Charter Compass 03-21

Charter Compass
Serving the Employees of Charter’s Wisconsin KMA
March 21, 2008
Special Points of Interest:
•
•
2007 Sales Champions
Charter nominated for Beacon Award
•
•
•
Marketing Update
Million Phone Celebrations
Updated Calendar of Events
2007 WI KMA Charter Champions of Distinction Winners Announced
We are pleased to announce that the WI KMA has two 2007
Charter Champions of Distinction Winners. They are:
∗
∗
Cheryl Harmsen, Fleet Department Assistant, Fond du Lac
Amy Peterson, Customer Lobby Support Rep Lead, Winona
Cheryl and Amy have each won $2,000, a
Charter Champions Oxford Shirt, a
Commemorative Ring and a trip to the annual
awards ceremony where they, along with six
other Central Division winners will be recognized at the annual
awards banquet tentatively scheduled for April 24 in St. Louis, MO.
Each winner, along with the senior team for the division and KMA
VP/GM’s will be invited to attend.
In this issue:
2007 Sales Champions
2
After the banquet, a special publication will appear in the divisional
newsletter that will have the detailed nominations for each
winner. Corporate will also be publishing the names of our winners
in the next edition of Get Connected.
Phishing - What you need to
know.
3
Safety Quick Hits
4
Charter Business Update
5
Distinction awards are given to employees who are nominated and
chosen by selection committee for making significant contributions
toward achieving Company priorities throughout the year. Please
join with me in congratulating Cheryl and Amy on being chosen for
this distinct honor.
Commissioner Karyn Merkel
5
CIA News
6
How to Recognize a Co-Worker
When you observe a co-worker making significant contributions that are above
and beyond everyday expectations, you may nominate them for recognition. To
nominate someone, simply go to myCharterConnection.com and click on Charter
Champions on the left-hand side of the homepage.
Welcome new team members 6
Marketing Update
7-9
Fleet Facts
10
NCAA Tournament on Charter 10
WI KMA Celebrates
11
Pet Photo Shop
12
Youth Service Days
12
Charter nominated for Beacon 13
Cable Tech Games Winners
13
Service Anniversaries
14
Calendar of Events
15
Charter Compass
Page 2
The 2007 Sales Champions invaded the beautiful Hard Rock Hotel at Universal Studios
in Orlando Florida on Mach 6th. To help celebrate the top sales people in Direct Sales,
Front Counters and our call centers from around the Country and abroad, Charter
Communications rolled out the red carpet treatment to recognize these wonderful
employees from all over the Charter footprint.
The Wisconsin KMA had two winners, Don
Bocinsky and Tracey Bailey.
Don finished up the year taking 5th over all of
the DTD reps across the county and Tracey
Bailey finished 3rd in front counter sales!
Both were flown in to Orlando ,compliments of Charter,
along with a guest to unwind and be recognized for their
great accomplishments in 2007.
Some of the activities they enjoyed were:
∗
∗
∗
∗
∗
∗
∗
∗
∗
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Formal Dinner Party’s
Had the opportunity to meet many people from the corporate team such as, Phil Lombardo, Steve Apadoca, Bob Quigley
and Joe Stackhouse!
Latin Club Dancing and dinner at one of the areas very best Latin Restaurants.
A day at Universal Studios with NO WAITING for rides and attractions!
A private concert by Jake and Elwood Blues (The Blues Brothers)
A special viewing area for the Charter Champs to enjoy the legendary, Smokey Robinson
Red Carpet 80 yards long with a welcome band playing live for their entrance to dinner
VIP’s of the famous Mardi Gras parade and party!
Countless reception areas for beverages to cool you down from the heat
They enjoyed viewing one of the World’s largest rock memorabilia collections valued at over
$1,000,000,000
And so much more!!!!
So how can this be you? Sell the RGU’s and continue to ask for every sale you can. We have the best product, all we need to do
is ask for the sale.
The Presidents Club 2008 destination has been set! For our Front Counters and Door to Door sales people you have a chance
to win a trip for two to…….
The Atlantis Hotel in the beautiful Bahamas’ in 2008!
Tracey Bailey was quoted as saying, “I can’t believe just how well
organized it was, it was just awesome. I can’t wait to be in the
Bahamas’ in 2008!”
Don Bocinsky was quoted as saying, “ I agree with Tracey on her
outlook, hopefully we will see more folks from the WI KMA next
year, it is well worth the effort”
More info will soon follow from the corporate team… we hope to see
you all there! SELL SELL SELL!!!
