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<p align="center"><img border="0" src="hronthejob.jpg" width="504" height="54"></p>
<h2 align="center"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">SALES</font></h2>
<h3 align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">NOTHING
HAPPENS UNTIL SOMEBODY SELLS SOMETHING !</font></b></h3>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">The
image most of us have of a salesperson is a back-slapping, joke telling, fast
talker who pressures people into buying things they may not really want.
In reality, there are few successful salespeople with those traits. When
you�re hiring someone for sales, what personal characteristics do you look for?</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">There
is, actually, no one type that represents all salespeople. Sales jobs
are different, and so are the characteristics needed for each sales job.
</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Some
Stockbrokers and most door-to-door salespeople often do have some of those characteristics.
If you�re interviewing candidates for those jobs, you might want to seek out
those traits in those you interview. </font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Heavy
equipment and capitol goods salespeople usually need to establish expertise
in their products. They�ll have to educate customers and follow up with
knowledge and service. Candidates for those jobs should display characteristics
of knowledge, integrity and the ability to instill trust. </font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Whether
you need a salesperson who can lock up a quick sale in one cold call, develop
a client base of continuous business, or someone who can be your �Rainmaker�
and network a chain of relationships to bring the public to your door, it would
be nice if we could identify some basics to use as a guideline in selecting
salespeople. </font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">In
her book, �Sell It Baby�, Kimberly L. McCall reports interviewing experts and
business owners on what characteristics form the basis for selecting salespeople.
These are the results.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b>1.
Integrity</b> Why are used car salespeople so poorly regarded? Because
the perception is that they will say anything to get the sale. Integrity
tops the list of qualities salespeople need. The customer must trust someone
they buy from. The customer still buys the salesperson.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b>2
Creativity </b> Using non-obvious<b> </b>methods to connect to the client.
Beyond depending on business cards and the standard leave-behind brochures,
�Rainmakers� brings a unique vision to the work that will make themselves and
their company stand out.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b>3.
Passion</b> To have a genuine love for an industry or a product helps
get salespeople through the inevitable tough time, and that love will show through
to the client. </font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b>4.
Tenacity</b> Shaking off feelings of rejection and continuing to plug
away when its toughest, is essential to sales success. It takes personal
courage and a certain steely quality to persist when most sales calls aren�t
successful. You have to get up every morning and say �Its not going to
happen unless I make it happen.�</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b>5.
Commitment</b> Some sales cycles can take months, maybe years. But
as the old hymn says, �Keep your eyes on the prize�, while continuing to see
other prospects. That takes commitment. Selling is not easy.
You must have a burning desire and believe that success is the result of your
willingness and intent to make things happen. </font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"> </font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">When
you�re hiring a Salesperson, look beyond the stereotypes and try to identify
the characteristics that will produce your top salesperson. </font></p>
<hr>
<h2 style="margin-left:.75in" align="center">
<font face="Verdana" color="#008000">Have an employment question?</font></h2>
<h3 style="margin-left:.75in" align="center"><font face="Verdana">Send it to
<a href="mailto:[email protected]?subject=From HR On The Job">
[email protected]</a></font></h3>
<p style="margin-left:.75in" align="center"><b><font face="Verdana" size="2">
Please include Company Name and Association in your e-mail. Company
identification will be kept confidential.</font></b></p>
<hr>
<table border="0" width="91%" height="376">
<tr>
<td width="100%" height="370">
<h2 align="left"><b><u><font
face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Hitchhiking on the Information
Highway</font></u></b></h2>
<p align="left"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><b><font
size="4" color="#FF0000">Dateline: March 2004</font></b></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size="-1">Note. Although we attempt to provide the HRU update on the first
of each month, we are normally delayed awaiting the release of several
monthly government statistical reports. We will hereafter update the information
as each report becomes available without waiting for all of them to be
released.</font></i></p>
<h3><u><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">LADDERS ARE A
LAWYERS BEST FRIEND</font></u></h3>
<p class="MsoBodyText2"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">The
oldest manufacturer of ladders in the U.S. is a family owned business
started in 1855. The John S. Tilly Ladder Co. of Watervilet NY filed
bankruptcy after 149 years of business. The company was profitable,
was seldom sued and never lost a court judgment. But their liability
insurance, which cost them 6% of their gross sales in 1994, climbed to
almost 30% by 2002. The extraordinary rise in cost was attributed
to jury awards, which averaged $1.7 million per case in 1994, had increased
to an average of $6 million in 2002.</font></p>
<h3><b><u><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">HOW�S YOUR
ABSENTEE RATE?</font></u></b></h3>
<p class="MsoBodyText2"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">A
major survey of 3.6 million employees in over 1,000 companies showed that
most employers are reporting an increase in absenteeism over last year.
