Laurie has worked at PartnerShip for over four years and she’s passionate about helping our customers. She has a similar passion for life and has a very inspiring story to share. Read more about her and her story.

What do you do for PartnerShip?
Senior account representative – I sell!

What is the most interesting thing you’ve helped a customer ship?
I’m not sure how politically correct this is, but I had a customer quote a shipment of teat wipes with us. Those are moistened towelettes to clean off cow udders.

What do you like the most about working at PartnerShip?
I like the fact that no 2 days are alike. The shipments may range from musical instruments, to farm equipment, to toys and novelties and other items. I love TV shows like Shark Tank and The Profit so it makes me happy to know that we are helping small-medium sized businesses achieve success.

Tell us about your family.
I have been married to George for just over 13 years. We have the crazy cat lady starter kit of 3 cats (Whiskers, Grey, and Ali) and 1 goofy dog (Daisy).

Tell us something interesting about yourself.
I am donating a kidney to my husband George on May 26th. He is my best friend, and I am so excited that I can help him with the gift of life. It’s absolutely amazing to me that I am the perfect match in more ways than one. With that being said, he will never be allowed to pick out a paint color or couch ever again :)

Do you have any nicknames?
My husband kiddingly calls me Pita – pain in the *ss.

What was the best vacation you ever went on? Why?
Puerto Rico is our favorite place to vacation. It’s warmer than Cleveland, we can drink the water, the beaches are gorgeous, the food is tasty (our favorite is lechon – roast pig), there’s lots of history (Christopher Columbus sailed into San Juan harbor in 1493) and the people are the nicest I have ever met on vacation. There is so much to do there – from rainforests to deserts – beaches to mountains – the snorkeling is unbelievable! And they make mean mojitos!

If you could have dinner with anyone alive or dead, who would it be? Why?
My mom – she just passed away on May 13th, and I’d give anything to know she’s OK and that she met up with my grandparents in heaven.

If you could travel to anywhere in the world, where would you go? Why?
We would go to Thailand and Angkor Wat, Cambodia. Angkor Wat is one of the largest temples in the world at one mile from end to end. They are still finding smaller temples in the jungle. It was featured in Lara Croft Tomb Raider. We love Thai cuisine and would like to visit some of the famous markets and temples there, ride elephants, and their beaches are gorgeous!

What is one of your proudest accomplishments?
My proudest accomplishments are my many happy customers. When they provide referrals to me, it shows how much they trust and appreciate my efforts.

If you have a small package shipment that is time-sensitive – domestic or international, FedEx Express is your best bet. At PartnerShip, our goal is to help you get the most out of these services. Here are a few things you can do to take full advantage of FedEx Express services.

Establish discounts
Through a PartnerShip managed shipping program, you can receive discounts with FedEx, including select FedEx Express services. If you belong to an association we work with, you simply need to enroll. To find out if you qualify, contact us and we’ll find the solution that’s right for you.

Order free shipping supplies
You can order supplies for your FedEx Express shipments for free through fedex.com. Supplies include envelopes, boxes, tubes, shipping label pouches, and more. Getting free shipping supplies means one less cost for you to worry about.

Take advantage of FedEx One Rate^® options
Select FedEx Express services are available with FedEx One Rate. These flat rate options can be very cost-effective for envelopes up to 10 lbs and boxes or packs up to 50 lbs. The best way to see if using FedEx One Rate makes sense for your shipment is to start by comparing the pricing. Click here to enter in your shipment information and generate your rate.

Utilize international tools and resources
If you ever have international shipping needs, FedEx Express services can help you get it there fast, with time-definite delivery in 1 to 5 days, to more than 220 countries and territories. With access to country snapshots, documentation preparation help, and more, the FedEx^® Global Trade Manager is a great place to start if you have an international small package shipment.

PartnerShip discounted small package shipping services are completely free to eligible businesses participating in one of our association shipping programs. If you are currently a member of a professional association or trade group, ask them if they have a discounted small package shipping program through PartnerShip. You can also give us a call at 800-599-2902, or send an email to sales@PartnerShip.com, and we'll find out for you.

Many companies operate under the same assumption that they don’t ship freight. This idea was solidified on a recent survey we conducted, where we asked the question: “What are your biggest challenges when shipping freight?” About 30% indicated price as their biggest challenge, which we addressed in a previous blog post, and another 18% said that they don’t ship freight at all. Customers are quick to jump to this notion as there are no pallets assembled in their facility and no semis in their parking lot – however, they may be overlooking some important aspects of their company operations that could use some freight optimization attention.

