Company News and Highlights

February 27, 2019

AMS: Los Angeles in Black History

We’re nearing the end of 2019 Black History Month in the US, and we sincerely hope that every reader has set aside some time this month to learn more about the occurrences and figures in Black American history that many of us didn’t hear about in school. Perhaps it wasn’t taught because it was not the history of the majority, and perhaps because it is a history that can be uncomfortable to look into.

Fortunately, today the Internet is a great source of information on black history, with numerous documentaries available and much written information. We came across a number if informative articles when searching the Internet with the question, “Do we really still need Black History Month.”

One reason we found for a month of study and recognition of black history is outlined in an article from magicvalley.com:

“…black history is more than a chronicle of atrocities. It is a tale of how tens of thousands of people strived and achieved much, despite all their hardships and limitations imposed upon them by both society and the government. Those achievements were often intentionally ignored, in both the press of the day and by the writers of history books. These stories can be found in every community in the nation, if one cares to look.”

Continuing the search, we looked for information on black history in California and in our community, and came across an article from Cultural Weekly that points to the history of Val Verde.

“Even though the city of Los Angeles was founded by 44 Black and Brown Spanish citizens in 1781, it remained one of the most segregated cities in North America for most of the 20thCentury. Restrictive housing covenants and redlining policies enforced by banks and insurance companies propagated these policies across Los Angeles County well into the 1970s, even after the Supreme Court declared them unconstitutional between 1948 and 1954. Such policies were even enforced in cemeteries.

“For many years, the Evergreen Cemetery in Boyle Heights was one of the only places people of color could be buried in Los Angeles County. Not surprisingly these policies also extended to places of recreation like parks and beaches. There were only a few parks and beaches that allowed the presence of people of color. One of the few early communities that did not restrict African-American Angelenos was Val Verde and Val Verde Park in Northwest Los Angeles County, just a few miles shy of the Ventura County line.

“Located just beyond Magic Mountain between hills in a lush pocket of the Santa Clarita Valley, Val Verde was considered the Black Palm Springs in the 1930s. Founded in 1924, it was designated as a resort area for African-Americans right from the beginning. In 1939, they built an Olympic swimming pool. The first African-American actress to win an Oscar, Hattie McDaniel, was known to frequent Val Verde during the 1930s.” Read more:

Another enjoyable find was a YouTube video entitled “LA Stories from the Map Cave.” It’s a very informative look at black history through maps of Los Angeles neighborhoods, and stories that go with those maps.

We hope Black History Month has been an enjoyable time of learning, and celebrating the great contributions Black Americans have made to our diverse world.

February 14, 2019

Chinese New Year: Fulfillment and Logistics

The Chinese New Year celebration, also called ‘Start of Spring’, takes place across the globe. It is not just celebrated in China but also in other countries in Asia and in Chinese communities throughout the world.

Because the holiday is based on the Chinese lunar calendar, the dates change each year. It always falls between January 21 and February 20. This year it began on February 5 and will end on February 19th with the Lantern Festival. On the final night of the full moon, families gather for dinner and go out and see fireworks and light lanterns, creating beautiful sights in the sky.

During the holidays millions of people travel long distances to be with family, making it the largest annual human migration in the world. Nearly 100 million workers will leave their jobs in the urban areas and travel to their rural hometowns. The migration is known as the Spring Festival Travel Rush.

In the weeks leading up to and immediately following Chinese New Year, business does not go on as usual. Virtually all businesses in China close, including all factories. With the workers returning to their families manufacturing is shut down for the duration.

For companies importing or exporting goods to or from China, the New Year Spring Festival can bring challenges. Shippers normally ‘front load’ their shipments before the celebration, as they know prices will rise and lead times for getting products moved will begin to slow. There is normally a huge spike in volumes before the holiday and very low volumes during two weeks of celebration and for a time period before and after. Business operations may take through the entirety of March to return to normal.

