UPS United Parcel Service

UPS (NYSE:UPS) today announced that 79 elite drivers from Illinois are among 1,575 newly inducted worldwide into the Circle of Honor, an honorary organization for UPS drivers who have achieved 25 or more years of accident-free driving.  

Illinois boasts 488 active Circle of Honor drivers with a combined 13,931 years of accident-free driving. Ralph Lendi of Tinley Park is the state’s senior-most safe driver, with 45 years of accident-free driving under his belt. There are 3,983 total full-time UPS drivers in Illinois.  

Globally, 9,349 active UPS drivers are members of the Circle of Honor.  Collectively they’ve racked up 266,554 years and nearly 14 billion safe miles during their careers. That’s enough miles to travel to the moon and back almost 29,000 times.

“My thanks go to all of them for their dedication and focus and for the countless lives they’ve saved,” said George Willis, president, UPS West Region. “Their attention to detail has kept them safe and has helped improve public safety.”

Globally, the most seasoned UPS Circle of Honor driver is Thomas Camp of Livonia, Mich., with 54 years of driving without an accident. Ronald McKnight of Bronx, N.Y., is next in line with 48 years of safe driving. Ninety-one others have logged at least 40 years without an accident.

UPS’s 102,000 drivers are among the safest on the roads, logging more than 3 billion miles a year and delivering nearly 5 billion packages annually. 

Founded in 1907, UPS has a rich history of safety and training. The company issued its first driver handbook in 1917 and began recognizing safe drivers in 1923. In 1928, UPS recognized its first five-year safe driver, Ray McCue, with UPS founder Jim Casey presenting him a gold and platinum watch. UPS formally established its safe driving honor program in 1928.

** NOTE: The following pages list local drivers by hometown and UPS center.  If you’re interested in interviewing a local driver, please contact UPS Public Relations at pr@ups.com. Visit pressroom.ups.com for multimedia assets.

Following is a list of Illinois drivers inducted this year to the Circle of Honor.

DRIVER	HOMETOWN	UPS WORK LOCATION
Austry,  James	Woodridge	Franklin Park
Avila,  Maricela	Berwyn	Addison
Barbeau,  Richard	St. Charles	Palatine
Bartuch,  Fred	Belvidere	Rockford
Betton,  Leslie	Calumet City	Chicago
Bright,  Bruce	Dundee	Palatine
Brown,  Duane	Bloomington	Bloomington
Buellesbach,  Bryan	McHenry	Palatine
Caputo,  Robert	Wayne	Addison
Carnes,  Kelvin	Knoxville	Galesburg
Catizone,  John	Oak Lawn	Hodgkins
Delvecchio,  Chris	Streamwood	Franklin Park
Distenfield,  Robert	Libertyville	Palatine
Dressler,  William	Cary	Palatine
Drust,  Gary	Tinley Park	Hodgkins
Dunterman,  Albert	Chicago Ridge	Hodgkins
Egan Lii,  Joseph	Leroy	Bloomington
Eisele,  Richard	Spring Grove	Oak Creek
Fields,  Mark	Galesburg	Galesburg
File Jr,  Donald	Waterloo	Belleville
Fischer,  Mark	Goreville	Marion
Fleck,  Clifford	Riverton	Decatur
French Jr,  Lewis	Quincy	Quincy
Furlong,  Robert	Centralia	Centralia
Galloway,  Jeffrey	Newton	Olney
Garrington,  Richard	Joliet	Hodgkins
Gedwill,  William	Shorewood	Chicago
Gordon,  William	Mattoon	Mattoon
Gugle,  Jeffrey	Belvidere	Palatine
Gunther,  Michael	Alsip	Hodgkins
Harper,  Sharon	Oak Park	Palatine
Harvey,  Bruce	Quincy	Quincy
Hayhurst,  Lyle	Alsip	Hodgkins
Hoey,  Jeffrey	Stillman Valley	Rockford
Jackson,  Darrell	Centralia	Centralia
Jarvis,  Scott	Dewey	Urbana
Kavaliunas,  Walter	Romeoville	Bedford Park
Keller,  Bruce	Glenview	Franklin Park
Koehler,  James	Elk Grove	Northbrook
Linnemann,  John	Mount Prospect	Northbrook
Loconsole,  James	Lisle	Hodgkins
Long,  Kent	West Chicago	Hodgkins
Loschetter,  Brad	Mount Prospect	Franklin Park
Malone,  Anthony	Crete	Hodgkins
Marsella Jr,  Victor	Sleepy Hollow	Palatine
Martinez,  Noe	Bartlett	Addison
Matson,  David	Ashton	Dekalb
Mattmiller,  David	Centralia	Centralia
McDermott,  William	Wauconda	Palatine
Mitchell,  Joseph	Plainfield	Addison
Morozink,  Jeffrey	McHenry	Palatine
Munz,  Michael	Milledgeville	Freeport
Murphy,  Kevin	Beason	Bloomington
Murray,  James	Carpentersville	Franklin Park
O'Connor,  Brian	Justice	Hodgkins
Ortman,  John	Palatine	Palatine
Outland,  Carlton	Chicago	Hodgkins
Pascente,  James	Johnsburg	Palatine
Pearson Jr,  Lee	Richton Park	Hodgkins
Pettiford,  Alonzo	Ofallon	St. Louis
Pyle,Starlus	Palatine	Palatine
Regalado,  Jose	Bridgeview	Bedford Park
Schlau,  Jeffrey	Hoffman	Centralia
Schnabel, David	Paw Paw	Hodgkins
Schurder Jr,  James	Algonquin	Palatine
Sessler,  Ronald	Lockport	Hodgkins
Sisk,  Brian	Alton	Alton
Smith,  Mike	Bloomingdale	Palatine
Square,  Chedrick	South Holland	Chicago
St Aubin,  Tracey	Kankakee	Hodgkins
Stevens,  Craig	Homewood	Hodgkins
Sultanian,  Armen	Chicago	Hodgkins
Towey,  Brendan	Downers Grove	Hodgkins
Treadwell,  Pamela	Chicago	Addison
Tyler Jr.,  Eddie	Chicago	Chicago
Ubersox,  Todd	Rockford	Rockford
Wehmeyer,  Jeff	Dekalb	Addison
Workman,  Lori	South Elgin	Addison
Young,  Terry	Chicago	Hodgkins
Zabinski,  Joseph	Lake Villa	Northbrook

Contact:       UPS Public Relations
                pr@ups.com