November Newsletter
We hope everyone had a great and safe Thanksgiving! Welcome back to work and welcome to the final month of 2020.
Today’s newsletter includes donation updates, helpful technology tips, employee spotlights, and more.
TKG Gives Back
With ‘Service’ being one of our Four Core Values, we encourage our divisions and employees to donate their time, talents, and treasures to their communities when possible. As a way to recognize these acts of service and share uplifting stories, we have begun highlighting them in our monthly newsletter. When a you complete an act of service – either through work or outside of work – we ask that you please share it with the Marketing team by emailing them at marketing@thekincaidgroup.com. If you have pictures or videos relating to your service, please feel free to include those as well.
This month, we have an update on a team effort from our employees who helped raise gifts for Red Bags KC.
From mid-October to early November, The Kincaid Group and its divisions once again partnered with Red Bags KC to collect gift donations. The goal of the Red Bags KC charitable program is to provide gifts for foster children and families in need.  Since they started keeping total in 2001, Red Bags KC and its sponsors have been able to fill ‘Red Bags’ for over 26,000 children.
This was our third year participating. In 2018, we collected just over 200 gifts. Last year, we were able to donate 350 gifts. This year, we’re proud to announce that we donated 390 gifts along with $250 in cash donations. With ‘Service’ being one of our Four Core Values, we are beyond proud of the efforts from our amazing employees!
Always Learning
We have also recently added an ‘Always Leaning’ section to the monthly newsletter. This section will be used relay tips related to technology, organization, efficiency, and more. If you or your team has a tip that you think would benefit other employees, please submit it to our Marketing Team at marketing@thekincaidgroup.com.
For this first month, we have 20 essential Windows keyboard shortcuts to help save you clicks (this idea was presented to Marketing by Adam Tubbs):
1) Ctrl+Z: Undo
2) Ctrl+C: Copy
3) Ctrl+V: Past
4) Ctrl+W: Close
5) Ctrl+A: Select all
6) Alt+Tab: Switch apps
7) Alt+F4: Close apps
8) Win+Tab: Open the Task view
9) Tab and Shift+Tab: Move backward and forward through options
10) Ctrl+Esc: Open the Start menu
11) F2: Rename
12) F5: Refresh
13) Win+L: Lock your computer
14) Win+I: Open Settings
15) Win+S: Search Windows
16) Win+PrtScn: Save a screenshot
17) Ctrl+Shift+Esc: Open the Task Manager
18) Win+X: Open the hidden menu
19) Win+D: Show or hide the desktop (‘Win’ is the Windows button on your keyboard with four boxes making up a square)
20) Win+left arrow or Win+ right arrow: Snap windows (Opens windows on one side of the screen or the other to allow for side-by-side viewing)
TKG Leadership Workshop
Earlier this month, leaders from The Kincaid Group and its divisions attended a vision meeting at the Bonner Springs headquarters. This meeting consisted of a very unique guest speaker and a core values exercise.
Joel Goldberg, Kansas City Royals Broadcaster for FOX Sports Kansas City, spoke to the group about having a winning culture and what he’s witnessed the Royals organization do to be successful. Next, Vaughn Baker, President of Strategos International, kicked off a ‘Core Value Index’ exercise with a brief presentation. Lastly, Justin Erickson of HardWired Coaching facilitated a group discussion to review results of the Core Value Index exercise.
Midwest Bus Sales General Managers Meeting
Also, this month, Midwest Bus Sales held meetings to focus on 2021 strategic business plans to support their budget projections. Attendees included the four General Managers, Scott Kincaid, Dale Bohn, Bob Newman, and a Thomas Built Buses representative. The meetings spanned across three days at the Bonner Springs Midwest Bus Sales facility.
Bob Newman, Executive Director of Operations, had the following to say of the meetings: “Scott and I both enjoy listening to our group speak openly about the challenges and opportunities within our business. It’s a great group to work with and this was very productive. Considering all life is challenging us with, it was great to see the General Managers passionate and excited about 2021. The participation and constant drive to make us better is much appreciated.”
