OHIO VALLEY eNEWS

Volume 2, Issue 2 Everyone Winning

July 2010 Team

MSMA is dedicated to the

Professional Advancement
of the Mail Distribution
Industry. July 14 Golf Outing Anna Knue, Bob Hessler, Al Driver, & Mark Hale

It has been a sizzlin’ hot summer so far this year, but great for the garden. We are just weeks away
from when our future leaders will be boarding the yellow bus off to conquer the world. Yes, fall is
Ohio Valley MSMA around the corner.
P.O. Box 14567
Are you attending MailCom‟s 17th Annual Fall Education Conference scheduled for
Cincinnati, Ohio 45250-0567
September 26-28 in Las Vegas? It is packed full of educational sessions such as cost-cutting
www.ohiovalleymsma.org
methods, improving customer service, and compliance with the USPS. These sessions are
presented by leading industry professionals so you won‟t want to miss it. In addition, you can earn
your professional certificate in: Mail Systems Management; Safety & Security; Government Mail
Upcoming Events Management; Office Services & Contract Management; Address Management; Intelligent Mail
Barcode; Delivery & Distribution Services; College & University Mail Management; Office
Services & Contract Management; Beyond Mail Workshops; or Postal Mail Management.
Sep. 15
National PCC Day from
While you are in Las Vegas, it
your professional accreditation or
Connie’s would be an excellent time to obtain
participate in the special track of
Portland, OR
courses which have been designed Cameo to help you prepare or achieve your
Certified Mail and Distribution Systems Manager (CMDSM), or
Sep. 26-28 Certified Mail and Distribution System Supplier (CMDSS)
MailCom Fall 2010 in credentials. Check the MSMA website msmanational.org about
Las Vegas, NV these certifications. You can find more information about MAILCOM
Las Vegas at www.mailcom.org.
Oct. 13 Our meeting on May 18 at Kings Island was a “two-for-one” meeting.
Vendor Exhibit (football I presented the benefits of the Mailpiece Design Consultant
theme) & “The Power of (MDC) certification. Great news -- we have our first achiever since the
Networking” – National meeting. Deborah Butler of Butler Mailing completed her MDC
Speaker Mr. Mark Fallon certification in June 2010. Check out the list of members that have already obtained their MDC at
http://www.msmanational.org/pages/ certification_mdclist.cfm. When will you sign up for this
certification? The second half of our May 18th meeting was presented by Mr. Jim Phillabaum on
Nov. 10 “Safety in Your Workplace.” See Jim‟s review in our Guest Writer column.
TBD See highlights of our July 14 meeting with national speaker Ms. Barbara Graham and our golf
outing. We had a few hiccups with this one, but it all worked out.
Mar. 1-3, 2011 Contact Tom Parker, Director of Communications, at tomparker@ups.com to
MailCom Spring 2011 in be featured in our Spotlight column or would like to earn certification credits
Washington, DC by being a Guest Writer.
Lastly, don‟t forget about our upcoming October 13 vendor venue event and
May 1-4, 2011 national speaker, Mr. Mark Fallon (pictured at the right) who will present “The
National Postal Forum in Power of Networking.” Visit Mark‟s website: www.berkshire-company.com.
San Diego, CA

