Messages in FedEx ITD Retiree Breakfast Club group.

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Page 21 of 70.

Danielle Harnisch1/27/2014

No kidding!

Danielle Harnisch1/27/2014

I said it! Lol

Danielle Harnisch1/27/2014

Yes and the ones who were smart enough to go with looking good got promoted !

Gary Phillips1/27/2014

Me, I said it a lot.

Jimmy Glenn Burk1/27/2014

I'm sure other execs used this quote, but first time I heard it was at an all management meeting(when I was forced back into management) about 1985 or 1986. Jim Barksdale talked to a couple hundred of us and emphasized our roles. He also emphasized that we were to spend each dollar of the company's money as our own(ie don't spend it frivously). At that meeting they also announced whatever 5 star awards were called then, and Bob Higgins got one for Cosmos IIb design.

Rebecca Felts2/4/2014

This philosophy is nothing new. I had it in a course while obtaining my Bachelor's in Management. Its basic premise is "to do things for the greater good of the company and the majority of employees". Not to be self centered or egotistical.

Subject: FedEx Trivia 1/28/14 Answer any of the questions below(all relate to ITD, not aircraft):

Jimmy Glenn Burk1/28/2014

FedEx Trivia 1/28/14 Answer any of the questions below(all relate to ITD, not aircraft):a. Which company built the first scanner/Cosmos IIa? b. Which company built the original SuperTracker? c. What was the first non-Apple Customer Automation device? d. What was the first word processor at FedEx? e. What was the first mainframe used at FedEx? f. What was the first hardware component FedEx Engineers designed and implemented in the field? g. What was the first device that FedEx engineers designed and replaced in the field? h. What was the second device FedEx designed inhouse and replaced in the field.

Don Rose1/28/2014

d. Wang, e. Burroughs

Dan Elliot1/28/2014

a. norand

Liz Ciulla Carrozza1/28/2014

D Wang or IBM

Jimmy Glenn Burk1/28/2014

Answer for all you historical fedex Sherlocks: a. Which company built the first scanner/Cosmos IIa? Norand b. Which company built the original SuperTracker? HHP (Norand also built one, but not selected for rollout) c. What was the first non-Apple Customer Automation device? Vector Computers(ran both the Apple dos & cpm) d. What was the first word processor at FedEx? Wang (Jacquard was also used but failed to meet 3270 support) e. What was the first mainframe used at FedEx? Burroughs f. What was the first hardware component FedEx Engineers designed and implemented in the field? Bruce Lindow, at home, built a Flash memory card that could be installed in the original SuperTracker, vastly extending memory & increasing speed g. What was the first device that FedEx engineers designed and replaced in the field? 42,000 DADS terminals were designed & installed in vehicles h. What was the second device FedEx designed in house and replaced in the field. approx 72,000 Enhanced SuperTrackers replaced the supertrackers, adding laser scanners, IR communication, 6 meg of memory & other enhancements

Subject: FedEx Trivia Quiz 1/29/14:

Jimmy Glenn Burk1/29/2014

FedEx Trivia Quiz 1/29/14:Date 1981: Question: Who am I? What did I do?

Johnnie Edwards1/29/2014

Ken Willoughby.......Mem Superhub project.......Director in Mem Hub......VP in Mem Hub later....

Jimmy Glenn Burk1/29/2014

Johnnie is correct: Ken Willougby, Director of the Sort, SuperHub He reported to VP Karl Birkholz. Also reporting to Karl in the first SuperHub Mgmt Team: Dir, S. Strickland, Operations Falcon Dir, G. Holloman, Container Load Aircraft Dir, Henry Bartosch, Container Load Aircraft Dir, C. Rigney, Hub Planning Dir, S. Shirek, Hub Services and the Financial Analyst for the Hub was Laurie Stock(Tucker)

Jimmy Glenn Burk1/29/2014

Some other SuperHubbers that I have worked with. Clift Hardt, Ramp Planning Mgr Ted Merida, Sort Plan Mgr Steve Liberto, Sort Plan Tech Asst. Tom Glasgow, Spec Proj.Mgr

Subject: FedEx Trivia Quiz: Who am I? 1/30/14

Jimmy Glenn Burk1/30/2014

FedEx Trivia Quiz: Who am I? 1/30/14In the early days of FedEx, a new member was added to the senior mgmt team.FWS called an early morning Saturday meeting. They were an hour into the meeting and waiting for FWS to arrive.This person had his secretary bring in a large glass of orange juice, and two small airline bottles of vodka and place before him. It was to express his displeasure at these saturday executive meetings.Who was this person?

Don Rose1/30/2014

Sounds like Vince F.

