From the Southwest Corner Office

Success = The Little Things + Attitude

First of all, welcome back to everyone who has been on winter break. I hope the time off was enjoyable and relaxing. And, as we have a substantial backlog of work to kick off the new season, there are plenty of new faces – welcome to all of you as well.

With the war in Iraq coming to a swift and victorious conclusion (even without the aid of France or the Dixie Chicks), the attention turns to the economy and how to get it growing again. Economists are debating many things in that regard: Will tax cuts spur growth, or create even larger deficits – spawning an inflationary spiral with rising interest rates? Will the short-lived war in Iraq see investors and consumers more confident, or will they continue to sit on the sidelines – waiting for better economic news?

An old friend of mine is fond of saying “If you laid all the economists in the world end-for-end, they wouldn’t reach a conclusion.” He’s not far off the mark there. What troubles me is that the majority of economic viewpoints that the average person reads, hears or sees in the media are of the doom-and-gloom variety, which begs the questions: “How can we have a better economy if we think we can’t?”

That being said, I am convinced that there is little we can do about overall economic policy, except that every couple of years we can vote for people that we think share our views. What we can do, day-in and day-out, to ensure our own continued success, and that of our company, is the little things. It’s an estimator working on a bid on Saturday that is due on Monday, rather than passing on the opportunity; the truck driver who wants to be first in line to be loaded; the operator who greases their machine and does the morning “walk around” so they are pushing dirt at 7:00 A.M., or the pipe crew that skips their break to get to the next manhole by the end of the day. All of those little things contribute to higher profit margins and an operation that is competitive even in tight markets, and it creates an atmosphere of camaraderie and friendly competition.

How important is attitude? Well, have you ever heard of someone who was considered a leader in their field who did not think they could succeed? Of course not. A positive attitude is an essential element in any successful human endeavor. I will hire someone with a great attitude and skills that need some work, ahead of the other candidate who has superior skills, but a poor attitude – and the first time I meet them I can tell the difference! Remember this about attitude: “Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t, you’re probably right”. 

Finally, the “little things” and “attitude” are close relatives. Attitude is the catalyst that burns in our souls and gives us the desire to excel – to do the little things that not only foster success in the work world, but also gives us a feeling of self-satisfaction that is so fulfilling.


Have a great season! 

Dave Grimsrud
Vice President - Finance

Safety Column

Hello from the Safety and Training Office. I am very optimistic about the season ahead. Our year has proudly begun with lower injury and damage incidents than the previous one. As a team, everyone’s safety efforts are appreciated when everyone returns home, each evening, intact. Your continued support in this safety program encourages the positive environment in the field that TEAM Frattalone values.

This spring’s All Company Safety meeting was held on April 24th. The meeting went very well and, I see by the sign-in attendance sheet, was well attended. Thank you for recognizing the importance of these meetings (attendance is required at all the company meetings). 
The new stretching program and walk-around inspection forms were introduced as well as other important information. Tony also held a drawing with some nice prizes; the grand prize was a pair of Minnesota 

Wild hockey playoff tickets. Steve Knopic, from the crushing crew, won the Wild tickets. Other prizes included a jacket, a sweatshirt, and a hat. T-shirts were passed out to everyone acknowledging the dedication and appreciation for attending this important company meeting. 

The feedback from the field indicates the stretching program is going very well (all crews are required to stretch prior to beginning their shift). This program will reduce back and soft tissue injuries, as well as benefit all Frattalone employees. You can see the photograph taken of the stretching at the company meeting on the back page of this issue of the Frattalone Scoop.

We have several new members of our TEAM. With each new employee comes a responsibility. Remember, everyone had a first season at Frattalone Excavating, so do whatever you can to help each new 
employee feel comfortable and properly directed. We do not call ourselves a TEAM for nothing!

Also, when you receive any new or updated training certificates, please be sure to turn a copy into me immediately so I can document your hard work into your file. This is the only way I know if your trainings have been completed, and it ensures your file is properly updated. Our ability to bid various jobs requires current documentation, so the more updated we can be, the more prosperous we are as a company!

Steven Kohler
Safety and Training Director

Helping Hands

Congratulations to Frank and Sherry Frattalone on receiving the 2002 HealthEast Foundation Caring Neighbors Award.

Fourteen years ago, the hospice care their mothers received from HealthEast so impressed Frank and Sherry that they made personal commitments to become involved themselves. 