Apr. 1-4, 2012

National Postal Forum in
Orlando, FL

Ohio Valley eNews -1- July 2010

 Proposed USPS Rate Adjustment
Tom Parker, Regional Account Manager, UPS Mail
Innovations
On July 6th, 2010, the U.S. Postal Service (USPS)
presented to the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC),
and announced to customers and the general public, their
proposed rate adjustment targeted to be effective
January 2, 2011. In summary, the filing by the USPS
seeks an average 5.6% increase in its “market dominant”
products, which include First-Class Mail, Standard Mail,
Periodicals, Package Services and Special Services.
Unlike rate adjustments under the former Postal
Reorganization Act of 1970, rate adjustments for the
Market Dominant or Mailing Services category, under
the new Postal and Accountability and Enhancement Act
(PAEA) are capped by a CPI indicator. That particular
CPI indicator would currently allow less than a 1%
increase. This less than 1% increase would hardly dent
the USPS projected $7 billion net loss for 2010.
This rate adjustment is being positioned as “exigent” in
nature, which is an option under the new PAEA. That
being said, the first decision to be made by the PRC is
determining if this request for a rate adjustment beyond
the CPI cap that is a part of the PAEA is in fact “exigent”
which is defined as “extraordinary and exceptional.” The
actual proposed overall rate adjustment of 5.6% breaks
down as follows: 0.6% adjustment under the CPI
indicator and 5% as a part of the exigency rate criteria.
If approved, the proposed price changes will raise about
$2.3 billion for the first nine months of 2011. The PRC
has 90 days to issue its decision on the proposal, and
would mark the first price increase for market dominant
products in almost two years.
While the rates are sure to gather most of the attention,
we must become familiar with the proposed rules that are
part of the filing. Two particular proposed changes to
note: First Class reply envelopes rides free -1.2 oz for the
price of 1.0 oz, with several strings attached; and the
tolerance for Move Update errors will be reduced from
30% to 25%.
The proposed rates and information items are available
on www.pe.usps.com.
Mailpiece Design Consultant. Mailpiece Design Consultant (MDC) is the new certification designation now available through
Mail Systems Management Association. As part of MSMA‟s ongoing mission to provide educational opportunities & recognition of
achievement to all mailing, shipping, logistics and industry professionals, MDC has been developed to verify one‟s knowledge &
specialization specifically related to mail. MSMA now offers a complete study guide to its online, open book, 100 multiple choice
question exam; all for $35. Pass the exam and receive your certificate! If you fail, study again & take the test an extra time at no
additional charge. Certificate must be renewed every two years. http://www.msmanational.org/pages/certification_mdc.cfm.
Ohio Valley eNews
Guest Writer
Jim Phillabaum Mail Center Safety.
There are several reasons to be concerned
with safety in the mail center. Among these
are employee morale, company liability, and
OSHA requirements.
Specifically, each facility must comply with
the OSHA requirements for Hazard
Communication. Any facility which uses any recognized
hazardous chemical is required to maintain a Hazard
Communication Program. Does your facility use inks, cleaners, or
sealers which can be considered as Hazardous Materials? As a
part of this program, employees must be trained, and receive
ongoing refresher training. Failure to comply with these
requirements is among the top ten citations issued by OSHA.
Additional training must take place which covers the facility‟s
safety program. The safety program needs to be a separate written
document which covers all safety aspects of the workplace.
Equipment operation, material handling, and ergonomics are
some of the subjects which should be addressed. Training must be
documented. The operation of any facility equipment with safety
covers removed, safety switches bypassed, or in any unsafe
manner must not be tolerated. Safety programs should include
both positive and negative reinforcement for the employees.
Safety planning should not overlook the basics of fire safety, and
should include contingency plans for tornado, severe storms, and
flooding.
In any discussion of safety, an often overlooked subject is
Earthquake Safety. Our local area is in a relatively high-risk area
for earthquakes. Modern building codes will protect most
structures from heavy damage as a result of an earthquake.
However, the placement of furnishings can contribute to the
survivability of your operation should a quake occur. Conversely,
the improper design and placement of equipment and furnishings
can contribute to injuries and long delays in returning to
production.
Finally, a demonstrated concern for employee safety will have a
very positive influence on employee morale and production.
Jim Phillabaum, President of Southern Ohio Safety
(513) 668-8899 southernohiosafety@sbcglobal.com. He was our
presenter on May 18. Southern Ohio Safety provides safety
assessment, safety training, and safety program creation for a
myriad of clients. Jim retired from First Financial Bank. He was
Manager of their Mail and Messenger departments. Prior to First
Financial, Jim was a Firefighter/Paramedic for the City of
Middletown, Ohio. Jim previously served on the Ohio Valley
MSMA board as Vice President of Education.
-2- July 2010
Personal Identity Theft in Your Mail Operation
Connie Compton, Distribution Center Manager, Western & Southern Financial Group
“Identity theft is one of America‟s fastest growing crimes, costing billions of dollars each year. Victims can spend months or years
and thousands of dollars cleaning up their financial records and restoring their good name.” -Jack Potter, 2007
I thought it was important that I briefly reviewed some of the high points that our July 14 speaker, Barbara Graham, presented. Have
you experienced layoffs at your company or have pending layoffs? Has an associate‟s spouse been laid off or are they concerned about
a layoff? Dealt with a foreclosure or repossession of a vehicle? These are the types of incidents which contribute to identity theft.
Think about the services you are providing, such as incoming and outgoing mail, copy and fax services, printing operation and
shipping and receiving. Your employees have access to information. You are required by law to secure personal information. What
policy do you have in place to protect your information?
Barbara shared, “You should limit access to unnecessary information.” Be aware of the work your associates perform. Be observant,
stay in-tune with employees, barcode everything you possibly can, exclude important numbers and keep invoices out of temptation.
She shared actual scenarios of identity theft. One good example was an employee is approached in the parking lot by a person offering
money for names and addresses. Even though you have great employees, when a life changing event occurs, however, a great
employee can be tempted by money for information. We thank Barbara for addressing our Ohio Valley Chapter!
Barbara works for UPS Mail Innovations. She has over 20 years of management experience and 16 years in
the mailing industry. She served as the Southern Nevada PCC Industry Co-Chair for four years and received
the “Most Successful Industry Co-Chair” award at National PCC Day in Los Angeles in March 1999. A
member of MSMA for the 16 years, Barbara is past President of the Delaware Valley Chapter and is the
current VP of Education/Programs for the Central Texas Chapter. Barbara currently serves as National
Director for MSMA and on the Speaker’s Team. She is a regular speaker for MailCom and MSMA and has
presented at PCC meetings and the National Postal Forum. Barbara comes to us from Austin, Texas.