The absences reported did not include such time off as vacations or holidays.
The average absenteeism time for all companies, large and small, was 3
to 5 days per year. </font> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">The
report showed that smaller companies (under 500 employees) do a much better
job of tracking and dealing with absenteeism. Larger companies (over
500 employees) are twice as likely to state that they �don�t know� how
much absenteeism they have because they don�t track it.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">The
average company has a cost of $327 per day for each absence. So
a company with 100 employees can expect to spend $96,000 to $168,000 per
year on absenteeism. </font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Very
few companies (18%) are tracking the <b><i>costs</i></b> of their turnover
because it�s not viewed as a priority and because they don�t know how.
</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">The
results of the survey:</font></p>
<table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse" bordercolor="#111111" width="100%" id="AutoNumber8">
<tr>
<td width="100%">
<h4 align="center"><u><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">AVERAGE
NUMBER OF MISSED WORKDAYS PER EMPLOYEE PER YEAR</font></u></h4>
<h4 align="center"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Number
Of Employees</font></h4>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse" bordercolor="#111111" width="100%" id="AutoNumber9">
<tr>
<td width="14%" align="center"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"></font></td>
<td width="14%" align="center"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><u><b>Total</b></u></font></td>
<td width="14%" align="center"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><u><b>2
to 99</b></u></font></td>
<td width="14%" align="center"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><u><b>100
to 499</b></u></font></td>
<td width="15%" align="center"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><u><b>500
to 999</b></u></font></td>
<td width="15%" align="center"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><u><b>1000
to 4999</b></u></font></td>
<td width="15%" align="center"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><u><b>5000+</b></u></font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="14%"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Under
3 days</font></td>
<td width="14%" align="center"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">11%</font></td>
<td width="14%" align="center"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">19%</font></td>
<td width="14%" align="center"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">10%</font></td>
<td width="15%" align="center"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">12%</font></td>
<td width="15%" align="center"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">6%</font></td>
<td width="15%" align="center"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">4%</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="14%"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">3
-5 days</font></td>
<td width="14%" align="center"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">44%</font></td>
<td width="14%" align="center"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">50%</font></td>
<td width="14%" align="center"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">45%</font></td>
<td width="15%" align="center"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">44%</font></td>
<td width="15%" align="center"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">40%</font></td>
<td width="15%" align="center"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">41%</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="14%"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">6
- 7 days</font></td>
<td width="14%" align="center"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">22%</font></td>
<td width="14%" align="center"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">18%</font></td>
<td width="14%" align="center"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">23%</font></td>
<td width="15%" align="center"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">20%</font></td>
<td width="15%" align="center"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">27%</font></td>
<td width="15%" align="center"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">17%</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="14%"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">8
- 10 days</font></td>
<td width="14%" align="center"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">10%</font></td>
<td width="14%" align="center"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">10%</font></td>
<td width="14%" align="center"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">12%</font></td>
<td width="15%" align="center"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">7%</font></td>
<td width="15%" align="center"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">7%</font></td>
<td width="15%" align="center"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">15%</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="14%"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Over
10 days</font></td>
<td width="14%" align="center"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">2%</font></td>
<td width="14%" align="center"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">1%</font></td>
<td width="14%" align="center"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">2%</font></td>
<td width="15%" align="center"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">7%</font></td>
<td width="15%" align="center"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">1%</font></td>
<td width="15%" align="center"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">1%</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="14%"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Don't
Know</font></td>
<td width="14%" align="center"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">11%</font></td>
<td width="14%" align="center"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">3%</font></td>
<td width="14%" align="center"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">9%</font></td>
<td width="15%" align="center"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">11%</font></td>
<td width="15%" align="center"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">18%</font></td>
<td width="15%" align="center"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">22%</font></td>
</tr>
</table>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
<p class="MsoBodyText2"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">For
more information or to obtain a copy of the 2003 EBN/JHA Absence Management
Survey report connect to mupdike@jha</font>web.com</p>
<h3><b><u><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">NEW RULES FOR
OVERTIME READY?</font></u></b></h3>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">The
DOL announced that after several delays, they intend to finalize the new
regulations on overtime by March 31, 2004. </font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">A
source of much wrangling, for the average employer the results may be
a wash. You will likely lose a few exempts ( not paid overtime)
as they become non-exempt (paid overtime) And you are just as likely
to have a few non exempts become exempt. Which industry you are
in may be the key determinate as to how you will be affected.
