All the Newsworthy Things at HC Brands -

How To Properly Wear A Face Mask

Wearing a mask has become a part of what people are calling the “new normal.” Masks aren’t just a means of protection against the novel corona virus, but a symbol of stepping up in hard times to support your coworkers, neighbors, friends and especially those who are most vulnerable. Although many of us are wearing our masks, we may not be wearing them properly. Sometimes our execution is a little off.

Make sure you are wearing your mask properly to not only ensure everyone’s safety, but to prevent you from sticking out like a sore thumb.

DOs:

Buy a Mask that Fits!

Carefully measure your face! When buying online, read the measurements of the mask thoroughly. It’s also good to have your measurements handy for in-store shopping since trying on a mask is a sanitary issue.

Now this is a mask that is tight to the skin!

How to Measure your face for a mask?

For Height: You want to use flexible measuring tape or even a piece of string & a rule to measure the length between the bridge of your nose to directly under your chin.
For Width: Use the same materials to measure the length from your right cheek bone, going along the bridge of your nose, to your left cheek bone.

Our masks are made with two-ply 100% polyester material. It fits and secures to your face based on your mask size. You can check this first DO off the checklist!

If you measure for approximately 7″ x 4.75″ in you fit into a large

If you are measure for approximately 6.375” x 4.25″ you fit into a small size

Pug with Tongue Face Mask — Model is wearing the Pug Mask by HC Brands

American Flag Face Mask — Model is wearing the American Flag mask by HC Brands

Wear Your Mask Anytime You Go Out in Public

Now that you have a mask that fits, remember that you bought it so that you would actually wear it! Always bring your mask with you, and wear your mask especially indoors.

In indoor spaces (places that are enclosed by walls or windows), wear your mask

In outdoor spaces (places that are fully open to the outside), wear your mask

Whether you are going to your local supermarket this evening, or you are going to your local park, you never know who you may encounter and what may be in the air, so it is always a good idea to wear a mask everywhere you go. The equation is quite simple: Going anywhere outside of the security of your own home = wear your mask!

This Lowes customer created her own safe zone. (Do what you have to in order to feel safe.)

Put On Your Mask the Right Way

How to put on your mask properly:

Grab the straps of your mask
Pull & latch each strap to the back of each of your ears, one at a time
Adjust with the edges of the mask so it is secured under your chin and sits directly on the bridge of your nose*

*If you have to adjust your mask after putting it on, make sure to wash your hands thoroughly

Wash or Dispose of Your Mask After Each Use

It is super important that after every use of your mask, that you either dispose of it, or (if you know that it can be used again) that you wash it properly.

Tips for Washing your Mask:

Make sure that you mask is actually washable (if you are unsure either contact wherever you bought it or just dispose of it and get a new one)
“Warm water and any detergent at home should work great” – Dr Gabriela Andujar Vazquez in her interview with Medical Xpress
Don’t forget to wash the filter in your mask as well to prevent build-up of trapped air particles

Make sure to get a face mask that you know you can wash so that you don’t have to continue buying new ones. For example, our masks are 100% washable as you can either throw it in with your laundry or just use soap and warm water.

Children's Camo Face Mask — Shop this Camo Face Mask

Children's Rainbow Face Mask — Shop this Rainbow Color Face Mask

DON’TS

DO NOT continuously adjust or move your mask

Once your mask is on, try to avoid the urge to adjust or move it unless it is falling off of your face. Make sure that you have a mask that you don’t need to adjust or move in the first place.

DO NOT pull your mask off of your mouth to talk to people

The point of the mask is to protect you from other people and to protect other people from you. When you pull off your mask it completely defeats the exact purpose of why we wear it. Don’t worry, the other person knows how happy you are to see them and you don’t need to pull off your mask to show them your glowing smile.

DO NOT do any of the following:

Wear your mask under your chin
Wear your mask under your nose
Wear your mask above your chin

DO NOT think you are invincible with your mask

A mask is just one precaution of many that you must take.

Never forget to also:

Stay 6 feet apart from people
Be careful of what you are touching with your hands
Wash your hands frequently & have hand sanitizer at your ready

This shopper got creative with social distancing. All he needs is his mask and he will be doing everything right!

