Chinese Lunar New Year

Celebrations of the Chinese Lunar New Year traditionally last for 16 days, starting from Chinese New Year's Eve to the Lantern Festival. In 2024, that is from February 9 to February 24. 

The most notable dates of the Chinese Lunar New Year 2024 are these three days:

• New Year's Eve on February 9, 2024

• New Year's Day on February 10, 2024

• The Lantern Festival on February 24, 2024

2024 is the Year of the Dragon according to the Chinese zodiac, starting from February 10, 2024, and lasting until January 28, 2025.

Recent years of the Dragon are 2012, 2000, 1988, 1976, 1964, 1952...

Learn more HERE

Read More about how Boston plans on celebrating below in the DEI section.

Happy Valentine's Day

Valentine’s Day occurs every February 14. This year it falls on Tuesday and Martignetti Companies hopes you have the sweetest Valentine's Day.

Inclement Weather Ahead

Winter weather can be unpredictable, especially in New England. Please make sure you have our Weather/Storm Hotlines on hand.

MA - Weather/Storm Hotline: 781-348-8000 (ext. 7669)

NNE - Weather/Storm Hotline: 603-263-2499

CT - Weather/Storm Hotline: 781-348-8000 (Admin/Sales ext. 7670) (Warehouse ext. 7671)

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

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, skating, sledding)
• Life Events (weddings, graduations, anniversaries, purchase a new house)
• 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]

Araine Himmel

Graphic Designer, Marketing, MA

Family trip to the Ice Castles in Woodstock, NH!

Winter is HERE!

We are excited about holidays, winter activities and festive meals and drinks from home. If you have any pictures from home please send them to [email protected]

Chinese Lunar New Year in Boston

Chinese New Year Parade

Boston’s annual Chinese New Year parade takes place on Sunday, February 18, bringing crowds, street food, dancing, firecrackers, and music to the streets of Chinatown. Most of Chinatown closes to car traffic during the event, while the parade proceeds around Kneeland Street, Harrison Ave, and Essex Street. Paradegoers will see dance troupes and kung fu groups performing lion dances with elaborate costumes and many restaurant owners in the neighborhood leave offerings to “feed” the lions, ensuring good luck for the new year. The parade also usually includes a dragon dance, as long as the weather holds up so the delicate dragon costumes aren’t damaged.

Lunar New Year Cultural Village

Each year, on the same day as the Chinatown parade, the China Trade Center at 2 Boylston Street hosts the Lunar New Year Cultural Village. The village has lots of kid-friendly activities to help ring in the new year, like calligraphy, origami, lantern crafting, snacks, and a special lion dance performance.

Read more HERE

Black History Month Presentation

We're excited to introduce our special Black History Month (BHM) interactive presentation, brought to you by the Education, Awareness, & Training Subcommittee.

This presentation is designed to celebrate and deepen our understanding of Black and African American history. The theme of BHM 2024 is African Americans and the Arts.

Click HERE to view the presentation.

We encourage you to support Black-Owned Businesses within your community and around the world this month and every month. During BHM we will be spotlighting these amazing owners in our DEI section. We will be celebrating their history-making firsts in our industry, how they built their companies and what products they have available through Martignetti Companies.

BHM Spotlights:

Ty Law | Corvus Vodka

Former Patriots and Pro Football Hall of Famer, Ty Law launched his premium Vodka brand Corvus in 2023.

Law played the first 10 years of his 15-season NFL career in New England, where he won three Super Bowl rings. He intercepted 53 passes in his career, returning seven for touchdowns.

Corvus Vodka is distilled 6 times and charcoal filtered for character and smoothness. The name Corvus is derived from the Latin word meaning black raven. Corvus symbolizes intelligence, knowledge, partnerships, guidance, insight, and protection.

Corvus Vodka has pledged to donate a portion of the proceeds from the sale of every bottle to support the Georgia Frontiere Rosenbloom Family Enshrinees Assistance Fund – money the Pro Football Hall of Fame administers to aid members of the Hall in times of need.

“I want to pay homage to the guys who paved the way for me to live the life I enjoy today,” Law said. “Those players inspired me to dream and play the game I love for a living.”

Fawn Weaver | Uncle Nearest

Fawn Weaver is known today as the woman who turned Nearest Green’s legacy into a dedicated whiskey brand, but before that, she was a best-selling author and tech entrepreneur living in California with no ties to the spirits industry.

