Save the Date
Blood Drive for Spokane Facility. Vitalant will be coming onsite on June 17th from 8:30 to 11:30am. Every two seconds, someone in the U.S. needs blood, and hospitals rely on donations like ours to help their patients. Appointment scheduling information will follow via email.
Health Challenge
The Duel is on! For the month of May, if you signed up for the duel, you and your teammate will compete against another team through a series of activity challenges. Whichever team completes every day of the challenge and with the highest activity level, will receive 50 Nectar points per person. There will also be one grand prize of 500 Nectar points for the team with the highest activity level achieved for the duration of the challenge amongst all participants. Ready...Set...Duel!
Special Dates in May
1st – May Day
3rd – National Teacher’s Day
4th – International Firefighters Day
5th – Cinco de Mayo Day
6th – Military Spouse Day
8th – Mother’s Day
13th – Friday the 13th
15th – Police Officer’s Memorial Day
21st – Armed Forces Day
30th – Memorial Day - Holiday
Employee Spotlight
Employee: Travis Stragier
Position: Electrical/Mechanical Technician
I will have been with Pearson for 7 years this August, but to be cliche it only seems like yesterday. I’ve been raised in the Spokane area my entire life, graduating from Cheney High in 2009. As many seniors are, I was very unsure of my career goals.
So right after high school I hired on with the Washington State Department of Natural Resources as a wildland firefighter for a few years. That was a blast, and saw some absolutely breathtaking views trekking all over Washington. But soon realized this was a young man’s game and would not last a lifetime, with the average age of 22 on the engine crews. I looked into the skilled trades and enrolled at SCC for the Electrical Maintenance and Automation program. After some time, I found myself on a grain silo in Conrad, MT stuck in a blizzard sometime mid-October, then the following July baking under the sun outside Yakima. And decided that it was very clear I needed to find a job that offered a roof over my head.
Pearson has offered a great opportunity to work indoors for those who have ever had the pleasure of being at the mercy of Mother Nature, and offers a good work-life balance. I’ve enjoyed the occasional travel to places I would otherwise never vacation. I’ve seen the Gateway to The West Arch in St. Louis during the ever so humid month of August, and walked along the shore at Daytona Beach in December.
I have an amazing and supportive wife, with two wonderful daughters who constantly keep me guessing. In the free time I have, I passionately enjoy spending time with my family and friends on hunting/fishing/camping adventures.
Thank you for sharing, Travis!
Budgeting 101: How to Budget Money
Divide your income among needs, wants, savings and debt repayment, using the 50/30/20 budget. If I have take-home pay of, say, $2,000 a month, how can I pay for housing, food, insurance, health care, debt repayment and fun without running out of money? That’s a lot to cover with a limited amount, and this is a zero-sum game. The answer is to make a budget.
What is a budget? A budget is a plan for every dollar you have. It’s not magic, but it represents more financial freedom and a life with much less stress. Here’s how to set up and then manage your budget.
How to budget money
- Calculate your monthly income, pick a budgeting method and monitor your progress.
- Try the 50/30/20 rule as a simple budgeting framework.
- Allow up to 50% of your income for needs.
- Leave 30% of your income for wants.
- Commit 20% of your income to savings and debt repayment.
- Track and manage your budget through regular check-ins.
Understand the budgeting process
Figure out your after-tax income: If you get a regular paycheck, the amount you receive is probably it, but if you have automatic deductions for a 401(k), savings, and health and life insurance, add those back in to give yourself a true picture of your savings and expenditures. If you have other types of income — perhaps you make money from side gigs — subtract anything that reduces it, such as taxes and business expenses.
Choose a budgeting plan: Any budget must cover all of your needs, some of your wants and — this is key — savings for emergencies and the future. Budgeting plan examples include the envelope system and the zero-based budget.
Track your progress: Record your spending or use online budgeting and savings tools.
Automate your savings: Automate as much as possible so the money you’ve allocated for a specific purpose gets there with minimal effort on your part. An accountability partner or online support group can help, so that you're held accountable for choices that blow the budget.
Practice budget management: Your income, expenses and priorities will change over time, so actively manage your budget by revisiting it regularly, perhaps once a quarter. If you're struggling to stick with your plan, try these budgeting tips at https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/finance/budgeting-tips
Try a simple budgeting plan
We recommend the popular 50/30/20 budget to maximize your money. In it, you spend roughly 50% of your after-tax dollars on necessities, no more than 30% on wants, and at least 20% on savings and debt repayment.
Allow up to 50% of your income for needs
Your needs — about 50% of your after-tax income — should include:
- Groceries.
- Housing.
- Basic utilities.
- Transportation.
- Insurance.
- Minimum loan payments. Anything beyond the minimum goes into the savings and debt repayment category.
- Childcare or other expenses you need so you can work.
If your absolute essentials overshoot the 50% mark, you may need to dip into the “wants” portion of your budget for a while. It’s not the end of the world, but you'll have to adjust your spending.
Even if your necessities fall under the 50% cap, revisiting these fixed expenses occasionally is smart. You may find a better cell phone plan, an opportunity to refinance your mortgage or less expensive car insurance. That leaves you more to work with elsewhere.
Leave 30% of your income for wants
Separating wants from needs can be difficult. In general, though, needs are essential for you to live and work. Typical wants include dinners out, gifts, travel and entertainment.
It’s not always easy to decide. Are restorative spa visits (including tips for a massage) a want or a need? How about organic groceries? Decisions vary from person to person.
If you're eager to get out of debt as fast as you can, you may decide your wants can wait until you have some savings, or your debts are under control. But your budget shouldn't be so austere that you can never buy anything just for fun.
