MMI International announced a corporate donation to the Cattlemen’s Ball of Nebraska. This donation benefits The Eppley Cancer Center at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Each year the proceeds from the Cattlemen’s Ball of Nebraska go to The Eppley Cancer Center at the University of Nebraska Medical Center and other Nebraska healthcare organizations.

JCB officially marked its 65th anniversary by presenting thousands of employees around the world with gifts to mark the occasion. The milestone was celebrated as JCB also reported a strong recovery from the deepest-ever recession in the global construction equipment industry with a return to robust earnings.

I recently returned from visiting a Midwestern resort to speak to a group of nutritional consultants. During the three-day conference, I noticed something particularly unique about the resort employees. They all said hello to the guests.

On December 14, 1799, George Washington died. Two days earlier he spent five hours riding around his Mt. Vernon farm in a winter storm. After being exposed to the extended cold and wetness, he contracted what is believed by many to be acute epiglottis. This piece of anatomy in the upper throat, when inflamed, can swell. Even by today’s standards it can be life-threatening, but generally antibiotics are sufficient for full recovery. Untreated, the epiglottis swells, suffocating the victim.

When you need to hire a new employee, what are some of the traits you look for in an applicant? How about when a position opens up and you’re planning to promote someone from within your team? If you were asked to answer those two questions at a seminar with a room full of managers, I’m sure the group would come up with a pretty long list of characteristics. Actually, it would probably be so extensive, you might decide not to hire or promote anyone until the perfect candidate comes along! But most of the time when someone chooses to quit, you need to hire their replacement as soon as possible. And unfortunately, out of desperation, you’re probably even tempted to hire the next person available.

It doesn’t matter how you explain it away, it just comes back as the most irritating thing about the business of hoof trimming. Whether the farmer decides to retire and sell out or the young man ran out of financial options and his path out of the dairy business is chosen for him by his banker, it still personally bothers me way too much. However, if Dairyman Smith decides to switch to another younger, faster trimmer with a new chute – LOOK OUT! – I will be out to lunch (so to speak) for a week and a half. My mood will be less than positive (to say the least) and I will always be looking for something sweet to eat.