AMS’ John Bevacqua, VP of Logistics and author of the ‘Freight Freak’ blog, said, “Chinese New Year does affect many importers who are AMS clients. The clients will order heavily in January to be sure they have adequate inventory to get through February. This in turn causes additional receiving’s at AMS for those clients just before the CNY Holidays begin.”

With foreknowledge and planning, importers and exporters do make it through China’s ‘Start of Spring’ without difficulty.

Now to the big question: How and where can we join in some of these celebrations? According to the Internet, the best celebrations are held in: Seattle, Los Angeles, New Orleans, San Francisco, Philadelphia, New York City, Chicago, San Jose CA, Las Vegas, Washington, D.C., Boston, Raleigh NC, and Houston.

In Los Angeles a big party is coming up on the 17th of February called the Chinese Festival and Parade, and who knows… some of our AMS family members may attend and enjoy this global holiday. It’s an opportunity to experience a beautiful culture, enjoy some great food, and start the year over again! Happy New Year to all celebrants!!

February 4, 2019

AMS Partners in Prison to Employment Initiative

In 2018 the California Legislature passed the Prison to Employment Initiative (P2E Initiative) and the State budget released supportive funding. In order to gain guidance from the community in how to best carry out the legislation, an Employer Engagement Workgroup was established. Because of AMS’ nationally recognized workforce development programs and AMS’ support of reentry into the workforce, Ken Wiseman, AMS CEO, was invited to participate in the Workgroup.

Now the Los Angeles Basin Regional Planning Unit (LA Basin RPU) and AMS have officially entered into a partnership under the P2E Initiative with the goal of improving the outcome for formerly incarcerated individuals who are seeking employment.

The P2E Initiative seeks to accomplish on a large scale what AMS has been doing on a small scale, which is to align education, training, employment preparation and community-based supportive services in support of reentry. AMS has extensive experience in this arena having been working in partnership with SCV’s College of the Canyons and Goodwill Industries as well as a number of other community-based support services on behalf of job seekers in the community who are experiencing difficulties in gaining employment.

The letter of partnership between the LA Basin RPU and AMS Fulfillment states:

The LA Basin RPU is committed to working with business and industry partners to ensure a skilled and agile workforce that supports economic growth in the region. We applaud the growing number of public organizations and private sector businesses countywide who are taking action to ensure that all residents, including reentry individuals, have the opportunity to participate and thrive in the regional economy. When nearly one in three adults in the region has a criminal record, it is important to align systems and resources to prepare these individuals with the skills and knowledge to succeed in work and life. Especially as new research makes it increasingly clear that companies with more diverse workforces are more productive and perform better financially.

AMS CEO, Ken Wiseman shared, “The more you get involved in providing employment to individuals that face challenges, the more you see the culture of your organization embrace the inclusivity and reflect this in the bottom line performance of the company. Our mission statement reflects this best when we refer to “profit and growth as merely outcomes of uncompromised attention to our customer, our organization, our community and ourselves.” Successful companies today must demonstrate that they are part of the change that will better our communities. Not only is it the right thing to do, but these are the companies that attract great people, inspire innovation, and ultimately create shareholder satisfaction.”

AMS Fulfillment is proud to join in this Partnership and we are committed to work collaboratively with the other Partners of the LA Basin RPU Prison to Employment Initiative to bring about highly successful outcomes for reentry individuals and the businesses involved.

January 28, 2019

AMS – January 2019 Employees of the Month!

Congratulations to the AMS Employees of the Month for January, 2019! We are very pleased to recognize Stacy J., Juan C. M, Mayra A., Jenny M., and Gerad M.

Every month the supervisors in our facilities nominate a team member who has provided outstanding service to AMS and its clients. Nominations are listed according to the facility that the employee represents. All of these AMS facilities are located in Valencia, CA, City of Santa Clarita.

As you will see from the comments, the AMS supervisors depend upon and place great value in employees. We care about employee wellbeing, job satisfaction and growth, and we show it in a number of ways. No matter which department they work in, which task they do, or which location we find them in, our employees are the reason that AMS succeeds so well and continues to grow.