Art Davenport
Sales and Marketing Manager
WI KMA
Page 3
Charter Compass
Phishing Attempts - What You Need to Know
Phishing Scams Aimed at Charter Customers
Charter believes in protecting the privacy of our customers. As a general policy, Charter
would never request sensitive account information such as account numbers, user
names or passwords via unsecured channels such as e-mail.
Occasionally Charter customers receive an e-mail claiming to be from Charter
Communications requesting them to update sensitive account information. Customers
should never reply to such an e-mail as it is likely a phishing scam. Instead, they should be
advised to send the potential phishing scam to Charter for review. To do this, it is important
that they DO NOT alter the e-mail and send it in its entirety including the e-mail header to
phishing@charter.net.
For examples of recent phishing scams aimed at Charter Communications customers click here:
STRONG INDICATORS OF PHISING ATTEMPTS:
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If an e-mail addresses a user in a generic fashion ("Dear valued eBay member") it is likely to be an attempt at phishing.
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The appearance of links in the message- e.g. the link http://www.google.com@members.thinkbank.com/ may deceive a
casual observer into believing that the link will open a page on www.google.com, whereas the link actually directs the
browser to a page on members.thinkbank.com.
∗
Misspelled URLs or the use of sub-domains are other common tricks used by phishers ,e.g. URL, http://
www.namebank.com.example.com
∗
Cross site scripting- In this attack method users may receive a message saying that they have to "verify" their account, by
following a link to what appears to be an authentic website; in reality, the link is forged, although it is very difficult to spot that
the link is manipulated to perpetrate this attack.
∗
internationalized domain names in web browsers might allow visually identical web addresses to lead to different, possibly
malicious, websites
TIPS ON HOW TO AVOID THE INTERNET SCAM KNOWN AS PHISHING:
∗ If you receive an unexpected e-mail saying your account will be shut down unless you confirm your
billing information, do not reply or click any links in the e-mail body.
∗ Before submitting financial information through a Web site, look for the "lock" icon on the browser's
status bar. It means your information is secure during transmission.
∗ If you are uncertain about the information, contact the company through an address or telephone
number you know to be genuine.
∗ If you unknowingly supplied personal or financial information, contact your bank and credit card
company immediately
The Charter Scholarship application deadline is fast approaching.
Applications are still available online at www.chartermainstreet.com, or
any Charter Communications office location or participating high schools.
To apply, applicants should be graduating seniors with at least a 2.8 grade
point average with plans to attend an accredited college to pursue a
degree in communications, marketing, business, accounting, computer
technology, engineering or a related field.
Charter Compass
Page 4
Safety Quick Hits Why use the D-Ring method for ladder handling?
Submitted by Mike Garson, QA Inspector – Onalaska
Carrying your ladder on your D-Ring (ladder feet forward and hooks turned in) lowers
the ladder’s center of gravity and can be easier on your body. If you were to slip and
fall while carrying your ladder, would you want it next to your head?
Here are a few good D-Ring carry scenarios:
1. Any time there is snow or ice covered ground.
2. Any time on un-even or muddy ground.
3. Any time you have to carry your ladder a long distance. (ex. 100 ft)
While getting the ladder on your D-Ring may take a few extra seconds compared to hefting it up on your shoulder, the benefits
could be less fatigue, less muscle strains, better balance and less potential for injury.
Watch out for Slips, Trips and Falls
Submitted by Joe Rozek, QA Inspector – Ripon
There is a good possibility of slipping on ice in the winter months, below are some tips to help prevent
you from falling and injuring yourself.
• Bending your knees a little and taking slower steps can greatly reduce your chances of falling.
• If the sidewalks and walkways are impassable and you have to walk in the street, walk against traffic and as close to the
curb as you can.
• Proper gear is a must, but wearing dark "winter" colors can make it hard for motorists to see you, especially if they aren't
expecting you. Wearing brightly-colored clothes or reflective gear, especially if you have to walk in the street. And don't forget
gloves, and shoes or boots with nonslip soles.
• Snow that has accumulated into drifts can muffle the sounds of approaching motor vehicles. Wearing hats and scarves
that cover your ears can also distort or even eliminate these sounds. Keep warm, but make sure you can hear what's going on
around you.
• Remember - the streets, sidewalks & parking lots may be slippery and carrying heavy items can impair your balance.
