing these days, and for Gene and Natasha, it brings hope and positivity in what has otherwise been a heart-wrenching situation. We have a natural culture of caring at AMS Fulfillment, and it’s showing up again for Gene’s family.”

AMS is spreading the word throughout the company and on social media. The message is that miracles do happen. With a combination of technology and generous people Gene’s daughter can experience the gift of eyesight.

During a recent interview, Natasha expressed her hopes and dreams:

“I am so excited to live the life I was meant to live before this disease, to just do simple things like read a book or read my mail! It’s a crazy experience to live with no hope of seeing again and then suddenly, out of nowhere, there is a device that can change my world. I am SO excited to get that chance again!”

We invite you to visit the Natasha fundraising page and share this information far and wide. Thank You from AMS.

DONATION LINK: http://giving.esighteyewear.com/Natasha-Sokol

Video of Natasha:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QkpGr7MrRJ4

June 17, 2017

Congratulations to AMS’ ESL Graduates!

The AMS commitment to retaining, educating, training and advancing employees was established from the start. And yet, for the past three years, AMS has taken its family culture to another level by creating some unique and groundbreaking partnerships with businesses and organizations the community.

Several years ago AMS CEO, Ken Wiseman met with educators and administrators from Santa Clarita’s College of the Canyons (COC) with the aim of establishing an education and job-training partnership that would have a broad benefit. Describing their efforts Ken said, “The business and the college have been working together to explore educational opportunities and funding initiatives.” The AMS-COC partnership is now several years old, and has been a great success.

AMS provides classroom space within one of the AMS buildings; a space that employees have named the “Advance My Skills Learning Center.” Included in the space is a 25-person computer lab. In addition to this classroom, AMS provides books and materials, and offers the classes free of charge. College of the Canyons provides the instructors, coursework and registration of students. This partnership works extremely well as it meets the needs of AMS, the employees, the College and the community.

Among the courses offered is English as a Second Language (ESL 1), and May 2017 is the one-year anniversary of the first ESL course. This course is one that employees have been eager to take advantage of. By studying English through a respected school, without having to leave the workplace, they are more able to write and respond to emails, letters and so on, and possibly pursue more skilled positions at AMS or elsewhere.

Recently a group of AMS employees who had completed their fourth segment of ESL were presented with certificates of achievement at a COC ceremony, attended by more than 300 people. Ken was the guest speaker at this event, where he was able to express his pride in the students and the program and talk about the significance of their achievement.

Ken said, “Although these certificates symbolize a finish line, they really are the starting line for something new and something greater.” He encouraged the students to continue making commitments and working hard to achieve a goal.

Some of the other courses taught in the AMS classroom are the Lean Six Sigma (LSS) Green Belt course, Microsoft Excel, Clerk Mentoring, Supervisor training, Hazardous Material Handling, CPR, AMS Safety Certification, OSHA Certification, and a first of its kind Apprenticeship Program. The benefit of these classes to AMS is apparent. A large fulfillment company needs trained staff. Well-trained employees are happier, and happier people do a better job for the clients.

Congratulations to all of graduates!

June 16, 2017

AMS Employee Recognition – May 2017

Congratulations to the AMS Employees of the Month for May 2017! We are very grateful for your efforts! Thank you Terrance N., Natalia A., David B., Ramiro R., Marlen L.

Every month the supervisors in our various facilities nominate a team member who has provided outstanding service to the AMS clients. The nominations and comments demonstrate that the individual being recognized deserves to be thanked and appreciated for not only doing a job well, but for caring enough to go above and beyond. Nominations are listed according to the facility that the employee represents. All of the AMS facilities are located in Valencia, CA, City of Santa Clarita.

Terrance N., Account Manager (March 2016)
HQ Administration, 29010 Commerce Center Drive

Terrance has the extremely difficult job of doing collections. He must call customers who are in arrears and ask them to please send payment now. I sit near Terrance and I hear his conversations and I am constantly amazed at his demeanor when speaking with customers. He is always calm, polite and always professional; even when the person the other end of the line is angry he does his very best to calm the situation. He is a true Southern Gentleman (from Louisiana), always addressing the caller as Ma’am or Sir. I have told him many times that in my opinion he’s the perfect person for this, at times, extremely frustrating position. He is always very friendly to everyone on or off the phone. Terrance is an extremely professional and polished representative and a great asset to AMS.

Natalia A., General Warehouse III (April 2014)
HQ Warehouse, 29010 Commerce Center Drive

Natalia is always willing to take on any workload in any job. I have never given her something she could not handle with accuracy and speed. She works very well with the entire team and we depend on her to do the more detailed jobs that require much care and accuracy such as UCC labeling and shipping. Natalia is a hard worker, very intelligent and works in a very efficient way.

