The Original 10 Year Trip by Jeff Meiners Joe Palumbo was the doctor in Ashton for decades starting in the 1950’s. He was a large man with a raspy voice and comforting, bedside manner that could have made him a feature in a Norman Rockwell painting. He delivered ba- bies, took care of the sick and was a fixture in the small town of Ashton who many remember still today. Oddly enough, he also played a key role in the tradition of Crest offering a ten year trip as a benefit to our employees. Doc Palumbo bought a condo in Acapulco, Mexico and offered it up to Jay Meiners and his family for a visit in the early 1970’s. The condo was on the tenth floor of the building it occupied with an open-air view to the ocean. Jay enjoyed his vacation so much that he decided that it would be a great reward for any Crest employee that had made Crest their work home for ten years to enjoy that same trip…thus the concept of the ten year trip was born at Crest Foods. The very first trips taken were just that…a visit to Doc Palumbo’s condo in Acapulco as that was the only option offered. While a wonderful benefit, it quickly became apparent that not everyone that earned the right was comfortable making the trip to Acapulco. The qualifica - tions for the program remained ten years of service, but the benefit changed to a cash bonus equivalent to what a trip to the condo would cost with a stipulation that the money be used to take a trip of the employee’s choice. The logic behind the benefit has not changed over the last fifty years…it is simply Crest’s way of saying thank you for choosing to be a part of the Crest family for a decade.
Chris Pfoutz on her 10 Year Trip to Hawaii in 1982
Gary Guenther on his 10 Year Trip to Disney with Justin & Jennifer Guenther in 1993
Since the first employee ten year trip was taken to Acapulco in 1973, 545 additional trips have been enjoyed at loca- tions literally all around the world. Destinations include New Zealand, Australia, Hawaii and the Caribbean with Disney, Mexico and The Dells being the most visited locations on our list. It has truly been our honor to sponsor so many trips and I’ve never run into another company with a similar service award in all my years in business. While both Jay Meiners and Doc Palumbo both left us many years ago, their ingenuity is still alive and well with us today in their ten year trip program.
We’ve been doing a little redecorating in the Main Plant downstairs hallway over the past few months. Lots of color and photos up on the walls to feature our new Crest Culture and the Compliance Corner. We hope to bring something similar to the West Facility hallway sometime soon!
14 Crest Ink April, May, June, July, August & September 2020
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