• Because of road conditions, motorists may not be able to stop at traffic signals or slow down for pedestrians. Before you
step off of the curb into the street, make sure that any approaching vehicles have come to a complete stop.
• Pre-walking out your route to find hazards can greatly reduce falls.
From my prior experiences, just taking your time and slowing down will help to reduce slips and falls.
Why we lock our vehicles
Submitted by Paul Emmer, Safety Administrator – Fond du Lac
During a recent safety audit within our WI KMA a story surfaced about a bucket truck technician thanking his lucky stars!
Thankfully this was NOT one of our technicians; however served as a very good reminder regarding
our safety policy to lock vehicles.
An apparently intoxicated individual had left a nearby bar and thought it would be humorous to climb
into the driver’s seat of an unlocked and running bucket truck while the worker was elevated!
Overlooking the minor task of locking such a vehicle could have turned deadly had it not been for the
assistance of some nearby citizens. Please remember to secure your vehicles at all jobsites; it’s for
your safety.
Charter Compass
The Eastern Wisconsin team finished the 4th qtr at 143%
as a team!
The big hitters in the 4th qtr were:
∗
Deb Fleischman at 462%
∗
Gary Tanner at 101%
∗
Dan Asmus at 99%
We struggled most of the year meeting our revenue goals,
but through a lot of hard work – we finally crested 99.1%
to revenue in November and will look to close the gap
even further in December. We went from the 97% range
in revenue to over 99% in November – that’s digging
ourselves out of a hole!
Page 5
I would like to recognize Lisa Aschenbrenner, Account
Executive in the Janesville area for her willingness to step up
and be a mentor to our newest Account Executive, Jay Baron.
Lisa spends time explaining best practices and helping Jay
through the intricacies of live sales, makes sure he know how
to process agreements and installation requests as well as
sharing tricks of the trade that aid in selling phone and the
Charter Business Bundle. Lisa and Jay have even teamed up
by challenging each other repeatedly with 4 hour prospecting
call blitzes, the winner always buys the other coffee.
Lisa has also helped our more experienced Account Executive,
Gregg Tatge to increase sales of Charter Business Phone
Service through a better understanding of the product as well
as the paper flow process all the way to installation.
The bottom line is she is a real team player, she defines the
term.
We also finished 2007 over 100% in sales as a
team!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks,
Joe Kiefer
Commercial Sales Manager
Jeff Koenig
Southern WI Sales Manager
Charter Manager Receives Appointment
Karyn Merkel a Redevelopment Commissioner for City
Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, March 10, 2008 – Charter Communications, Inc.
(NASDAQ: CHTR) announced today that Karyn Merkel, Sales Manager for Charter Call
Center of Excellence located in Fond du Lac, has accepted the Oath of Office to be a
Commissioner for the City of Fond du Lac Redevelopment Authority.
In this 5 year term advisor position Merkel will advise the City Council, City
Manager and Director of Redevelopment on all aspects of public programs and projects
to improve the appearance, livability and economic viability of residential and commercial
areas by eliminating and prevention of the development or spread of deterioration and
blight.
“I am thrilled to be able to contribute my time and experience to making Fond du
Lac a great community to live and work in. Charter encourages employees to volunteer
their time through their “Good Neighbors Program” and help make the communities we work and live in the best they can be.
I intend to dedicate myself fully with this appointment to sustaining the wonderful qualities of this city,” commented Merkel.
Merkel has been employed with Charter since 2002. Her professional experience includes managing daily operations for
over 150 Charter representatives for an inbound call center sales team.
Page 6
Charter Compass
PSSST………..Calling all agents!! Reporting Competitive Information just got even easier! Now,
there are two ways to inform CIA Headquarters of Competitive
Activity in your area:
1. You can still use the Sleuth Line to report Competitive Activity at (608)209-4819. Be the first to
call with your specific information and earn a $10 Gas Card and an entry into the quarterly $250
Visa Gift Card Drawing!
2. Or, if you prefer you can submit your Competitive Activity via the new CIA E-mail, at
CompetitionWI@Chartercom.com . Again, be the first to submit your specific information to this
e-mail address and earn a $10 Gas Card and an entry into the quarterly $250 Visa Gift Card
Drawing (April 7th).
The choice is yours Agents…use whichever venue is easier for you! Remember, the next big drawing
in April is quickly approaching. Keep those Competitive calls coming in!