DO NOT put a mask on babies or children under 2 years old

DO NOT share your mask with others

Your mask is yours and yours only. It is one thing that you don’t have to share with others and that no one else probably wants to share with you!

Resources:

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2020-05-reusable-mask.html

https://www.facebook.com/The-Man-Cave-1852177261746451/

https://mumcentral.com/

https://www.umass.edu/newsoffice/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/mask.png?itok=Vpqs699E

https://www.nytimes.com/

Face Mask Etiquette: When, Where & Who Should Wear a Mask

Table of Contents
▸Why You Should Wear a Mask
▸Non-medical Mask Protection
▸Face Covering Ideas
▸Where You Should Wear a Mask
▸Where You Can Go Mask Free
▸States Requring Masks
▸Who Doesn’t Have to Wear a Mask
▸Finding Out Local COVID-19 Mandates
▸About Our Masks

Wearing face masks has become a daily routine for people all over the world. In the United States, many businesses, cities and states have set strict rules for wearing face masks, especially as America starts to reopen. Face covering rests on a delicate balance between health and safety, and social etiquette. Depending on where you live, work and shop, it’s important to understand when you should cover your face, and why.

Why wear a mask or other face covering?

Even if you’re not fearful of catching the virus, it’s important to remember that wearing a face covering, particularly a non-medical mask or scarf, is mostly intended to protect others from YOU. Non-medical masks, such as the ones we sell, are primarily worn to trap larger droplets from coughs and sneezes, so that people are less likely to spread the virus while in public or in close spaces. Non-medical masks also protect your nose and mouth from dust, pollen, allergies, haze, exhaust, smoke and other substances.

What’s just as important is that wearing a face covering “fosters a sense of faith, a shared or mutual obligation and civic duty.” Read more here. Covering your face shows that you care about public health and you’re following guidelines set in place by the CDC and health officials.

While some cities and states are more relaxed with face coverings and other coronavirus prevention measures, others are implementing strict rules, fines and even possible jail time for non-compliance. Some businesses will not allow customers in without a face mask, and there have been many news reports across the US showing protests against mandates for face covering in public.

Outside of the legal implications, it’s now also a social expectation to cover our faces to protect those around us.

What do non-medical masks protect you from?

As stated above, non-medical masks protect your nose and mouth from dust, pollen, allergies, haze, exhaust, smoke and other substances. In the prevention against the spread of COVID-19, these lightweight face coverings are intended to capture droplets from coughs and sneezes. The more people wearing masks, the less likely COVID-19 can spread from one person to another.

N95 masks and respirators, on the other hand, are examples of personal protective equipment that protect the wearer from airborne particles and from liquid contaminating the face. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention does not recommend that the general public wear N95 masks. These critical supplies should be reserved for health care workers and medical responders.

People are covering their faces with things like:

Bandannas
Scarves
T-Shirts
Painter’s masks
Non-medical face masks
Homemade cloth masks

Where should you wear a mask?

The CDC recommends that everyone wear a face covering in any setting where social distancing is not an option. Examples of very close spaces include planes, cars (especially Ubers and taxis), elevators and similar spaces. Other indoor spaces you should wear a mask include restaurants, grocery stores, convenience stores and post offices. Most businesses are following social distancing guidelines as they re-open, but customers should protect themselves and staff members of these businesses by wearing a mask indoors.

Face masks are highly recommended, and in some places are required in:

Grocery stores
Planes
Restaurants
Post offices
Convenience stores
Ubers and taxis
Other close spaces where it is not as easy to maintain 6 feet of distance

Where you can be more relaxed about covering your face:

Most people can relax with face covering etiquette in outdoor spaces that allow air to flow more freely, and where people can easily distance themselves by 6 feet. You can be less concerned with covering your face when:

Taking a walk or jog in your neighborhood
Going to a beach or public park
Visiting your local zoo
In other wide open spaces that make it easier to maintain a safe distance

What states are requiring people to wear a face covering?

All Americans are recommended to wear face coverings in public places and confined spaces, but some states have taken it a step further. The list of states requiring face masks includes Connecticut, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island. Moreover, as of April 20^th, essential business customers in Hawaii could face a $5,000 fine, or a year in jail, if they do not wear a face mask and maintain 6-foot distance.

