2014 Year in Review 01212015

February 24, 2015
2014 Year in Review
Inside this issue…
I90 West Bound
I90 East Bound
O’Hare Runway
Photos
PCI ND
Presidents Letter
And more...
“Coming together is a beginning; Keeping together is
progress; Working together is success.”
Henry Ford
INSIDE THIS EDITION
Letter from the President
………………………………… 3
Plote Construction ND LLC Update
………………………………… 4
River Aggregates LLC Update
………………………………… 4
Recycled Shingle use in 2014
………………………………… 5
I-90 East Contract
………………………………… 5
OMP O’Hare Runway
………………………………… 6
DHL O’Hare Express North
………………………………… 7
Max McGraw Dog Training Facility
………………………………… 7
Elgin O’Hare Western Access
………………………………… 8
I-90 West Contract
………………………………… 8
Snap that Photo
………………………………… 9
Us-30 Construction in Oswego
…………………………………10
Rt 30
…………………………………10
2014 Asphalt Overlay Projects
………………………………...11
Lively Blvd
………………………………...12
Where to next IT?
…………………………….12-13
2014 Safety Year in Review
………………………………...13
Healthier You
………………………………...14
Plote Construction Inc.
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Letter From The President
Well another year has come and gone. The
year 2014 was a year with milestones, challenges,
and great rewards for the Plote Construction. We
started the year with our 50th anniversary celebration.
The legacy that Ray and Jan have left for us to carry
on is still going strong and we celebrated that legacy
throughout all of our events this year.
The winter weather and the spring weather in
2014 was particularly rough and put us behind the
eight ball at the beginning of the construction season. However in true Plote fashion everyone kicked into gear
as soon as the weather broke and made up for lost time. The dedication and hard work by our employees in the
field with the support from the offices and the shop is always appreciated.
The fall rolled around and we were able to continue to work on our jobs for an extended period of time
due to some good weather. The estimating group went to work to bid on work for 2015. They were extremely
successful and were able to gain one of the single largest bids Plote Construction has ever won. That bid lead
the way to a sweep of contracts from Route 53 / I90 west to the Fox River 7 contracts for $300,000,000. This
is our largest backlog in Plote Construction’s history. With our yard, pits, and plant strategically located on
the job this should make for a memorable 2015.
The year 2015 will be a year with many challenges, hard work, and hopefully great rewards. As we
move into the 51st year for Plote Construction Inc. I would like to thank all of you for your continued support
and dedication to the Plote Company. Let’s gear up and make 2015 the best year yet!
Work Safe,
Dan
Plote Construction Inc.
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http://www.plote.com/
North Dakota Update
2014 finished up being a good year for North Dakota. The weather gave us a few more weeks to work
on the county road Slide project. We will have two projects to complete in the spring, as soon as the thaw lets
us. 2015 will be a challenging spring as we wait for the projects to come out to bid. As the oil prices have
dropped considerably, all governing entities are awaiting the big question of how much tax revenue they will
have to spend for new or existing infrastructure improvements. We hope everyone has a prosperous and
healthy 2015!
Larry P.
Plote Construction Inc.
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http://www.plote.com/
Recycled Shingle Use in 2014
Starting in the spring of 2013 Falcon Green Resources began manufacturing Type 2 R.A.S. in Hoffman Estates at the Beverly Materials site. Type 2 R.A.S. is defined as post consumer shingles, or roof tear offs,
that have been designated as asbestos free and then processed for use in asphalt mixes. The QC staff for Plote
takes care of the testing and reports these results back to Falcon, the information is passed along to IDOT.
During the 2014 Construction season Allied Asphalt used over 45,000 tons of Type 2 R.A.S.
As it has been noted before, the only constant in this industry is change. 2015 will be no exception.
IDOT has made changes to their specifications, allowing for less total asphalt binder replacement (ABR).
What this will mean for Plote and the amount of R.A.S we will be able to utilize this year is still a work in progress. John Felker and the entire QC Staff are currently working on designs that will be using both last years
and this years specs.
