The New Year ushers in a fresh start and new opportunities for success. U-Haul encourages its Team Members to reflect on the past year and take positive steps to better their lives, personally and professionally, in the coming year.
The tradition of New Year’s resolutions typically promotes self-improvement. Since U-Haul was founded on “do it yourself” principles, it’s seems fitting that many of our Team Members across the U.S. and Canada have resolutions to pursue.
As the calendar page turns to 2015, we asked some of our U-Haul Team Members to share their goals for the New Year. Here are a few of their more creative and ambitious responses:
Lucy Aveen-West, General Manager, Blaine, Minn.: “My resolution will be to stop drinking Caribou Coffee and Starbucks. It’s high in calories and very costly! My hubby, son and best friend doubt me already, but I intend on proving them wrong!”
Beverly Richards, Executive Assistant, Decatur, Ala.: “I resolve to continue with my quest in losing more weight. Say ‘no’ to chocolate! I resolve to count to 10 before calling the GM that screwed up the deposit. My hair is starting to thin from pulling it out! I resolve to give credit where credit is due, especially when it comes to me!”
Debby Pate, Executive Assistant, Columbus, Ga.: “My goal for 2015 is to become better organized. It would be wonderful to be able to have a clean-looking desk like the customer service reps at the banks do!”
John Borza, Area Field Manager, Orlando, Fla.: “My New Year’s resolution is to do whatever it takes to kick my diabetes: diet, exercise and motivation. I can do it!”
Rose Muir, Executive Assistant, Edison, N.J.: “I plan to take at least one U-Haul University course per week to increase my U-Haul know-how.”
Christopher Bukala, Area Field Manager, Anchorage, Alaska: “I have both a personal and a professional New Year’s resolution. Personally, I want to buy a new home for my wife and four children. Professionally I’m looking to add six new U-Haul neighborhood dealers. Since I was successful last year in having two resolutions, I’m going for two again!”
Sean M. Burnett, General Manager, Boise, Idaho: “I’d like to lose at least five pounds a month for the next year, adopt my foster child, Christopher, and focus on some of my debt so I can buy a few toys that I really want in the future!”
Kim Dart, Executive Assistant, Houston, Texas: “My resolution is to quit smoking. I have been a smoker for almost 30 years, and if I plan to live at least another 30, then giving up the cancer sticks is a great place to start.”
Charlene J. Peshlakai, Marketing Company Storage Clerk, Phoenix, Ariz.: “I hope to visit more museums and go to more concerts this year.”
Russ Baldwin, Area Field Manager, Orlando, Fla.: “On Nov. 11, 2013, my wife and I gave birth to a beautiful baby girl, Reagan Ella Baldwin. This past year has been trying and extremely busy. I truly have spent all year trying to play catch up and, in turn, have not spent nearly as much quality time with Reagan. I vow to change that in 2015. My resolution is to spend more quality time with my daughter.”
Caroline Choi, Executive Assistant, Oakland, Calif.: “I would love to quit smoking, exercise more and commit to taking care of myself once a week. Whether it’s relaxing in bed for a day, or going for a massage, or shopping, I need to put myself first!”
Melissa Ayala, Executive Assistant, Corpus Christi, Texas: “My whole adult life I have struggled with my weight and recently found out I am only one step away from becoming diabetic. I lost my grandfather to diabetes so I saw firsthand the struggle he and my loved ones went through. I refuse to live my life like that. My goal for 2015 is to finally lose weight and be as healthy as I can be, not just for my daughter and my husband, but for myself.”
Joe Pierfelice, General Manager, Lachine, Quebec: “My resolution is to cut down on smoking and eventually give it up completely.”
Vernon Jardine, Area Field Manager, Calgary, Alberta: “I need to make sure that my little 2-year-old gets everything he needs in the New Year to become a proper little gentleman.”
Wendy Ford, General Manager, Orlando Fla.: “My resolution is going to be to spend more time with family, especially the ones who are far away. You just never know what will happen tomorrow.”
Susan Wright, Executive Assistant, Marietta, Ga.: “I would like to make more friends, be more open and be a better listener.”
Robert Kaltenbach, General Manager, Antioch, Ill.: “Here at U-Haul Moving & Storage of Antioch with our center and storage opening soon, our resolution is to fill up our climate-controlled storage with happy customers looking for a stress-free moving experience!”
Tosha Plass, Assistant General Manager, Poughkeepsie, N.Y.: “My New Year’s resolution is to be a better person than I am today. I want to provide for my children, laugh more and learn something new.”
Sharon Bell, Executive Assistant, Jackson, Miss.: “My resolution is to become more money-conscious. I’m going to pay closer attention to what I spend my money on and only spend the bare minimum in an effort of becoming a home owner during 2015.”
Susie Cooper, Executive Assistant, Eugene, Ore.: “My resolution is to clear the clutter in my house and get rid of unwanted items.”
Dawn Cornelius, General Manager, Arvada, Colo.: “I will be working on completing the rest of my U-Haul University courses and losing weight. The two really do not coexist very well, but I know I will accomplish at least one of them!”
Fred Penix, Facility Maintenance Technician, Little Rock, Ark.: “I would like to spend more time with my children. They live with me and I see them every day but when I work 60 hours a week, it makes it hard.”
Virginia Romo, Traffic Control Manager, Columbus, Ga.: “First and foremost, I want to take up running with my son before he leaves for college. Secondly, I want to devote more time to fine-tuning the job I’m doing at U-Haul as well as the rest of my team.”
Tim McDermott, Area Field Manager, Manchester, N.H.: “I resolve to be more aware of the impact of the completion of my tasks on the ability of my teammates to complete their assigned tasks in a timely fashion.”
Stephen Nesbitt, General Manager, Orlando, Fla.: “My resolution will be to try to see things from other people’s point of view so I can better sympathize with their ideas and desires.”
Michael Culleton, General Manager, Brunswick, Maine: “I resolve to help those I can, while not promising help to those I cannot and finding the wisdom to know the difference.”
Good luck on those resolutions. From our U-Haul family to yours, Happy New Year!
Want to join the U-Haul family this upcoming year? Find out if any of our job openings are for you!