Coronavirus prevention measures can change from day to day, and in places like Palo Alto, California, people are now required to wear a mask or face covering for most public activities. San Mateo, San Francisco, Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin and San Francisco counties also now require face coverings, with violations punishable as misdemeanors. From California, all the way to Florida, there are strict measures to enforce the use of face coverings in public.

If you plan to go out in public or to an essential business, make sure you’re aware of your area’s latest rules for face coverings. You may even want to call your grocery store or other business before you go, to know whether they’re requiring masks for entry.

Who is generally not required to wear a mask in public?

It’s important to check your state and city orders, but generally those exempt from wearing a face covering are:

Children younger than two years of age
Anyone for whom a face covering would cause impairment due to an existing health condition
Those who work in a profession who do not have any face-to-face interactions with the public
Anyone working in a profession where use of a face covering will not be compatible with the duties of the profession
Anyone exercising, while observing social distancing in accordance with the CDC guidelines

How can you find out what your local rules for face covering are?

It can be tricky to understand what is a suggestion, and what is a requirement. In DC, for example, a discrepancy between the mayor’s verbal and written guidance has caused confusion for customers of essential businesses. This confusion resulted in grocery shoppers without face coverings being turned away.

You can stay on top of the latest orders and news in your area by checking your city’s website. Your city’s website will likely also offer a COVID-19 dashboard, the latest news updates about the pandemic, and new testing sites. If you are local to Northeast Florida for example, check Jacksonville’s COJ.net.

About Our Face Masks at HC Brands:

Design Your Own Non Medical Mask — Design Your Own Face Masks

Made of 100% 2-ply polyester
Very comfortable & easy to wear
Very soft, breathable and washable
Feature elastic ear bands
Protect your mouth & face from dust, cold, pollen, allergies, haze, exhaust emissions, passive smoking, Etc.
Available in fun designs, colors or design-your-own style

At HC Brands and 904 Custom, you can easily create your own face masks with business logos, names or slogans. Head back to work safely, while you make a name for your brand.

You can also find designs that make face-covering fun. Shop emojis, animal prints, unicorns and more!

Our non-medical face masks are lightweight, machine washable and easy to wear. We also offer bulk discounts! Whether you’re shopping for your family or for your staff, you can get comfortable masks that help prevent the spread of germs and viruses.

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Living, learning & working in a social distancing world

Holmes Custom is now HC Brands!

Working, Learning & Living in a Social Distancing World

The COVID-19 outbreak has changed our lives indefinitely, and this shift may be further reaching than we expect or intend. (There are positive impacts too!) The coronavirus pandemic is creating new social norms. It is impacting the way we interact with our neighbors, store clerks, mail carriers and delivery workers.

The social impact of coronavirus will undoubtedly create new ways of interacting in the workplace and in schools. When it’s time for kids to head back to class, and employees to return to the workplace, we will adjust to a new idea of normalcy.

Empty Classroom What might the new norm look like?

The pandemic has brought out the best of mankind. Although there are frightening impacts to public health and the economy, daily news reports show us that kindness is alive and well.

New positive social norms look like:

Young people delivering meals to seniors who can’t leave their homes
Children using their savings to purchase meals for people in need
Grocery stores offering special hours for elderly Americans and people with compromised immune systems
Small businesses helping their communities with free or reduced cost meals and supplies

The COVID-19 outbreak has also taught us to be aware of our surroundings, to be more germ-conscious, and to keep a courteous distance from other people.

These new norms will likely affect the way we interact with our coworkers when we head back to the workplace

Employers can be ready to direct their staff by:

Posting reminders to wash their hands regularly to prevent the spread of infectious disease
Posting social distancing signs and courtesy desk plates to remind guests and staff to avoid close contact
Limiting access to public pens (for dental and medical patient sign-in, check signing at banks, etc)

Providing sanitizing wipes and gels, and making them readily accessible
Requiring the use of vinyl gloves in food service, spas, nail and hair salons and more
Limiting crowds in lunch rooms and cafeterias by spreading out break times
Changing office rules, allowing workers to order takeout and eat at their desks
Implementing new sick-leave and health security policies to help with disease control. Encouraging symptomatic employees to self-isolate

Prohibiting visitors to workplaces, (no longer allowing family members or loved ones in company buildings)

Outside of the workplace, people will likely continue to practice social distancing for months, or even years, to come. People with compromised immune systems can remind others to keep a healthy distance by wearing special color-coded ID cards, gloves and masks. They may also limit their exposure to public places, by only going to restaurants and stores during slower hours.