Employee Spotlights
American Digital Security
Lawrence Leiker – Director of Business Development for SourceIT, a subsidiary of American Digital Security
Q: How long have you worked for American Digital Security?
A: Seems like an eternity.
Q: What is your favorite memory since working for American Digital Security?
A: Too many to pick just one. Stop by my office someday with a cocktail and I’ll tell you some tales of tradeshows, golf outings, Christmas parties, back patio lunches, and the day I convinced someone to pitch a golf club across the pond.
Q: What is your favorite part of working for American Digital Security?
A: The people. I enjoy the people I work with in Liberty, but I also love my customers and vendors. I have developed relationships that go far beyond just buying and selling products. I have some customers who my family has visited on vacation and a fair amount I call on the holidays and weekends.
Q: What are your favorite hobbies outside of work?
A: I love music. All things music. It’s not uncommon for me to sit and listen to music instead of watching tv or reading a book. I got my first Walkman in 1984 and have been listening ever since. I made a career of DJing for close to three decades. I own over a thousand records and this year I have logged around 17,000 songs streamed.
Q: What is your favorite TV show and/or movie?
A: Ferris Beuller’s Day Off, His Girl Friday, and Frasier
Q: What is your favorite meal or restaurant?
A: Bacon cheeseburgers. I love places like Grinders, Mother Cluckers, Burg and Barrel, Leo’s Pizza, and of course, Joe’s KC.
Q: Who is your favorite sports team?
A: The World Champion Kansas City Royals and anybody playing the Yankees. Also Red Bull Racing and Sporting KC.
Q: Share something interesting about yourself that will help your co-workers get to know you better:
A: People see a Sanguine, but I’m a closet Melancholic hiding in a Choleric’s body. Deep down, I long to be Phlegmatic.
DS Bus Lines / STS New Mexico
Raul Estrada – Special Needs Router
Q: How long have you worked for STS New Mexico?
A: 8 years.
Q: What is your favorite memory since working for STS New Mexico?
A: Helping the Shawnee Mission location with driver route planning and office work.
Q: What is your favorite part of working for STS New Mexico?
A: Interacting every day with drivers and office personnel.
Q: What are your favorite hobbies outside of work?
A: Spending time with family and hanging out with my daughter.
Q: What is your favorite TV show and/or movie?
A: Sons of Anarchy and Keanu Reeves movies such as Matrix and John Wick.
Q: What is your favorite meal or restaurant?
A: Anything with green chili.
Q: Who is your favorite sports team?
A: Dallas Cowboys.
Q: Share something interesting about yourself that will help your co-workers get to know you better:
A: I am honest, dependable, and hardworking. I am also good with handling multiple tasks while on limited time.
Kincaid Coach Lines
Michael Jackson – Master Driver
Q: How long have you worked for Kincaid Coach Lines?
A: Since the acquisition of Red Carpet a few years ago. Before that, I was with Red Carpet for 17 years.
Q: What is your favorite memory since working for Kincaid Coach Lines?
A: The Washington DC trip with the FFA kids. I loved hanging out with them and seeing how the Government works. We also met Senators and Congressmen.
Q: What is your favorite part of working for Kincaid Coach Lines?
A: Getting to take people on trips and being on continuous vacation.
Q: What are your favorite hobbies outside of work?
A: RV-ing and jet-skiing.
Q: What is your favorite TV show and/or movie?
A: Star Trek and Casablanca.
Q: What is your favorite meal or restaurant?
A: Steak and potatoes meals, particularly Texas Roadhouse.
Q: Who is your favorite sports team?
A: New England Patriots.
Q: Share something interesting about yourself that will help your co-workers get to know you better:
A: I’m an open-book type of person. You can ask me anything and I’ll be open and honest with you and we can have conversations from there. I’ve always gotten along with my coworkers.
