Welcome Hartley & Parker

Beginning this week, we would like to welcome Hartley & Parker, a Division of Martignetti Companies, to The Grapevine. We will also be highlighting products from the Hartley & Parker portfolio.

Happy Juneteenth

Juneteenth (short for “June Nineteenth”) celebrated Monday June 19, marks the day when federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas in 1865 to take control of the state and ensure that all enslaved people be freed. The troops’ arrival came a full two and a half years after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation. Juneteenth honors the end to slavery in the United States and is considered the longest-running African American holiday.

Read more in our DEI section.

Happy Summer

The June solstice occurred this Wednesday, June 21, marking the astronomical first day of summer! The solstice is celebrated by many cultures around the world.

In the Northern Hemisphere, the June solstice (aka summer solstice) occurs when the Sun travels along its northernmost path in the sky. This marks the astronomical start of summer in the northern half of the globe. (In the Southern Hemisphere, it’s the opposite: the June solstice marks the astronomical start of winter, when the Sun is at its lowest point in the sky.)

Compass Medical Closure

If you are a Compass Medical patient please read important information about their unexpected closure and what you should do next in our Health & Wellness section.

We invite you to join Morgan Stanley at Work’s Webinar Wednesday series. Financial education can help you make the most of your equity compensation plan and play a vital role in building a better future.

To learn more and register click HERE

Intern Encouragement

Have any advice for the interns? We are looking for Martignetti employees to share from their experiences and careers with our seven new interns. We will share your notes of encouragement each week.

Send your advice to [email protected]

"Keep a positive attitude during your internship. Sometimes, you might find the job you thought you wanted isn't the right fit for you. Even if this is the case, use the internship as a learning experience and for finding ways to develop important skills."

- Janell Dubsky, VP of Human Resources

Welcome!

Please join us in welcoming these newly hired employees.

Casie Sullivan

Title: Business Development Manager, Hartley & Parker

Hired: 6/8/23

Fun Fact: I have a dog named Turkey

Favorite Hartley & Parker Product: Tito's Handmade Vodka of course!

Bobby Belancik

Title: Portfolio Manager, Hartley & Parker

Hired: 6/12/23

Fun Fact: I was born on Leap Year! (February 29^th)

Favorite Hartley & Parker Product: Tito's Handmade Vodka

Jenn Cederberg

Title: Executive Administrative Assistant, Sales

Hired: 6/19/23

Fun Fact: I had a rooster who was in a commercial with Rob Gronkowski for the "Big and Tasty" sandwich at Dunkin' Donuts!

Favorite Martignetti Product: Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio

Joseph Johnston

Title: Merchandiser, Century

Hired: 6/19/23

Fun Fact: I've been to three different countries (Mexico, Canada, and Ireland) and can't wait to go to England to visit my sister next summer!

Favorite Martignetti Product: Casamigos

Matt Wluka Switkes

Title: Sales Representative, Connoisseur

Hired: 6/19/23

Fun Fact: I had the opportunity to intern for ESPN during Super Bowl XXXIII in Miami and was assigned to work with Stuart Scott.

Favorite Martignetti Product: Caymus Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon

Congratulations!

Please join us in congratulating this well deserved promotion!

Melissa Fennell

From: Customer Service Manager

Promoted to: Customer Service and Administration Manager, Hartley & Parker

Date: 5/31/23

Ian Snover

From: Merchandiser

Promoted to: Business Development Manager, United

Date: 6/12/23

Kyle O'Connor

From: Merchandiser

Promoted to: Business Development Manager, United

Date: 6/12/23

Steve Galanis

From: Sales Representative

Promoted to: Business Development Manager, United

Date: 6/12/23

Jason Kelley

From: Key Account Manager

Promoted to: District Manager, Hartley & Parker

Date: 6/16/23

Demetra Modeen

From: Key Account Manager

Promoted to: District Manager, Hartley & Parker

Date: 6/16/23

Farewell Suzi Mylott

Vermont Spirit Sales Representative, NNE

Congratulations Suzi Mylott on your well-deserved retirement!