How can you be courteous in the new social distancing world?

Help prevent the spread of coronavirus and potential future outbreaks. Don’t use common objects, such as pens at sign-in desks and banks. Use your own pen or stamp instead.

Avoid touching door handles, gas pumps, card readers and other germy surfaces. Wear gloves, use a paper towel, or use hand sanitizer after every contact.

Be aware of people around you. Smile, wave, say hello and be friendly. Wear a name tag or ID with a larger font so people can read your name from a distance. If we all use courteous social distancing, we can prevent social isolation

Take signage seriously. Whether it’s a reminder to wash your hands, or to keep a 6-foot distance, be courteous and follow these directions

Once school is back in session, and no longer taught remotely, educators will likely continue to enforce regular hand washing and social distancing between classmates and staff. Parents may limit play dates and other interactions to a handful of children at a time.

The COVID-19 outbreak has undoubtedly changed our lives, and this change may last for a long time. Despite the fear and negativity that grows as new coronavirus cases are confirmed, there are positive impacts as well. People are spending more time with their pets and getting away from their screens. Pollution has reportedly dipped and the display of kindness grows everyday. Once the spread of the virus has plateaued and people go back to work and school, we can all do our part to promote the new norms!

Keep a courteous distance, wash your hands, smile and say hello.

At HC Brands, we pride ourselves on friendly customer service, fast production and shipping times. We’ve been in business since 1954, making quality rubber stamps, signs and business essentials. We are a leader in rubber stamps, custom signs, name tags and IDs and personalized gifts.

Through these trying times, and as people and businesses recover, we are here for you.

Holmes Custom Becomes HC Brands

We have exciting news to share!

As we continue to grow our personalized product offerings and our reach in the retail e-commerce industry, we are excited to announce that Holmes Custom is now HC Brands!

Headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, with additional fulfillment centers in Salem, Massachusetts and Austin, Texas, HC Brands is your one stop shop for the highest quality personalized home and business products. We offer a wide selection of merchandise from nine specialty sites, including rubber stamps, custom signs, name tags, promotional products, vinyl wall decals, notary public seals and supplies, personalized gifts, and more!

Name changes are something we are familiar with. In 2017, our company, Holmes Stamp & Sign, became Holmes Custom, in order to better represent our growing brands.

“Much like the need for us to change in 2017, we feel that Holmes Custom no longer represents who we are as an evolving brand,” says owner and CEO Bryan Croft. “We are a marketing/technology/e-commerce company that is innovating and rapidly growing. The name Holmes Custom no longer reflects who we are.”

HC Brands earns annual sales of $20 million, and we’ve experienced annual growth of 30 percent for the third consecutive year. Our investment in internal systems and technology allows us to deliver an easy online ordering experience resulting in quality personalized products, delivered with exceptional speed, directly to your door. Our streamlined ordering experience facilitates same day or next business day shipping.

“Informing our customers of all we do has been a challenge for us for many years,” says Libby O’Regan, VP of Strategic Partnerships. “By letting our customers of one site know that we are part of something much bigger, we hope to introduce audiences of one brand to our other brands and connect the dots.”

We welcome you to join us as we continue to grow as HC Brands! Visit our sites to see what’s in store:

Holmes Custom Pushing Tech Growth

Today we want spotlight our involvement in the 2019 Tech Coast Conference. We are proud to announce that Promo180.com, one of the websites within the Holmes Custom family of brands, is the official sponsor for this summer’s conference.

As the sponsor, Promo180 will be providing printed collateral, signs, name tags and other promotional materials for conference vendors.

The Tech Coast Conference is a one-day event that takes place at the TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville, FL on August 21^st, 2019. Holmes Custom is continuing to expand its digital presence by being a part of this innovative event.

Tech Coast Conference

As Jacksonville’s biggest technology event, the Tech Coast Conference gathers IT professionals, business owners and executives, product managers and digital marketers in one place. Tech enthusiasts from all backgrounds are invited to spend the day learning, exchanging ideas, and propelling Jacksonville to the next phase of IT development. This marks the 6^th year of the annual conference.