David B., General Warehouse II (March 2017)
SCO3: 27801 Avenue Scott

David is a great worker with a great attitude. He is always here, always on time and willing to do whatever is necessary to get the work done. He has recently taken on the responsibility of not only picking his orders, but due the recent spike in orders he has also learned how to scan and ship the orders as well. David is a perfect addition to the team.

Ramiro R., General Warehouse I (July 2011)
WILL/WIT: 28936 Avenue Williams, 28624 Witherspoon Parkway

Ramiro is a BEAST when it comes to unloading containers or loading trailers. He always has a positive attitude and gets his tasks done quickly and accurately. Ramiro is always willing to come in early, stay late, or work the weekend if needed. He is a true team player helping out any area or client that is in need of assistance. No matter what building or client he is helping with or what task he is assigned we can always count on Ramiro to get any job done.

Marlen L., Inventory Clerk (August 2016)
IND1: 28220 Industry Drive

Marlen is an excellent worker. She has 100% commitment to do the job in the correct and efficient way. Without her help we would not have been able to perform the tasks that were assigned to her in previous months and bring this warehouse into great shape. She can easily be trained to be one of the leaders in the company. Marlen is respectful to all people and can guide others in any tasks knowing the job will be finished in a good way. We have a diamond in her!

___

As you can see from the supervisor comments, AMS has nurtured a culture that depends upon and places great value in employees. We call it an ‘AMS Family’ culture that takes note of and cares about the people who work here, their wellbeing, and their job satisfaction. No matter which department they work in, which task they do, or which location we find them in, our employees are the reason that AMS succeeds so well and continues to grow.

Employees of the Month recognition is meant to be a sincere Thank You from the entire AMS Fulfillment Family! You are the reason for our success!

June 1, 2017

Employees of the Month: AMS April 2017

Congratulations to the AMS Employees of the Month for April 2017! We are very pleased and proud to recognize Daniel C., Rebecca A., Manuel M., Janet R., and Carlos G.

AMS is a large fulfillment company, with several facilities and several hundred employees, located in Valencia, CA, City of Santa Clarita. Due to our many educational and community service efforts, we are known and recognized within the community as a company that cares. Our employees are the reason for this reputation, and a very big part of our endeavor to serve others through entry-level employment and training.

Every month the supervisors at our facilities nominate individuals who are doing an outstanding job for the clients. These nominations and supervisor comments demonstrate that the individual being recognized has not only been noticed, but has served the clients, the company and the community in a way that is exemplary!

Thank You to the following members of the AMS Family!

Daniel C., IT (March 2015)
HQ Office: 29010 Commerce Center Drive

Daniel is a pleasure to work with. He always responds quickly to requests and follows up to make sure things are working correctly afterward. He brings a great attitude to work every day and works very hard to take care of problems. Daniel goes above and beyond his call of duty! We know that he can be busy and a bit overwhelmed but he manages to respond to our requests in a professional manner. Daniel is always very responsive and helpful with a friendly demeanor when interacting with his colleagues. He has a very positive attitude and is willing to take on projects and see them to completion. He uploaded software to 26 computers in the AMS Learning Center on short notice and came in early the next morning to ensure that all the computers were operating correctly and trouble-shooting any login in or software problems. Well Done Daniel – great employee!!

Rebecca A., Clerk II-Returns (March 2017)
HQ Warehouse: 29010 Commerce Center Drive

Rebecca (Becky) is a go-to person. She came on board from Exact Staff and if I could have nominated her at that time I would have. She demonstrates exemplary performance. She is detailed in all her assignments and has the willingness to exercise leadership. Becky takes initiative, accepts all challenges and carries out additional responsibilities. Her attitude is bar none. She is a key team player in the HQ returns department and she is a great and fun co-worker who takes pride in her work. She is always willing to help out, gets her job done in the most efficient way, and is always on time and ready to do her job. I decided to nominate Becky because she is always looking to help others the best way she can. She’s a positive person to have in our department and a hard working young lady. I came in new to the department and she has been a great help to me without hesitation. Becky motivates others with her professionalism and dedication to all she does. I am very proud to have her on the returns team. She enjoys helping others in the various departments and gets along with others. I look forward to watching Becky grow at AMS.

Manuel M., General Warehouse II-Forklift (July 2016)
SCO3: 27801 Avenue Scott

Manuel is always very responsive when we need to complete a project, and he clearly derives enjoyment from his duties and his enthusiasm. Manuel has contributed to the fun working atmosphere in our team. He is always on time, a hard worker, and we’re glad to have Manuel in the Receiving/Inventory team. No matter how difficult the assignment is, he is truly a pleasure to have on our team. Every day Manuel comes to work with a smile and a positive attitude, and it is a pleasure to nominate him as one of the employees of the month.