Martignetti Companies of NNE wants to congratulate Suzi on her 20-year career with our company. We would like to express our sincere appreciation to her and wish her the very best in whatever the future may bring!

We will miss you Suzi, congratulations on your well-deserved retirement!

"This is the best company I've worked for. A very special thank you to Matt Poquette and Patrick Murphy!"

- Suzi Mylott

Farewell Roy Goldstein

Sales Representative, Carolina Heritage

Congratulations Roy Goldstein on your well-deserved retirement!

After almost four decades, Carolina Heritage Sales Consultant Roy Goldstein is retiring on June 30, 2023. Academically trained as a Geologist, Roy Goldstein started at Carolina Wine & Spirits on August 5, 1985, and since then, has been an integral part of Carolina’s trade success. Our team will miss his sense of humor, fine wine knowledge and sales mentorship. We would like to express our appreciation and wish him the very best in the next chapter of his life.

Colleagues can write their retirement notes to Roy HERE

Roy – Congratulations! You are one-of-a-kind and we celebrate your achievements. Thank you for everything – Cheers! 💗 – The Carolina Heritage Team

The Newest Member of the Century Division!

Dillon Ashton Santos

Born: 6/19/23 @ 10:42 AM

Weight: 7 lb

Length: 20 Inches

Let us all join together in congratulating Stacey & Trinica on the birth of their adorable baby Dillon!

Proud Parents:

Stacey & Trinica Santos

6 Susan Dr.

Apt 3S

Berkley, MA 02779

This section is where employees can share updates from home. Here are a few topics that employees might be interested in seeing and sharing.

• Family, Kids, Animals (including names)
• Activities (boating, camping, parks, biking, swimming, hiking)
• Life Events (weddings, graduations, anniversaries, purchase a new house)
• Gardening/Outdoors (show off your garden, sunset, landscape)
• Home Renovations (before and after pictures)
• Food and Drink (date night, family night, home cooking, drinks)

If you have something to share please send in pictures for the following categories to [email protected]

Danielle Gaffney

Graphic Designer, Marketing

First and last day of 5th grade for Hunter!

Danielle Runkles

Social Media & Communication Specialist

Last day of 6th grade for Rachael. Next year Middle School!

Summer is HERE!

Summer is finally HERE! Share pictures of your adventures from home by sending them to [email protected]

Juneteenth

The Emancipation Proclamation issued by President Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1863, had established that all enslaved people in Confederate states in rebellion against the Union “shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free.”

But in reality, the Emancipation Proclamation didn’t instantly free any enslaved people.

In Texas, slavery had continued as the state experienced no large-scale fighting or significant presence of Union troops. Many enslavers from outside the Lone Star State had moved there, as they viewed it as a safe haven for slavery.



After the war came to a close in the spring of 1865, General Granger’s arrival in Galveston that June signaled freedom for Texas’s 250,000 enslaved people. Although emancipation didn’t happen overnight for everyone—in some cases, enslavers withheld the information until after harvest season—celebrations broke out among newly freed Black people, and Juneteenth was born. That December, slavery in America was formally abolished with the adoption of the 13th Amendment.

The year following 1865, freedmen in Texas organized the first of what became the annual celebration of "Jubilee Day" on June 19. In the ensuing decades, Juneteenth commemorations featured music, barbecues, prayer services and other activities, and as Black people migrated from Texas to other parts of the country the Juneteenth tradition spread.

In 1979, Texas became the first state to make Juneteenth an official holiday; several others followed suit over the years. In June 2021, Congress passed a resolution establishing Juneteenth as a federal holiday; President Biden signed it into law on June 17, 2021.

Read more HERE

Pride Month 2023

As Pride Month ends, we want to remind you that celebrating the LGBTQ+ Community isn’t something that can be contained to just one month. We want our employees to continue to be proud and show support all year long.

Why is it important to have dates/months of recognition?

