“PRESS FROM THE PRESIDENT”
DECEMBER 2007
YEAR END NEWSLETTER

First of all I want to take this opportunity to thank all of Managers,Drivers,and Warehouse staff along with their family's from Salt Lake Albuquerque and El-Paso for braving the weather to participate in our annual Christmas Brunch and 40th Anniversary Celebration December 9th.

I know the journey turned out to be a little more of an adventure than we expected,but we sure did enjoy having you and your family's with us. It was great to see all of you and your children.

I hope each of you enjoyed the celebration as much as we enjoyed having you with us.

I also want to take this time to congratulate Daniel Silva as our Good Spirit Award winner for this year, Great Job Dan, you really earned this award,and we are proud to have you  with us.

I also want to make special mention of Gareth our Salesman in Salt Lake City. This was a very special year for him and his wife Lilli, they celebrated their 55th Wedding Anniversary. Gareth and Lilli, I want to say that you are both a real inspiration to all of us.

This has been a very exciting year for our company. We just completed a new expansion at our Colorado facility where we added 7500 sq.ft. of 60 degree high cube space and 2500 sq. ft of high cube 30-32 degree space. Wyatt Construction out of Boulder Colorado did this project and did a great job. Dave Wyatt built our original facility and we were excited to have him do our expansion. I also want to give a big Thank You to Bruce Anderson (B.A.) who was the project manager on our expansion. Bruce did a great job and we really enjoyed working with him Thanks again Bruce.

With our expansion behind us we are excited to begin the new year in 2008. We are working with 12 new warehousing and distribution company's some of which are already in our facilities in Erie,Salt Lake and Albuquerque. As always we are very thankful for our longtime customers who have been so loyal and great to work with for the past 40 years.

I am excited about the possibilities for 2008 and the years ahead. We will continue to focus and concentrate on our vision to continue working hard for each of our customers on all levels of customer service,while growing our region we serve in the Rocky Mountain States with new and diverse customers that compliment our existing customers.

Once again,as we end 2007 I am very happy to report that our Safety record has remained strong and continually improving thanks to the efforts of our drivers and Safety Team Ray and Jim,along with our Mechanics,Dweight,Matt, and Daniel out of Salt Lake. Thanks also to our Terminal Managers Bob Morgan,Archie & Joe, Tim Keepers and Ed Newkirk.  Thanks to each of you and please keep up the good work.

I also want to thank our entire staff for your continued efforts and hard work in 2007.  It has been a real pleasure having each of you with us.

I am looking forward to working with each one of you in 2008 and the years ahead and wish you and your family's a very Merry Christmas Season and a Happy Healthy and Blessed New Year.

"A FINAL THOUGHT FOR THE NEW YEAR"

Our greatest glory is not in never failing.
But in rising up every time we fail.

Best to each one of you for the New Year.

Sincerely,
Bob Lee, President
Empire Warehouse Inc.

News from Albuquerque, New Mexico

This past year has been a big challenge.  We have seen the business grow faster than what was expected.  That growth can be attributed to two words and they are Customer Service.  We have been there when other truck lines cant make their appointments and due to their schedules they cant remain in the area to reschedule.  We are being referred to them by the consignees because they know that we can be counted upon and trusted.

Along with this growth has come challenges and I have found it stressful many times.   but as they say, every cloud has a silver lining.  For me, that silver lining comes in the form of four people in particular.  For me, they have been a huge source of strenght.  It is always comforting to know that when it seems like everything has hit the fan, that there is someone to talk to.  It really does help to calm the storm and in a way, gives strenght for tomorrow.  My special thanks goes out to Tim Keepers, Linda Mayberry, Susan Grantland and Ray Uthe.  The conversations that I have had with them over the past year no matter how small or short has in fact made a big difference.  The examples they have set has been a bright light in the midst of a dark storm.  My thanks to you all.

This next year will bring with it new challenges, changes and successes and I know that together as a team, we are all ready to meet them head on.  I am looking forward to the good and great things that 2008 will bring to us all here at Empire Warehouse.

The Christmas party was great and many got to meet my Donnamarie.  Eventhough she had managed to gain allies against me in the form of Gabe Doporto and his entire family (the traitors), who were waiting to bombard me with snowballs, I found a more powerful ally in the bus driver who simply had to honk his horn for them to get on the bus.  He who laughs last (that's me), laughs best.  Tim used his natural God given wisdom and steered clear of the whole thing.  How lucky he was.

Just a line from Linda.........

2007 is quickly drawing to a close and we've all managed to make it through another year. 

A bout with the flu bug kept me from joining in all the "reindeer games" at the big Christmas celebration in Denver this year - but I've heard through the grapevine that a good time was had by all. The El Paso terminal was well represented by Gabe Doporto & his family & Tim Keepers & daughter Summer.

Things are winding down for this year but we look forward with anticipation to a busy 2008.  So from our terminal to yours - Happy Holidays & may each one of you be blessed in the new year with Health, Happiness & Prosperity !!!!

News from Salt Lake City, Utah

WELL IT'S WINTER AGAIN AND CHRISTMAS IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER. ALL OF US HERE IN SALT LAKE WOULD LIKE TO WISH EVERYONE A MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR. IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE THAT 2008 IS APPROACHING SO QUICKLY.

WE HAVE SOME NEW FACES HERE IN THE SALT LAKE TERMINAL. WE HAVE TWO NEW DRIVERS, JOHN EVANS AND STEVE MARTIN. WE ALSO HAVE TWO NEW WAREHOUSE GUYS, JOEY DELGADO AND HAL HICKS. WELCOME ABOARD GUYS.

JOHN OLIN AND GARRY HORROCKS MOVED ON TO BIGGER AND BETTER THINGS. GOOD LUCK GUYS. WE'LL MISS YA.

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL AND HAVE A GREAT NEW YEAR.