Janet R., Lead I-Shipping (February 2016)
WIL/WIT2: 28624 Witherspoon Parkway and 28936 Ave Williams

Janet has done an excellent job with her duties, especially recently. We have had an abundance of ticketing, labeling and various VAS jobs in which she has been tracking productivity, communicating all issues and timelines and making sure the jobs are completed in time. Janet is a dedicated, hard working and responsible employee, and she deserves to be nominated.

Carlos G., Operations Manager (January 2017)
IND1: 28220 Industry Drive

I would like to nominate Carlos as our candidate for employees of the month recognition. He has been here a short time and has only shown positive leadership qualities. He is professional to everyone. Carlos is so passionate about his work and is always there to help in any situation. I really enjoy working with him and know I can always count on him to be 100% onboard the AMS Team!

No matter which department they work in, which task they do, or which location we find them in, our outstanding employees are the reason that AMS succeeds so well and continues to grow. Employees of the Month recognition is meant to be a sincere Thank You from the entire AMS Fulfillment Family! You are the reason for our success!

May 2, 2017

AMS Employees of the Month for March 2017

Congratulations to the AMS Employees of the Month for March! We are very grateful to these outstanding members of our corporate family! Thank you Margie M., Hector E., Jerry S., Francisco R., William C.

In the fulfillment industry employees are much more than human resources. They directly serve the company’s clients, making their efforts vital to the growth and success of the business. AMS Fulfillment is a large company with a number of facilities and several hundred employees. But even though we are large, it’s not difficult for us to notice individuals and their achievements. In fact, we make a point of it.

It’s our pleasure to recognize the following Employees of the Month:

Margie M., Executive Assistant (April 2011)
HQ Administration, 29010 Commerce Center Drive

Margie continues to face every day with a smile and a willingness to take on every challenge that is thrown her way. Our company is actively involved in the community, and she is always there to help with correspondences, meeting scheduling and so on. Margie always also assists a lot with the tracking of client and visitor meetings and lunches. She produces certificates for Employee of the Month, safety badges and other special honors. Margie also handles calls and appointment setting for Jay and Ken. People repeatedly pass on to management just how friendly and professional she is at all times.

Hector E., Returns Supervisor (January 2015)
HQ Warehouse, 29010 Commerce Center Drive

Hector has improved the returns department regarding accuracy, organization, and professionalism. As a supervisor, he demonstrates strong leadership while making the team feel like family. Hector is a great supervisor with positive attitude, and he is a big help.

Jerry S., General Warehouse II (July 2016)
SCO3: 27801 Avenue Scott

Jerry has massively improved since his first day in the department. We never have issues with orders being incomplete or units being miss-picked. Jerry is always on time and ready to work at the start of the day and he always has a great attitude no matter what is going on. He helps out his fellow employees without being asked.

Francisco R., General Warehouse II- F (November 2015)
WIT2/WIL1: 28624 Witherspoon Parkway & 28936 Avenue Williams

Francisco is always willing to help out with whatever is needed. It doesn’t matter if it is his home department or if he is helping out with other clients, he always gives 100%. He comes to work on time, every day ready to get whatever is asked of him done. He is always willing to come in early/stay late/ or even work on the weekends to help out. Francisco’s dedication, impeccable attendance, and attention to detail are just a few things that make him an asset here at AMS.

William C., Inventory Clerk I (December 2016)
IND1: 28220 Industry Drive

William is a great worker, very dedicated to the job and always doing the correct things in order to get the job done. He follows procedures and is always looking for a new method to improve safety, performance and time. He is an excellent team worker. William wants to learn new procedures and tasks for the good of the company.

***

Employees of the Month recognition is offered as a sincere Thank You from the AMS Fulfillment Family!

May 2, 2017

Hazmat Safety Training Begins at AMS

Safety and security are bound to be priorities in a company like AMS, which operates warehouses containing the equivalent of 30 football fields of consumer products! Recently the training of employees in safety and security has been expanded under the direction of Steve Perez, Manager of Security/Safety.

In recognition of the importance of training in all matters where safety is concerned, a new Hazmat course has been added to the training schedule.

When asked about employee training in general, Steve explained that although AMS has a great safety record, there is a lot of space to keep safe, equipment to become aware of, conveyor belt systems, pallets and forklifts, sharp edges, various carts in movement, and numerous places where carelessness or inattention could lead to a serious safety concern. The additional concern that is now being addressed is recognition of hazardous materials and procedures to use when handling and shipping such materials.