Dick L.—Asphalt Operations Manager
I-90 East Contract
All good things must come to an end! With that being said
another year ends and another successful project hits the books. All
roadway work was completed on time and under budget. Plote was
one of the first contractors to have all lanes of traffic ready to open
by the intended substantial completion date. Due to delays of other
contracts further west, the opening ceremony was pushed back several weeks. Efficiency is the best word to describe the 4115 job. A
big shout out to Dave F, Chuck H, Mike F, Bill D, Juan C, Melchor
G, Jr., and Troy I. for working so hard in the field to make this year
so successful. Due to great planning, coordinating and hard work
from both the project management team and field employees we
were able to beat
nearly every production rate. For anybody that likes simple
math the original gross profit was bid at 2% , and after year
end cost projections, the job is projected to make a gross
profit of 14% . But like I said before all good things must
come to an end, this job is history and it’s onto the next.
Frank T. —Project Engineer
Plote Construction Inc.
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OMP O’Hare Runway
Work at the 10R-28L PLS Project is ongoing with a contract completion date in October of 2015, although all Plote work should be completed well before then. The Plote scope of work on this contract is trimming of lime stabilized sub base and asphalt paving. For numerous reasons the greater majority of paving work
on this job has been completed at night. Mark B. has worked very closely and kept in constant communication
with Turner and Lindahl representatives on day to day activities. Steve D. and his superb crew placed over
200,000 tons of asphalt last year and believe it or not, Plote plans on paving as soon as the end of February! The majority of the 10R-28L runway and has been completed, and now the focus turns to the northern
“Taxiway W” and shoulder work. The tolerances of work set forth by OMP are very rigid and unforgiving, but
Steve D. and Mo G. have done a great job and corrections are minimal. With the amount of material coming
out for Franklin Park, the job could not be done without the help of John F. and the Franklin Park asphalt plant
crew. All their hard work and effort from behind the scenes has been crucial. We look forward to finishing our
portion of the work next year and seeing planes land in October of 2015!
Keith K— Project Engineer
Plote Construction Inc.
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DHL O’Hare Express North
After just over a year of construction, the DHL Global Forwarding Building held its ribbon cutting
ceremony on January 16th. At 491,000 sf, it is the largest DHL building in their worldwide network. The site
encompasses over 24 acres and can been seen from the I90 expressway at Touhy Avenue. Working with our
partners at FCL Builders, Plote’s excavation division started moving dirt in the fall of 2013 and backfilled
their last curb last November. The site consisted of over 30,000 cy of dirt excavation, importing and placing
over 30,000 tons of recycled aggregate and fine grading more than 24 acres of building and parking spaces.
The project had a few challenges but with Plote’s intuitive problem solving leadership team we were able to
help them complete the project on schedule.
Chris F—Estimator
Max McGraw Dog Training Facility
Thanks to the valiant effort of John R., he landed us a
cut to fill job across the street at The Max McGraw Wildlife
Foundation. He then handed the job off to Norm S. and Tim S.
to bring it home. The job was a design build to help turn 2 existing ponds that were separated by a berm into on one large
pond. This new pond was to be used to train hunting dogs to
retrieve various water fowl. The pond was designed to have a
gradual slope on the bottom bringing the water level from 2 ft
deep in the front to 5ft deep in the back, creating optimal conditions for the dogs. We had to balance the dirt in the existing
pond to remove the berm, fatten the slopes, and create the water
features desired for the dog training. The purpose of our design
was to create peninsulas at the edges of the pond. As a bird is
harvested and falls in the pond, the dogs must follow a straight line path to retrieve the bird. The peninsulas
create obstacles for the dogs. Naturally the dogs want to swim around the peninsulas, but that is where the
training comes in to keep the dogs on a straight line. In the end, Roy Raupp, the dog training expert, was incredibly pleased with the efforts of Plote Construction and their
design. He was especially happy that we did all this work in
just a few days and were able to have it ready for their annual
members open house for everyone to enjoy.
"The pond and Plote's efforts exceeded all expectations and
they received nothing but positive input and comments from
their members. Max McGraw is looking forward to taking on
more projects with Plote Construction in the near future." - Roy
Raupp, Max McGraw Foundation
Tim S.—GPS Engineer
Plote Construction Inc.