Stacy J., Account Manager (May 2012)
HQ Administration: 29010 Commerce Center Drive

Every day Stacy shows her passion and dedication to AMS. She is a great organizer who keeps herself together even during rough times; she’s a great leader and a great multitasker. Stacy worked very hard during peak and helped pick up other client tasks that were new to her. At first the client was concerned about the changes within the team but they ended up being very impressed with Stacy’s knowledge and professionalism. I appreciate everything Stacy does, and I am very grateful to have her in my team.

Juan C. M., Receiving Clerk (July 2017)
HQ Warehouse: 29010 Commerce Center Drive

I would like to nominate Juan Carlos as employee of the month. He has been a great addition to the receiving team. He always comes in with a great attitude and ready to work and get things done. He has a good relationship with all his coworkers and other departments as well. Juan is always willing to help with any task. This past month he was a great help to the team to make sure all tasks were completed and he volunteered to stay longer to finish the work many times. He is a real team player and we are happy to have him as part of our team.

Mayra A., Operations Lead (July 2011)
WIT: 28624 Witherspoon Parkway

I would like to nominate Mayra for employee of the month as she is one of the most well-rounded and dependable employees. Mayra is always willing to stay late or work weekends if necessary and always gives 110% when she’s on the clock. Mayra is a true pleasure to work with and she deserves this award.

Jenny M., Shipping Clerk (June 2018)
WIL: 28936 Avenue Williams

I would like to nominate Jenny for employee of the month because she has shown great potential in the short time she has been working at AMS. She always shows up to work with a positive attitude and ready for all tasks. Jenny started in the assembly lines but immediately demonstrated how fast and efficient she could be in other areas. The last two months operations believed in her skills, so they gave her the opportunity to add knowledge in the department of returns. She has demonstrated again that she is a model employee that AMS needs. We are fortunate to have Jenny as a part of our crew.

Gerad M., Operations Supervisor (October 2011)
SCO: 27801 Avenue Scott

I would like to nominate Gerad because he deserves recognition for everything he does. He has been working with the company for eight years. Gerad has so much knowledge about so many clients and their needs. He communicates well with others and speaks up about mistakes being done. He is always in a positive mood. He deserves to be Employee of the Month.”

Thank You AMS Employees!

January 23, 2019

AMS CEO Assists CA Prison to Employment Initiative

For years, AMS has been fully engaged in workforce development and actively hiring individuals who have experienced obstacles in joining the workforce. One of the groups facing obstacles is persons who have a criminal record or who are seeking ‘reentry’.

Formerly incarcerated individuals make up an untapped talent pool for employment. For example, while nearly half of employers report that they struggle to fill jobs, at the same time more than 60% of formerly incarcerated individuals are unemployed a year after release. Another important statistic: 1 in 3 adult Americans has a criminal record, so this truly is a large talent pool.

Recently the California Legislature approved the Prison to Employment Initiative, and an Employer Engagement Workgroup was created to help carry out the obligations of the legislation. The Workgroup is seeking the assistance of employers in planning how to best utilize allocated funds.

Because of AMS’ record of involvement in issues of hiring justice involved individuals and AMS’ nationally recognized workforce development programs, Ken Wiseman, AMS CEO, was invited to participate in the Workgroup.

The Employer Engagement Workgroup is seeking to design a plan that will:

1) Increase the number of living wage job opportunities linked to career pathways. 2) Increase employer awareness of the benefits and value in hiring from this largely untapped pool. 3) Increase the number of employers willing to support the hiring and retention of the reentry population.

Ken and other members of the Workgroup have agreed to consider questions and think through critical issues, helping to design an integrated plan that best meets the needs of employers. The Employer Engagement Workgroup is scheduled to meet three times during the month of January.