The conference features speakers such as Jim Stallings a local entrepreneur, Dr. Johannes Ullrich, Dean of Research at SANS Technology Institute and Josh Scobee, a former Jacksonville Jaguars Football Player, as well as a panel of experts from Jacksonville Transportation Authority. The speakers will cover topics such as developments in cyber attacks, data governance, AI, cloud technologies, and other global trends.

Designed by The Jacksonville Chamber IT Council, Tech Coast Conference is a forum for local business to share solutions for advancing the digital landscape and it plays a key role in connecting IT decision makers and key stakeholders. This event helps develop partnerships and create employment opportunities in North Florida.

Staying Competitive in the eCommerce Era

Satisfying our Holmes’ customers goes beyond offering top quality business products, personalized gifts and novelty items. As the parent company of seven online brands, Holmes Custom must keep up with digital trends to stay afloat in each of its business verticals.

At Holmes Custom, we intelligently route orders, managing geolocation, capacity and manufacturing processes for 3 separate locations. We are able to do this with a tech team focused on growth and scalability capabilities through fully responsive platforms.

Jim Gruhn, our Chief Technology Officer and an active member of the Jax Chamber CIO Council, is part of the executive leadership that has brought us to a place where we now sell thousands of products and employ a team of 100 talented staff members we call “Holmies.”

Gruhn is dedicated to finding the next innovative solution for Holmes Custom. His team of full stack engineers, a UX developer and Systems Administrator use open source and best of breed technologies to continually deliver. Holmes Custom now operates in all major marketplaces that are integrated with MWS API’s. His team uses scalable tech platforms to push 7 websites towards eCommerce success.

Holmes Custom is showing its commitment to innovation, digital growth, and the employment of the Jacksonville and surrounding community by investing in local resources such as this. It is our hope that the Tech Coast Conference will play a critical role in helping North Florida mature into an established tech community and make Jacksonville a destination for top talent.

Creative Ways to Share Your Magnetic Business Cards

From multinational corporations to the corner patisserie, business cards are tiny brochures that tell your valued patrons – and potential customers – what you’re all about! And they’re a terrific pocket sized marketing opportunity.

Here are our favorite tried and true ways to jazz up and share business cards so they’re sure to be noticed – and remembered!

A Business Card with a Purpose

Be sure your business card doesn’t become just another card in the deck. Magnetic business cards are terrific for adhering to filing cabinets, refrigerators, or other metal surfaces. Get creative! Use business cards as tickets to special dining or company events, as bookmarks, and even as a reusable discount card for a small percentage off each purchase.

Include a Fun Fact or a Testimonial

When designing your business card, you naturally want it to stand out from the others. And, most certainly, you want the information on your card to be read. Try adding a fun fact that will grab the card recipient’s attention. If you’re a marine biologist or work at an aquarium, for example, you might include a line that says ‘Did you know? An octopus has three hearts’!

Technology Is In!

Adding a QR code or a specific product SKU to your business cards that offers a discount for visiting your website is an ideal way to easily track the effectiveness of your business cards – and that people are really interested in what information you’re sharing with them.

Send Those Business Cards in Creative Ways

Send Business Cards along with invoices and to existing – and potential – vendors and suppliers. You may be surprised when an opportunity to gain a new client or expand your business presents itself from something as simple as the interest drawn to your organization via a well-designed business card.

Show Your Support for a Cause

Just about every company out there loves to give back, whether to the community or somewhere in need around the world. Proudly show your patrons, clients, and guests who or what you support by including a small line about your support somewhere on your magnetic business card, such as ‘We proudly support the March of Dimes.” It may even inspire others to join in and offer support, too!

Instantly Connect Your Face to Your Company

Include your best professional picture or even your favorite social media profile picture (depending on the casualness of your organization) on your business card so that people will remember you and associate you with your business long after your initial meeting.

Best Buddies 2019

This year Holmes Custom teamed up its efforts toward helping the nonprofit organization, known as Best Buddies, reach their annual fundraising goal. If you don’t know, Best Buddies is a “volunteer movement that creates opportunities for one-to-one friendships, integrated employment, leadership development, and inclusive living for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities”¹. To help raise money and awareness they hold a walk in 53 different countries and every state in the U.S!