Rebecca Felts1/30/2014

Don't know but bet he didn't last long.

Brenda J. Brunner1/30/2014

No idea, did he get to come in Monday?

Marsha Terry Rider1/30/2014

John Dauernheim?

Penny Hitchcock Hopper1/30/2014

My bet is that he DID return the following Monday or Jimmy wouldn't be asking the question. There was a completely different corporate culture then, and not just at FedEx. The question indicates that the alcohol was a political statement and not for consumption. Don's guess of Vince F. is pretty good, I think.

Doug Smith1/30/2014

Martini lunches were common back then.

Jimmy Glenn Burk1/31/2014

for this story it was Jim Riedmeyer, svp mx & engr. in the 70's & early 80's you could drink at lunch, & smoke anytime & anywhere.

Subject: FedEx Trivia Quiz 2/3/14:

Jimmy Glenn Burk2/3/2014

FedEx Trivia Quiz 2/3/14:Around 1992 Ron Ponder left FedEx to become COO of Sprint. Dennis Jones took his CIO job at FedEx.DHJ did a search outside to fill two VP slots, but eventually promoted two internal directors to vice presidents.Who were the first two people he promoted to VP?

Gary Phillips2/3/2014

Jimmy Burk

Marsha Terry Rider2/3/2014

Spangler? or was she already VP?

Carl Wayne Hardeman2/3/2014

rob carter and cynthia spangler

Gary Phillips2/3/2014

RC would be kind of ironic. May have been however. It should have been Jimmy and Glenn Burk.

Jimmy Glenn Burk2/3/2014

Pat Galvin left. Jon Ricker made VP over GOCC and Linehaul Cynthia Spangler made VP over Revenue Jim Tollefson left. Chuck Kirk made VP over COS. Jon Ricker left to Bellsouth. Rob Carter made VP over GOCC & Linehaul Then regional ITD vps created: Denise Wood to Apac, and Darryl Skoog in Europe.

Dan Elliot2/4/2014

Chris Hjelm?

Jimmy Glenn Burk2/4/2014

Best I can remember: Soon after DHJ made CIO, Chris was moved as an MD into Logistics under Jim McKinney. Jim I think was then made SVP over Air Ops, and a person named Colandres was hired from the outside as VP of BLS. Chris was then moved into the Chronos project where he eventually became VP over the Orlando group. Colandres tenure at FedEx was about 364 days.

Subject: Legends sightings:

Jimmy Glenn Burk2/4/2014

Legends sightings:Brett Bonner: Had breakfast with Brett this morning. Brett currently reports to Chris Hjelm who is CIO at Kroger in Cincinnati. Brett was a catalyst and a very important part of FedEx sort systems & technology development for FedEx.Terry Cox: Sitting behind us at Perkins was Terry Cox. Worked with Terry at DCC for 4 years then at FedEx till his retirement in the 90's. Terry was instrumental in developing FedEx's early Networks & Satellite systems. Terry still lives in Fisherville, on the Fayette/Shelby county line.

Gary Phillips2/4/2014

Terry hired me into Network Engineering in 1984. Never worked with Brett but played tennis with Jimmy, Brett, Johnny Wong, Dick Braley and others for several years in the mid to late 90s and into early 2000s.

Jimmy Glenn Burk2/4/2014

It was around 1975-76, I was a Sr. Engineer for Burroughs. I went to a company called DCC to load software into a Burroughs computer. Next to me was a person on the phone trying to help a customer somewhere in Texas get their Burroughs computer up so they could process advertising and timeslots for a tv station. He wasn't getting anywhere, looked at me, and said...will you take this call and handed me the phone. I asked a few questions and had customer do a couple things and their computer came back online. He then said...will you talk to my boss about a job? we have over 300 of these systems across the country and we don't really know much about them. I talked to his boss, Doug Rother, then to the COO of the company and they made me a job offer. The person that handed me the phone was Terry Cox and I began working with Terry & Ancel Hankins for the next several years, and learned a lot about telecom from them.

Jimmy Glenn Burk2/4/2014

I had been at FedEx about a year and had written the DADS radio & sna software, and wrote one of the original URSA routines for a SuperHub system. A young guy wanted to meet with me. He wanted to download some files from the mainframe into a portable computer he got hold of(there were no personal computers then). He wanted to know how to program a UART and how to use a modem. I explained how to do what he wanted. He was a nice and bright guy and appreciative of the help, then he vanished. Thus ended, my first meeting with Brett Bonner.

Peter Dangerfield2/4/2014

Both great gentleman.

Nancy Hinds2/4/2014

Good guys....

Nancy Hinds2/4/2014

And hmmm thinking I missed something.