AMS does not commonly store and ship hazardous materials, and yet, in an effort to assure the full safety of employees and the public, management determined that employees should be trained on how to meet the standards of certification for materials that might be considered hazardous, and how to recognize such materials.

The standards for Hazmat training in the US have been established by the Department of Transportation (DOT), and AMS uses these standards in their training program.

Some of the information that employees receive in training can include how to identify hazardous material and define it, reporting requirements, how to determine the hazard class and select packaging and labeling, how to segregate, load, block and brace hazardous material and so on. Transportation of a hazardous material in commerce includes movement, loading, unloading and storage during transport, so training must teach how to transport by air, rail, vessel and motor vehicle.

Also included in training is emergency response information, self-protection measures and accident prevention methods and procedures. The goal is awareness and familiarization training designed to provide familiarity with DOT regulations for shippers, transporters and manufacturers. In essence, although contact with hazardous materials is unlikely, for the protection, safety and security of AMS employees and the public, this function-specific training for the AMS warehouse employees is taking place.

Steve Perez spoke about the likelihood of AMS employees encountering hazardous materials, and the reason for Hazmat training, saying, “At AMS we do handle materials that require certification. Even though these materials might not be considered truly hazardous, their handling and shipping requires training.”

The safety and security record at AMS is top notch, and intentionally so, for the protection of both employees and clients. Congratulations to the employees for their successful achievement of Hazmat training.

April 14, 2017

AMS CEO Undertakes Climb to Fight Cancer

Community service has been at the forefront of the personal life of AMS CEO Ken Wiseman for many years. There is a long list of volunteer positions he has held including Chair of the Mayor’s Committee for Employment of Individuals with Disabilities, six years as president of the SCV Sheriff’s Foundation, 11 years on the Sheriff’s Search & Rescue Team, Board member of the SCVEDC and Member of the SCV Homeless Coalition.

AMS has created a unique corporate culture, with service to family and community being nurtured in many ways since opening our doors for business. We were proud indeed when our CEO received recognition from The Signal as #1 most influential Business Leader in Santa Clarita Valley in 2016 in their listing of “Top 51 Business Leaders.”

Ken has led the company into utilizing a multitude of entry-level positions to help individuals from many parts of the community find entry and reentry into the workforce. AMS seeks out challenged and motivated individuals, provides employability skills training and mentoring opportunities, and prepares these employees for higher paid jobs. In addition, AMS has undertaken a groundbreaking educational effort in alliance with College of the Canyons, offering free classes to employees and the community within two dedicated AMS classroom spaces, one being a new 25-person computer lab.

Once again, with a great deal of pride in our CEO, we ask the community to support him and his son in an admirable effort to serve through personal effort. The following is Ken Wiseman’s message to the public:

Dear friends and associates,

To raise funds for cancer research, my son Eric and I have embraced the Fred Hutch Cancer Research challenge to climb Mount Hood as a father and son team June 10-11, joining other associates of mine from Los Angeles County Sheriff Search & Rescue Teams, of which I am a volunteer. Our group is hoping to raise $25,000 to support Fred Hutch Cancer Research.

Ken is CEO, and son Eric is an Operation’s Manager at AMS Fulfillment. Outside their careers, Ken is President of the SCV Sheriff’s Foundation, and a 12-year volunteer with the SCV Search & Rescue Team. This will be Ken’s 3rd climb to raise money for Cancer research, and Eric’s 2nd.

Why We Are Doing This

Along with the other Search & Rescue team members on this trip, we are raising funds to address the challenge that every day faces individuals who are diagnosed with Cancer. We hope a cure is within our reach.

Almost 11 years ago Ken reached the summit of Mount Rainier and proudly flew the prayer flag that he had carried to the top. Ken and Eric also climbed Mount Rainier last year. Between the two climbs and the combined efforts of the team that climbed, they raised over $50,000 for cancer research.

At the time of Ken’s first climb, his sister Lauren was battling Breast Cancer. We are grateful to say that Lauren has been in remission since that time and is doing well. With much progress in breast cancer treatments, many have put cancer behind them, but others have not had such blessed recoveries.

Like many challenges, the training, the commitment, and the resolve to accomplish are best undertaken when the rewards benefit others. Such is the nature of this venture, and the reason we have once again joined The Fred-Hutch Climbing Challenge. May our victory on the mountain play some small part in the more outstanding one that can be achieved through a cure for cancer.

Please Send a Gift

You can make a difference. Your support, perhaps the names you share with us to place on our prayer flag, and the stories many of you will share, all reinforce our mission. Please click on this link to give to the “Climb to Fight Cancer.” Every gift helps!

Kindest regards,

Ken & Eric Wiseman

News

Read All About It! AMS News and Local Updates