AMS is very pleased to participate in helping California’s Prison to Employment Initiative succeed in its purpose of increasing job opportunities, employer awareness and hiring and retention of the reentry population.

January 22, 2019

Business That Cares: The Changing World

One doesn’t have to look back far to see the worst of the ‘profit above all’ motive of an individual or business. Child labor, slavery, deadly working conditions – the people have endured this and more. In some parts of the world they still do.

But things do change. We can watch that change, and be a part of it. With the emergence of the B-Corporation and Social Enterprise we are seeing business embrace a greater motive, realizing that dollars are not the only measure of profit.

It’s likely there are several reasons for this change, with one being the integrity of today’s business owners and upper management. The article posted below points to a second reason: Employees want to work for a company that is socially responsible. Valuable talent will choose to work for a business that respects its employees, its community and the environment.

This is what a B-Corporation strives to be – good For the world. We have seen that in being good for the world, a business can profit financially as well. It is inspiring to read the article below, and see CEOs encouraged to take the lead in social responsibility.

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Employees want CEOs to fight for change in the world: survey

The era of the guarded CEO that is afraid to take public stands on hot-button social issues may be nearing an end. Or at least it should if said CEO wants to keep top talent that is engaged with an litany of new social issues like never before.

More than 75% of employees say they want CEOs to take the lead on change instead of waiting for government to impose it, according to new data in the 19th annual Edelman Trust Barometer. About 73% believe a company can take actions that both increase profits and improve economic and social conditions in the community where it does business.

Public relations firm Edelman, which supplies the data, surveyed 33,000 people spanning 27 markets around the world.

“CEOs have to speak up and talk on behalf of society and can’t wait for government,” Edelman CEO Richard Edelman tells Yahoo Finance. Edelman thinks being a more outwardly vocal CEO on key social issues is part of being a “next generation” CEO.

US Government Shutdown: Transportation, Logistics and Customs

The partial US Government shutdown is a fact of life, at the moment, and we all hope it will end soon. In the meantime, businesses turn their attention to the effects of the shutdown on their operations.

For the most part AMS is unaffected by the shutdown once goods are received in our warehouses. This includes order processing and the outbound domestic and international small package shipments. But many of our Clients import goods that require federal services from Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and services involving cross border clearance.

The following is a brief overview of the effects of the shutdown on US and international transportation and logistics and importers, exporters.

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The US Department of Transportation (DOT) employees are at work, as that agency is not subject to furlough. Funding for DOT’s Federal Highway Administration and Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) comes from the Highway Trust Fund, which means they don’t depend on congressional appropriations. DOT did stipulate that the situation may change based on the length of the shutdown.

Rail transportation is not supported by a trust fund, and it is affected, so the Federal Railroad Administration employees are on furlough.

Roadside truck inspections continue, as do most highway projects involving federal money. Airport operations continue as usual, however truckload border crossings are experiencing delays. Air and ocean imports are seeing delays, since there are many government agencies involved in this process.

The US ports and borders are being protected, and they are open for trade as Entry Specialists are working, but a number of processes have been shut down. There are delays in clearing the ports as US Customs and Border Protection is affected, and has put a number of employees on furlough.

Once containers have cleared the ports they still may need to get the stamp of approval from a number of government agencies, including the US Department of Agriculture, US Consumer Product and Safety Commission, Food and Drug Administration or the Environmental Protection Agency, so further delays may be in store.

The Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) has cut back its operations, and the National Maritime Center (NMC) and all Regional Exam Centers (RECs) are closed. No new Foreign Trade Zones are being approved and processing is slowed down.

As we look for the US Government partial shutdown to reach an end soon, we will continue to monitor the situation, and offer whatever support we can provide to our Clients as needed.

December 28, 2018

Thank You!! AMS Employees of the Month December 2018

CONGRATULATIONS! AMS Employees of the Month for December, 2018!!

Every month, and especially after our busiest month of the year, it’s such a pleasure for supervisors to recognize a specific employee as having been outstanding. This month we are very pleased to recognize Veronica L., Pricilla R., Maria A., Jeff D., and Christine O.

