Local Students Visit Penske, Learn From the Pros
October 02, 2017
Dozens of Berks County high school students put aside their textbooks and paid a visit to Penske’s corporate headquarters in Reading, Pennsylvania, as part of the Students Interacting with Business program.
<p></p><p>Sponsoring this three-day event, from Sept. 26-28, the <a href="http://www.berksbec.org/">Berks Business Education Coalition</a> (BBEC) facilitates the program that kicks off with a morning assembly at each school. The assembly helps expose students to potential career opportunities in the area.</p><p>The BBEC’s goal is to strengthen the relationships between organizations and schools in the county. This day is about getting students exposure to different work environments. Penske was among 25 participating Berks County, Pennsylvania, businesses in the program.</p><p>On Tuesday, Sept. 26, ninth-grade students from Carl Schupp’s business class at Reading Intermediate High School visited Penske. Guided by several <a href="https://www.gopenske.com/">Penske Truck Leasing</a> professionals, students were able to learn more about Penske, hear what we do on a daily basis, sit in a <a href="https://www.pensketruckrental.com/">Penske rental truck</a> and sharpen their interviewing skills.</p><p>“The students and I really look forward to this event,” said Schupp. “This program shows the students what different opportunities are available to them locally.”</p><p>The program at Penske started with a brief introduction conducted by Mike Duff, Penske’s senior vice president of government relations and chief compliance officer. He jumped right into the presentation with a question that stumped a few students in the crowd.</p><p><img class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="f1f6b996bbfd6ae37547f63e8f94aa27" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" id="ecd34" type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xOTEyODM0OC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY0MjMzNDk2N30.RVM5-i10kIjFHUZyY7O69elV8-uF3-d7ELfTaLo76BA/img.jpg?width=980"/></p><p>“What comes to mind when you think of Penske?” Duff asked.</p><p>One student raised his hand and responded, “Trucks.”</p><p>Although trucks are a big part of our brand, Duff went into detail and described the different branches of the Penske Corporation, a little history behind the company and the corporate values.</p><p>“We really do believe that the most important asset that we have is our people,” said Duff.</p><p>Once the introduction was over, the class split into two groups. One group stayed put to perform interviewing exercises with Karyn Troxell, Penske’s director of corporate human resources and organization effectiveness, while the other group went on a tour of the building and checked out a Penske truck. Then, the two groups switched places.</p><p>“Interviews can be very intimidating, and we wanted to make sure they left today feeling more comfortable with their interview skills,” said Troxell.</p><p>Troxell explained to the students that interviewing is something that many people struggle with and that practice makes perfect.</p><p>“We’re going to help you structure your answer around some difficult questions,” Troxell said. “One of the scariest questions you may be asked it to tell someone a little bit about yourself.”</p><p>To practice, the students participated in an exercise called “speed networking.” Each student had 45 seconds to share something about themselves to Penske associates. When the time was up, the associate provided feedback to the student.</p><p>“I think this provides a boost of confidence and helps them improve their interview skills,” said Troxell.</p><p><img class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="9134cf5e04cf0833b347701c75fd5a7d" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" id="4e3e7" type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xOTEyODM1MC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYwMzY1NDI4NH0.HOQe-BRNhXHy_MJsUxoMTS_DktIVklLu2pIKFBrJEIs/img.jpg?width=980"/></p><p>After a couple rounds of practicing, the time quickly came for the students and their teachers to board the buses back to school. A morning full of conducting mock interviews, touring Penske’s South Building and sitting in the front seat of a Penske rental truck was an experience the local high school students would have plenty to talk about when they got home.</p><p>In addition to welcoming students from Reading School District, Penske also hosted students from Daniel Boone Area High School, Birdsboro, Pennsylvania, for similar presentations and tours of the company’s <a href="https://www.pensketruckleasing.com/full-service-leasing/leasing-services/24-7-roadside-assistance/">24/7 Roadside Assistance</a> area.</p><p><em>By Chris Abruzzo</em></p></div>
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Something as simple as a serving of macaroni and cheese – a fan favorite among many children – can mean the difference between a child in need having a meal or going hungry.