Every budget needs both wiggle room — maybe you forgot about an expense or one was bigger than you anticipated — and some money you're entitled to spend as you wish.
Your budget is a tool to help you, not a straitjacket to keep you from enjoying life, ever. If there's no money for fun, you'll be less likely to stick with your budget — and a good budget is one you’ll stick with.
Commit 20% of your income to savings and debt repayment
Use 20% of your after-tax income to put something away for the unexpected, save for the future and pay off debt. Make sure you think of the bigger financial picture; that may mean two-stepping between savings and debt repayment to accomplish your most pressing goals.
By: Bev O’Shea and Lauren Schwahn
For more information go to: https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/finance/how-to-budget
Where in the World is Pearson?
Tracy, CA.
Pearson recently completed a project with Leprino in Tracy, CA. Leprino is one of the worlds largest cheese suppliers for pizza companies. They started over 65 years ago as a small, family-run cheese business and now this particular facility produces over 1 million pounds of cheese per day! The bag inserters we delivered and installed will allow Leprino to continue delivering delicious cheese to pizza companies all over the country thanks to Pearson products.
Case Erecting, Packing & Sealing for Juice Cups
This erect, pack and seal system by Pearson Packaging Systems forms consistently square and securely-sealed cases, and incorporates dual robots with custom tooling to pack layers of juice cups and place dividers. With a consistent HMI across all equipment to support operation, changeovers and troubleshooting, the system also comes with Remote Access capability, machine status lighting and safety redundancy.
Birthdays
3rd - Joshua Burright and Natalie Goldthorpe 5th - Brian Tombari 9th - Jason Peterson
11th - Jamie Gould
14th - Nathan Lee
21st - Dylan Lindsey-Hansen
28th - Anthony Accardo
30th - Robert Brummett
Anniversaries
1 Year: Creed Bicknell, LuWanna Morris and Bobby Simmons
2 Years: Jonathan Santoro
3 Years: Brandon Raineri and Angela Royal
6 Years: Robert Mize
11 Years: Adam Terrell
17 Years: Tim Rineman
22 Years: Dusty McQuary and Scott Reed
25 Years: Michael Senske
35 Years: Daniel Brown
Promotions
Brian Tombari promoted to Network Administrator
New Employees
Jessica Darst - Buyer
David Reardon - VP of Supply Chain
Manolo Aroche - Inventory Specialist
Shanea Giroux - Executive Administrator
New Interns - Engineering
- Murphy Ernsdorff
- Rachel Saathoff
- Mathew Melvile
- Claire de Saint Phalle
Welcome, To You All!
New Babies
First time parents Niels de Koning and his wife Katy, gave birth to Hugo William Johannes de Koning on Monday, April 18th. Welcome Baby Hugo!
Graduates
Scott Walker's granddaughter, Ashlyn, is graduating as a Valedictorian from Mead High School (in Spokane) with an Associate's Degree in Liberal Arts from SFCC (Spokane Falls Community College). She has earned scholarships from UNLV, Boise State, and WSU. She has decided to become a Cougar, in the fall, at WSU and study in the Criminology program. As you can imagine, Scott and his family are very proud of Ashlyn's accomplishments thus far. Scott jokingly says, "Her birthday is February 29th, so they save a lot on presents, since she only gets a birthday every four years."
Brain Game
The first five people to solve this riddle will receive a $5.00 Starbucks gift card! Email your response to: zhutson@pearsonpkg.com
A sundial has the fewest moving parts of any timepiece. Which has the most?
March Blog Brain Game Answer: What can you put in a cup, but you can't take it out, but you can eat it? A chip
Winners: Martha Savory, Jeremy Gagnier, Greg Parise, Tim Neton and Candice Baldwin
Did You Know?
The Empire State Building in New York, opened its doors on May 1, 1931. At that point of its construction, it held the record for being the tallest building in the world. Many other sky-high constructions have since dwarfed it, but it's still an awe-inspiring feature of the New York cityscape!
Quote Of The Month
"Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts."
― Winston Churchill
Learn A New Word
Predilection - Is a natural liking for something or a tendency to do or be attracted to something.
Recipe
Chicken Parmesan Casserole
Total Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 6
Nutrition profile: Egg Free, High-Protein, Nut-Free, Soy-Free Nutrition Facts Per Serving: Serving size is 1 cup. 442 calories; protein 25.5g; carbohydrates 50.1g; dietary fiber 8.6g; sugars 5.8g; fat 16.8g; saturated fat 4.5g; cholesterol 43mg; vitamin A iu 338.6IU; vitamin C 3.7mg; folate 36mcg; calcium 189.3mg; iron 2.7mg; magnesium 76mg; potassium 281.4mg; sodium 461.7mg; thiamin 0.2mg.
Ingredients
8 ounces whole-wheat rotini 4tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided 1 cup chopped onion 1 (28 ounce) can no-salt added crushed tomatoes 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1/2 teaspoon dried basil 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese 1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs 2 tablespoons chopped parsley 2 cups shredded cooked chicken 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly coat an 8-inch-square dish with cooking spray. Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Add rotini and cook according to package directions. Drain. Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring until starting to soften, about 3 minutes. Add tomatoes, garlic powder, basil, oregano, salt and crushed red pepper; bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring, until thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in chicken and the cooked rotini. Transfer to the prepared baking dish and top with mozzarella. Stir Panko, Parmesan and the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil together in a small bowl. Sprinkle over the casserole. Bake until hot and the topping is golden, about 25 to 30 minutes.
Enjoy! If you decide to make this delicious meal, make sure to snap a photo and email it to zhutson@pearsonpkg.com to be featured in next month's blog.