HealthEast, which provided Minnesota’s first hospice care program, today offers a respectful combination of spiritual and medical care in the hospital, at home, in care centers or at The Pillars hospice home. Sherry began by volunteering in the hospital setting and later moved to The Pillars.

Frank’s involvement in The Pillars began long before there even was a Pillars, helping to scout locations and donating the excavation services necessary to begin construction. He even created a pond to add to the aesthetic beauty of the surroundings. Taking his commitment one step further, Frank obtained financial contributions from his suppliers and set up a payroll deduction program for his employees.

Today, Sherry contributes her time and energy to The Pillars in many ways, from helping in the kitchen to providing patient comfort and conversation. She is a willing resource for whatever needs to be done, and the staff has come to rely on her sunny disposition to help them provide care for the eight patients at The Pillars.

Sherry and Frank are making sure that the spirit of community service lives on in the Frattalone family, teaching their children and grandchildren about the joys of giving, not only at the holiday season, but every day of the year.

Congratulations, Frank & Sherry!

Fishing Contest: From the "Hook"

Congratulations to all of the winners of last year’s tournament. Hopefully some of you caught some big fish during the openers these past few weekends to start off this year’s tournament.

See Fishing Contest Rules & Prizes

Results as of 1/29/03

	Walleye	1st 2nd 3rd 3rd	Kory Kunza Arlen Richter Kory Kunza John Goshey	30" 29.5" 29" 29"
	Northern	1st 2nd	Taylor Frattalone Justin Boss	28" 26"
	Bass	1st 2nd 3rd	Al Kryzowski Cady Buche Al Mattson	9 lb. 7 oz 6 lb. 5 lb. 3 oz.
	Crappie	1st 2nd 3rd	Justin Bass Kyle Goshey Justin Bass	1 lb. 10 oz. 1 lb. 9 oz.        12 oz.
	Sunfish	1st 2nd 3rd	John Mossberg Alex Goshey Lee Gass	2 lb. 4 oz. 1 lb. 8 oz.        9 oz.

Upcoming Tournament:
There will be a multi-species fishing tournament on Saturday, June 14th. It will be held at Rush Lake in Rush City. For more information, contact Dean Law.

New Employees

Holiday Schedule

Listed below are the days that Frattalone Excavating will be closed:

• Memorial Day, 5/26/03
• Fourth of July, 7/4/03
• Labor Day, 9/1/03
• Thanksgiving Day, 11/27/03
• Christmas Day, 12/25/03

Bible Study Group

Bible Study meetings are being postponed until the fall. If anyone would like to be involved in a prayer chain, please contact Dean Law at 651-248-7606.

Frattalone Company Picnic

Mark your calendars, the annual Frattalone company picnic will be held on Saturday, August 9th. The picnic will be held at Spooner Park in Little Canada again this year. The park has a big pavilion, a nice kids play area and a sand volleyball court. We will be having a moonwalk and 100-foot slip-n-slide, back by popular demand. Employees will receive more information in the mail soon.

Congratulations!

Jamie McLaughlin, who started with our company in March of 2001, was promoted in January to a Project Manager. Jamie is a great asset to “Team Frattalone” and we are fortunate to have him using his skills in the estimating department.

Dan Grimsrud, who worked as a laborer during the summer months from 1995 – 2000, will receive his law degree from the University of Minnesota Law School on May 17th.

Company Meetings:

Following are the dates for the summer and fall mandatory all company safety and informational meetings. These meetings are a very important part of keeping you informed of company policies and procedures.

• Thursday, 8/7/03
• Thursday, 10/23/03

All meetings will start at 4:00 p.m

Saints Game

We have tickets reserved for the Saints game (along with a spot on the north side of the parking lot for tailgating before the game) on Friday, June 6th. The BBQ will fire up around 5:00 p.m. and the game starts @ 7:05 p.m. Please contact Shelly in the office if you are interested. Tickets are $10.00, which includes a game ticket, food and beverages before the game. Remember…kids are welcome!

Golf Tourney

The 6th Annual Golf Tournament will be held on Sunday, September 14th at Gem Lake Golf Course. It will be a 2-person scramble, with the tee times starting at 10:00 a.m., followed by lunch and cocktails in the clubhouse. Look for more information in the early August.

Recipes that make the grade...