<p>With this in mind, about 1,000 volunteers – including more than 40 <a href="https://www.gopenske.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer">Penske</a> associates, family and friends – recently came together to assemble mac and cheese meals as part of Big Cheese III, a joint effort between the <a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwiSr7u6pc_UAhXC8z4KHZBUB1gQFggnMAA&url=https" rel="noopener noreferrer">United Way of Berks County</a> and the <a href="http://berksfoodbank.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer">Greater Berks Food Bank</a> to address child hunger.</p><p>“What kid doesn’t like mac and cheese?” said Tammy White, president of the United Way of Berks County. “It is a meal that kids will like and one they will eat. It is easy to prepare – even in the microwave.”</p><p>In the end, about 500,000 meals were assembled for the food bank in the largest event hosted by a United Way chapter nationwide and the largest food-packing event in the northeast.</p><p>Statistics show that one in five families in Berks County experiences or comes close to experiencing food insecurity. Children are among the most vulnerable. One in five children in Berks County is considered food insecure.</p><p>“Our mission at the Greater Berks Food Bank is to feed anyone who is hungry, but we have a special focus on children. Hunger and malnutrition can have severe effects on not only their physical and cognitive development, but also on their ability to do well in school and beyond,” said Doug Long, manager of marketing and development for the Greater Berks Food Bank.</p><p><img class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="8cb38365d82e61646f2ddd1823b99991" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" id="31351" type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xOTEyODI2NC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyNzQ5NjAxMX0.7xYqYXnv012_3EA5-HU_8SDKH4SjfFAeAY_SUiQRlj4/img.jpg?width=980"/>Many of the meals will go to the food bank’s <a href="http://berksfoodbank.org/programs/weekender-backpack/" rel="noopener noreferrer">Weekender Backpack Program</a>, which provides a bag of food each Friday during the school year for children in need so that they do not go hungry over the weekend.</p><p>This year the program provided nearly 40,000 bags of food to 1,500 low-income elementary school children at 18 community weekender sites.</p><p>Long said the meals will be earmarked for the weekender program, as well as for area food pantries to assist families in need.</p><p>Both organizations applauded the effort of so many from Berks County who came out to volunteer on the behalf of children.</p><p>“We could not do this type of activity if we did not have volunteers,” White said. “It is companies. It is families. It is people who just heard about the event and said ‘I want to register.’”</p><p>“Our community is filled with caring people, and that can be witnessed by the Big Cheese and sheer volume of volunteers who stepped up,” Long said. “It speaks volumes to the generosity and caring of the community.”</p><p>Among them were a group of Penske associates from the corporate office in <a href="https://www.readingpa.gov/" rel="noopener noreferrer">Reading, Pennsylvania</a>.</p><p>This was the second Big Cheese event for Dione Collins, a senior financial analyst in Penske’s Finance Department. She was so inspired after participating in last year’s event that she had to be part of it again this year.</p><p>“Volunteering is a way for us to give back to the community, but it also has the ability to unite people from diverse backgrounds and build friendships,” Collins said.</p><p>Christina Feineman heard about the event through other associates who raved about the philanthropic aspects as well as the camaraderie it inspired.</p><p>“I was motivated to participate because I think it is a good cause,” Feineman said. “You can say you contributed to something that touched the lives of so many. The impact of what you are doing is huge.”</p><p><em>By Bernie Mixon </em></p></div>
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Penske Associates Help Families Enjoy Thanksgiving
November 25, 2014
andPenske Logistics associates banded together to donate hundreds of boxes of food to the Salvation Army of Reading that will benefit Berks County, Pa. families in need this Thanksgiving. In all, 105 families were provided with the makings of a traditional Thanksgiving meal from the turkey down to the dessert. Each family, on average, received four full boxes of donations, depending on the family size.
<p>For nearly a decade, Penske's associates – with the support of both companies – have reached deep into their own pockets to provide food, diapers, formula, small toys, coloring books, and other items for families in need as identified by the local Salvation Army.</p><p>The effort was spearheaded by Penske's <a href="http://www.uwberks.org/wwwpub/" title="United Way of Berks County">United Way</a> at Work Committee, an organization made up of about 40 associates, who donate their time to charitable groups across the region.</p><p>“We’re just fortunate to have generous coworkers who always come to the need of others,” said Rosemary Schaffer, a United Way Committee Coordinator at Penske. “No matter what the circumstances, we can always count on our associates to be generous with their money and also their time.”</p><p>The associates formed a human assembly line Tuesday morning, filling a yellow <a href="http://www.pensketruckrental.com/" title="Penske Truck Rental">Penske rental truck</a>, with box after box of donations for the families. The donations were driven to the Salvation Army in Reading, Pa. where the families will pick them up on Wednesday.</p><p>For nearly 130 years, the Salvation Army has been serving the needs of families and individuals in the city by providing emergency assistance, permanent housing and after-school programs. The non-profit agency expects to serve 1,200 local families during Thanksgiving with the growing need among working families.</p><p>With rising costs, families are struggling to make it month-to-month so efforts like these are a blessing, according to Mindy McCormick, director of development, at the Salvation Army.</p><p>“It becomes a feeling of defeat,” McCormick said. “Our hope is this becomes a pathway of hope.”</p><p>She applauded the efforts of Penske associates and their generous donations.</p><p>“It is a huge help,” McCormick said. “This allows us to make sure they have something for Thanksgiving.”</p> <p><span class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="a321e6b87ec9e4d5b39e155e65f2c8df" style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="auto" type="lazy-iframe" scrolling="no" data-runner-src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/R-zkJbYO8xA?rel=0" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;" width="100%"></iframe></span></p> <p><em>By Bernie Mixon</em></p></div>
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Penske Associates “Loaned” for United Way Fundraising Effort
September 04, 2014
Growing up,Penske associate Aphrodite Felix experienced the positive impact of social service agencies like the ones in her native New York community.