Also, please check out the newest additions to our list of Safe Houses: Fond du Lac, Rice Lake, West
Bend, Sheboygan, Wisconsin Rapids and Onalaska. Feel free to add your own Competitive Findings to
them!
As always, thanks for your super-sleuth help and this message will self-destruct in 10 seconds!
The following team members joined the WI KMA
Charter Family in the month of February 2008.
Let’s make them feel welcome.
Jarred Hubbard
Broadband Tech
Wausau
(not pictured)
Candy Harlow
Customer Service Rep
Onalaska
Brandon Sevedge
Warehouse Converter Tech
Madison
Lindsay Clements
WIP Clerk
Madison
Stephanie Harreld
Customer Care Supervisor
Onalaska
Page 7
Marketing
Charter Compass
Programming Updates
Discovery & TLC Launching on Charter HD!! We are
very excited to announce that we have 2 great new channels launching on HiDef View March 25th. Discovery HD
ch 762 and TLC HD ch 763, will be available in all HD lineups off the 5 Master headends – Eau Claire, Fond du Lac,
Janesville, Madison & Stevens Point, as well as Ashland.
The Ashland area already launched
these channels on 3-11-08. DCT
messages & weather crawls are in
market.
HSD in Wautoma – HSD launched
in Wautoma on Monday! FTA’s
include 600-603 & 610.
High Speed for Life Sweepstakes – Corporate is kicking
off a new promotion to help drive traffic to charter.com and
create a Social Network “Buzz’ around the idea of High
Speed for Life. Question: What would you pay for High
Speed for Life? Marketing & ads will promote customers
going to charter.com to place their “bids” on High Speed For
Life (HSFL). Registrants are also entered into a drawing for
a Nintendo wii. A Job Aid is posted on the SharePoint for full
details.
Faith & Values Direct Mail – A direct mail piece is in all
markets currently carrying the Faith & Values View (except
Wisconsin Rapids rate group). The mail piece is going to all
Basic only video subs (regardless of HSD, Phone service)
promoting the addition of Faith & Values for only $10 more
per month ($5 for a DCT, $5 for the F&V tier). This piece is
intended to drive revenue & get customers into Digital. The
letter is posted on the SharePoint.
MLB Extra Innings – available in Div 50 only. Below is a
quick overview of this year’s MLB offering. A complete job
aid INCLUDING ICOMS codes is now posted on the
SharePoint (and KM).
DATES AND PRICING
Kick-off date:
Early Bird Free Preview:
Early Bird Offer Ends:
Early Bird Offer Pricing:
Regular Season Package:
Regular Season Offer Pricing:
Half Season Offer:
Half Season Free Preview:
Half Season Offer Pricing:
Pennant Race Package:
Pennant Race Package Pricing:
Season end date:
March 31, 2008
March 31 – April 6
April 6 – at the end of Free Preview
$159.00 or four installments of $39.75
April 7 – July 13
$199.00 or four installments of $49.75
July 14 – August 31
July 17–23 Begins after All-Star Break
$129.00 or four installments of $32.25
September 1 – September 28
$59.00 no installment option
September 28
With HSI MAX! you can surf
and download huge files at blazing-fast speed.
Charter is pleased to announce that HIS MAX! is
now available in the following communities
Market
Two Rivers
Spencer
Hayward
Fountain City
Dresser
Clintonville
Baraboo
Hustisford
Rice Lake
Eau Claire
Sheboygan
Fond du Lac
Div
10
20
40
40
40
20
50
10
40
40
10
10
Charter HSI-BASE® - Speeds
up to 5Mbps
Charter HSI-PLUS® - Speeds
up to 10Mbps
Charter HSI-MAX® - Speeds
up to 16 Mbps
Challenge
Your Brain!
What is the service level
Expanded Basic (Digital Only)?
Explanation found 2 pages from now under the article
“Retail is Thinking Spring!”
Reminder: Charter On Demand
is now accessible in two
convenient locations. Tune to
Channel 1 to find all the same
great programming as Channel
999 anytime of the day!
Understanding The Customer!
To give good customer service, you need to hear what the customer wants and
expects. Listen carefully to the voice of the customer.
Charter Compass
HD Coming Soon!
On March 25th we will be
launching Discovery HD and
TLC HD in all of our 5 Master
Headend Lineups & Ashland.