There are a number of AMS facilities, with over 300 employees, and we value every one. From the beginning of AMS to this day we enjoy a close environment that takes note of and cares about employees, and their job satisfaction.

The nominations and comments below demonstrate that the employees being recognized did an outstanding job during the month of December. We truly appreciate them.

Veronica L: Purchasing and Billing Coordinator (August 2018)
HQ Office: 29010 Commerce Center Drive

Veronica demonstrates excellent customer service skills. She is always willing to go the extra mile to help the team, whether she’s assisting with ordering materials or covering the phones at the front desk, working with vendors or distributing supplies. She is an excellent employee and always demonstrates a positive attitude.

Pricilla R: Receiving Supervisor (July 2013)
HQ Warehouse: 29010 Commerce Center Drive

During this past Black Friday weekend Pricilla did an excellent job managing her replenishment crew. As we shipped 31k+ units daily she was able to replenish everything back to make it easier and run smoothly. Not only did her schedule change, and she had to adjust her personal life to the crazy schedule, she did it with no hesitation. Pricilla is a true team player.

Maria A: Scanning and Shipping Clerk (May 2005)
SCO3: 27801 Avenue Scott

Maria is a phenomenal scanning clerk who has been with AMS for 13 years. Ninety-six percent of all B2B orders out of SCO3 for our clients go through Maria. She is an excellent teacher and takes great pride in her work. Maria always goes above and beyond to ensure all orders are done and correct. She is more than willing to go to any department to help. SCO3 wouldn’t be complete without Maria.

Jeff D: Shipping Clerk (April 2016)
WIT: 28624 Witherspoon Parkway

Jeff does a fantastic job keeping our AMS Client’s inventory and aisles in immaculate condition. The aisle and inventory he is in charge of look like a retail store and I have received many praises on how easy it is to pick orders because of Jeff’s progress in efficiencies and organization.

Christine O: Shipping Clerk (June 2018)
WIL1: 28936 Ave Williams

Christine does an outstanding job with two of our clients. We all know it’s busy season and two of our clients from Williams got a big spike with orders. Christine was able to manage to get all orders out with no issue. She has been doing an excellent job staying on task and being efficient. She always shows up to work with a positive attitude and ready to work. We love having Christine as part of our Williams Team.

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Our ‘Employee of the Month’ recognition is meant to convey extra appreciation to individuals in the AMS Fulfillment Family! Whatever role they play, our employees are the reason for our success. Congratulations to this month’s honorees and Thank You!

December 27, 2018

AMS: December Employee News & Gift Giving

December has been an exciting month at AMS. Early in the month we held our huge annual warehouse sale. It’s a big event for the community and for employees as well. AMS Associates happily take advantage of the huge discounts on products that they know are great brands. The sale was a super success with big crowds on both Saturday and Sunday, December 8th and 9th. Here’s photo of the happy shoppers.

A few days later our Pre-Apprentice Group took their OSHA Walk through the warehouse, which was the final test for their graduation from the Pre-Apprentice Program. AMS has been training employees in an OSHA Safety Program for two years, developing a monthly OSHA Walk with an employee representative from each of the four Warehouses. Since it is AMS’ busiest time of year, the group did a 5-hour crash course in 1½ hours by walking our Headquarters Warehouse with Ken Wiseman while pointing out and discussing safety expectations from the eyes of OSHA.

Congratulations to the Pre-Apprentice OSHA Walk Teams!
HQ Warehouse: Leticia O., Alejandra L., Matthew W., Norma N.
Avenue Williams Warehouse: Jose R., Wesley J.

Right before Christmas AMS employees brought Christmas gifts to children and families in need. Every year, AMS employees hold a drive to collect contributions for both Thanksgiving and Christmas gifts to families in the community. The families are participants in the Santa Clarita Youth Activities League ‘Adopt a Family’ program. Officer Bryan Rooney of the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Department runs the program and selects the families for both Thanksgiving and Christmas.