Our Holmes Cares committee got to thinking on how we could raise enough to help make an impact, and they figured it out in the most delicious way possible. On May 2nd, we gathered to share a holmie homemade spaghetti lunch! With pasta, meatballs, garlic bread, and cookies galore we got to feast for a cause. Each Holmie donated $10 towards our fund and in exchange got to devour a delicious meal. With full bellies and smiles, we managed to exceed our fundraising goal! We had a goal of $500 and just from our spaghetti lunch alone we raised $560. But like the dedicated holmies we are, our efforts did not stop there.

A few days after on May 4th, we put on our walking shoes and headed towards Jax Beach. The Seawalk Pavilion hosted 600 people who came to walk for inclusion. Starting off the event, we participated in a group stretch. Then the awards were handed out, and we celebrated their impressive fundraising donations. From high schools, businesses and individual donors it was marvelous to see everyone come together to help reach a common goal. As soon as they cut the ribbon, we eagerly began our walk. We took a few laps along the beach and the pavilion. With music filling the air and the dogs playing around, it was hard not to have a good time. Once the walk came to an end, there were activities for everyone to enjoy. With a bounce house, a silly photo booth and Frisbee toss there was something for everyone. They even served delicious food, like pizza and donuts.

At the end of the day, everyone’s support was well worth it. Not only did our team surpass its goal, so did Best Buddies. With the help of our holmes cares team, the luncheon, and individual Holmie contributions we raised an encouraging $795! Best Buddies goal was 95,000 for the Jacksonville walk, but this event exceeded that number with a record $100,000! Our Holmies were glad to contribute! A big thank you to everyone who participated and donated towards our fundraising efforts. We look forward to doing it all again next year! In the meantime, you can follow us @HolmesCustom to keep up with our work in the community.

References:

https://www.bestbuddies.org/what-we-do/mission-vision-goals/

Health and Wellness Fair

On Wednesday, April 24th we ventured out of the office and into a fair “custom” made for the Holmies team. For the first time, Holmes Custom hosted a Health and Wellness Fair, which was put on by the Healthy Holmies initiative. During this fun event, we visited booths offered by different businesses. Each booth was hosted by a local vendor who supplied products to help us work on our wellness goals. Our wonderful vendors included the Jacksonville Jaguars, Community First Bank, Super Fit Foods, Local Fare JAX, and Anytime Fitness.

Beginning at the Community First Bank booth, we had the opportunity to open a new bank or credit account. This was a great opportunity for Holmies who needed a new bank, and each person even received money for signing up and providing referrals. The big hit of this booth was the cash cube. One of our holmies, Jesse, scored $31 in only twenty seconds!

The second booth was for the Jacksonville Jaguars. We were able to enter a raffle to win stadium tour tickets. Sports fans went to hear about the upcoming schedule and found information on season passes. Just in time for the NFL draft, GO JAGS!

Thirdly was Anytime Fitness, who came to offer us some great deals. Holmes Custom has a partnership with its local Lakewood branch. The branch extends discounts for enrollment and monthly fees. Not only did they present us with a way to reach our fitness and exercise goals, but they also provided a prize wheel that offered gift cards and free classes!

Another super vendor we had was Super Fit Foods. This company delivers meal prepped foods straight to your door. They offer meals to fit almost any diet imaginable, even for those with food restrictions. We also got to try the delicious samples they brought like peanut butter protein cookies and sweet potato protein bars.

Our last vendor was Local Fare Jax. Their motto is, “let us bring the farm to your front door” and they do just that. They deliver fresh produce to your door within 24-48 hours after it has been handpicked or gathered. Using this service is a great way to start working towards your nutrition goals.

For those of us that are Florida Blue members, we had the chance to complete a free biometric screening. Also known as a “measurement of physical characteristics.” In a typical wellness screening, they take measurements of your height, weight, BMI, blood pressure and more.

The first ever Holmie Health and Wellness Fair was a complete success, thanks to the marvelous efforts of our people operations coordinator, Sarah De Nicolais, along with assistance from Head of People Operations, Alice Viego. We also can’t forget the help received from our Holmes Cares committee! This event awarded a few lucky Holmies with great raffle prizes, including $50 gift cards, water bottles, and even stadium tour tickets. Of course, each Holmie who attended the Health Fair received helpful tips on fitness, nutrition and financial wellness. Each booth brought us one step closer to reaching our individual goals!