From the highest peaks and deepest oceans to rituals
that test human limits, Discovery Channel HD’s line-up
will immerse viewers in awe-inspiring programming that
explores all that earth offers.
Marketing
Page 8
Retail is Thinking Spring!
NEW WAL-MART STORE
MEDFORD, SHEBOYGAN NORTH and HARTFORD
Spring Retail Offers
Digital
$49.99 Big Value Package - 6 mo.
$59.99 Bigger Value Package - 6 mo.
$69.99 Biggest Value Package - 6mo.
Only Discovery Channel HD can bring audiences a journey filled with such exhilarating moments of knowledge
and wonder. Discovery Channel HD brings viewers engaging stories and extraordinary experiences that share
knowledge, satisfy curiosity and inspire the very joy of
discovery. Discovery Channel HD is rich in compelling
original programming with groundbreaking specials.
TLC HD is the only television network dedicated to lifelong learning for viewers who want to grow up, not old.
Featuring programming that explores life’s key transitions
and turning points, TLC HD presents high-quality, relatable and authentic personal stories. It intimately connects
more than 100 million homes in North America to the human experience with life’s lessons you can’t learn from
books.
For just $5.00 more, get HD service
Internet
$19.99 5Meg – 6 mo.
$24.99 10 Meg – 6mo.
Phone
Unlimited Nationwide Calling Plan
$29.99 ULD - 6 mo.
Circuit City Promotion - March Madness
March 16th – April 5th
Instant $100.00 off any HDTV when they sign up for
Charter Digital or HD service
Series on TLC include LA INK, LITTLE PEOPLE, BIG
WORLD, WHAT NOT TO WEAR, MIAMI INK, AMERICAN CHOPPER and MY FIRST HOME.
Discovery HD and TLC HD will now be available on channels 762 and 763 consecutively, being fed to lineups
from our 5 Master Headends including Stevens Point,
Madison, Janesville, Fond du Lac and Eau Claire. The
Ashland headend was able to successfully launch this
early last week on March 11th. Tune in to see more!
Challenge Your Brain explanation: Expanded Basic (Digital Only) is a
very confusing reference to some people. Some think it is a service
level of it’s own and others think it comes with the DCT. Neither is correct. It is part of the Expanded Basic service level. If a customer has a
digital tuner built into their TV and they subscribe to Expanded Basic,
they will get the channel. Where as, a sub who does not subscribe to
expanded, yet has a DCT, will not receive it. Therefore, it is not automatically part of the Digital Home package. Now you know!
Marketing
Charter Compass
Page 9
Video On Demand & Pay-Per-View Releases
The Greatest Fighter in the World will battle the
Mayweather Jr. and the 7’, 400lb Big Show clash at
decided in a Triple Threat Match as John Cena,
seeks to defend his World Heavyweight ChampiontleMania record of 15-0. Do not miss this legendary
World's Largest Athlete when Floyd "Money"
WrestleMania 24. The WWE Champion will be
Triple H, and Randy Orton wage war. And Edge
ship in the face of Undertaker’s undefeated Wresevent, Sunday, March 30th on Pay-Per-View.
Into the Wild… After graduating, Christopher McCandless decides to give
$24,000 of his savings account to help the less fortunate, and later, to burn all the
money in his wallet. He catches a ride to Alaska to live in the wild. During his adventure, he encounters several “different” people that change his life before he
faces the dangers of wilderness. See it starting March 28th on VOD.
We Own The Night…Bobby Green (Joaquin Phoenix) is just a mild-mannered
manager of a Russian nightclub in NYC circa 1988. However, that club happens
to be owned by a ruthless criminal (Alex Veadov) who holds a personal grudge
against Bobby's father, Deputy Police Chief Burt Grusinsky (Robert Duvall).
Bobby must do what it takes to save his father without exposing the secret that
they're actually related. Don’t miss this film premiering March 28th on VOD.
Also Premiering: on VOD
HBO and Cinemax Free Preview is currently up and running!
Across the Universe – March 21, VOD
Darjeeling Limited – March 26, VOD
Preview will end this Sunday, March 23rd. Charter will offer a FREE PREVIEW of HBO/Cinemax to our customers, as well as HBO On Demand
and Cinemax On Demand on Channel 1 to our Digital Customers.
If any customers are undecided about which services they would like to have with us,
let them know they can try these out during the FREE PREVIEW..
Remember to check out the Wisconsin Marketing SharePoint
for all the latest happenings and information.