Weaver was interested in learning more when she first read about Nathan "Nearest" Green, the Tennessee enslaved black man who taught Jack Daniel how to make whiskey. Green’s existence had long been an open secret. “It was jarring that arguably one of the most well-known brands in the world was created, in part, by a slave,” said Ms. Weaver.

Uncle Nearest was created by Weaver to honor the whiskey-making process of Green whom many now refer to as the "godfather of Tennessee whiskey". As the first known African-American master distiller, the brand is the first in the spirit industry's history to commemorate an African-American.

Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey is the fastest-growing American whiskey brand in U.S. history, the best-selling African American-founded spirit brand of all time, and the most award-winning American whiskey.

In addition to being at the helm of Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey, Weaver is also the founder of the Nearest Green Foundation. This 501(c)(3) non-profit organization offers full scholarships to every descendant of Nearest Green, the world’s first known African-American master distiller.

Charles Woodson | Intercept

Let’s break down some of Charles Woodson's most memorable achievements. Collegiate accolades include two-time All-American status at Michigan, 1997 National Champion, and he’s the only individual to win the Heisman Trophy while playing significant minutes on both sides of the ball. Professionally, he’s a Super Bowl XLV champ, 2009 Defensive Player of the Year, 1998 Defensive Rookie of the Year, the 2015 Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award recipient, 2021 Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee, and nine-time Pro Bowl selectee. He is the only player to have won the aforementioned Heisman, NFL Rookie of the Year, and NFL Defensive Player of the Year.

Charles Woodson brings the same passion and hard work to his wine Intercept as his once-in-a-lifetime football career.

“Working in this business, these businesses, you’re always trying to be in certain places, right? You try to navigate between your personal life and your professional one. I have a family, my wife, and my kids. I work with FOX. I have wine, I have whiskey. Everything takes time, and each thing you do takes a little bit of time away from you. You need to try and make the most of it.”

And remember to always, always, always do so with a glass of wine in hand.

Willie O'Ree | First Black NHL Player 

Willie O'Ree became the first Black NHL player on January 18, 1958. Willie O'Ree made his NHL debut with the Boston Bruins, making him the league's first Black player. In his career, O'Ree played 45 games over two seasons with the Bruins. His No. 22 jersey was retired on January 18, 2022.

O'Ree was born in 1935 in Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada. According to the NHL, O'Ree joined the Quebec Junior Hockey League in the 1954-55 season before he was acquired by the Quebec Hockey League the following year. During his second season, he was called up to the Bruins to replace an injured player, making his debut against the Montreal Canadiens. Officials say his debut did not get the publicity he expected, and he played another game against Montreal before returning to Quebec. O'Ree played other games in the American Hockey League and the Eastern Professional Hockey League before he was called again by the Bruins for the 1960-1961 season.

On January 1, 1961, he scored the first goal by a Black player after getting a pass from Bruins defenseman Leo Boivin. That season, he played 43 games, adding 10 assists and scoring four goals. But his time with the Bruins came to an end when his contract was traded to the Western Hockey League. 

After playing for several years in the WHL and the AHL, he retired in 1979.

Dan Hedlund from the Excel Division, MA was there with his wife Megan on January 18, 2022, when Willie O'Ree's No. 22 jersey was retired.

This Month’s Training Highlight:

Outlook - Organize Your Inbox by Using Folders

This two-minute training will teach you how to create rules to move, flag, and respond to email automatically.

Click HERE to launch the training.

Employee Awareness Information:

Tax Season is Here!

Don't forget to download your tax forms from the Paylocity mobile app or website.

Mobile App Access:

Access the Pay menu > Tax Forms

• Select the tax form to view (click on “W-2”)
• To email the document to yourself or another recipient, select the year and click on the email icon
• Enter a PW that will be required when opening the PDF document

Looking to go paperless?

• Access your profile
• Select the Paperless sub-menu and confirm your consent

Website Access:

Go to the Self-Service menu > Expand the Pay Section > Select “More” > Choose Tax Forms

• Select the tax form you would like to view
• Select “Download W-2” to view, save, or print the document
• You will be asked to password-protect (the PDF) or skip this step and download the document
• When PW protecting, you can select any PW and will need to enter it again when you select “View PDF”
• You can bypass the PW protection step by clicking the check box and selecting “View PDF”

Click HERE for a video on how to access your tax forms.

Joke of the Week

Do you have a date for Valentine's Day?

Yes, it's Wednesday, February 14, 2024.