The gift-giving is something AMS employees have made into a tradition, and it is a very much enjoyed tradition by all of the participating employees. Betty-Lou Wiseman is in charge of the program, and Erica M. organizes a team, works on the fundraising, and enjoys experience of giving. In a previous blog Erica talked about how much she appreciates being a ‘giver’. Photos of the gifts, the givers, and the adopted families.

December 17, 2018

AMS: The Year in Review

For AMS, the past year has been one of business growth, classroom learning, safety training, employee giving and much more. The ‘much more’ of our year comes from experiencing what it means to be a B-Corporation. The commitment of a B-Corp is to be good for the world, and this intention has been embraced by employees and management alike.

Overviews

AMS CEO, Ken Wiseman, offered his overview of AMS’ accomplishments:

In terms of workforce development, AMS has embraced the annual increasing minimum wage in many ways. We’ve put tremendous investment in technology to improve efficiency and reduce the labor associated with some of our core service areas, we’ve become much more careful in our recruiting process working with several organizations in LA County that focus on entry and re-entry placements into the workforce. This partnership has proven invaluable in creating a wealth of wonderful associate candidates.

Our in-house learning center continues to be a place for our associates to gather and celebrate events such as Employee of the Month recognition luncheons safety meetings, logistics and business skills courses taught by our local College of the Canyons, Apprentice and Pre-Apprentice meetings and training, and lots of other internal training, with a mock shipping, pick and pack and pick area available in the center to practice skills.

A team that is given respect, a safe workplace, and the opportunity of self-improvement, is a team that embraces continuous improvement in the workplace.

During the year AMS expanded its geographic footprint to better serve our clients. We became a bi-coastal fulfillment company, operating both in California and Pennsylvania. As we adjusted to the growth, we continued with all of the efforts and programs that make up the culture of our company.

AMS President, Jay Catlin offered his thoughts on growth and the improvements that have been achieved during the year:

“I’m extremely proud of how AMS has truly been able to balance our commitment to our Company, Organization, Community, Environment and Ourselves in 2018. From a Company standpoint, AMS has seen a tremendous positive impact from strategic initiatives that are now coming into fruition. It was in Q4 of 2015 that AMS endeavored to grow the business while shrinking our physical footprint by targeting a more ideal client profile of high-turn businesses selling smaller/low cube products. Within two years of setting the strategy, AMS has managed to reduce its square footage by nearly 30% and during the same span we have increased sales by nearly 40%. A key part of our strategy was to focus on bottom line performance, and to help us achieve measurable results,

“AMS has pursued technology advances to enhance our efficiency and effectiveness on the floor. Over the last year+, we fully rolled out our in-house software “WAMS” across the entirety of our business, including our Pennsylvania operation. Our Operations and Client Services team has done an excellent job working in tandem with IT to establish sound processes to go along with the software advances, and as a result we have been able to effectively manage our growth in activity and keep our services levels as high as they have ever been! Additionally, we have begun to launch our new shipping manifest software “ProShip” in 2018, and are thrilled with the results! Besides a far more speedy and streamlined process for label production, carrier selection and international compliance, our clients will soon benefit from our ability to rate shop multiple carrier options based on their goals for delivery time and the weight of the package. Going bi-coastal in 2018 was also a tremendous achievement for AMS and our clients seeking to reduce the growing impact of freight expense.

“As always, I give credit for all that we were able to achieve in 2018 to our fulfillment “gurus” at AMS who worked diligently as a Team to progress so much while continuing to provide great service to our clients on a day-to-day basis. Thank you AMS Team and AMS Clients for an amazing year of growth and advancement!”