Danielle Harnisch2/4/2014

just me whining...lol

Nancy Hinds2/4/2014

Aaah - Jimmy loves Quality - whiing - not so much\

Jimmy Glenn Burk2/4/2014

The Quality badges are still one of my favorite memories...Thank you Nancy.............Jimmy likes Quality

Nancy Hinds2/4/2014

Indeed you did sir!

Subject: FedEx Trivia Quiz 2/6/14

Jimmy Glenn Burk2/6/2014

FedEx Trivia Quiz 2/6/14In the mid 1990's there were somewhere around 50K Customer Automation Devices which Dennis Jones renamed Powerships. These devices were mostly on shipping docks and warehouses. They were called PS2's. DHJ wanted to expand to a smaller desktop device that could take up very little space on a secretaries desk(front office devices). The device used was called Powership 3.a. What was the gateway computer that all these PS3's dialed into, and where did that computer system come from?b. Which group programmed the gateway computer system?

Deby Abbott Jolley2/6/2014

I should remember this - but it's just not coming to me...

Marsha Terry Rider2/6/2014

a) Tandem? from FITC? b) Customer Automation?

Jimmy Glenn Burk2/6/2014

Marsha is correct for the first part: Tandems were used as the gateway computer and they came from Zapmail.

Jimmy Glenn Burk2/7/2014

b) the group that programmed the Tandems was the Distributed Comm Software group under MD Les Wilcox, Sr Mgr Dan Goss, and Mgr Kurt Wulff

Subject: FedEx Trivia Quiz 2/7/14

Jimmy Glenn Burk2/7/2014

FedEx Trivia Quiz 2/7/14a. Who was the MD over REDS development?b. Who was the VP over GOCC development?c. Who was the MD, then VP over Chronos development?d. Who was the VP over Cosmos Squared?

David Warren2/7/2014

A. Steve Steiling

Jimmy Glenn Burk2/8/2014

a. Who was the MD over REDS development? Bob Noell b. Who was the VP over GOCC development? Jon Ricker c. Who was the MD, then VP over Chronos development? Chris Hjelm d. Who was the VP over Cosmos Squared? Jim Tollefson

Subject: FedEx Trivia Quiz 2/10/14

Jimmy Glenn Burk2/10/2014

FedEx Trivia Quiz 2/10/14In 1982, FedEx rolled out Project Early(or Earlybird).a. What was project Early?b. Why did FedEx implement this strategy?

Dickie Dunn2/12/2014

Proper name of “Operation React” when UPS entered the Air Express business Stay ahead of their strategies ??

Jimmy Glenn Burk2/12/2014

UPS had entered the over night market. Ron Ponder's OPs Research group had run models on whether Federal Express had enough capacity to move the commit times for deliveries from 12:00 noon to 10:30 and whether UPS could counter that strategy. Results were that it would take years for UPS to match that strategy as they were integrating parcel 4-5 day delivery with express deliveries. FedEx announced 10:30 delivery to offset any advantages UPS thought they could to compete. In addition, FedEx was targeting moving into document delivery with Zapmail. Speeding up deliveries would free up more couriers to make pickup and deliveries of documents. Another directive was to roll out DADS everywhere so that couriers could be dispatched in minutes for pickups. Jim Moore & Richard Dunn, Jim Bentley & the Radio Group led those efforts to install 30-40,000 terminals and the wireless infrastructure needed to support it.

Subject: from the FedEx Retiree Club Website: UPCOMING MEMPHIS FERC LUNCHEON February 13, 2014 - Make your re ...

Jimmy Glenn Burk2/10/2014

from the FedEx Retiree Club Website: UPCOMING MEMPHIS FERC LUNCHEON February 13, 2014 - Make your reservation by noon Monday, February 10th, 2014 The Eroica Ensemble, an ensemble orchestra, will present an orchestral performance of classical music masterworks. The Eroica Ensemble consists of approximately 45 musicians, most of which are nationally known, seasoned and top quality professional musicians from all around the world. For more information about Eroica Ensemble go to their website at

from the FedEx Retiree Club Website:
UPCOMING MEMPHIS FERC LUNCHEON February 13, 2014 - Make your reservation by noon Monday, February 10th, 2014 The Eroica Ensemble, an ensemble orchestra, will present an orchestral performance of classical music masterworks. The Eroica Ensemble consists of approximately 45 musicians, most of which are nationally known, seasoned and top quality professional musicians from all around the world. For more information about Eroica Ensemble go to their website at

Subject: FedEx Trivia Quiz 2/11/14

Jimmy Glenn Burk2/11/2014

FedEx Trivia Quiz 2/11/14In late 1977 a centralized telephone system (ie call center) was tested in Newark which was connected to a rough prototype of COSMOS programmed on a Burroughs 6700; after success it was quickly rolled out to 11 more cities.Why was Newark chosen for this test?

