Corporate Responsibility
Hello USA! values corporate responsibility with the utmost of importance, encompassing an endless list of topics. Our hierarchy of an approach is dispersed within four pertinent categories: Industry Participation, Corporate Giving, Environmental Initiatives and Winning.
Hello USA! people choose to actively participate in our industry, they are not just employed by it. We contribute time, expertise and dollars to the betterment of our profession. And while contributing, we learn the best and most innovative practices of suppliers, customers and peers. Listed below are the primary industry organizations we partner with and our current participation level:
| Industry Organization | Membership |
Service |
|---|---|---|
| Association of Destination Management Executives (ADME) | 2 members |
1 board member |
| American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) | 1 member |
|
| Financial & Insurance Conference Planners (FICP) | 3 members |
1 committee member |
| Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI) | 2 members |
|
| International Special Events Society (ISES) | 8 members |
4 committee members 2 chapter officers |
| Las Vegas Hospitality Association (LVHA) | 1 member |
1 board member |
| Meeting Professional International (MPI) | 14 members |
3 committee members 1 chapter officer |
| National Association of Catering Executives (NACE) | 4 members |
|
| Orlando/Orange County Convention & Visitors Bureau (OCVB) | Corporate Member |
1 board member |
| Professional Convention Management Associations (PCMA) | 2 members |
|
| Society of Incentive & Travel Executives (SITE) | 3 members |
2 chapter board members 1 chapter officer |
Hello USA! and Mears Transportation Group provide numerous cash gifts and in-kind services to community organizations. Most of those who receive our assistance have one of two characteristics: they benefit children, or one of our employees is personally involved in the charitable organization and their cause. In 2008 over 40 organizations received cash and/or services from us. These beneficiaries included the United Negro College Fund, The Central Florida Boy Scouts, The Children’s Tumor Foundation, Coalition for the Homeless, Coastal Conservation Society and many more. The diversity of our contributions reflects the diversity of interests among our people. And we enjoy assisting them with their personal causes. In addition, we have established long term partnerships with organizations. Below are just a few charities that have become part of our organizational fabric, receiving our support year after year.
Hospitality Helping Hands
Each year Mears Transportation Group and Hello Florida! sponsors the Hospitality Helping Hands Carnival benefiting foster and adoptive children of the Children’s Home Society of Florida, Central Florida area. As Florida’s oldest non-profit provider of services to local children and families, the Children’s Home Society of Florida is committed to “helping turn lives around” as it redirects troubled teens to a new path of hope, transforms the lives of mothers suffering from drug addiction to help them become more responsible parents, provides a safe harbor for abused children, and reverses crisis situations so that lives can be changed for the better. CHS provides Florida families with a unique spectrum of social services including foster care, adoption, child abuse prevention, emergency shelters, group homes, case management and treatment for developmentally disabled children. Since the first Carnival in 2002, over 800 children and adults have enjoyed this day long event filled with games, prizes, food and entertainment.
Give Kids the World
“Give Kids The World Village (GKTW) is a 70-acre, non-profit resort that creates magical memories for children with life-threatening illnesses and their families.”
GKTW provides these families with a cost-free, week-long vacation that includes accommodations, meals, attractions tickets, and complimentary ground transportation courtesy of Mears Transportation Group.
Mears Transportation Group is a founding member of Give Kids the World, which has welcomed more than 75,000 families from all 50 states and more than 50 countries. Thanks to the generosity of the Mears organization, these visiting families have received millions of dollars worth of ground transportation, at no cost to them.
Recently, the founder of Mears Transportation Group, the late Paul Mears, Sr. was honored with a memorial stone placed on the Avenue of the Angels at Give Kids the World Village. The stone recognizes Mr. Mears for his long-standing commitment to Give Kids the World.
For more information, please visit www.gktw.org.
The Russell Home
Recognized nationally for its compassionate care for disabled children and adults, the Russell Home was established 55 years ago by Vantrease “Grandma” Russell to care for disabled children who otherwise would be institutionalized. The home’s first resident, now age 60, still lives there. The Russell Home receives no governmental funding; it relies solely on private donations, and does not solicit funds.
The Mears/Hello companies assist the Russell Home in several ways. Each Thanksgiving, we donate generous quantities of food and supplies, and then in December we donate the entire proceeds from our Christmas Party raffle.
For more information, please visit www.russellhome.org.
Hello USA! has a multitude of environmentally safe practices currently in place. In an effort to keep our planet healthy, only washable porcelain cups or ecocontainer cups are used. Each are made entirely of renewable resources. Our recycling policies extend over aluminum cans, office paper and supplies (folders, paperclips, binders, toner/ink cartridges), and we have virtually eliminated paper proposals and checks (direct deposit) all together.
We also encourage practices with our affiliates. Mears Maintenance facilities are no stranger to going green. Only an aqueous washer is used to clean vehicles and their parts, eliminating the need for solvents. Air conditioning refrigerant is reclaimed and reused as is the water used in the wash systems. Engine, transmission and gear oil is recycled, as are oil filters, scrap metals and antifreeze. Hydraulic lifts are located above the ground to prevent ground contamination from leaks. Absorbent pads are used to soak up oils that are stored in spill proof drums and recycled. Tire pressure is meticulously maintained to maximize fuel use and only low sulfur diesel is used in all coaches. Emission controls are maintained according to OEM specifications and all drivers are instructed to idle engines when passengers are present or boarding.
Hello USA! continues to further our environmental efforts as practices are perfected and technology presents new opportunities. We are currently researching the overall benefits of converting our vehicles to alternative and advanced fuels, such as propane fuel and the possibility for Solar Photovoltaic (SV) to power our office buildings. We are also in the process of replacing paper towels with electric hand dryers in all restrooms.
Winning — It’s our priority and a responsibility!
At Hello USA! we believe the core responsibility of our organization is to win… create value, use it to generate income, employ people who create value far beyond that of what they do at work, use a portion of profits to help good causes, distribute a portion of profits to owners for taking on the risk associated with a private enterprise, and re-invest in tools and talent to continuously create value thus maintaining the circle of prosperity.
We believe that if we ever lose sight of our cause, which is to continuously work to be the best for our customers, then all of the other benefits will be lost. Our primary responsibility must be our business.
