That’s a Wrap! A look back at everything we’ve done in 2024

This year we added a few new events to our list:

• Groundbreaking for our East Sam Houston warehouse
• Take Your Child to Work Day
• Our Summer Cook off Series and Seasonal Specialty Series in the fall/winter
• Top Golf events for customers in New Jersey
• Two separate EV events
• Touch-a-Truck Festival
• Winter Wonderland Holiday Party
• And so much more!

Some other annual events we participate in are our Toys for Tots toy drive, Wreaths Across America, and National Night Out.

Our Newest Houston Warehouse on the East Sam Houston Parkway

In March, we hosted the groundbreaking for our newest Houston warehouse, and we look forward to the grand opening in 2025! This 181,000-square-foot facility will expand our logistics department and offer endless possibilities. Our Houston warehouse is only ten miles from the Port of Houston which includes Barbour’s Cut Terminal and Bayport Container Terminal. It’s a convenient location and within proximity to major railways and ports, which means we can offer quick and efficient port drayage and transloading services.

This warehouse provides convenience that goes beyond just its location! It provides a comprehensive range of features like 15,000-rack capacity, forty dock doors, two drive-up ramps, and 20,000 square feet of office space. Like our corporate headquarters, the lobby will feature OT2, a replica of the Old Timer truck used by our founders in 1927 to deliver watermelons.

Take Your Child to Work Day

Hermann Services hosted “Take Your Child to Work Day” across all our locations in New Jersey, Delaware, and Texas. The day started with a warehouse tour and an opportunity to learn about our processes, the goods we store, and some important aspects of food safety. One of the ways the children were taught about food safety was through a fun demonstration using pudding cups and gummy worms. “The kids enjoyed opening their cups to see if their pudding cup was ‘contaminated.’ They were also excited to eat the gummy bears and/or the pudding. Who doesn’t like gummies and pudding for breakfast?” said Lisa Burke, Warehouse Customer Service Representative. The warehouse tour ended with a mini ‘Forklift Rodeo’ where a few of our warehouse staff were able to show off their skills.

At the end of the warehouse tour, the children had a chance to learn about the difference between electric and diesel trucks. The most notable difference they were able to notice was how quiet the electric truck was compared to the diesel.

“Take your child to work day was filled with enthusiasm and excitement. Seeing all the wonder in each child’s eyes and just having a great time put this event to the top,” said Alicia Render, Office Manager for our Rising Sun Road warehouse. “From touring the warehouse to the fun of changing a tire on a tractor-trailer (only Clint, one of our mechanics, can make it look like a great time) to temporary tattoos, great food, and some amazing employees to bring it all together.” Not only did the kids have a blast playing games and doing crafts, but this event was also a great way to spark curiosity and inspire the next generation!

The kids also enjoyed playing sports on our beautiful lawn, where members of the South Brunswick Police Department joined in for a game of football. The day ended with a mini concert on the building’s front steps, where the kids had a blast singing karaoke, with plenty of Taylor Swift songs.

Summer Cook Off and Seasonal Specialty Series

Throughout the summer we hosted five themed cook-off competitions: barbeque, Italian, Southern, and Latin. A total of 140 contestants across all locations competed for the title of ‘Hermann Grand Champion’ in the exciting September finale.

After the success of our Summer Cook Off Series, we extended the fun into the winter with our Seasonal Specialty Series. For these cook offs, we opened the contest to family members of our employees. This allowed our employees to share family recipes, and it gave them a chance to proudly show off dishes made by their talented family members. With our chili cook off in October, pies in November, and cookies and desserts hosted in December, they served as the perfect addition to the holiday lunches we host for our employees.

Top Golf Events for Customers

We hosted a networking event with staff and customers at Top Golf, in Edison, NJ. It was a night to remember with everyone feeling like it was a night out with friends and family. “It was a great event, filled with laughter, engagement, and fun times crushing angry birds. It was great meeting our guests, getting to know them on a professional and personal level, and deepening our relationship with them,” said Adrian Hurgoi, VP of Finance Operations. “Everyone was excited about being there and expressed their appreciation not just for being invited to the event and having lots of fun, but also for all the things we do for them and with them.” We look forward to hosting more events like this in the future!

Hermann Services EV Events

This year, Hermann Services attended two press conferences where we were able to showcase our electric truck and celebrate the expansion of heavy-duty electric vehicle charging stations in New Jersey. We attended a press conference hosted by the NJ DEP to celebrate the awarding of a substantial grant to the Clean Corridor Coalition for the expansion of heavy-duty electric vehicle charging infrastructure along the I-95 corridor. We also participated in a press conference hosted by the NJ Sierra Club, which shared a similar objective in advancing the adoption of electric vehicles.

We’re also proud to have received a large grant through the NJ DEP to help us purchase more heavy-duty class 8 trucks. This grant will help us expand our fleet by purchasing more EVs, reducing our emissions, and more!

Touch-a-Truck Festival

In October, we brought our Wreaths Across America and Toys for Tots trailers to The Ashley Lauren Foundation’s Touch-a-Truck Festival in Freehold, New Jersey. We also brought OT2, a replica of the Old Timer which sits in the lobby of our corporate office, and EV1, our electric truck.

“The curiosity and smiles from so many children was priceless for me! It is a great way to have children interact with these big machines they see on the roads each day,” recounted Karin Baran, Fleet Maintenance and Road Service Coordinator. “We helped to make the world a little smaller for the children that day. I really enjoyed volunteering, can’t wait for next year!”

This event featured many other trucks like fire trucks, construction and service trucks, emergency vehicles, and even helicopters, boats, and more! Along with trucks, this festival also featured food trucks, petting zoos, face painting, rides, live entertainment, and more!

Winter Wonderland Holiday Party

On December 13th, we celebrated our employees with a festive Holiday Party at The Palace in Somerset, New Jersey. The party provided a chance for our team to unwind and connect while recognizing their hard work throughout the year. We also announced award winners during the dinner to acknowledge the outstanding contributions of our employees. The categories/winners were:

• Chairman Award – Hector Comulado
• Chairman Award – Rich Tallmadge
• Driver of the Year – Horace Jordan
• Warehouse Employee of the Year – Enrique Vasquez
• Employee of the Year – Helen Rinkens
• Team Player Award – Erin Lydon
• Team Spirit Award – Afua Adjekum
• Mentor/Coach Award – Dracy Hyman
• Hermann Cares Award – Melinda McKenzie

A highlight of the Holiday Party was the presentation of the Hermann Hero Award, recognizing individuals who have made a significant contribution to our organization and the community. This year, the award was presented to Deputy Mayor Joe Camarota. Additionally, South Brunswick Police Chief Raymond Hayducka, South Brunswick Mayor Charlie Carley, and New Jersey State Senator Andrew Zwicker were also recognized for their outstanding service.