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Elgin O’Hare Western Access
Looking back on the 2014 season and the Plote’s portion of the Elgin O’Hare Western Access corridor,
a successful contract and well built stretch of highway is what will be remembered. Superintendent Ty Z. captained the project through a tough season and multiple changes to the contract that always seemed to be coming from the Tollway at the last possible moment, but he and his crews kept on getting the work done as has
become the staple of Plote’s reputation. With some minor subcontractor work to be completed in the spring
this job is all but closed out, and by the time the I-90 East corridor is rocking and rolling in 2015 this job won’t
be more than a fond memory. Thanks to all involved including Gen Sup Bill D., Gen Sup Mike F., Sr. PM
Mark Bare., Estimator Patrick G., PE Keith K. and all of the various foreman who helped along the way.
Ben S.—Project Manager
I-90 West Contract
“Closing time One last call for alcohol so finish your
whiskey or beer” These lyrics from the 90’s alternative group
Semisonic is a perfect metaphor for the end of this years I-90
west job. We can all cheers to another year’s end and another
successful project hitting the books. All roadway work was
completed on time and under budget. Plote was one of the first
contractors to have all lanes of traffic ready to open by the intended substantial completion date. Due to delays of other contracts further west, the opening ceremony was pushed back several weeks. Efficiency is the best word to describe the 4124 job.
A big shout out to Dave F, Chuck H, Mike F, Bill D, Juan C,
Melchor G, Jr., and Troy I. for working so hard in the field to make this year so successful. Due to great planning, coordinating and hard work from both the project
management team and field employees we were able to
beat nearly every production rate. For anybody that
likes simple math the original gross profit was bid at
0.86% , and after year end cost projections, the job is
projected to make a gross profit of 14% .
Frank T. —Project Engineer
Chuck H. and Dan P. with a 1956 and 2014 corvettes.
No one knows who won…….
Plote Construction Inc.
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Plote truck drive waiting for a load of
asphalt at one of Plote’s Asphalt plants.
May 14,2014
snowing while on
the job.
Plote Construction Inc.
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US-30 Construction in Oswego
Plote Construction and Joint Venture partner Geneva Construction have wrapped up the 2.6 Mile IDOT
full reconstruction project in Oswego. Starting in March
of 2013, Plote Construction crews turned the existing 2
lane rural cross-section and transformed US-30 into a
modern urban 4 lane configuration. Along the way over
105,000 CY of earth were moved, 56,000 tons of stone
crushed or screened, 71,000 tons of stone were placed,
and 12 lane miles of concrete pavement were paved.
Hank B.'s excavation crews set the bar for quality construction, establishing good solid grade and accurate sub
bases for pavement . PCI concrete crews picked up from
there after Geneva placed the stabilized sub. The resulting PCC pavement was so smooth that IDOT's smoothness testing subcontractor remarked that they thought
their machine was malfunctioning due to the low readings shown in their data. After seeing that their
results matched Plote's, they commented that the pavement was exceptionally smooth.
Thank you to all the estimators, foreman, laborers, operators, flaggers and everyone that helped make
the US-30 Reconstruction another profitable Plote success story.
Perry W.—Project Manger
Rt 30
This year Plote Construction finished up a 2 year
project down in Montgomery on Rt 30. Over the course of
2 years Plote paved over 77,000 square yards of PCC
pave-ment. Prairie supplied the 20,500 cubic yards of
concrete required for the amount of new pavement. The
project was a joint effort with Geneva Construction, who
was re-sponsible for a little over 8 miles of curb and gutter
on the project. Profilograph reports (pavement
smoothness) indi-cate that the pavement turned out very
smooth and should bring in a bonus payment on the
project! Thanks to every-one on the job & all their hard
work to make it possible.
Paul M.—Project Manager
Plote Construction Inc.
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2014 Asphalt Overlay Projects
All of us are familiar with the Tollway projects that were completed last year, and all of the concrete paving/reconstruction projects that we have been so successful at building. You may not have noticed that we had a pretty successful year completing the type of work that has for many years remained
an essential part of what we do. We have become so proficient at performing these jobs that they become almost an afterthought.
