Among the many things the mail delivery team at Cummins in Shoreview enjoys about their work are the excited reactions they get when they email or call a Cummins employee to let them know they have a package to pick up.

“Are you sure it’s for me – I never get packages!”

“Can you tell what’s in it?!”

“I’m in India right now – could you hold it for me until I get back?!”

So it stands to reason that when asked what they like very most about working at Cummins, everyone replied, “the people.”

The team rotates two- or three-day shifts at the Cummins Shoreview office and includes John Cremer, Tracy Bird, Jennifer Weldon, Lori Mayo, Tony Bidwell, and Catherine Gustner. The remainder of their work week is completed at Rise Crystal or Rise Spring Lake Park where they work as data entry clerks.

Incoming mail and packages are delivered from Cummins’s headquarters to Shoreview where the team sorts and delivers it to mail stations throughout two floors. They also maintain a roster of sent messages to employees, and hand out packages when they come to pick them up.

It took team members a while to learn the ‘lay of the land’ of the expansive complex when they first started in September 2018. Case Manager Milcart Robert-Clerge and DSP Darnetta (De) Thomas-Jackson took people around so they could get acclimated and make deliveries on their own.

Lori Mayo, who has worked at Rise Crystal for many years, says she likes the change of pace a few days a week – and the money is good, she added through her voice communication system.
This is Jenny Weldon’s first job in years so she’s excited to have “more purpose” in her day. “It keeps me busy, that’s for sure, and everyone here is so nice.”

Denise Coppess was one of the original team members to work at Cummins. This additional clerical experience was great to put on her resume. Look for an article on Denise’s new job in an upcoming issue of the Rise Reporter.

“Having the Rise employees work with us daily is such a joy,” said Sondra Blackwell, the workflow coordinator. “They are so efficient and positive in their work.”

“Since October, Rise colleagues working at the Cummins Shoreview facility have provided suggestions or opportunities for improvement, helping Cummins company to become an ‘employer of choice’ for individuals with disabilities, short- or long-term,” said Emily Kocik, the Corporate Responsibility leader for the Power Systems Business Unit. “Cummins facilities and maintenance teams have taken these into consideration and are working toward completing such improvements, which will ultimately lead to a better workplace environment for all employees at this location.”

Rise and Cummins have been business partners since 2006. Scores of people served by Rise have enjoyed working at their manufacturing plant in Fridley for many years in a wide range of job duties and departments.

 

This article appears in the March 2019 issue of the Rise Reporter.