Community Support and Events

Some of the outstanding events during the year were: Single Mothers Outreach event; Mayor’s Committee for the Employment of Individuals with Disabilities Luncheon; the Sheriff’s Foundation Volunteer Appreciation Dinner; Earth Day celebrations; AMS’ 16th Anniversary celebrations; Drive to support Bridge to Home; the Environmental Expo and River Rally Cleanup; The Sheriff’s Foundation Golf Tournament and Fundraiser; and the HUF Foundation Heroes Banquet.

Outstanding Employees

Employee safety training was ongoing during the year; the AMS volunteer “Green Team” kept busy; AMS started an extra-curricular donation program for employees; employees continued their participation in adult education classes; and employees organized, raised funds, and donated holiday food and gifts to those in need.

The following excerpts from our blogs point to some of the highlights of the year. It has been good year for all of us at AMS, and we’re looking forward to many more achievements in the years to come.

Highlights of the Year

AMS Receives Social Enterprise Certification
January 25

AMS Fulfillment is proud to announce that it has been granted certification from LA County as a Social Enterprise. This great news stems from AMS’ successful efforts to serve the community through workforce development. AMS is a privately owned corporation headquartered in Valencia, California. Read More:

AMS: Logistics Apprentices Begin Classroom Training
February 1

AMS Fulfillment, in partnership with Employee Training Institute (ETI) and College of the Canyons (COC), has begun its first classroom training in their groundbreaking Nationally Certified Logistics Apprentice Program. This new apprenticeship, in Logistics and Warehousing, was announced in November of 2016 and began in early 2017. Read More:

AMS Employees Begin WMS Training
February 13

AMS is pleased to announce an exciting new class opportunity for employees! This is the first WMS (Warehouse Management System) training with AMS’ warehouse services software enhancements. The class will cover system navigation (InOrder, Warehouse Services) on processes related to Shipping/Picking & Packing, Receiving/Inventory and Returns/Cycle Counting. Read More:

AMS/COC Pre-Apprenticeship Program Set to Begin
June 4

At the beginning of 2018, AMS Fulfillment and College of the Canyons announced their intention to start a new Pre-Apprenticeship Program. Over the past few months they have continued their efforts until recently they met to discuss the launch of the Material Coordinator Pre-Apprenticeship Program. Once again we see the unique partnership between an employer, AMS Fulfillment, and a community college, SCV College of the Canyons, breaking new ground in workforce development. Read More:

AMS Earns “Best For The World” Recognition
July 3

Congratulations to AMS Fulfillment for earning a spot on the Be The Change organization’s “2018 Best For the World” list! To earn a place on this list a company must score in the top 10 percent of all B Corps on the Community section of a test. This section evaluates a company’s supplier relations, diversity, and involvement in the community. Be The Change had this to say about AMS: “While becoming a successful fulfillment company based just north of Los Angeles, AMS has discovered the benefits of employing a workforce of people facing life challenges. The company finds purpose in providing initial job opportunities, as well as skills training to take people beyond that first job.” Read More:

AMS Assists In Redefining Reentry
August 2

AMS Fulfillment is a business recognized as a trendsetter in workforce development. For many years the company has seen the value of developing an inclusive and well-trained workforce, and of hiring individuals in the SCV community that face barriers in finding and retaining employment, such as the homeless, individuals with a disability, at-risk youth, single parents, individuals affected by ageism and persons reentering society after having been ‘justice-involved’. Read More:

Congratulations ESL Graduates at AMS!!
August 8

In 2016 an English as a Second Language course (ESL) began at AMS, and 23 students signed up. After two years of dedicated hard work, nine of those individuals have completed eight separate ESL segments, or the equivalent of 2.5 semesters. Congratulations to the Graduates! We are so proud of you! Read More:

AMS: Giving the Opportunity to Start
August 21

When given the opportunity to start somewhere, an employee with a disability can be more than a great asset. Not only will the employer have a hardworking, loyal, on time employee, they will have lower turnover and an increase in overall morale of all employees. AMS Fulfillment has long known the value of individuals with disabilities in the workforce, and the company has enjoyed great success in working with organizations such as Pleasantview Industries. Read More:

B-Corp: When Balance is the Bottom Line
November 30

AMS Fulfillment is proud to be in the company of other B-Corporations such as Patagonia, and we are inspired whenever we see corporations creating a balance between profits and the future of the company, and community, employee and environmental needs. Profit is not the bottom line for AMS although our business is and has always been profitable, thriving and growing. We, like other B-Corps, intend to demonstrate that a company can be both good For the world, and profitable. Read More:

December 4, 2018

AMS – Giving Thanks by Giving

Something extra good is going on at AMS Fulfillment. For eight years, when holiday time comes around, a volunteer group of AMS employees gets busy organizing. They put up flyers and send out emails companywide, seeking donations to purchase Thanksgiving dinners for families in need.

This year the volunteers collected donations, reached in their own pockets, and 28 families were able to enjoy what most of us take for granted – Thanksgiving Dinner. Vallarta Supermarket (Valencia – Lyons) participated as well by offering the volunteers a 5% discount on the Dinners.

The families are participants in the Santa Clarita Youth Activities League ‘Adopt a Family’ program. Officer Bryan Rooney of the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Department runs the program and selects the families for both Thanksgiving and Christmas.

The dinner give-away took place on November 21st at Val Verde Park and Recreation. AMS employees who had the honor of delivering the dinners to the families were: Betty Lou and Ken Wiseman, Erica M., Marco P., Eugene S., and Patrick R.

About the event, Erica said, “The best thing about giving families a Thanksgiving Dinner is seeing the big smiles on the faces of the kids and parents. We know they all appreciate it a lot! If you would ask me what is the best thing about giving out dinners, I would say it’s the moment that comes when handing them their dinner, and knowing it is going to be shared with their family. I would take time back just to see their faces all over again and their appreciation. It is an AWESOME feeling to give.”

Betty-Lou Wiseman is in charge of the program, and Erica is recognized as the engine that drives this activity. Betty-Lou promised more to come: “Holiday Season warms all of our hearts to give, our Christmas families are next!”

Thank you to this wonderful group of AMS employees as we all get ready to make Christmas really special for more children and parents in our community.

December 3, 2018

AMS: Holiday Delivery by What?

There’s something strange going on in AMS’ hometown of Santa Clarita, just in time for the holidays. Apparently some UPS packages are being delivered by alternate means! It’s not by sleigh though, and not on horseback, not on foot, but by bicycle!

As we at AMS Fulfillment well know, more and more people are choosing to do their holiday shopping online. Our logistics expert, John B., recently wrote about an increase, beyond what was anticipated, in e-com and m-com. So AMS has a lot of orders to fill for its clients and UPS has a lot of packages to deliver.

We hope all holiday shoppers thoroughly enjoy this season and everybody’s packages arrive right on time, by whatever delivery method works best, including the truck, the car, the golf cart, the bicycle, or the sleigh!

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Please enjoy this interesting story from KHTS Santa Clarita News:

UPS To Deliver Packages In Santa Clarita On Bicycles During Holidays

With the holiday season in full swing and a spike in online ordering, UPS is delivering packages in Santa Clarita with more than just their regular trucks.

The unusual delivery method has caused the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station to receive calls from residents inquiring about whether UPS uses bikes, as they have spotted individuals hauling trailers full of packages and boxes on Santa Clarita streets, said Shirley Miller, a spokesperson for the station.

“During the busy holiday season, UPS may deploy deliveries using a variety of different modes of transportation,” Miller said. “Some drivers may have bicycles or golf carts, and in some rural areas, personal vehicles are even sometimes utilized.”

For Santa Clarita residents who want to know how to verify if a person is indeed a UPS driver, UPS drivers are set to always be readily identifiable by their clothing.

“Drivers will either wear branded uniforms with the company logo in the form of the traditional brown UPS uniform, or they may be wearing a neon yellow safety vest with the UPS logo. If you are unsure of their identity, feel free to ask for a photo ID,” Miller said. Read more.

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