Yes, we are talking about the milling and resurfacing projects, the bread and butter, the get in get out,
hit it hard and get'er done type of projects. Along with 2 carryover projects from 2013 (Foster Ave. and
IL Rte 22), 2014 offered a variety of challenging projects. In all, we completed 14 asphalt projects of this
type last year.
The Village of Bartlett, and the Village of Schaumburg were the first to get started in early April,
awakening John H. (Bartlett) and Austin V. (Schaumburg) from their winter hiatus. These 2 projects
included over 70,000 tons between them.
Other projects spanned from the Lake front to DeKalb County and from Geneva to McHenry,
including 2 Elgin resurfacing projects, 2 Cook County projects, Golf Rd., Bluff City Blvd., IL Rte 62,
Randall Rd., and IL Rte 38, Village of West Dundee, IL Rte 22, and Foster Ave.
Terry C. and Dominic P. were the first ones to hit these projects while keeping the grinding production to a maximum. Bill D. did a masterful job at coordinating the crews keeping Cesar C. and Jeff
K. trimming, and patching right behind the grinding crews. Mark P., Troy I., Moe G., and Darren S.
did what we have all come to expect - beating production while laying down a smooth riding product
with attention to quality.
We also had several estimators take on Project Manager roles for some of these projects. J. Pienkos, Dave V., John R., and Gary W. all took time away from their normal duties to help manage this
work. Thank you again for your efforts.
Thank you to everyone involved for making these safe and successful projects, it would not be
possible without everyone working and communicating as a team with a common goal. The driving
force behind the success on these projects are the superintendants. Austin V., George E., John H.,
and Darryl N. are the reason these projects continue to be successful. With your continued dedication
and effort, 2015 looks to be another challenging and successful year as well.
Kerry F.—Sr. Project Manager
Plote Construction Inc.
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http://www.plote.com/
Lively Blvd.
The joint venture contract between Dunnet Bay and Plote Construction on the eastern leg of the future
Elgin O’Hare Western Access is one of the larger earth moving contracts helping to actually connect this roadway to the locations after which it was named over 25 years ago. With the massive amount of work to perform
in 2015, Plote worked through the holidays on this contract to get as much of the 220,000 CY of clay and
65,000 tons of stone backfill for MSE walls completed and off the books before the weather shut us down.
With only a small portion of frontage road left to build and a quarter of the overall earth moving left to complete, it really shows how much work can get done when the motivation is there! With the contract completion
date not until October 2015, we are primed to check this job of the to-do list well ahead of schedule.
Ben S—Project Manager
Where to next IT?
2014 was a busy year for IT. We always start our year with preventative maintenance (PM). We spend the
winter months visiting all the locations and doing PM work on all the PC's and servers. We also try to get as
much project work done as we can while the businesses are hibernating. 2014 was no exception. In addition
to the day to day support, break/fix activities, and system administration the guys were hard at work with quite
a few projects. Here are some highlights:
Upgrade/replace all PC's with Windows 7
With the End-of-Life of Windows XP, we started the year big with a project to bring all our
PC's to Windows 7 Pro. This involved updating and/or replacing well over 50 desktops and
laptops.
SAN replacement
SAN stands for Storage Attached Network. The SAN is part of our infrastructure that stores all
of our data. It is a very large array of disks setup such that we can lose up to 2 disks at once
without affecting daily use. The Q, X, Z, and Photo drives are all stored on the SAN.
All of our Virtual servers also reside on the SAN.
E. Dundee to PCI failover
This is a big one! We installed a 700MB point to point wireless connection between the two
facilities. This gives us:
Internet failover between the facilities - If the PCI internet fails, all traffic is re-routed to
the E. Dundee internet connections… and vice versa.
This benefits all locations. Every location has web traffic flowing through PCI. In the
past, when our internet dropped or we had a power outage, internet at all locations
dropped. This no longer happens.