Link can be found in your weekly Monday “Marketing Update” email.
http://infonet/sites/NEDivision/KMA/Northern%20WI_MN/Weekly%20Update/default.aspx
Click on this text box to access!
January MTD - Marketing Numbers 3/20/08
Budgeted NG
Actual NG
Variance
Budgeted Subs
Actual Subs
Variance
EB
1618
1619
-34
664
-1652
-955
491177
433696
482454
425034
-8723
-8662
Digital
3105
3293
188
283024
283900
876
Dig Converter
1522
0
-1522
276615
283042
6427
HD Converter
1556
501
-1055
57459
52196
-5263
DVR Converter
2310
696
-1614
46042
43666
-2376
HSD
4496
2315
-2181
306328
304364
-1964
Phone
4968
3360
-1608
136002
136822
820
Basic
Page 10
Charter Compass
Fleet Facts
By Cheryl Harmsen, Fleet Administrator
Maintenance Coupons
Some quick reminders on coupons & preventative maintenance;
∗
Regularly review your coupons and make certain you take your
vehicle to a shop that can do all the services listed. The shop may
not always mention if they are not able to do some of the
maintenance items so bear in mind that ultimately preventative maintenance responsibility lies with the
assigned driver and supervisor.
∗
Don’t follow the stickers put on by shops, follow your coupon book. Their stickers usually are for every 3K, but
we follow a 4K or 5K schedule, depending our recent you’ve received a coupon book.
∗
What do you do if you’re behind in your pm work? Take the one you missed and the one that is nearly do and
have the shop do everything listed on both coupons. Cross off all the duplicates before turning them in.
∗
If your coupon book has old coupons that never were taken by the shop, these old coupons need to be ripped
up so the service isn’t duplicated. Shops have been known to take the coupons and do the service without
being asked when in for a repair, so please make sure all old coupons are destroyed.
∗
If you are missing a coupon book, please contact your fleet administrator for a replacement after all search
efforts have been exhausted. Don’t forget to check with the shop you had used a coupon on last because just
like fuel cards and driver check numbers, we pay every time we need them replaced.
∗
Here’s another good reason to cross things off your coupons when you know you’ve had them done recently.
Common pricey items duplicated from the coupons are plugs getting replaced and transmission services. The
key is to watch your work vehicle like it is your own. None of us would want to pay $300 for something that
was just done to our own vehicle so let’s watch all the repair tickets so it doesn’t happen to our Charter
vehicles either. If you have a question about something that might be under warranty or you think a service
had just been done, don’t hesitate to ask. Contact your fleet administrator for review of the maintenance
history.
Need a quick answer for a fleet related question. Go to the shared
drive, FDL-Fleet General Information
Watch the NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship on Charter –
As we near the tip-off of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship, Charter
customers can look forward to world-class coverage – much of it in razor-sharp
HD. They can watch NCAA tournament games on CBS SD
(standard definition) and CBS HD*, and view VOD highlights on
Charter On Demand (HD and SD) through April 14. To view
tournament highlights on Charter On Demand, customers
should go to Channel 1, choose “Sports & Fitness,” and then
choose “March Madness.” NOTE: Charter is promoting March
Madness to customers in a variety of ways, including an e-mail campaign on 3/15 to
CBS HD only markets.
* CBS HD is not available in all Charter markets. Check local channel lineups for availability.
Page 11
Charter Compass
WACKY TACKY TRIVIA WINNERS
Monday’s Winner: Paige Mahner, CSR – Rhinelander
Tuesday’s Winner: Dana Heller, Account Executive – Rice Lake
Wednesday’s Winner: Michael Lentz, Systems Tech – Janesville
Thursday’s Winner: Karen Gudex, Collections Clerk – Fond du Lac
GRAND PRIZE WINNER OF 100 Charter Rewards Points: Jennifer Kessler, CSR – Madison
Congratulation to all the winners
Page 12
Charter Compass
Kitty says “Don’t touch that remote….
Meerkat Manor is on”
Submitted by Arend Geurink
Onalaska
Buddie & Sadie just want to play but Anna
the Cat just isn’t having it.
Submitted by Laura Krause
Marshfield
A boy & his best friend!
Our son Sawyer and dog Buddy
Submitted by Heather Wendt
Fond du Lac
Email Debra.Lang@chartercom.com
or call 715-833-7393
to vote for your favorite photo.