Cupid Approved

INGREDIENTS (Makes 2):

• 4 oz. Baileys Irish Cream

• 4 oz. Absolut Vanilia Vodka

• 9 scoops of Strawberry Ice Cream

• Handful of Ice

• Garnish: Whipped Cream & Sprinkles



DIRECTIONS:

Blend all ingredients together and pour into a festive glass. Top with whipped cream and sprinkles! 

Missed the video? Watch HERE

Mohegan Sun Wine & Food Fest

Mohegan Sun Wine & Food Fest was a success giving attendees a chance to sip and sample their way through endless vintages and signature dishes, incredible showcases, and tastings during the four-day affair across the Uncas Ballroom, Earth Expo & Convention Center, and restaurants across the property.

➤ Mohegan Sun Casino, Uncasville, CT

Connecticut Division

Remy Martin Chinese New Year Event in Boston

A wonderful celebration of the Chinese New Year with the amazing help of our supplier partners at Remy Cointreau, set up by our very own Beatrice Chung from the Excel Division! 

The event to celebrate the Chinese Lunar New Year at China Pearl sponsored by Remy Martin was a huge success! A total of 300 Guests attended the banquet, and many pictures were taken. Boston Mayor's advisor for Chinese community integration attended the event and did not hide his excitement about the evening.

The family who owns the restaurant was very grateful and already confirmed their wish to have Remy Martin as a key partner for their upcoming restaurant opening in Chinatown. Great job Beatrice!!! 

➤ China Pearl Restaurant, Boston, MA

Beatrice Chung

Excel Division

Special Recognition For Nelson Gil!

Here is Nelson Gil receiving a very nice recognition from Mike Wells of Treasury Wines with a superb bottle of wine for being the best overall salesperson for the first half of the fiscal year for Treasury Wine Estates! 

Carolina Division

Connecticut Sales Division

is featuring Ole Smoky White Chocolate Strawberry Cream for Valentine's Day.

Love at first sip. Perfect for Valentine’s Day! Not much compares to white chocolate-covered strawberries. 

Except for maybe our White Chocolate Strawberry Cream Moonshine. We took the mellow, creamy flavors of white chocolate and fresh strawberries and mixed it in with our moonshine to create a sipper that’ll keep you coming back.

Hartley & Parker Sales Division

is also featuring Candoni Pinot Noir. The perfect wine to celebrate National Pizza Day on February 9.

Pinot & Pizza, need we say more? Candoni Pinot Noir is elegant and light, fruit-forward, and slightly earthy on the palate. It is dry with a good, elegantly balanced structure with no hints of roughness. The bouquet offers scents of red and black currants in combination with refined notes of vanilla. It is a ruby-red color that resembles the lush shades of wild berries. Pairs perfectly with pizza!

Sales Division portfolios may include products that are not available in all states.

Connoisseur Sales Division

is featuring Castello del Poggio Sweet Wines for Valentine's Day.

Castello del Poggio Unlock your senses in the Secret Garden collection, with beautiful aromas and flavors of favorites like Moscato, Sweet Red, Moscato D’Asti, and Sweet Rosé. Who needs flowers for Valentine's Day when you can have an entire Secret Garden!

Connoisseur Sales Division

is also featuring 11 MINUTES Rosé by Pasqua.

11 MINUTES refers to the duration of the skin contact, the pressing of grapes: the full load of grapes is very softly pressed. In this optimal length of time, we extract the most noble qualities of the grapes and obtain the slightly rosy shade that characterizes this wine.

The Corvina varietal, which dominates in terms of percentage, was chosen for the floral aromas as well as the significant acidity it gives to the wine. Trebbiano brings elegance and a long finish; Syrah gives fine fruit and spice notes to the glass and finally, Carmenere creates structure, ensuring stability over time. This a fresh, enveloping rose with an intense and complex bouquet, perfect to share with someone on Valentine's Day.

Carolina Sales Division

is featuring Rinna Wines Sparkling Brut Rosé for Valentine's Day.

Rinna Wines Sparkling Brut Rosé is the perfect wine to drink when you want something sweet and refreshing. The Brut Rosé has notes of fresh strawberries and raspberries, with layers of orange citrus and a hint of spice. This Sparkling Rosé is fresh, clean, and easy to drink.

Century Sales Division

is featuring NEW CÎROC LIMONATA.