Jimmy Glenn Burk2/12/2014

Newark was chosen because statistics showed it was the worst performing city. As soon as the Call Center was installed, it freed up dozens of station personnel who could then concentrate on increasing service levels to customers.

Subject: I got a voicemail from Dr. Ron Ponder today. He indicated that Ken Newell had passed away.

Jimmy Glenn Burk2/11/2014

I got a voicemail from Dr. Ron Ponder today. He indicated that Ken Newell had passed away.

Danielle Harnisch2/11/2014



Jimmy Glenn Burk2/12/2014

Kenneth Newell, 75, of Dawsonville passed away Sunday February 9, 2014 at Northside Forsyth Hospital following an extended illness. Born February 13, 1938 in Uxbridge, Massachusetts to the late Edwin and Alice Newell, he had lived in Dawson County for the past 18 years having moved from Germantown, Tennessee. Mr. Newell retired as Sr. Vice President with Federal Express after 20 years of service. He served nine years in the U. S. Air Force, was a former member of the Dawsonville Lions Club and volunteered with Kare for Kids. For several years he served as Chairman of the Board of Ric-Rack and oversaw the expansion into its current location and the development of the food pantry. Kenneth was a loving husband, father and grandfather who was extremely devoted to his family. He was also preceded in death by his brothers, Edward, Norman, Calvin, Clyde, Douglas and Richard. Surviving are his wife of 51 years, Jo Ann Newell, Dawsonville; daughter and son in law, Rhonda and William Newell, Alpharetta; grandchildren, Andrew Newell, Taylor Newell, Nicholas Newell, Justin Newell; sister and brother in law, Myrtle and John Banks, Alberta, Canada; brother, Mickey Newell, Hawaii; and a number of nieces, nephews and other relatives. Memorial services will be held Saturday February 22, 2014 at 2 o’clock at the First Baptist Church of Dawsonville. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the Ric-Rack, P. O. Box 891, Dawsonville, Georgia 30534 or your favorite charity. Condolences may be expressed at www.beardenfuneralhome.com

I got a voicemail from Dr. Ron Ponder today. He indicated that Ken Newell had passed away.

Jimmy Glenn Burk2/12/2014

A project Ken Newell supported in Dawsonville, GA: http://cod2005.blogspot.com/2006/02/ken-newell-is-driving-force-at-ric.html

I got a voicemail from Dr. Ron Ponder today. He indicated that Ken Newell had passed away.

Sandy Butler Stone2/13/2014

So sorry to hear this. I really liked Ken.

Subject: Jimmy, your quizzes are so much fun and take me far back in time.

Kerry Allen Clark2/12/2014

Jimmy, your quizzes are so much fun and take me far back in time.Thanks for doing this!

Subject: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rl4_tvmhoTo

Charlie Derrick2/12/2014

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rl4_tvmhoTo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rl4_tvmhoTo

Terrie Hoerning2/12/2014

Thank you so much for posting.

Subject: Happy Birthday to Jimmy Sowell!

Jimmy Glenn Burk2/12/2014

Happy Birthday to Jimmy Sowell!

Don Rose2/12/2014

Happy Happy Birthday Jimmy. Make it a special day!

Denis Charles Mattingly2/12/2014

Hi Jimmy. Happy Birthday!

Deby Abbott Jolley2/12/2014

Happy Birthday, Jimmy!

Buddy Johnson2/13/2014

Happy Birthday, Jimmy. Wish you many more!!!

Subject: FedEx Trivia Quiz 2/12/14

Jimmy Glenn Burk2/12/2014

FedEx Trivia Quiz 2/12/14In the 90's Jim Colson was VP over Field Services which installed and repaired over 200,000 devices at FedEx including Dads, SuperTrackers, quadracks, Customer Automation equipment, etc.Jim met an untimely death in a motorcycle accident.a. Who took his place? b. Where did that person relocate to Memphis from to take this position?

Drew Perkins2/12/2014

First name was Harry and he relocated from China.

Marcie Littles Moss2/12/2014

Harry Dalton and relocated from Brussels, I think.

Jimmy Glenn Burk2/12/2014

Harry Dalton is correct.........China is kind of correct........but not quite

Marcie Littles Moss2/12/2014

Dang, I should know this, haha. I worked for the man.

Marcie Littles Moss2/12/2014

I want to say Singapore.

