Extra-Mile-Spring 2018

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Meridian Celebrates Promotions/Awards/Achievements 30 Years of Service Congratulations to Steve Chandoha, President of Meridian Teterboro, who celebrated his 30 year anniversary with Meridian on January 4. Steve joined Meridian as Flight School Manager in 1988, after earning his Master of Business Administration/Master of Aeronautical Science from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. He also received his Bachelor’s degree from Embry-Riddle. As corporate aviation at Teterboro intensified, Steve moved to the FBO side of the business and served as Line Service Manager. He moved up to General Manager, then Vice President and became President of Meridian Teterboro in 2002. Steve got the aviation bug early—around age 15. He loved flying and got his glider license and then his pilot license and various ratings while at The Meridian Hayward (above) and Meridian Teterboro (below) Line Service teams proudly display their Gulfstream Service Training awards. All members of both teams successfully completed the ground handling and servicing training earlier this year. 8 Steve Chandoha, President of Meridian Teterboro, celebrates his 30th Anniversary at the company with some cake! Embry-Riddle. As his career progressed, his focus turned more to the business side. While no longer actively flying, Steve obviously loves aviation, and loves working at Meridian. “Every day is different,” says Steve. “You start your day planning certain activities, then something comes up or something happens and the day totally changes.” While each day is different, the one thing that always stays the same is the supportive attitude of Ken Forester, Owner and CEO. Steve says that Ken’s support and encouragement fosters a culture that contributes to the longevity of so many employees. “There is an amazing group of talented people that work here; many of them for well over 20 years. It is a true pleasure to work with them every day.” Steve says it is hard to believe that it has already been 30 years since he joined Meridian. He still looks forward to coming to work every day and is excited about what the future holds for the company. Gulfstream Service Training Earlier this year, both our FBO locations successfully completed ground handling and servicing training for large cabin and mid-cabin Gulfstream aircraft. The training is offered by Gulfstream in partnership with Flight- Safety International, who developed the course curriculum. The program is designed to raise awareness for aircraft safety during servicing and improve dispatch reliability. The training is available to FBOs that handle Gulfstream aircraft. The two online training courses are designed for line service technicians and cover large cabin Gulfstream (G350, G450, G500, G550, G650) and mid-cabin Gulfstream (G150, G200, G280) aircraft. Gulfstream recognizes those FBOs that have successfully reached 100% Line Technician completion of the training. Meridian Teterboro and Meridian Hayward have completed both the mid-cabin and large cabin training. Subjects covered in the training include aircraft parking, towing and mooring, water servicing, window cleaning, snow and ice removal, and a comprehensive tour of the aircraft itself. “We are always interested in ways that we can improve the service we offer customers,” said Jeff Torres, Line Service Training Coordinator. “Adding another level of expertise only adds to the quality service we offer our customers, in this case, those who operate or are traveling on a Gulfstream model aircraft.” “Meridian is dedicated to continuous improvement opportunities, which help us maintain the highest standards,” adds Carlos Rodriguez, General Manager of Meridian Hayward. “We are pleased to have attained another endorsement, which adds to our commitment to safety, reliability and outstanding customer service.”
Meridian Hayward employees enjoying their first ever Pot Luck dinner. The holiday event was a great way to bring Hayward employees and their families together. Holiday Pot Luck Dinner at Hayward In December 2017, Meridian Hayward celebrated the holiday season with its 1st Annual Holiday Pot Luck Dinner. The event, which is typically celebrated during the summer at Meridian Teterboro, was dedicated to bringing Meridian Hayward employees and their families together. All of the food, drinks and other items for the event were created and brought in by Meridian employees. The meals included various mouth-watering, homemade dishes that represented a wide range of diverse foods and cultures. The dinner was a great success and it’s safe to say that everyone walked away feeling very content and very full. It was a great way to end the work week and prepare for the New Year ahead! Astonishingly enough, this was Craig’s father’s 65th marathon! John commented, “We have done some running before, but this is the first time we’ve all come together to do this. For me, the goal was to finish and have fun.” While John admits he does not see his running career ending anytime soon, he said his current short-term goal is to complete 75 marathons. At his current rate of participation, we have no doubt he’ll be able to complete this task in three years! We at Meridian are proud of Craig and his family for completing such an incredible feat and appreciate them donning Meridian t-shirts at the event’s finish line! Meridian Proud to Support Local Business Meridian is pleased to announce that Claremont Vodka, distilled in New Jersey, is now available on all of our private charter flights upon request. Claremont was founded in May of 2014 by current CEO Tim Koether under the principle that world class spirits could be produced in the Garden State. New Jersey’s liquor industry has experienced a rebirth, as recently Meridian is proud to announce that New Jersey’s own, Claremont Vodka, will be available upon request on all of its private charter flights. Claremont is locally-distilled and sources most of its ingredients from the Garden State. The Ferguson Family at the finish line of the 17th Annual Mercedes-Benz Marathon in Birmingham, AL. (l to r): John Ferguson, Ann Ferguson, Carrie Wilson, Kate Gaskin, and Craig Ferguson. Marathon Run for Charity In February, Craig Ferguson, Meridian’s Manager of Safety, and his immediate family participated in the Mercedes-Benz Marathon in Birmingham, AL. Now in its 17th year, the Mercedes-Benz Marathon Weekend of Events has become a Birmingham tradition. The event has helped raise millions of dollars for local charities throughout its 16-year history. Craig’s mother, Ann, and his two sisters, Kate and Carrie, participated in the half marathon (13.1 miles), while Craig and his father, John, participated in the full-length marathon (26.2 miles). All five members of the Ferguson family finished the race and three of them managed to place in their respective age groups. enacted laws have provided new opportunities for the state’s wineries, breweries and distilleries, such as Claremont. Since then, Claremont has managed to grow and become the largest craft distillery in New Jersey with over 4,000 gallons of fermentation capacity and 1,000 gallons of distillation capacity. In addition, Claremont takes advantage of the fact that New Jersey is among the nation’s largest producer of a variety of fruits and vegetables. They use New Jersey raised potatoes in the vodka production process, as well as an assortment of locally grown fruits, like blueberries and peaches. Mr. Koether is a firm believer in sourcing his company’s ingredients locally. He says, “Claremont is proudly owned by, and its products proudly produced and sold by, lifelong New Jerseyans. We are proud of our heritage and the products we create. Our attention to detail through constant and personal monitoring throughout the production process results in true craft spirits that we believe are among the finest produced.” Mr. Koether thinks you will agree! Claremont Vodka is the first and only craft spirit produced in New Jersey to be awarded a gold medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, the most highly regarded spirits competition in the world. In addition, Wine Enthusiast Magazine named Claremont Vodka a Top 100 Spirit of 2016, giving it a 93-point rating. 9
Page 1 and 2: thextramile >>> Dear Customers, Mer
Page 3 and 4: Top Left - The Meridian team photo
Page 5 and 6: active and engaged. We’re enterin
Page 7: H A Y W A R D 7
Page 11 and 12: Giving Back Every October, Meridian

Extra-Mile-Spring 2018

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