Tortellini Soup, Submitted by: Jamie McLaughlin

1 LB. - Sausage (formed into balls)
2 – Onions, chopped
1 28oz. can - diced Tomatoes with liquid
7 C. - Beef broth
2 tsp. – Dried Oregano
2 – medium Zucchini, sliced
12 oz. – Cheese Tortellini
2 TBSP. - Dried Basil
4-6 Carrots, sliced
2 Cloves - Garlic, Minced
½ C. - Chopped Parsley
*Seasonings to taste

• Brown sausage lightly in frying 
  pan. Drain and put into Dutch oven. Reduce drippings to approximately 1 tsp. And sauté onions and garlic until tender. Add to Dutch oven.
• Add tomatoes, beef, broth,
  basil, oregano and carrots. Cook uncovered over moderate heat about 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Add zucchini, parsley and
  tortellini. Cook, stirring occasionally until tortellini and carrots are tender (about 20-30 minutes).
• Serve with grated parmesan cheese and crusty bread.

Tiramisu, Submitted by: Danielle Ross

6 – egg yolks
1-¼ cups of sugar
1 ¼ cups Macaroni
1 ¾ cup + ½ cup whipping cream
2 packages (3 oz) Ladyfingers
1 1/3 cup coffee Liqueur or brandied espresso (see recipe)
1 TBS. Sugar
¼ tsp. Vanilla Extract

• Beat eggs yolks and sugar until
  Thick (1 min.). Place in top of double boiler over boiling water. Reduce heat to low and cook 8-10 min. Remove from heat. Add mascarpone (or substitute with recipe below). Beat well and set aside.
• Whip cream in small bowl until
  stiff peaks form. Fold in egg yolk mixture. Set aside.
• Line bottom and sides of 2 ½ to 
  3 quart bowl with ladyfinger halves, split side down. Brush with coffee liqueur or brandied espresso. Spoon half of egg/cream mixture onto ladyfingers. Repeat lady fingers, espresso and cream layers.
• Garnish with whipped cream,
  cocoa powder and chocolate curls. Cover and refrigerate several hours.

Substitutions:

Mascarpone cheese substitute recipe. In large bowl beat 1 – 8 oz. package of cream cheese, ¼ cup sour cream and 2 TBS whipping cream until blended and fluffy

Brandied Espresso. In small bowl combine 1/3 cup
hot water and 2 tsp. Instant coffee granules. Stir until coffee is completely dissolved. Blend in 1 tsp. Brandy. 

Health Tip: For the "HEALTH" of it...

Stressed Out?

Stress is an abnormal condition that disrupts the normal functions of the body or mind. No two people are affected in exactly the same way, or to the same degree, but most people living in our society suffer from its effects at one time or another during their lives. Some symptoms are headaches, insomnia, restlessness and various abdominal problems.

Many life events can bring on stress, some of which are:

• The death of a family member or friend.
• Injury, illness or pregnancy, personally or of a family member.
• Marriage, marital reconciliation, separation or divorce.
• Arguments with family members, friends or co-workers.
• Vacations and holidays.
• Financing major purchases
• Beginning or ceasing school.
• Moving or changing living conditions.
• Spouse beginning or ceasing work outside the home.
• Changes in work, be it a new position, changes in responsibilities, working hours or working conditions.

Let’s face it – we all experience stresses in everyday normal life, and learning to cope with these stresses is difficult for some of us. Take, for instance, driving in traffic. Anyone who’s ever been stuck in a major traffic jam probably has seen the darker side of many people’s personalities (with the exception of our wonderful drivers here at Frattalone, of course). It seems everyone is always in a hurry to either get, or go somewhere. We never seem to allow enough time for the everyday problems that are bound to muck things up from time to time. Laying on the horn, banging on the steering wheel or shouting obscenities is only going to make matters more stressful. This common occurrence can be lessened or eliminated by simply doing some problem solving. Changing your route occasionally and allowing plenty of time to get places is an easy way to manage this on-going problem. 

Another example of an everyday stress that can be easily controlled is sporting events. Some activities that are supposed to support relaxation are the complete opposite for some. While many people naturally have a competitive side when engaging in athletics, one shouldn’t lose sight of the fact that they are participating to have fun. Be it your golf game is not up to par, your team lost the game, or you couldn’t hit the ball, time set aside to relax should be treated as a night out with the “boys” or “girls” to eliminate unneeded stress.

How you act (or react) to every day stresses like these will have either a positive or negative impact on you. 

Realizing what you can change about your life, and knowing what you can’t, will best manage stress. Learn how to recognize the difference and you’ll enjoy life more and be better able to deal with the ups and downs that are a part of everyone’s lives.

Frattalone Employees being introduced to our new stretching program at the company meeting in April of 2003.