Jimmy Glenn Burk2/12/2014

CLose enough. I think it was actually Hong Kong, but the company was in process of moving its APAC Headquarters out of Hong Kong to Singnapore due to the China takeover.

Marcie Littles Moss2/12/2014

That was my next guess

Subject: Some FedEx ITD tidbits sent to Jimmy:

Jimmy Glenn Burk2/12/2014

Some FedEx ITD tidbits sent to Jimmy:Joel Tracy has left FedEx and now works for a trucking co. in Memphis.John Phillips who took the buyout now works in Nashville.Sheila Harrell who took the buyout now lives in Nashville.Steve Stewart now lives in Chicago and does contract work.

Jimmy Glenn Burk2/12/2014

Joel Tracy -IT Software Dev John Phillips- IT Revenue, BPM, Tibco Sheila Harrell- VP Cust Serv Planning Steve Stewart-SIS, Supertracker, Scanning Systems

Subject: FedEx Trivia Quiz 2/13/14:

Jimmy Glenn Burk2/13/2014

FedEx Trivia Quiz 2/13/14:Tech Services:After Zapmail Field Services was adapted to support FedEx equipment, especially Radio/Dads, modems, and Customer Automation equipment. Tech services used a model or spreadsheet to determine how many new headcount they needed each year, to meet different response times, which Finance supported. This was based on how many service calls were made, time to fix or load software etc, and response time. One year, Jim Colson requested about 60 new field positions.Chuck/Charles Morgan wrote one software program for Tech Services. After seeing the program demonstrated, JimC told finance to cut his headcount in half.What did Chuck do that helped Tech Services?

Charles Morgan2/13/2014

Was it TRAP, the "Telecom Remote Access Program"? Designed to allow dialup access to the systems to perform maintenance such as assist with user issues, perform software updates, configuration changes, etc?

Jimmy Glenn Burk2/13/2014

Chuck is quick thinking to be this early in the day. Chuck wrote TRAP which was one of the industries first pieces of software that allowed a PC to dial another PC and remotely execute DOS commands and troubleshoot a system as if the person was in the same room with the remote PC. No longer did Tech Services have to dispatch a field tech to look and diagnose Customer automation programs. They could do much of the diagnosis from Memphis, saving many man hours of travel.

Jimmy Glenn Burk2/13/2014

Chuck also received a QAT award & multiple BZ's for this innovative development.

Deby Abbott Jolley2/13/2014

Should have gotten a 5-Star for that!

Charles Morgan2/13/2014

Here's a picture of the BZ for TRAP: it was one of the most interesting projects I worked on in the 90's...

Subject: Buddy Williamson

Jimmy Glenn Burk2/13/2014

Buddy WilliamsonLarry Netter received an email from Buddy Williamson this week. Buddy was Sr. Mgr over Field Services, Sr. Mgr over Intl Telecom based in Brussels and help many other positions @ Federal Express

Ezra Fried2/14/2014

His last position was MD over Field Services. I believe he retired in 1999 or 2000.

Chuck Siegfried2/19/2014

I hired Buddy back in the day out of Lousiannia. How is he today?

Jimmy Glenn Burk2/19/2014

will send you an email..jimmy

Carol Gassaway Kabakoff2/23/2014

Is he ok?

Jimmy Glenn Burk3/2/2014

Buddy is fine, just can't play golf right now.

Subject: FedEx Trivia Quiz 2/13/14

Jimmy Glenn Burk2/13/2014

FedEx Trivia Quiz 2/13/14In the late80's early 90's something was put in place to help FedEX that circled the airport area; it was bounded by democrat, airways, winchester and I think Tullahoma roads. I think it was Roy Beard who may have negotiated this to be put in place.What was it?

Ben Moore2/14/2014

Fiber

Jimmy Glenn Burk2/14/2014

Ben is correct. bellsouth installed a fiber sonet ring so that fedex could connect close to 40 locations as needed. First time they had installed a fiber ring dedicated to a private company.

Subject: FedEx Trivia Quiz 2/14/14:

Jimmy Glenn Burk2/14/2014

FedEx Trivia Quiz 2/14/14:a. What is this? b. What two primary places was it used @ FedEX?

Buddy Johnson2/14/2014

A Wang computer?

Drew Perkins2/14/2014

A boat anchor!

Don Rose2/14/2014

I agree w/ Buddy & Drew.

Subject: FedEx Trivia Quiz 2/17/14:

Jimmy Glenn Burk2/17/2014

FedEx Trivia Quiz 2/17/14:a. Who is this person?b. What was his role in building technology @ FedEx?

Buddy Johnson2/17/2014

Jim Moore. Sr Mgr (maybe MD) over TeleComm during creation of networking

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