These topics are important all year long but having a specific date or month brings them to the forefront and allows for deeper conversations. We want to start the conversation with our employees and share them in The Grapevine.

We received great submissions over the month from suppliers and employees. Thank you to those that participated and please continue to send photos and quotes about yourself being a part of or ally of the LGBTQ+ community to [email protected]

"When I was growing up there was very little positive representation of the LGBTQ+ community for me to look up to. Today, I am grateful to raise my family with my loving wife and to feel confident that our children will experience something bigger and better. They will see diversity being celebrated and appreciated. Love wins💗"

- Meredith Vento, Graphic Designer, Marketing

"I strongly believe in allyship and included a definition I agree with here. I also thought these public statements ring true for me."

- Sue Nordberg, Sales Representative, Carolina Heritage

Pride History

Milestones in the American Gay Rights Movement

July 4, 1965

• At Independence Hall in Philadelphia, picketers begin staging the first Reminder Day to call public attention to the lack of civil rights for LGBTQ+ people. The gatherings will continue annually for five years.

April 21, 1966

• Members of the Mattachine Society stage a "sip-in" at the Julius Bar in Greenwich Village, where the New York Liquor Authority prohibits serving gay patrons in bars on the basis that homosexuals are "disorderly." Society president Dick Leitsch and other members announce their homosexuality and are immediately refused service.
• Following the sip-in, the Mattachine Society will sue the New York Liquor Authority. Although no laws are overturned, the New York City Commission on Human Rights declares that homosexuals have the right to be served.

August, 1966

• After transgender customers become raucous in a 24-hour San Francisco cafeteria, management calls police. When a police officer manhandles one of the patrons, she throws coffee in his face and a riot ensues, eventually spilling out onto the street, destroying police and public property.
• Following the riot, activists established the National Transsexual Counseling Unit, the first peer-run support and advocacy organization in the world.

June 28, 1969

• Patrons of the Stonewall Inn in Greenwich Village riot when police officers attempt to raid the popular gay bar around 1am. Since its establishment in 1967, the bar had been frequently raided by police officers trying to clean up the neighborhood of "sexual deviants."
• Angry gay youth clash with aggressive police officers in the streets, leading to a three-day riot during which thousands of protestors receive only minimal local news coverage. Nonetheless, the event will be credited with reigniting the fire behind America's modern LGBTQ+ rights movement.

June 28, 1970

• Christopher St. Liberation Day commemorates the one-year anniversary of the Stonewall riots. Following the event, thousands of members of the LGBTQ+ community march through New York into Central Park, in what will be considered America's first gay pride parade.
• In the coming decades, the annual gay pride parade will spread to dozens of countries around the world

March 2, 1982

• Wisconsin becomes the first U.S. state to outlaw discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.

October 11, 1987

• Hundreds of thousands of activists take part in the National March on Washington to demand that President Ronald Reagan address the AIDS crisis.
• Although AIDS had been reported first in 1981, it is not until the end of his presidency that Reagan speaks publicly about the epidemic.

April 26, 2000

• Vermont becomes the first state in the U.S. to legalize civil unions and registered partnerships between same-sex couples.

May 18, 2004

• Massachusetts becomes the first state to legalize gay marriage. The court finds the prohibition of gay marriage unconstitutional because it denies dignity and equality of all individuals.
• In the following six years, New Hampshire, Vermont, Connecticut, Iowa, and Washington D.C. will follow suit.

October 28, 2009

• The Matthew Shepard Act is passed by Congress and signed into law by President Obama on October 28th. The measure expands the 1969 U.S. Federal Hate Crime Law to include crimes motivated by a victim's actual or perceived gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or disability.
• Matthew Shepard was tortured and murdered near Laramie, Wyoming on October 7, 1998 because of his sexual orientation.

December 18, 2010

• The U.S. Senate votes 65-31 to repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy, allowing gays and lesbians to serve openly in the U.S. Military.