First, we’d like to reiterate an idea that we revert back to quite a bit on the PartnerShip Connection Blog – inbound shipping is one of the easiest and most overlooked ways to save money on your overall shipping costs. We bring this point up again since most businesses do not factor in the freight shipments they receive from suppliers as, many times, the consignee is not being directly invoiced for those shipments. However, costs initially written off as ‘free’ often rear their head in the price of the actual goods that are being moved – meaning the costs are not non-existent, but just hidden. As the customer receiving the goods, your company has a say in how that freight is routed and billed, and you should factor it into your overall freight plan.

The next point we’d like to make is that while some businesses are not shipping freight, maybe they are shipping small packages and reexamining and adjusting that operation may equal big savings. This idea would apply to another portion of the 18% of companies that think they do not have freight shipping but are shipping small packages to or from the same location on a regular basis. As a general rule of thumb, one big order ships for less than three smaller orders. That means businesses should consider consolidating multiple orders into a single large shipment whenever possible, and always strive to minimize the number of packages it sends. All too often, shipments are arranged as they come in from sales or order processing. However, a little planning and visibility will go a long way towards saving on shipping costs, supplies, and time. 

We’re sure there are some customers in the previously mentioned 18% that legitimately do not have or will ever need to ship freight due to factors like their business type. For the rest of us, taking into consideration things like inbound operations and the possibility of shipment consolidation may mean more companies are having a freight discussion that they thought they would never have – and will end up with a more efficiently run company in the process.

Jennifer is our Customer Service Manager and she is a joy to work with thanks to her positive attitude and outgoing personality. She’s been with PartnerShip for 9 years and she’s worked for the NACS family since 2000. In her time here she’s proven to be a great leader to her team and a big help to our customers. Learn more about her from the questionnaire below!

What do you do for PartnerShip?
Help our customers with all their shipping needs. I help my team provide quotes, schedule shipments, create bills of lading and problem solve for our existing customers!

What is the most interesting thing you’ve helped a customer ship?
Pizza stones to Steve Job’s personal chef for Christmas dinner.

What do you like to do in your free time?
Trying out new craft ideas, I really enjoy making jewelry.

If you were an animal, what would you be and why?
Dog because they are always so happy to see people and make new friends.

What’s your favorite 90s jam?
First song to pop in my head is Mmm mmm by Crash Test Dummies or Every Morning by Sugar Ray.

If you could have dinner with anyone alive or dead, who would it be?
Talk show hosts. I would ask them the questions and get to hear all of their fun stories.

Do you have any nicknames?
J-fer

What is one of your proudest accomplishments?
Graduating from Kent State University.

What was the best vacation you ever went on?
My honeymoon in Disney. Disney is magical and creates happiness.

What do you like the most about working at PartnerShip?
My co-workers. I enjoy working with people who make me want to come to work.

Who would win in a fight between Spiderman and Batman?
Spider-Man because I’m a Marvel fan!

Tell us about your family.
I have a loving supportive husband Dave and we have one Harry Baby (Big Hero 6 reference), a kitty named Caroline.

What do colleagues say is your best quality?
Being happy and positive...on most days :)

What reality show would you like to be on?
Nickelodeon Guts or Family Feud (a break room lunchtime staple).

If you could travel to anywhere in the world, where would you go?
Ireland or Scotland because of the castles and the rolling green countryside that dramatically drops into the blue ocean.

PartnerShip prides itself on being able to help businesses of all shapes and sizes save on their shipping costs. Small businesses are an integral part of the United States economy and, every year since 1963, the President of the United States has issued a proclamation announcing a National Small Business Week recognizing the critical contributions of America’s entrepreneurs and small business owners. More than half of Americans either own or work for a small business, and they create about two out of every three new jobs in the U.S. each year. This year, May 4-8th has been designated as the week to highlight the impact of outstanding entrepreneurs, small business owners, and others from all 50 states and U.S. territories.

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is the organization that coordinates this yearly event, and has designated this year's theme as "SBA: Dream Big. Start Small."

The week will highlight small businesses with events in Miami, Los Angeles, San Antonio, New York City and culminating in Washington, D.C. where national winners will be recognized and awarded.  Additionally, recognition events throughout SBA’s 10 Regions and 68 Districts will be held throughout the months of May and June.

If you're interested in learning more about National Small Business Week, you can visit the SBA website. There you'll find a schedule of both live and online events and other helpful information.

Have you noticed a difference on your shipping invoices since the beginning of the year? Small package carriers FedEx and UPS are now applying dimensional (DIM) weight pricing to all packages. This is a significant change from last year, when only packages measuring at least three cubic feet were subject to dimensional weight pricing. If you’re still confused about how to calculate DIM weight or what you can do to keep your costs down, PartnerShip can help. Check out these resources below.