E. Dundee (Plote Homes, Plote Properties) server infrastructure update
This involved replacing 3 of their ageing servers with 1 new Virtual server. This reduced the
physical footprint and also reduced electrical consumption.
PCI Network
Replaced our core switching equipment with faster, up to date equipment.
Replaced Comcast modems to increasing internet speed over 20%
Plote Construction Inc.
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AD (Active Directory) Update
This is a rather large update that encompasses every location and many servers. AD is the underlying technology that allows our networks, and all the devices in them, to communicate
and authenticate.
This involved rebuilding or replacing 9 servers across all our locations.
UPS
A UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply)
We installed a new UPS in our server room. This provides power for all the servers during a
power outage. This unit gives us an much more run time during an outage.
This modern UPS also will automatically shut down all our servers during an extended power
outage.
We have some exciting projects on the list for 2015. Some of them include:
Microsoft Office - Yep… you just got used to Office 2007… now we are moving the company ahead
(two versions) to Microsoft Office 2013. Our road warriors (field users) will also get the benefit of
Office 365 which comes with some very useful tools that include cloud storage, multiple installs,
and mobile versions.
Mail Server - We will perform an upgrade to our Mail system. This will involve new server hardware
and the latest version of the Microsoft mail system.
Security - Our aging firewalls will be replaced with new state of the art firewalls.
Distribution lists - We are using some new methods to maintain and administer all our distribution
lists in a fashion that is more automated. This will help keep these lists accurate and useful.
Camera System - Our aging camera system and recorder will get an update. The new system is built
around mobile access. This will provide easier and faster access to the system.
Print Server - we are building a new modern print server. This will help consolidate 2 servers into 1
and provide an easier, faster platform for our printing infrastructure.
Dashboards - With our Viewpoint system in 4th gear, it's time to start optimizing data access. We
have already begun creating dashboards and reports for easier access to data.
Kudos to Bill, and Chris! Not only are they supporting our employees, administering and maintaining our
many systems, they are constantly at work keeping Plote and its entities moving forward technologically with
projects like the ones described above.
It looks like we all have our work cut out for us this year! Here is
to a safe, busy, and productive 2015!
A couple important reminders: It goes without saying that texting
and driving is dangerous. Keep your hands off your cell phones
while driving. It's the law!! Call us at the help desk if you need
anything: 847-628-6699 or email us at: helpdesk@plote.com
Plote IT Department
Plote Construction Inc.
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http://www.plote.com/
2014 Safety Year in Review
Another year has come and gone and another successful year for Plote Construction. Why might
you ask? At the end of the day and at the end of the year everyone went home safe to their families, some
minor bumps and bruises along the way but nothing too serious.
Our year kicked off like any other cold & snowy, Plote trucks once again removed more snow
from South Barrington, Schaumburg and O’Hare and with the exception of a few mailboxes here and there
no one was hurt along the way.
As January ended and we moved into February our annual kickoff meetings were the focus at hand.
Bill R. showed us why, once again, we are the best around with our claims falling again for the third
straight year. We implemented a few changes for our safety forms making them all digital, we now have
the ability to get reports to the safety department with the click of a couple buttons. A little friendly competition of Safety Jeopardy highlighted the kickoff meeting with Jake Nollin taking the crown and anointing himself as the “Peoples Champion.” I know he will be back this year to defend his crown.
Our annual Safety Breakfast came in April where we recognized more 10 year & 5 year award
winners, highlighted for the first time was our knowledgeable mechanics being recognized. Although
most of our 10 year winners have in fact been here a lot longer incident free. Jim Althoff gave us a quick
lesson in Drug & Alcohol awareness and Mike W. reminded us that we need to all look out for one another. Saving someone isn’t just saving their job, it may be saving their family as well. At the end of
2013 we lost two valuable important members of the Plote Family Team and as a result I urged everyone
to get their heart checked and to not ignore the signs of heart disease. The highlight of the breakfast was
Kathleen A. who had been off of work since her injury in June of 2013 gave a passionate speech of her
life and how it’s been affected by one split second. She left the stage to a standing ovation.