Why MSMA?
Paul Dreifuss, Site Manager, Oce Business Services
Ohio Valley eNews Many people ask why invest $100 out of pocket to join MSMA; why spend time
and money attending meetings, tours, educational sessions? We all need to save
MSMA Newsletter money. I‟ve often heard, “I‟ve been at my job for many years and everything is
fine,” as Alfred E. Newman said, “What, Me Worry?” http://en.wikipedia.org/
Editor wiki/Alfred_E._Neuman
Tom Parker Yes, worry! The job market is terrible, companies are continuously trimming costs.
Ohio Valley MSMA, VP Communications
How many of your friends and contacts have lost their job in the past two years?
Design/Layout: Chris Russell How many have found new ones?
Companies are always looking for new processes, new efficiencies. How does one
Contributing Writers know what works, what other solutions might exist? How does one learn to market
Connie Compton accomplishments effectively? How does one create a network of contacts for
Western & Southern Financial Group
information and potential options? MSMA is how!
Tom Parker Industry professionals from global companies, banks, investment houses to smaller
UPS Mail Innovations
regional companies and law firms credit MSMA with expanding their knowledge
Jim Phillabaum and value. How? Membership is how! Networking with other people just like you
Southern Ohio Safety
is an incredible resource of information. Attending educational seminars and
Paul Dreifuss touring other operations are other valuable resources.
Oce Business Services
Jump ahead of the curve and invest in yourself! Increase your value for the future.
Gerry Rhodes So many professionals in our industry cite MSMA and MAILCOM with providing
Neopost USA them with an arsenal of preparation … MSMA works!
John Newton Paul Dreifuss, CMDSM, MQCS, is the Senior Site Manager for Oce Business Services and
Pitney Bowes serves as Director of Facilities & Services for a large New Jersey law firm. He is a regular
Ryan McManus presenter at MAILCOM, PCCs and legal industry conferences.
Kern, Inc. A member of MSMA since 1989, Paul received his CMDSM in
1990. He served on the New Jersey and New York MSMA
Ohio Valley eNews is published four times a Chapter boards and is currently serving on the National
year. For additional information, contact MSMA board as Regional Director for the Ohio Valley MSMA
Tom Parker at tomparker@ups.com.
Chapter. Paul is a member of the New Jersey PCC since 1992
and served as New Jersey PCC Co-Chair. He earned his BS
degree in 2007 and has been involved in legal industry
management since 1987.

