Royal Palm P&DC I.C.E. Team is 'Hot'

Employee Engagement is the winning recipe at the Royal Palm Processing and Distribution Center (P&DC) in Opa-locka, FL. Employees on all three tours competed for a $25 gift certificate and apron in a chili cook off. First Place winners were Tour 1 Automated Flats Sorting Machine (AFSM) 100 Distribution Clerk Kirrie, Baker, Tour 2 Automated Parcel and Bundle Sorter (APBS) Distribution Clerk Debra Myers, and Tour 3 Automated Flats Sorting Machine (AFSM) 100 Distribution Clerk Carmen Torres.

 

Tour 1 Automated Flats Sorting Machine (AFSM) 100 Distribution Clerk Kirrie Baker (above) won first place for her turkey chili recipe. Photo: Bridget Taylor

Judges included Senior Manager, Distribution Operations Angelene Rainey; Managers, Distribution Operations Chris Birks, Pete Claudio and Karen Smith; Supervisors, Distribution Operations Lynn Fluellen, Regina Fenderson, Chante Horne, Via Polite, and Kevin Roberson; Manager, Maintenance Operations Jeremy Jasso;  Supervisor, Maintenance Operations Kathy Robinson; Operations Industrial Engineers Joel Bonilla and Yenan Leyva; and Administrative Assistant Sharon Bragg.

 

Automated Parcel and Bundle Sorter (APBS) Distribution Clerk Debra Myers (above) won first place in the Tour 2 chili cook off competition. Photo: Bridget Taylor

The chili cook off was one of many employee engagement activities at the Royal Palm P&DC. Employees nominate co-workers for recognition at the monthly town hall meetings where managers reward employees with a Certificate of Appreciation and a $25 gift card. A/Senior Plant Manager Henry Dominguez also supports a My Work Matters Program where employees share how their role contributes to the success of the plant, the district, and the organization. Their photo and quote are posted on the work floor. There also are birthday recognitions and celebrations, as well as designated days to wear your favorite sports team uniform. Dominguez and his management team also take full advantage of Lean Six Sigma (LSS) huddle boards in various operations where employees congregate and discuss what went well and what needs improvement on any given day.

Automated Flats Sorting Machine (AFSM) 100 Distribution Clerk Carmen Torres (above) won first place among chili cook off competitors on Tour 3. Photo: Bridget Taylor

 

Dominguez supports the I.C.E. (“Involved, Committed, Engaged”) Team, which is a key ingredient to  creating and maintaining a positive work environment. Team members include Operations Support Specialist/Lead Champion Employee Engagement/I.C.E. Team Bridget Taylor; Mail Handlers Bridget Brown, Evans Cadet, Miami Climpson, Felicia James, Jasmine James, Gwenett Jones, Brittany Hoover, Marques McDonald, Kendria Mesrisier, Shiquita Ray, Frank Ruano, Jr., Trameka Trotter, and Toccarra Williams; Clerks Debra Myers and Rashawn McDonald; Expediters Myeta Chavez and Renee Jones;  Equipment Operator Veka Davis; General Clerk Benita Edwards; Custodian Shirley Currington; Maintenance Mechanics  Laura Maggioncalda and Priscila Maldonado; and Supervisor, Maintenance Operations Kenny Franz.