Sandy Young: 20 Years of CPS!!!

On August 22,2010, Sandy Young celebrated her 20 year anniversary with Container & Packaging Supply, Inc. We really appreciate the work that Sandy has done for CPS and would like to congratulate her on this momentous occasion. Sandy has witnessed a lot of changes that has happened to CPS over the years and we have asked her to share some of those memories. Please read below for the Q & A with Sandy Young and her 20 years with CPS.

Container & Packaging Supply (CPS) - What was your first impression of CPS when you started?
Sandy Young (SY) - I loved how friendly and welcoming it felt when I started work. Coming from a home environment as a daycare provider, it was vastly different. A whole new world opened up to me when I started learning about the container industry and interacting with so many different people and businesses on the phone and in person. It was wonderful how many of my co-workers would take the time to explain and teach me so I could understand the industry. I always had a great love of numbers and information and it was satisfying to use this ability.

CPS - Describe your first day of work.
SY - Darelyn Walker was my trainer and introduced me to processes and customers. We were not all on the computer at this point, only Donalyn and Jim worked on computers. We did everything for purchasing and sales handwritten on triple copy forms. I had a sheaf of papers stapled together for a price list and another one for our customer list. We had 700 items and 450 customers. At this point, we had multiple price levels depending on which industry we were providing containers for, and I learned how to look up the customer, then go to the price list and locate the pricing by code. Then, I would write up the order including a written description for each item and calculate the entire order with my calculator. We also had a business called Summit Distributing which supplied paper and plastic products for the food industry. Depending on which line rang on the phone, I would answer as Container or Summit, then remember who I had on hold while I figured out which form, price list, customer list and commonly ordered items the customer needed. When I had a customer walk in, it was also my responsibility to acknowledge them, help with an order, keep the phones answered, and even pull orders or go get a sample for them to look at. I began on my first day to get to know my customers by name, what they called the items we sold to them, and how I could best help them. I challenged myself to remember people by name and face. I went home so exhausted and full of information, but I had an absolutely great experience and was excited for the next day to come.

CPS - What job positions have you held in the past 20 years?
SY - Wow, I don't even think I had a title other than if you need it done, I can do it! I was a combination of secretary, receptionist, customer service and also helped in the warehouse as needed. I wrote up all orders, worked with purchasing when I saw something we were short of, helped with invoicing prep, mailing, cleaned the toilet and sink, mopped and vacuumed. I learned how to run the copiers, stamp machine and kept track of the petty cash. When we had a party, I helped organize it and make sure we had all the supplies needed to make it happen smoothly. When I was asked to be the customer service manager, it was more to mediate between employees than to help with upset customers. That was my most difficult move since it took me completely out of my comfort zone. I grew a lot and learned more skills for training new employees about our processes and products. I loved the changes into Peachtree and into MAS200 & MAS500, and finally going online with SAM. Each transition brought challenges, but we seem better able to meet the need of our growing company, so hmmmm...change is good.

CPS - In your opinion, what event in the past 20 years caused the most change to CPS?
SY - Definitely the internet presence has been the biggest event. What an amazing place we have in the container market. Updating the accounting program would definitely be next in the events list, and then the phone system. All of those have enhanced our business and made growth possible and successful.

CPS - What change has been the easiest to adopt? Hardest to adopt?
SY - It has been my philosophy that you can't grow without some hard times so I just try to find the good parts in the hard times. During the MAS500 change over, I was able to buy a couch and two recliners with my overtime money. It was a really hard time of learning and stress, but wow! Where would we be without that time period? Probably, the easiest change for me was getting out of customer service. There were some thing I really enjoyed, especially working with our co-workers. But I definitely enjoy the accounting end of the business the most. It is really fulfilling to see the invoices all entered and ready to mail, and doing the data entry needed to keep everything going.

CPS - What has been your favorite experience with CPS?
SY - The opportunities to grow and try new things have been great for my life experiences. I am not a person who steps way far out of my comfort zone, but I do enjoy learning and trying new things. Container & Packaging has been a great way to challenge myself to be better in many areas of my life. Learning computer skill that many people my age do not have, has helped me to teach and share with others. Jay is so surprised when I tell him something new I have learned and shared with others, or that I fixed the copier. I am so not mechanical!

CPS - What moment would you classify as the most memorable (good, bad, funny, scary) with CPS?
SY - I think of the time I was working on an order for Camille Beckman and paged out to the warehouse for them to check stock before I finished up paperwork. At that time, we stocked a printed bottle in their aroma therapy line named "Love and Passion." Boy did I get hassled about asking if we had any love and passion in the warehouse. It was a while before that one was forgotten. We have had some wonderful Christmas party gift exchanges that brought out so much creativity and given me so many warm fuzzy feeling and memories. Watching the McCauley kids grow up over the years has been a fun experience. Brian was a truck driver when I started and he put in a hard day buy by the end of the day, he was really dragging. Each one of the kids had experiences printing or warehouseing and they were always fun to be with and were very good workers, even the young ones. We always knew when there was an evening event in the warehouse by how many ping-pong balls we found or an area that was cleared of product. It has been great working in a place where family is important and you feel valued as a person. The only bad experience I can remember is when we had a young man helping us move out of the original warehouse into the big section. He was on top of one of the racks and fell, breaking his arm. Everyone felt so bad that it happened. Most of the time, we have tremendously good experiences at work and I don't mind coming into work each day.

CPS - What color was Jim's hair when you started?
SY - Wasn't it light brown then just like it is now?

Sandy wanted everyone to know that she is tremendously grateful for a great 20 years and she looks forward to more years to come. Sandy said, "Working at Container & Packaging Supply has been great for me and for my family. Opportunities to learn and grow are so important to me and I have enjoyed the challenges."

Please make sure to thank Sandy for her hard work and congratulate her on reaching the 20 year mark.