June 26, 2015

• With a 5-4 decision in Obergefell v. Hodges, the U.S. Supreme Court declares same-sex marriage legal in all 50 states.

Research: How to Be a Better Ally to the LGBTQ+ Community

Workplace discrimination and exclusion remain significant challenges for many workers who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer and for other gender/sexual orientation minorities (LGBTQ+). A 2018 survey by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation found that 46% of LGBTQ+ workers reported being closeted at work and 20% reported searching for a different job because their workplace was unwelcoming to LGBTQ+ individuals. These findings show that there’s still a long way to go before the standard American workplace is fully inclusive for LGBTQ+ employees. Until then, organizations risk losing talented people.

Some straight, cisgender people think of themselves as allies to the LGBTQ+ community, maybe even going so far as to self-designate as such through signage in their workspace or on their personal effects. But do LGBTQ+ individuals actually perceive them to be allies?

To answer this question, we completed a four-year project to investigate how LGBTQ+ individuals determine whether someone is an ally. We conducted six studies, including thousands of LGBTQ+-identified participants across the U.S., to understand the causes and effects of allyship.

Continue Reading HERE

We want to make The Grapevine as inclusive as possible. If there is something you would like us to celebrate or recognize in The Grapevine DEI section, please email [email protected]

Hartley & Parker Meet & Greet

Tim Morrell and the Marketing team at Hartley & Parker, Robert Koch, Milly Iacono and Marlon Ruilova participated in a full day meet and greet at our Corporate Headquarters in Taunton, MA, The morning started with a tour of our Warehouse followed by a tour of the Marketing Department and a presentation by the Marketing team. At the luncheon the designers spent time getting to know each other and had the opportunity to discuss best practices. We ended the day with a demo of our Ontrak ordering system. 

Please join us in welcoming Robert, Milly and Marlon to our team and special thanks to Tim Morrell for facilitating the site visit and for assisting with the transition.

Employee Awareness Information​​​​​​​

As a part of our continuous efforts to enhance our corporate culture, we have implemented an awareness initiative to keep employees informed and engaged with valuable information, important updates, and reminders.

Each month a new update will be available and cover topics, including our corporate culture, policies, benefits, tools, and other important information that employees should be aware of. All updates are housed on the HR Hub under the Employee Resources section.

This month’s training highlight:

Respecting Diverse Experiences

Respecting Diverse Experiences:

This course introduces the concept of diversity in regards to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Accessibility (DEIA), and why embracing diversity and diversity in thought, perspectives, and experiences is important for business, company culture, and overall employee wellbeing. 

This course includes:

• Defining Diversity
• Describing the value of embracing diversity for business and employee wellbeing
• Explain how Respect is foundational to embracing DE&I
• Review examples of respecting diversity in the workplace

Launch Course HERE

Boston Pizza Festival 2023

Consider the largest Pizza Festival in the USA, Boston Pizza Festival 2023 will be held on June 24-25 in City Hall Plaza. This is a two day outdoor festival featuring live music, food, beverages and giveaways. Local and international vendors in the food and beverage industry will be there including Diageo and Treasury Wine Estates.

Diageo will be featuring:

• Loyal 9 Lemonade
• Ketel One Botanical Peach & Orange Blossom
• Crown Royal Whisky Cola
• Captain Morgan Piña Colada 

Treasury Wine Estates will be featuring:

• 19 Crimes

This year's Boston Pizza Festival has free entry! Pizza stands will be accepting pizza slice tickets that will be for sale at the event or you can purchase HERE

Joke of the Week

What’s the best way to burn 1000 calories?

Leave the pizza in the oven.

Watermelon Cosmo

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 oz Absolut Watermelon Vodka

• 1.5 oz Watermelon Puree

• .5 oz Cointreau

• .25 oz Lime Juice

DIRECTIONS:

Add all ingredients together in a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into glass. Garnish with a watermelon wedge.