DIM Weight Calculator
This tool makes it easy for you to determine if you’ll be charged at the dimensional weight or your actual package weight. Simply enter in your package dimensions and weight and we’ll do the calculation for you. You’ll be able to quickly assess if your package is affected so you can make any possible adjustments.

DIM Weight Special Report
This report provides you with a detailed overview of the DIM weight pricing changes. You’ll learn what DIM weight is, how it’s calculated, and what you can do to offset the added cost.

Rate Increases White Paper
The changes to DIM weight pricing are only one part of the puzzle when it comes to evaluating the change in your small package shipping costs this year. This white paper takes an in-depth look at the general rate increase (GRI) for small package carriers FedEx and UPS.

Shipping Analysis
If you want someone to help evaluate your shipping and determine how to save the most money, you can fill out this short form to request a free analysis. One of our shipping experts will contact you and find a solution that works best for your business.

PartnerShip continues to develop PartnerShip.com with our customers and carrier partners in mind. Recently, we launched the PartnerShip Load Board that provides better visibility to the available truckload shipments from PartnerShip customers to PartnerShip carriers. PartnerShip connects the best national, regional, and local carriers with businesses for all of their truckload needs. The board provides carriers with information about the load, like equipment needed and whether it’s a full and partial load, as well as the origin and destination of the shipment. Best of all, this load board is completely free to view at anytime - no logging in or information is needed to view the available loads.

Carriers are encouraged to inquire about any loads by calling PartnerShip at 800-599-2902 option 2. The loads are only available to PartnerShip vetted and approved carriers. To become a core partner carrier please contact one of our Carrier Procurement Representatives for a setup packet at carriers@PartnerShip.com or visit our Becoming a PartnerShip Carrier web page.

Click here to visit the PartnerShip Load Board today!

Below are the truckload shipments that are available today, but be sure to check the page often for new opportunities:

Harry has spent the last 9 years working at PartnerShip and we’re lucky to have him on our team. As one of our senior program managers he does a great job keeping our association partners happy and representing the company at tradeshows around the country. This road warrior was kind enough to answer some questions for us. Check them out below.

What do you do for PartnerShip?
I am a senior program manager and work with our association partners to help maximize the exposure of their shipping programs to their membership. Another main focus I have is prospecting, developing and launching prospective new association programs. I also help facilitate quarterly reporting, and help coordinate shipping analyses, issue resolution, and other special requests as needed.

What is the most interesting thing you’ve helped a customer ship?
Gongs… we used to help a musical instrument importer out of Nebraska named “Gongs Unlimited” ship gongs of all shapes and sizes all over the world.

What do you like to do in your free time?
Taxi kids around to activities across NE Ohio including soccer, dance, football, cheerleading, and festival pageants… When that’s completed I enjoy cooking, baking pies, grilling, golfing and attending sporting events.

If you were an animal, what would you be and why?
An eagle so I could fly and swoop down to steal the scraps; and because they represent the beauty and freedom of the USA.

What’s your favorite 90s jam?
Too many to name… Alive by Pearl Jam

If you could have dinner with anyone alive or dead, who would it be?
My Mom and Dad, as they have been gone over 20 & 12 years now, and would love for them to get to meet my wife & family.

Do you have any nicknames?
Daddio, Har, Har Dog, Ster, HC, Fuzzy Penny, and Hank to name a few…

What is one of your proudest accomplishments?
I once bowled a 300 game (no-tap rule in effect) at Bowl For Kids Sake in Wichita, KS.

What was the best vacation you ever went on? 
Honeymoon in Puerto Rico with my wife, so much to do and see…

NSYNC or Backstreet Boys?
NSYNC, I’m a JT fan.

What do you like the most about working at PartnerShip?
The people, flexibility and empowerment to do your job.

Who would win in a fight between Spiderman and Batman?
Batman, just because he’s Batman…

If your life was made into a movie, what would the title be?
Old School meets the Brady Bunch meets the Goonies.

Tell us about your family.
I’ve been married to my wife Maureen for 10 years. We have 6 Kids: Chanse 20, Nicole 19, Angel 16, Cory 15, Treyson 9 and Caralina 7. We have 3 dogs and 3 cats too: Percy (Corgi), Jonah (Lab), and Dudley (Great Dane), and three tabby cats – Ozzie, Bobbie & Cribbs.

What do colleagues say is your best quality?
Team player and hard worker, willing to do whatever it takes to get the job done.

What is the funniest thing that has happened to you recently?
My 9 year old asked me if I could go to school for him (3rd grade), and get him straight A’s on his report card…

If you could travel to anywhere in the world, where would you go?
Mediterranean Cruise – hit all the destinations in Europe in one trip.

What reality show would you like to be on?
The Apprentice – It would be fun & challenging to work on the different projects and have the opportunity to live in NYC.