The winning photo receiving the most employee votes will
receive a great pet prize.
Remember, submit your pictures for chances to win fun prizes.
Charter work with local youth in support of National and Global Youth Services Day
A group of middle and high school students from the Madison area met on Friday, March 7th to film a public service
announcement (PSA) encouraging their peers to volunteer in their communities. The PSA for National and Global Youth
Service Day, which is held around the world between April 25th and 27th, will begin airing on Charter cable networks at the
beginning of April.
Students came up with the idea to film themselves doing various volunteer activities such as tutoring, cleanup projects, and
preparing meals for needy residents. With Charter’s help, the students wrote a script, selected a cast, and eventually helped
with the editing of the PSA.
For more information about Youth Service Day, visit www.ysa.org or www.volunteeryourtime.org in the Madison area.
Kelly Klaschus (pictured in green shirt) and John
Nee (above in red) worked with the kids to set up
each shot . They were then able to review on the
monitors to see how they did.
Page 13
Charter Compass
Charter nominated for Beacon Award
The Association of Cable Communicators named Charter’s “Bundle Up” campaign as a finalist for the 2008
Beacon Awards, which recognize excellence in cable communications and public affairs. “Bundle Up” is one of
seven finalists in the category of “Internal Communications”. The following is an excerpt from the press release
the Association published recently.
“The Association of Cable Communicators (ACC) announced today the names of the finalists for the 2008 Beacon Awards honoring
excellence in cable communications and public affairs. Winners will be named during the Beacon Awards Gala, set for Tuesday, April 1 at
the Renaissance Mayflower Hotel, Washington, D.C., in conjunction with ACC’s FORUM 2008 conference, “ACCess the Power:
Connect. Communicate. Transform.”
“Cable communicators are working everyday to promote their companies’ products and finding ways to
contribute to the bottom line while also striving to improve the quality of life for their companies’ customers and
the communities they serve,” said Ellen Kroner, 2008 Beacon Awards co-chair and senior vice president,
corporate communications and marketing, Rainbow Media Holdings, LLC.
Amy Cohn, 2008 Beacon Awards co-chair and executive director, public affairs, Cox Communications, added,
“The impact of their efforts are never more apparent than when you review a year’s worth of the industry’s best
communications practices. We thank the 88 cable professionals who did just that by serving as judges for this
year’s Beacon Awards competition.”
ACC members chose the 2008 Beacon Award finalists during an extensive, two-phase judging process. The
overwhelming number of high-quality Beacon Award entries submitted this year continue to demonstrate the
cable industry's commitment to communications and public affairs and represent company initiatives
implemented over the past year in areas such as community relations, education, multicultural public relations
and public service announcements. “
The SCTE Badger State Chapter 2008 Cable-Tec Games overall event winner and
returning champion was Erv Lange from Charter Communications in West Bend,
WI. Erv collected a lot of hardware as he took 1st place in cable splicing, 1st place in
Drop Splicing, 2nd place in Jeopardy, 2nd place in Meter Reading and 1st place
overall. Erv will be representing Region 6 and the Badger State Chapter in
Philadelphia, PA at EXPO. Congratulations and good luck to Erv from all of us at the
SCTE Badger State Chapter.
