Soave: Newsletter Summer 2007

Premier Steel’s Victor Johnson Pursues Passion

Every third weekend, Victor Johnson suits up in more than 100 pounds of diving gear to descend to depths of more than 200 feet in area waters. He completes his intensive training year round, sometimes having to cut a hole in the ice during winter months.

Johnson, a salesman with Premier Steel, considers his participation in the Midwest Technical Recovery Team (MTRT) to be a “community service.” His dedication to the all–volunteer deep–diving organization can also be accurately described as a passion.

“As part of the recovery team, I have an opportunity to help people who are seeking closure and an explanation,” Johnson says.

Based in southeast Michigan, the MTRT assists law enforcement dive teams who don’t have the capability or manpower to complete extended deep water searches. In extreme conditions, the expert team locates drowning victims, criminal evidence or other items out of reach to most divers. Recreational divers typically don’t go below 130 feet. MTRT members maintain special equipment and train for dives that have sometimes extended to depths of 300 feet.

“I enjoy the focused training. You really have to know what you’re doing,” he notes. “We have taken underwater crime scene classes and know how to properly document what we recover. Our surface support people take compass readings and use GPS to note exactly where the items were located.”

“We don’t participate for any financial incentive, but it does allow us to share our expertise with those in need,” Johnson concludes. “And my wife is happy because it keeps me from skydiving.”

Recreating Motown’s Magic

With hundreds of hopefuls auditioning for approximately 30 roles, AntJuan Calloway feels honored to have landed a role in Mosaic Youth Theatre of Detroit’s production of “Now That I Can Dance – Motown 1962.” Calloway, a reservationist at Checker Sedan, played Marvin Gaye in the story of Motown’s early days and its first chart–topping act, The Marvelettes.

“I have been singing for awhile, particularly at church, but this is my first performance in a major production,” notes Calloway. “With rehearsals only beginning five weeks before the show was scheduled to run, the cast had to get a lot done very quickly.”

The production was hosted at the Detroit Film Theatre inside the Detroit Institute of Arts from August 3 through August 12. A true story, “Now That I Can Dance” is based upon the personal memories and stories of Katherine Anderson Schaffner – an original Marvelette.

“Two of the real Marvelettes came to an early rehearsal. They were very pleased with the professionalism and quality of the show,” says Calloway. “Even more importantly, I’m delighted that so many of my co–workers and their families attended the show.”

Brambleton Group Relocates

Early in 2007, the Brambleton Group moved their administrative offices. Now located in Brambleton Town Center, the offices are on–site within the Loudon County, Virginia development. Visit brambleton.com for details.

“Our staff – and, importantly, our guests – can stretch their legs a bit more after we have expanded our office size by an additional 2,000 square feet to a current total of 7,000 square feet,” says Kim Adams, Brambleton’s Director of Marketing. “We were formerly located along the Route 7 Dulles corridor. With the growth and construction of the Town Center, we were able to move our offices to be closer to our neighborhoods. The new location brings added convenience for visitors.”

Achieving Diversity at MPS Group

Reaching out into the local community, Detroit–based MPS Group has recently undertaken new initiatives to recruit and retain top–flight minority employees. The company, a registered Minority Business Enterprise located in one of the city’s Enterprise Zones, has achieved significant diversity over the past 12 months as a direct result of these innovative programs.

MPS Group’s total minority employment now stands at 39% for 2007, up from 28% for 2006. Its employment of both minority and female staff members combined is 51%, an increase from 46% last year.

“We are proud of our ongoing efforts and recent successes in attracting minority employees,” explains Angie Sherrill, MPS Group’s Director of Human Resources. “Among our core corporate values is a commitment to broaden participation of minorities in the business community.”

Among its most successful programs is an internship program in cooperation with Detroit Public Schools. Ten students from Randolph Career and Technical Center participated in MPS Group’s summer workforce program. Teen workers who graduated the previous May were retained as permanent employees at summer’s end. A similar program was also implemented with high school students near the company’s Sharonville, Ohio facilities.

Targeting of minority employees extends to college graduates as well. “We are building relationships with local universities to attract more environmental engineers from within the minority community,” details Sherrill. “Currently, I’m working with Wayne State University and have plans to soon expand recruitment efforts to Oakland University, then possibly University of Michigan and Michigan State.”

“Most importantly, MPS Group seeks out the most qualified applicants – period,” states Sherrill. “However, as a minority–owned, inner city enterprise, we have embraced workforce diversity as a goal and extend opportunities to minority applicants when possible.”