Ohio Valley eNews -3- July 2010

 Member Spotlight
Gerry Rhodes
Gerry Rhodes, Neopost USA
Member name, organization, job title and contact information (phone &/or email)?
Gerry Rhodes, Neopost USA Regional Business Development Manager for Shipping, Accounting and Inbound Tracking Systems,
1408 Sedgefield Drive, New Albany, OH 43054, 614-406-8125, g.rhodes@neopost.com.
What does it mean to you to be a member of MSMA?
MSMA is the premier organization for mailing professionals whether they be mailers or vendors to the mailing industry. To be a
member of MSMA says you are seriously committed to your profession, you want to be best-of-breed in the profession, and you are
willing to devote time and resource to continuous improvement both personally and professionally.
How does membership in the MSMA assist your professional development?
Membership in the MSMA does several things. (1) It indicates to those in the mailing industry who are “in the know” I am a
professional in the industry. (2) It provides credibility in the mailing industry. It encourages me to continue to grow and develop
professionally. The CMDSM designation is the benchmark for professionals in the mailing industry.
How did you get involved in the MSMA?
I was a charter member of the chapter when it was formed in Columbus, Ohio, prior to the chapter‟s being moved to Cincinnati, Ohio.
How did you get interested in/involved in the mailing industry?
In 1978 I started working for a relative who, along with two partners, started a company to rebuild and market Pitney Bowes mailing
equipment and to provide service on high-end Pitney Bowes systems equipment. We added new product lines as we grew and
eventually became the local Neopost dealer for Central Ohio. I spent two years as a sales executive in the presort industry working for
a company which comingled and mailed up to a million pieces of mail per day. Subsequent to that, I spent 11 years working as a Sales
Manager for the Hasler dealership in Columbus, Cleveland, and Cincinnati.
Then I became the Neopost Regional Manager for PC Systems for the Central Region. I moved to National Sales Manager for all USA
Hasler for PC Systems. And currently I represent Neopost USA to the legal vertical market and serve the Neopost dealers and
branches in the southeast part of the country for Shipping, Accounting and Inbound Tracking software and products.
What are the key responsibilities of your job?
Sales training. business development; bringing new products to the field; developing partnerships with other vendors; growing the
legal vertical market; and identifying niche solutions and rolling them out across the country through our dealer and branch network.
What has been your most memorable experience in the mailing industry?
I have been a presenter at a National MSMA conference. I hosted a National PCC Day in Columbus, Ohio. 31 years of friendships
with the nicest people in the world!
What tips do you have for new participants in the mailing field?
Get good fast. It is impossible to learn all that has gone on before you started in the industry, so focus on what is new and current. As
fast as things change, you will be an expert in no time.
Personal Bio:
Gerry is married to Tiny Rhodes who is employed as a graphic artist. They also have a photography business specializing in wedding
photography. They have three adult children and two soon-to-be-very-spoiled grandchildren. Gerry sings in the choir and plays bass
guitar at Rhema Christian Center in Columbus, Ohio. The couple loves to travel, go to movies, dine out, entertain family and friends,
and go to Ohio State football games.

There is little difference in people, but that little difference

makes a big difference. That little difference is attitude.
The big difference is whether it is positive or negative.
-W. Clement Stone
Ohio Valley eNews -4- July 2010
Mail Geeks are Linkedin
John Newton, Account Executive, Pitney Bowes
I have been a mail geek for a very long time. How long? Well back to when MAILCOM was called „The Show‟.
To share information and get ideas, you had to call around the country to other mail center managers. However,
the communications technology soon started getting in full swing. Websites started to spring up which were
dedicated to the mailing industry. When I was in the San Francisco MSMA, I think we were the third chapter to
have a website. Pretty soon there were many ways to communicate with other mailing professionals. A year or
two ago I joined Linkedin.com, a networking sight for working professionals. It is a website which lets you
connect with other professionals in your industry to network and exchanges ideas. I found a few groups, but none
really dedicated to the mail center. So I started the Mail Geeks group in hopes of attracting other geeks. We
currently have 500 members from around the world who have connected and exchange ideas and news articles
regarding the mailing industry. There are also occasional job postings which can be helpful in today‟s economy. To become part of Mail
Geeks, join Linkedin.com and search for the group.
John Newton, CMDSM, Pitney Bowes, U.S. Mailing Solutions, John.Newton@pb.com, is an account executive for Pitney Bowes. He received
his CMDSM in 1993 and has been a member of the New Jersey, San Francisco, and Ohio Valley Chapters of the MSMA. He was the founder
of the San Francisco Chapter and has served on the MSMA National Board. He currently serves as the Director of Web Design for the Ohio
Valley Chapter and is serving as Industry Co-Chair for the Greater Lexington, Kentucky, PCC.