Then the work began and like a blur it was gone, jobs were completed, some were just starting, but
the best in the business lived up to their reputation. The Rt. 47 interchange was complete making life easier for those in the Huntley area.
Moving swiftly the year came to a close, the safety board had their annual pizza party keeping cost
down so we could make a sizeable contribution to the Elgin food pantry once again. We also handed out
our safety incentives to over 60 superintendents, foreman, project managers and project engineers.
Before we knew it the holidays were here and gone. Our time off with our families recharged us so
we can look ahead to 2015 and the busiest year I’ve seen in my time here. I have no doubt when I sit here
next year writing, the best in the business will have lived up to their reputation once again. As we sit here
in January before you know it and it will be the kickoff meetings, safety breakfasts, summertime and the
holidays. Thank you to everyone for having such a great safe 2014 year and lets make it a habit again in
2015.
Stay Safe!
Bryan B.— Field Safety
Plote Construction Inc.
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A Healthier You
It’s a new year which means a new slate, a chance to start over with those goals, and make a new
“You.” The beauty is that you get a chance to start over every year, but only counts if you take that initiative.
Sitting around, moping, and being a “Negative Nancy” will get you no where in life. You got to take your hand
out of that bag of chips, get up off the couch, and start walking. You got to walk before you can run. So with
that said here are a few tips to help you, and the new slate that you are given every year to help succeed in your
goals.
Step into Your Closet & Positive Thoughts
Everyday you wake up, walk right up to your closet, dig to find that shirt, pants, and missing sock. You
get home from work, you step into that closet again to find a pile of clothes, and no idea where to begin on doing laundry. Take time one day to begin going thru all your clothes. Probability is that 25% of your closet you
don’t wear anymore, and you haven't for a long time. Clean out your closet of what you are holding onto and
donate or sell those items. After go out and buy one or two new pieces that you can add into your daily routine
to help you feel fresh and new. When you look good, you feel good, and this will help to keep that positive image you have of yourself up! Positive thoughts and positive intentions. Keep your glass half full not half
empty.
Step off your diet
It’s the devils word, “Diet.” New fads and trends; the intentions are right, but the heart is in the wrong
place. When dieting you starve yourself, body and mind. Change your point of view on this and start eating
healthy. Always remembering to keep your portions of food in check. Instead of pop have water, stay hydrated! Trying to have grilled or steamed food, and saying no to all fried foods. Reach for those veggies instead of chips when you want a snack. When you make a meal, make sure you always have some kind of vegetable with it. Never letting yourself go hungry because then you will purge eat. So try to listen to your body
and what it wants. Letting yourself have a treat, it doesn't hurt to treat yourself. But ultimately making smarter
choices in the end to help create a healthier you.
Get up off that couch
Said by many doctors, trainers, teachers, friends, and family….getting some kind of exercise in everyday is such an important thing for your body. Walking for 30 minutes a day, taking a class at offered gyms or
trying a new outdoor activity like hiking, ice skating, or biking. It doesn't have to be a hard or not enjoyable. It
can be so much fun! It helps your body physically, but it also helps to boost your mood and mentality too because every time you work out your body releases endorphins which promote happiness and relaxation. Always remembering to check with your doctor to make sure it is ok to follow thru with an activity.
Let it go
There are so many factors in life that add stress, anxiety, and negativity to an already stressful work
load. It could be something as small as spilling your coffee in the morning or someone who cut you off in traffic. Learning to let go of things you do not need to hold onto and just letting them be is such a large part of life.
Just letting it be and stopping the negative thoughts and emotions attached to a situation that you don’t need to
worry about or that are not important can help to alleviate wasted energy and remove that stress and negativity
in your life. This will ultimately help you to become happier and relieve some stress from your everyday life.
Remember nobody likes a “Negative Nancy.”
Plote Construction Inc.
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THE PLOTE COMPANIES
Corporate Offices:
1100 Brandt Drive
Hoffman Estates, IL 60192
Phone: 847-695-9300
E-mail: Info @plote.com
Website: www.plote.com
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Linkedin page. To promote after work hours “Friendship”, look us
up from home and indicate you “Like” us!