Missed the video? Watch HERE

Bloody Mary

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 oz 1800 Cucumber & Jalapeño (or Tito's)

• 3 oz Q Bloody Mary Mix

DIRECTIONS:

Add 1800 Cucumber & Jalapeño to a rimmed glass with ice. Fill the remaining with Q Bloody Mary Mix. Stir and enjoy!

Missed the video? Watch HERE

Hibiscus Old Fashioned

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 oz Mayenda Blanco Tequila

• .25 oz Hibiscus-Agave Syrup

• 2 Dashes Mole Bitters

• Grapefruit Twist Garnish

DIRECTIONS:

Add Mayenda Tequila Blanco and the hibiscus-agave syrup to a mixing glass with ice. Add the bitters and stir together. Pour over ice into a fluted double old-fashioned glass and garnish with a grapefruit peel.

Diageo CEO Ivan Menezes Passes Away At 63

Ivan Menezes, who led the world's largest spirits company for the past decade, has passed away at the age of 63 after a brief illness.

“This is an incredibly sad day,” said Diageo chairman Javier Ferran. “Ivan was undoubtedly one of the finest leaders of his generation. Ivan was there at the creation of Diageo, and over 25 years shaped Diageo to become one of the best performing, most trusted and respected consumer companies.”

Born in Pune, India in 1959, Menezes was the strategy director at one of Diageo's forerunner companies, Guinness PLC, when Diageo was created in 1997. He subsequently held several senior roles at Diageo including Chief Operating Officer; President, Diageo North America; Chairman, Diageo Asia Pacific; and Chairman, Diageo Latin America and Caribbean; before being elevated to CEO in July 2013.

Diageo noted the company has expanded markedly during Menezes’ tenure, “now selling over 200 brands in more than 180 markets and is today the number one company by net sales value in scotch whisky, vodka, gin, rum, Canadian whisky, liqueurs, and also tequila, a category in which only eight years ago the company had no substantive position.”

He also navigated the company through the pandemic, with its sales now registering 36% above pre-pandemic levels. Likewise, he unveiled a $100 million “Raising the Bar” program to help pubs and bars around the world reopen post-Covid.

Menezes set targets to achieve gender parity in Diageo's senior leadership and to have 45% of Diageo's leadership to be ethnically diverse by 2025. As of now, over 40% of Diageo’s senior leadership positions globally are held by women, while 37% are ethnically diverse.

On the sustainability front, Diageo halved carbon emissions in absolute terms under his leadership, amid increased production and sales, and water efficiency also improved by almost half. His philanthropic pursuits included serving as chairman of “Movement to Work” and Pratham, devoted to structured work placements for young people in the UK and youth education and literacy in India, respectively.

Gris Blanc Rosé Display

➤ Bev Max, Norwalk, CT

Matthew Tumidajski

Merchandiser, Hartley & Parker

Elijah Craig Golf Display

➤ Happy Harry's, Newington, CT

Carmelo Bello

Merchandiser, Hartley & Parker

Tito's Handmade Vodka Golf Display

➤ Happy Harry's, Bristol, CT

Carmelo Bello

Merchandiser, Hartley & Parker

Opici Wine Group Trip to Italy

Tara Mathison, Jarod Winters, Sue Nordberg, Anthony Sciarappa, Dan Bathalon, and Todd Lockwood learned a great deal and had some amazing experiences in Italy with the properties Carolina/Carolina Heritage represent via Opici Wine Group.

➤ Italy

Carolina/Carolina Heritage Division

Large Vineyard Backdrop Installation

Vineyard backdrop with logos at Gomes Liquors.

➤ Gomes Liquors, Fitchburg, MA

Jake Ruder

Sales Representative, Carolina

Spritz Society Meet & Greet

We had a Meet & Greet event at MB Spirits with Claudia Oshry (@girlwithnojob) and Ben Soffer (@boywithnojob) who are Internet personalities. There was a great turnout and we sold a lot of Spritz Society!

Pictured with Claudia and Ben are Jessica Brennan and Michael Pizzotti.