Twitter: Why You Should Care In 4,450 Characters

Ryan McManus, Marketing Communications Manager, Kern, Inc.
With Facebook reaching 500 million users (a population only exceeded by China and
India) and YouTube claims of over 2 billion daily views, it is obvious online social
networks and media sites have become a daily staple of popular culture. What was once
reserved for college students and the cutting edge; social networking is now used by
everyone from grandmothers to Fortune 500 corporations to connect, inform, & keep in touch.
Microblog megasite, Twitter, has defied skeptics to become one of the most popular social networking sites online. Over 100 million
registered users post an average of 55 million “tweets” every day in 140 characters or less (this limited format is what separates it from other
blog sites, hence the „micro‟). But why should you be on Twitter? There are many reasons why Twitter should be included in your “social-
web-life,” but I am going to stick to three compelling reasons: Learn on Twitter First, Search what‟s NOW, and Twitter as your living
resume.
READ IT HERE FIRST! Twitter is set up so users can follow other users and get a real-time feed of what they are tweeting. I agree with
many of the said skeptics that twitter is filled with celebrity blabber and narcissistic notations. But don‟t let the few ruin the site for you
because there is much that you can learn from following even a few worthy tweeters. I use twitter as an alternative to RSS feeds. My personal
and work inbox is overflowing as it is and I don‟t want to clutter it with daily emails from the few blogs that I enjoy, but don‟t always have
time to read. Marketing guru Seth Godin has a daily blog and I follow him on Twitter to see a daily posting of the day‟s blog topic. This
saves me time in having to check the site and I only click through when I am interested in the message of the day. Twitter is a great place to
hear news first and stay up-to-date on the people and companies you are interested in for both your personal and work life.
WANT TO KNOW WHAT PEOPLE THINK? Whether you get your news from Fox, or MSN, or Yahoo, either way you are reading a
reporter‟s story, but what do the people think? Twitter features a site search that allows you to search tweets to find topics that you are
interested in. From the BP oil spill to the Lebron James saga, you can get a feel for how others feel about today‟s news, again, in real-time.
Plus you do not need a Twitter account to search the active conversations being tweeted. Try out a search for yourself!
Promote Your Personal Brand. Sites like LinkedIn are an awesome way to connect with other professionals and maintain a static resume
for your bullet point accomplishments. But what about the little things? The projects you are working on or the things you are proud of?
Twitter is a great forum for sharing your professional activities and updating your followers about what you are up to. (Note: Use this
carefully; tweeters like to follow others that add benefit to their tweet feed.) Your Twitter page can function as a living resume or as a news
feed to announce new videos you post or something great your company has done. (Philanthropists love Twitter) A perfect example of using
Twitter as a news feed is from a recent tweet I posted after creating a LinkedIn group for the Ohio Valley Mail Systems Management
Association. This informs my followers that there is a new group to join and I always include a link. Linking is a key element to Twitter.
Because Twitter is text only and limited to 140 characters, you must choose your words wisely. This may seem limiting, but this pure-text
formula is what makes Twitter so great. It is sleek and fast (until you get the fail whale). To post pictures and video, services like Twitpic
help you link to other media to give legs to your tweet. For linking of URL‟s, services like www.bit.ly allow you to shorten web links so you
can fit your message into 140 characters (you can even track the clickthrough‟s which is great for marketers).
Now I just threw out a lot of new words for many of you, so get to Googling and I encourage you to set up a Twitter account of your own. I
bet many of your companies are already on Twitter you should at least be aware of what they are saying. For those of us in the mailing
industry, we are continuously looking for ways to improve and keep mail relevant. Those discussions are happening and you can find them
on Twitter. Your next great idea may be just a tweet away. Twitter.com/rynmcmns
Final Word. “What Happens on the Internet Stays on the Internet” so make the most out of your social-web-life and present your
professional self. There are many articles touting the benefits of Twitter and why companies should be looking for their next hire on Twitter.

Ohio Valley eNews -5- July 2010