<p>“We were fortunate enough to be able to participate in programs, such as the Salvation Army, Toys for Tots and our local community centers that provided us with hot meals,” she said.</p><p>Looking to give back, Felix (pictured on right), an insurance compliance and claims coordinator, and fellow associate Alison Mohr (pictured on left), a commercial reservations sales representative, are both serving as Loaned Campaign Specialists (LCSs) for the <a href="http://www.uwberks.org/wwwpub/">United Way of Berks County</a>.</p><p>LCSs work with United Way staff, company CEOs and campaign coordinators to plan, manage and facilitate United Way campaigns for employee groups in the workplace. They make presentations to employees and educate potential donors about health and human service needs in the community.</p><p>“The program provides personal and professional growth for loaned employees, allows sponsoring companies to make a positive impact on our county’s quality of life and helps United Way raise the dollars that will create positive change in our local community,” said Jean A. Morrow, senior vice president of resource development and major gifts for the United Way.</p><p>In 2013, Penske was among 13 organizations that sponsored or provided 22 individuals to participate in the program. The LCS program helped raise more than $9.3 million during the 2013 annual campaign. For 12 weeks Felix and Mohr will be away from their normal positions, working in the LCS program full time.</p><p>It is a donation that Penske is more than willing to make.</p><p>“Many of our associates are active in the United Way or have received services from the United Way and its associated agencies, so they have a strong desire to participate,” said Ken Hurley, senior vice president of human resources at Penske.</p><p>“Every LCS has said it was one of the most profound experiences they have had in their careers,” Hurley said. “Most former LCSs continue to actively support the United Way long after their tenure in the LCS position.”</p><p>It was the ability to help others that motivated Mohr to become an LCS.</p><p>“I was born and raised in Berks County, so I’m really glad that I get the opportunity to play a small part in supporting families in need around Reading,” Mohr said. “I love that the United Way is the bridge between dozens of local businesses and charities. They are really about uniting all people in our community.”</p><p><em>By Bernie Mixon</em></p></div>
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Penske Community Work Honored by United Way Berks County
April 20, 2012
Penske Truck Leasing, headquartered in Reading, Pa., was last night honored for its local philanthropic work. The United Way of Berks County gave the company the Tradition in Caring and Eagle awards at its annual dinner.
<p>The Tradition in Caring award is given to companies supporting the non-profit’s Giving Program, and the Eagle award is handed out to businesses that garner strong employee contributions.</p><p><a href="https://www.pensketruckleasing.com" title="Penske Truck Leasing - Full-Service Truck Leasing">Penske’s</a> United Way at Work Committee accepted the award on the company’s behalf.</p><p>Mike Duff, Penske’s senior vice president and general counsel, and his wife Diane (pictured, right) served as 2011 United Way of Berks County fundraising campaign co-chairs.</p><p>Duff stated: “These awards recognize the outstanding efforts and incredible generosity of Penske and its associates. Year after year, this commitment has allowed United Way to advance its mission of helping our friends and neighbors throughout Berks County.”</p><p>A matching gift from the company, combined with Penske associate donations, raised over $750,000. In all, the United Way campaign received in excess of $9 million, to benefit its 37 partner agencies that support education, income, health and safety net programs benefitting more than 100,000 people throughout Berks County.</p><p>Mike and Diane highlighted their experiences chairing the campaign in an <a href="http://blog.gopenske.com/lease/penske-executive-reflects-upon-successful-united-way-campaign/">extensive “Move Ahead” story</a> last December.</p><p>https://twitter.com/#!/PenskeNews/status/193389878787059712</p><p align="right"><em>By Alen Beljin</em></p></div>
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