CÎROC LIMONATA launches Cîroc into a new direction of elevated indulgence by combining quality crafted vodka infused with citrus and Italian Lemon flavors. LIMONATA’s bold and refreshing citrus notes transport the flavors and experience of the Mediterranean to consumers anywhere in the world.

Distilled five times from fine French grapes, this premium vodka is infused with the zesty and refreshing flavors of lemon and other citrus fruits.

United Sales Division

is featuring Tito's Handmade Vodka for Valentine's Day.

Tito’s Handmade Vodka is known for its high-quality product, charitable contributions, and goal to make people happy while making the world a better place. From the start, Tito got a kick out of infusing vodka for friends and quickly became known as “the vodka guy.” With a dream to do what he loved and a dog by his side, he pursued a career in the spirits industry, risking it all until he sold his first case.

Over twenty-five years later, Tito’s Handmade Vodka has stayed true to its roots and is designed to be savored by both spirit connoisseurs and those who enjoy a simple cocktail. Our gluten-free, low-calorie vodka is American-made, unflavored, and distilled using old-fashioned copper pot stills, inspired by the distillation methods of fine single-malt scotches and high-end French cognacs. Over 25 years later, the process remains the same; Tito’s is made in batches, with each batch taste-tested, and goes down smoothly with an impeccably clean finish. From Galentine's to Valentine's Day cocktails – just add Tito’s and enjoy!

Classic Sales Division

is featuring Angels & Cowboys Rosé for Valentine's Day.

Angels & Cowboys journey began with a sentimental namesake, a bold, mysterious icon, and an appreciation for down-to-earth wines. These elements drove the vision to create an offering of wines that indulge the lover, the trailblazer, and the rule breaker in all of us.

Angels & Cowboys Rosé is classic Oeil de Perdrix. The color is that of a champagne diamond. It has delicate aromas suggesting light mandarin, pomegranate blossoms, and wildflowers. On the palate, the wine is lively and racy with flavors of tart cherries and minerals. The A&C Rosé displays vibrant acidity, freshness in the mid-palate, and great delicacy in the finish.

Commonwealth Sales Division

is featuring La Marca Rosé Prosecco for Valentine's Day.

La Marca Prosecco Rosé Offering the bright, crisp fruit and floral essence of our traditional Prosecco with the delicate elegance of Pinot Noir, it sparkles with classic notes of fresh-picked citrus, honeysuckle, peach, and pear, blending with hints of ripe red cherry, raspberry and wild strawberry.

Modern Assistance Program - MA NNE

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.

Services Include, but are not limited to:

• Short-term mental health support.

• Critical incident and after-hours crisis intervention.

• Assistance with wellness and stress management.

• Advocacy in court or registry of motor vehicle matters.

• Referral services for financial challenges.

Visit Website HERE

Life Balance UNUM - MA NNE

P: 800-854-1446

Services Include, but not are limited to:

• Access to licensed professional counselors.

• Support for grief and loss.

• Assists with work/life balance.

• Assistance with legal questions and referral to an attorney.

• Assists with fraud resolution & identity theft.

Visit Website HERE

User ID and password: "lifebalance"

Anthem Life - Resource Advisor - CT

P: 888-209-7840



Services Include, but are not limited to:

• Access to licensed professional counselors.

• Financial & Legal matters.

• Support for grief and loss.

• ID Theft Recovery.

Visit Website HERE

Log in with the program name: AnthemResourceAdvisor for more information.

Office Ergonomics

Is your office and/or home office organized? Are you working ergonomically correct? Here’s a reminder for our employees about workspace safety and ergonomics:

• Place your computer screen at arm’s length away with the top third at eye level.

• Adjust your chair so your feet are flat on the floor and your lower back is supported.

• Use extra lighting for close-up tasks.

• If you use a laptop as your primary work on a computer, consider adding a separate monitor, keyboard, and mouse.

• Clear away tripping hazards, such as loose cords.

• Take regular breaks to walk, stretch, and rest your eyes.

What does working ergonomically correct look like?

February 14th is National Donor Day

Observed every year on February 14th, National Donor Day is an observance dedicated to spreading awareness and education about organ, eye, tissue, blood, platelets, and marrow donation. By educating and sharing the Donate Life message, we can each take small steps every day to help save and heal more lives and honor the donor’s legacy of generosity and compassion. 

National Donor Day is also a day to recognize those who have given and received the gift of life through donation, are currently waiting for a lifesaving transplant, and those who died waiting because an organ was not donated in time.

Learn more HERE