As always, there’s been a lot of talk in Washington about different bills and budgets. One conversation in particular caught our attention as it would have a direct effect on the transportation industry – The GROW AMERICA Act. Brought to the forefront by the United States Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT) (something they haven’t done in almost a decade), the GROW AMERICA Act is a $478 billion, six year transportation reauthorization proposal that provides increased funding for the nation’s highways, bridges, transit, and rail systems. We’ll leave it to the politicians to line up and take sides on the finer points of the Act, but below is a description of some of the overarching themes presented (from the U.S. DOT's fact sheet):

Specifically, the GROW AMERICA Act will provide –

• $317 billion to invest in our nation’s highway system and road safety. The proposal will increase the amount of highway funds by an average of about 29 percent above FY 2015 enacted levels, emphasizing “Fix-it-First” policies and reforms that prioritize investments for repairs and improvements to the safety of our roads and transit services, with particular attention to investments in rural and tribal areas. The proposal will also provide more than $10 billion for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to improve safety for all users of our highways and roads, providing a benefit of $21 for every Federal dollar used for infrastructure-related safety investments.
• $115 billion to invest in transit systems and expand transportation options. The proposal increases average transit spending by 76 percent above FY 2015 enacted levels, which will enable the expansion of new projects that improve connectivity (e.g., light rail, street cars, bus rapid transit, etc.) in suburbs, fast-growing cities, small towns, and rural communities, while still maintaining existing transit systems. The GROW AMERICA Act proposes a powerful, $5.1 billion increase in investments to address public transit’s maintenance backlog to reduce bus and rail system breakdowns; create more reliable service; and stop delays that make it harder for all commuters to get to work. The proposal also includes the innovative Rapid Growth Area Transit Program, which will provide $3.4 billion over six years to fast growing communities for bus rapid transit and other multimodal solutions to get ahead of the challenges caused by rapid growth.
• Tools and resources to encourage regional coordination and local decision making. The proposal includes policy reforms to incentivize improved regional coordination by Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs), which are local communities’ main voice in transportation planning. The GROW AMERICA Act also strengthens local decision making in allocating Federal funding so that local communities can better realize their vision for improved mobility. High-performing large MPOs will be granted control of a larger portion of funds under two federal transportation programs – the Surface Transportation Program (STP) and the Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) – and these MPOs will also receive funds through a set aside under the new Fixing and Accelerating Surface Transportation (FAST) program.
• Improved tools to protect the public from dangerous vehicle and tire defects. The GROW AMERICA Act will give NHTSA the authority to issue imminent hazard orders requiring vehicle manufacturers to immediately take action to alleviate harm in cases where there is an imminent risk of injury or death. Additionally, it will improve vehicle and tire recall efforts by taking steps to ensure the public is informed of recalls at franchise dealerships, independent tire stores and state departments of motor vehicles. The Act also provides consumers more time to get tire defects fixed for free.

In short, the GROW AMERICA Act is a six-year bill that would increase investment in transportation by 45%. All sides in Washington see a need for fund allocation to transportation and infrastructure in the United States; the debate is currently circling around whether or not the GROW AMERICA Act is the right direction to take. Deadlines for a decision on plans for transportation funds have been bandied about, but nothing is set in stone. From our perspective, it’s good to know that there is a spotlight on transportation as the shipping industry would benefit from improvements to a major component in the shipping equation.

Feel free to leaf through the entire 361 page GROW AMERICA Act at your leisure!

The U.S. DOT is busy spreading the word and gaining support for the bill. Recently, they went on a bus tour to promote the Act and, earlier this month, released a video detailing the tour.

PartnerShip customers are now able to obtain a free membership in the new My FedEx Rewards program. In addition to the small-package discounts they enjoy through a PartnerShip-managed shipping program, My FedEx Rewards lets them earn gift cards and brand-name merchandise when they ship.

Join for free
Enjoy all the benefits of being a My FedEx Rewards member.

Earn
Take advantage of exclusive offers and earn rewards for shipping with FedEx.

Get rewarded
Choose from gift card favorites for music, restaurants and stores. Or, redeem for a variety of brand-name merchandise.

Click here to join the My FedEx Rewards program, and you’ll receive exclusive offers that typically run for eight weeks. After you activate an offer, you can easily track your progress; and once you reach an offer goal, you get to pick out your reward.

PartnerShip works with over 120 major trade associations, across many industries, to provide their members with time- and money-saving tools to help them be successful in all facets of shipping and logistics. If you belong to an association we work with, take advantage of our free shipping benefits today and get in on My FedEx Rewards. If you're not sure if you qualify for one of our association shipping programs contact us and we'll find the solution that's right for you.