Kincaid Ready Mix
Dennis O’Brien – Business Development Consultant
Q: How long have you worked for Kincaid Ready Mix?
A: Two years.
Q: What is your favorite memory since working for Kincaid Ready Mix?
A: Working on the Veteran’s Community Center project.
Q: What is your favorite part of working for Kincaid Ready Mix?
A: The comradery we have as a team. We have great laughter and friendship.
Q: What are your favorite hobbies outside of work?
A: Special projects such as house projects and other hands-on work. I also enjoy playing the guitar and being a great grandfather for eight grandchildren.
Q: What is your favorite TV show and/or movie?
A: Gladiator and my favorite sports teams’ games, which is the Chiefs right now.
Q: What is your favorite meal or restaurant?
A: My wife’s stir fry or chicken enchilada soup.
Q: Who is your favorite sports team?
A: Kansas City Chiefs.
Q: Share something interesting about yourself that will help your co-workers get to know you better:
A: I am the Vice President of the KCMO Division of the World Apostolate of Fatima.
The Kincaid Group
Suzanne Monahan – Marketing & Communications Manager
Q: How long have you worked for The Kincaid Group?
A: It will be two years in January.
Q: What is your favorite memory since working for The Kincaid Group?
A: When The Kincaid Group surprised the Bland family with a new adaptive van so they could get to doctors appointments easier with Josiah, their son who was born with a rare medical condition.
Q: What is your favorite part of working for The Kincaid Group?
A: Getting to work with a great group of people. (And all of the exercise I get walking around our giant building.)
Q: What are your favorite hobbies outside of work?
A: Running, reading countless novels about serial killers, watching my daughter’s Air Force Junior (AFJ) ROTC drill competitions, and doing never-ending projects around the house with my husband, Michael. (My daughter, Rachel, is pictured below commanding her AFJROTC flight during a drill competition last year.)
Q: What is your favorite TV show and/or movie?
A: Friends, King of Queens, and Horrible Bosses.
Q: What is your favorite meal or restaurant?
A: Chicken fried steak, mashed potatoes and gravy, corn, and garlic bread.
Q: Who is your favorite sports team?
A: Kansas City Chiefs.
Q: Share something interesting about yourself that will help your co-workers get to know you better:
A: I am actually 500 years old. I have a portrait of myself aging in my attic.
State Line Nissan
Karen Meads – Payroll, Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable
Q: How long have you worked for State Line Nissan?
A: Since December of 1997.
Q: What is your favorite memory since working for State Line Nissan?
A: I have a lot, but one of them is when Nissan brought in a race car – around the time the Kansas Speedway was opening – and we got to sit in the cars. They were smaller than you would think.
Q: What is your favorite part of working for State Line Nissan?
A: We have a family-oriented environment where everybody takes care of everybody.
Q: What are your favorite hobbies outside of work?
A: Watching sports, gardening, and being outside on warm summer days.
Q: What is your favorite TV show and/or movie?
A: Coyote Ugly.
Q: What is your favorite meal or restaurant?
A: Mexican food and margaritas.
Q: Who is your favorite sports team?
A: Kansas City Chiefs and Kansas City Royals.
Q: Share something interesting about yourself that will help your co-workers get to know you better:
A: I don’t necessarily like to cook, but I can cook.
Social Media Reminder
Below are links to various social media pages of our divisions. Please feel free to like/follow as many as you would like. Additionally, the Marketing and Communications team is always looking for ideas on social media posts. If you ever have a work-related story, picture, video, etc. that may be worth sharing, please send it to marketing@thekincaidgroup.com. Social media is free publicity and a great way for the community to stay up-to-date with the work and accomplishments of our outstanding employees.
Thank you for your continued support of The Kincaid Group! To submit a story or point of interest for future newsletters, please contact Communications Specialist, Blake Hosley, at blake.hosley@thekincaidgroup.com.