The East Oregonian
Posted April 24, 2008 online,
print edition April 16, 2008
By George Murdock
Wal-Mart knows how to throw a party. They also know how to conduct a pep rally.
And Tuesday, they rocked their distribution center between Hermiston and Stanfield in honor of its 10th anniversary at that site.
For the outside world it was a rare opportunity to get a first-hand glimpse inside the enormous structure that spreads over a sizeable piece of real estate. It also was a chance to hear company officials who had flown up from headquarters in Bentonville, Ark., heap praise on the 796 associates who work at the Hermiston center.
Hundreds of those associates were served up a Southern-style meal reminiscent of the retail giant's Arkansas' roots. They were joined by a group of city and county officials who were on hand for the celebration, including several dignitaries who were instrumental in convincing the world's largest retailer to come to Hermiston in the first place.
Among those on hand were Joe Burns, who was president of the Hermiston Development Corporation at the time Wal-Mart was considering where to locate a distribution center in this region. It was Burns who made the first call to Bentonville to suggest Hermiston as an ideal location.
Burns told the audience he was "so happy with what has come of Hermiston's efforts to locate the distribution center here."
"I am also proud of this distribution center in terms of what it has meant to our community," said Burns.
Hermiston Mayor Bob Severson agreed wholeheartedly with Burns' assessment. Other officials joining them at the event were former Mayor Frank Harkenrider, city Manager Ed Brookshier and Umatilla County Commissioner Dennis Doherty.
Darryl Phillips, regional vice president of Wal-Mart from the Bentonville headquarters, said location is obviously key in siting a distribution center and Hermiston has been a wise decision from the start.
Another visitor from Bentonville, regional transportation supervisor Kevin Dyer, praised the Hermiston center for its record of 22 million accident-free miles. He also noted that of the first 98 members of the department who were hired in 1998, 64 are still employed.
Dyer said 470,000 semitrailers have been deployed from the Hermiston center over the last 10 years.
General Manager Earl Wilson, who has been in Hermiston since the center opened a decade ago, said 204 of his employees have been involved since the center opened. He credited them with the success the local operation has achieved.
Assistant General Manager Steve Strampe, another 10-year veteran, said that when this center opened they were processing 50 cases per man hour. That figure is now 106 cases. He cited other statistics, such as the fact that in 1998 the center handled 37 million cases a year compared with the current figure of 138 million cases.
Strampe added the center has tripled the number of trailers it has handled and they will soon pass the one million trailer mark for this site.
During the anniversary ceremonies, employees took plenty of time to celebrate one of their most important traditions giving back to the community. In the first 10 years of operation, the distribution center has given $607,000 in grants to local organizations and causes, including $151,000 to education. The employees also have given $112,000 to the March of Dimes, making Wal-Mart the largest supporter of MOD in Eastern Oregon. They also have provided a six-figure donation to United Way, officials noted.
As the celebration came to a close, Wilson took the stage and ended the activities the same way he ends all staff meetings - by leading a rousing cheer as balloons rained down on the employees, all the while promising the next 10 years would be even better.
When the new Wal-Mart Supercenter opened in Columbia earlier this fall, it provided job opportunities for more than 200 people...