➤ MB Spirits, Waltham, MA

Carolina Division

Oak Bluffs Pride 2023

Oak Bluffs Pride / Ritz Cafe sponsored by Proximo and Pernod Ricard.

➤ Martha's Vineyard, MA

Kristin Ingala

Sales Representative, Excel

Davio's Summer Solstice Event

Davio's Summer Solstice Event featuring Lafayette brands including Starlino and Plymouth Gin along with Altos Plata Tequila from Pernod Ricard. 

Organized by Sabrina Kimball from the Excel division assisted by BDM Alyson Mastrangelo from Pernod Ricard and Brendan Lee from Lafayette.

Special selfie feature with VP, Nicole Olivier

➤ Davio's, Foxborough, MA

Sabrina Kimball

Sales Representative, Excel

Hartley & Parker Sales Division

is featuring the unique, rich, and complex flavors of Mayenda Tequila Blanco.

Mayenda Tequila Blanco has undertones of baking spices, fresh herbs and pepper that weave their way

through caramelized agave notes. This tequila finishes with a lingering echo of citrus, honey and baking spices.

Hartley & Parker Sales Division

is also featuring Canerock Jamaican Spiced Rum.

Made from traditional Jamaican rums infused with natural spices and aged in oak casks, Canerock Jamaican Spiced Rum has a rich and unique character with sweet vanilla notes, dry fruits, and delicate oak tannins.

After being infused, our rum spends a few months in

ex-Pedro Ximenez sherry casks. This particular type of fortified wine from Jerez, Spain, is intensely and naturally sweet with notes of honey and candied fruits – a final touch that gives our rum rare length and complexity.

Hartley & Parker's portfolio may include products that are not available through Martignetti Massachusetts and NNE.

United Sales Division

is featuring 1800 Tequila's NEW innovation Cucumber & Jalapeño.

1800 Tequila Cucumber & Jalapeño uses their signature double-distilled 1800 Blanco Tequila infused with natural, ripe cucumber & jalapeño flavor for a refreshing cool taste with a spicy kick! This versatile spirit can be used to make a Spicy Margarita, Bloody Mary, or as a chilled shot.

United Sales Division

is also featuring Kylie Minogue Prosecco for Pride Month.

Without a doubt, Kylie Minogue is an institution in the LGBTQ+ community. Whether it’s her music or her allyship, she has always been known as a pop legend who recognizes the issues that the community has faced in history – specifically in the past couple of years. She strives to continue to help amplify the message of inclusivity.

“Keep up the noise [and] find the joy within the noise ,” she added. “Try to be the best version of our true selves. We’re changing all the time…but I think the community is strong, more than capable and I am a very proud ally.”

Kylie Minogue Prosecco is an elegant sparkling Prosecco Rosé with notes of fresh strawberries, raspberries and blossom. Brightly textured and crisp palate with a refreshing citrus finish.

Century Sales Division

is featuring a NEW addition to the Loyal 9 Cocktails family.

Loyal 9 Classic Margarita is made with real tequila, real triple sec, real lime juice, natural flavors and of course 9% ABV as with all Loyal 9 Cocktails.

Carolina Sales Division

is featuring Paco & Lola Albarino, perfect for Pride Month.

Paco & Lola Albarino produced a special celebration label to help support LGBTQ+ community members by donating a portion of sales wherever their wine is distributed. The colorful festive bottles help promote diversity and inclusion through the winery’s #takeprideeverymonth campaign.

Quite intense aromatic expression with herbs and balsamic hints along with white fruits, citrus fruits & stone fruits. Fresh with good structure and the same fruit characters as found on the nose.

Connoisseur Sales Division

is featuring The Pale Rosé that just arrived in time for the first day of Summer.

From the Estate of Sacha Lichine and crafted by renowned wine maker Bertrand Leon comes The Pale. The grapes come from the best vineyards that grow parallel to the Mediterranean Coast. As a result, this wine is strongly influenced by the fresh sea air of the French Riviera. The salty sun drenched soils give the wine a dry yet fruity character. The Pale derives its name from Londoners calling for a fresh glass of Rosé. 