The 2019 Culture Olympics

Last Thursday the 2019 Annual Holmes Custom Olympics took place at company headquarters in Jacksonville, Florida.

Following a festive barbecue lunch, members of the executive team stepped up to the microphone to share big news with the room full of ‘holmies’ (the affectionate nickname for all company employees). Alice Viego, Head of People Operations, opened with a warm welcoming statement.

Bryan Croft, CEO and President, gave a state of the company address. He shared some of the obstacles and achievements of the last year. He spoke about where the company has been been and where we are going. He shared his excitement to make it to 65 years in business with a forecast of many more to come.

SEO Assistant Katie Viego and CFO Steve Fernandez

Steve Fernandez, CFO and Vice President, provided insight on how the company plans to pursue the next goals. He introduced holmies to the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) and why the company chose this strategy. He then passed the torch to Jim Gruhn, Chief Technology Officer, who went on to explain how the EOS business model will help the propel the company’s productivity, accountability and growth. He described how the EOS will be the pulse of Holmes Custom’s next evolution.

Holmies ready to hear the new core values.

Bryan returned to the stage for the big moment everyone was anticipating. Bryan announced the new core values. The Holmie Nation will strive to embody these core values: Grit, Accountability, Passion, Curiosity, Collaboration, and Winning!

After the announcement about new values, Sarah De Nicolais, People Operations Coordinator, shared the rules to the next challenge, and the company broke off into teams to take on this year’s Olympics.

The first challenge was a scavenger hunt. Each team was to search for clues that led to a token representing one of the core values. The teams scrambled around the premises to find the hidden treasure and attempt to finish first. Once everyone conquered the scavenger quest, it was time to huddle up again.

The final competition centered on the question “What do our Core Values mean to YOU?” This challenge turned out to be a great platform for holmies to give shout outs to individuals they have seen demonstrate core values in everyday work. In true Ninja spirit, people shared praise and thanks for employees that have seen model values in tangible ways. The teams brought humor, creativity, and passion into their presentations.

The games ended with scavenger hunt and presentation awards, as well as handing out a specially designed 65th anniversary company t-shirt and water bottle featuring the new core values.

Holmes Encourages Learning with Employee Scholarship Program

As Holmes Custom celebrates our 65^th anniversary and how much we’ve grown, we know that our talented team of employees, or ‘Holmies’, as we’re known, are the key to our success! While some of us have been here since the beginning and many of us are just getting started, Holmes Custom’s goal is to invest in our team by making ours one of the best companies to work for our employees and the communities we live in!

This May, we’re proud to offer the first annual Holmes Custom scholarship to a deserving employee who’s passionate about hitting the books for professional growth! Whether it’s going back to school at a local university or working toward certification in a technical field, we want to help our Holmies reach their educational goals. Each year we’ll award $2,500 to one of our resident scholars.

This month, Holmies from across the country convened to take part in our day of Culture Olympics. Our second annual event – and quickly becoming a favorite! – welcomed all employees as we came together as a team to celebrate how far we’ve come and share our excitement for a future focused on continued growth. Through a mix of fantastic food, exciting team building events, and shared values, memories, and inspiration from all of our participants, Holmes Custom’s 2019 Culture Olympics made us all feel like gold medal winners!

We’re also quite proud of our Holmes Cares program, centered on the mission of engaging our employees in active volunteer service focused on giving back to our local communities. From blood drives to Best Buddies Friendship Walks to product donation allowances for charitable contributions offered to every employee, Holmies love to give back. And spreading our wings just a bit further, there’s never a shortage of volunteers ready to travel with our owner, Bryan Croft, on our annual Haiti180 mission trip. We’re dedicated to making a positive impact where it matters most.

Launched last year, our Healthy Holmies Wellness Program is designed to provide all our employees with the tools and encouragement to reach our personal fitness and wellness goals and live our most healthful lives. Chosen by employees, our wellness program focuses on stress management, fitness and exercise, nutrition, weight loss, and financial wellness.

Our ‘Holmie Nation’ that has evolved over the past 65 years has become a terrific environment for employees to work, play, and grow together – and this is just the beginning!