Charter also had 2 of the 4 members of the first place
team in the Cable-Tec Games
They are, from left to Right:
Lukas LaCrosse
Time Warner Cable
Milwaukee, WI
Curtis Elethorp
Charter Communications
Madison, WI
Roumen Niagolov
Charter Communications
Madison, WI
Nathan DeTroye
Time Warner Cable
Milwaukee, WI
Page 14
Charter Compass
Service Anniversaries
Hire Date
Years of
Service
03/22/1982
03/21/1984
26
24
Leslie Campbell
Robert Beale
MADISON, WI
MADISON, WI
Accounts Payable Clerk I
Safety Administrator
03/21/1984
24
Michael Bolton
MADISON, WI
System Technician Senior
03/21/1984
24
Patrick Odonnell
MADISON, WI
System Technician Senior
03/21/1984
24
Michael Rogers
MADISON, WI
Advanced Video Engineer I
03/30/1987
21
Matthew Frakes
SHEBOYGAN, WI
Headend Technician Senior
04/01/1992
16
Daniel Mikulice
TWO RIVERS, WI
System Technician Senior
04/01/1994
14
Kayla Arendt
WISCONSIN RAPIDS, WI
Warehouse Converter Tech
03/24/1997
11
Mark Helmbrecht
WAUPUN, WI
Broadband Tech III
03/24/1999
9
Richard Kernan
EAU CLAIRE, WI
Workforce Supervisor Technical
03/27/2000
8
Lance Ladewig
WAUTOMA, WI
System Technician I
04/03/2000
8
Edwin Burrell
ONALASKA, WI
Courier
04/03/2000
8
Jessie Hlad
WAUSAU, WI
PR & Communications Manager
03/28/2001
7
Deborah Fleischman
WAUSAU, WI
Account Executive III-CB
04/02/2001
7
Steven Brown
RHINELANDER, WI
Broadband Tech Lead
04/02/2001
7
Danielle Charapata
FOND DU LAC, WI
Technical Service Rep I
04/02/2001
7
Victoria Heineck
WAUTOMA, WI
Locator
04/02/2001
7
Todd Schaffer
MADISON, WI
Selling Partner Account Exec
04/01/2002
6
Yeng Thao
WAUSAU, WI
System Technician Senior
03/29/2004
4
Angela Gonzalez
FOND DU LAC, WI
Account Coordinator I CB
03/21/2005
3
Andrew Wietecka
LAKE MILLS, WI
Technical Ops Supervisor II
03/28/2005
3
Daniel Davis
LAKE MILLS, WI
Broadband Tech II
03/28/2005
3
Stephanie Knott
BARABOO, WI
Broadband Tech III
03/28/2005
3
John McDonough
JANESVILLE, WI
Broadband Tech Sr
03/22/2006
2
Eric Quincy
WALWORTH, WI
Broadband Tech I
03/23/2006
2
Cornelius Sinclair
MADISON, WI
Sales Rep - Specialist II
03/27/2006
2
Andrew Anderson
ONALASKA, WI
Fullfillment & Sys Eng Sup I
03/27/2006
2
Jeramey Brown
EAU CLAIRE, WI
Sales Rep - Specialist I
03/27/2006
2
Kelly Green
RICE LAKE, WI
Warehouse Converter Tech
03/27/2006
2
Scott Hurda
MADISON, WI
Broadband Tech I
03/27/2006
2
Curtis Moore
EAU CLAIRE, WI
Broadband Tech III
03/28/2006
2
Kevin Drake
MADISON, WI
Sales Rep - Specialist II
03/28/2006
2
Larry Jones
MADISON, WI
Sales Rep - Specialist III
03/30/2006
2
Robert Digman
MADISON, WI
Broadband Tech II
03/31/2006
2
Robert Olson
MADISON, WI
Broadband Tech III
04/03/2006
2
Maurice Klebe
STEVENS POINT, WI
Customer Lobby Support Rep
04/03/2006
2
Curt Page
WAUSAU, WI
Sales Rep - Specialist I
03/26/2007
1
Andrew Christenson
WAUPUN, WI
Broadband Tech I
03/27/2007
1
Jessie Stewart
MADISON, WI
Dispatcher I
04/02/2007
1
James Benesh
MADISON, WI
Field Auditor
04/02/2007
1
Bradley Nelson
MADISON, WI
Account Executive I D2D CB
04/02/2007
1
Lisa Palmer
MADISON, WI
Dispatcher I
Name
Location
Job Title
Calendar of Events
Charter Communications Sponsored Events
March
31st
Charter Student Scholarships Deadline
April
11th
Launchpad Madison Regional
18th
Relay for Life Ripon
18th
Launchpad Eau Claire Regional
19th
Youth Service Day
26th
Ride for Pride, Fond du Lac, to benefit MDA
23rd
Charter Communications Technology Scholarship awarded at CVTC, Eau Claire
25th
Relay for Life Stevens Point, SPASH field house
25th
Launchpad Green Bay Regional
28th
“Clean Up Day” New Holstein
May
3rd
Relay for Life Whitewater
7th
“Environmental Community Service Day” Barron WI
9th
Launchpad Milwaukee Regional
9th & 10th
“Rockets 4 Schools” in Sheboygan at Blue Harbor Resort
10th
Charter Half Price Night – Charter Raceway Park – Beaver Dam
10th
Renaissance Faire Customer Appreciation Event – Chippewa Falls
16th – 18th
“Sturgeon Bay Open Bass Tournament”
17th
Road America Tailgate Party with Scooby, Elkhart Lake
24th& 25th
Southern WI AirFest