Sacha introduced new and innovative winemaking techniques to Provence which revolutionized the styles of rosés being produced from this region. The Pale embodies all of the characteristics of an authentic rose from Provence. With its proprietary and artful bottle, The Pale will transport you to the south of France.

The Pale Rosé is an expressive wine both inside and out and bears great aromatic freshness on the nose. This rosé wine has subtle, fruity notes with hints of peach and pink grapefruit. Its elegant palate pairs perfectly with its colorful and playful label. While The Pale is bone dry, the finish is soft and creamy with undeniable elegance.

Classic Sales Division

is featuring the perfect sip of Summer, Tropical Moscato Cocktails and their NEW addition Ginger Lime.

At his family winery in Piedmont, Italy, winemaker Luca Bosio blends his best Moscato with 100% all natural fruit in each bottle; real passion fruit and mango from Brazil, Italian white peaches, cranberries, strawberries and blueberries from the Italian Alps and grapefruit sourced from Sicily. Tropical Moscato is a delicious blend that captures the aromas and flavors of the tropics in every bottle. No artificial ingredients! No added sugar. Low Alcohol.

Tropical Ginger Lime is a delicious blend of Moscato wine and real Sicilian limes and ginger from Vietnam that captures the aromas and flavors of the tropics. Bright notes of tropical fruits and full, ripe limes with a hint of ginger create a balanced yet crisp and refreshing finish.

Commonwealth Sales Division

is featuring Pink Whitney Vodka, perfect for the first day of Summer.

New Amsterdam Pink Whitney Vodka was born from an organic collaboration between Barstool Sports and award-winning New Amsterdam Vodka. The offering was inspired by the favorite drink of former NHL star and Barstool Sports personality, Ryan Whitney.

Pink Whitney is New Amsterdam Vodka infused with fresh pink lemonade flavor, creating the perfect balance of sweetness, natural lemon zest, and clean, refreshing taste. This pink lemonade-infused vodka is crisp and makes for a fun, sweet, zesty, and refreshing drink that perfectly balances the sweet and sour flavors. It has bottled at 30% alcohol by volume. It is best to savor on the rocks, as a chilled shot, with club soda or lemon-lime soda. Enjoy!

Modern Assistance Program

We realize that employees may be experiencing a variety of stressful life events. Modern Assistance Program remains accessible 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. If you or a family member needs assistance, please call (617)-774-0331 or (800)-878-2004 to speak directly with a licensed clinician.

Compass Medical Closure

As reported in the news, on May 30, 2023, Compass Medical abruptly closed all facilities. To assist those affected, we would like to supply the Mass.gov website. The Mass site has posted information as well as further links to the Compass Medical office. This will allow you the opportunity to reselect your current Primary Care Physician (PCP), who may have moved to a new practice. The Compass Medical link will also provide information on how to access your medical records.  

Please verify all selected providers are in-network by searching the National BlueCard Provider Network on BBA.

We hope you find this information helpful.

June is Cataract Awareness Month

More than half of all Americans age 80 or older either have cataracts or have had surgery to remove cataracts, according to the National Eye Institute (NEI). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that cataract is the leading cause of vision loss in the United States, and the leading cause of blindness worldwide. Prevent Blindness has declared June as Cataract Awareness Month to educate the public on risk factors, symptoms, types of cataract, and cataract surgery.

A cataract is a clouding of the eye’s lens which blocks or changes the passage of light into the eye. The lens of the eye is located behind the pupil and the colored iris and is normally transparent. The lens helps to focus images onto the retina – which transmits the images to the brain.

“Cataract is very common and affects more people than any other eye disease,” said Jeff Todd, President and CEO of Prevent Blindness. “The good news is that vision loss from cataract can be restored with treatment. We encourage everyone to learn the facts about cataract and the steps that can be taken to see clearly.” The first step is to get an eye exam.