</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">A
few changes seem to be already in place. </font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">All
employees making more than $65,000 annually will be automatically exempt
and the law will <b><i>not</i></b> require them be paid overtime.
All employees who earn $22,100 or less, will automatically be non-exempt
and <b><i>must</i></b> be paid overtime.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">For
all those in between, there will again be tests to determine if an employee
qualifies as exempt under the categories for �Executive�, �Administrative�
or �Professional�. But those tests are expected to have several
changes. </font></p>
<h3><b><u><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">COUNT THOSE
LEAVE DATES, WATCH THOSE TERMINATION DATES.</font></u></b></h3>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Keeping
track of dates of employment actions has always been important.
Here�s an example of why.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">An
employee, who had been with the company less than one year, and therefore
was not eligible for Family And Medical Leave (FMLA), had significant
absences for depression, irritable bowel syndrome and headaches.
</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">When
her doctor advised 6 weeks off the job, the company authorized her for
short-term disability and notified her that she must return at the end
of that time or she would be terminated. When she did not return
on that date, the company terminated her. </font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">She
sued in court under the FMLA. The company held that she was not
eligible under the FMLA as she had been employed for less than one year.
</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">However,
when the court examined her personnel file, they discovered that the date
that the company set for her termination was 9 days past her hire date.
</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">So
by granting the disability leave she passed her one year anniversary date
and became eligible under FMLA. She was awarded $91,000 in damages.</font></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText2"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Count
those leave days, watch those termination dates.</font></p>
<h3><u><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">SUPREME COURT
AUTHORIZES DISCRIMINATION</font></u></h3>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">In
February the U.S. Supreme court ruled that companies could discriminate
against younger workers by favoring older workers <b><i>because they were
older workers. </i></b></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">The
court stated that �to protect a relatively older worker from discrimination�
preferences for older workers was OK. The court went on to note
that under the Age Discrimination In Employment Act (ADEA), �the enemy
of 40 is 30, not 50�</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Although
this is good news for older workers and those employers who have been
sued for favoring older workers in benefits, the fear is that once the
law of the land allows discrimination for older workers, will it then
allow discrimination for other protected classes?</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<h2 class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="text-decoration: none"><b><u>QUOTES
OF THE MONTH</u></b></span></font></h2>
<p><span style="text-decoration: none"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
�All of us are like 10 speed bikes, we�ve got gears we never use�</font></span><span style="text-decoration: none"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2"></font></span></p>
<span style="text-decoration: none"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">
<p class="MsoNormal"> <font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
<i> Charles Shultz</i></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
</font><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">�People
who enjoy meetings should not be in charge of anything�</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> <font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
<i> Thomas Sowell</i></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">�There�s
a fine line between genius and insanity. I have erased this line�</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> <font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
Oscar Levant</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">�Perfect
is the enemy of good�</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> <font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
<i>John Stossel</i></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">�We
are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a
habit�</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> <font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
<i> Aristotle</i></font></p>
</font>
<hr width="75%">
<table border="0" width="33%">
<tr>
<td width="64%" valign="top">
<div style="border-style: solid; border-width: 1; padding-left: 4; padding-right: 4; padding-top: 1; padding-bottom: 1">
<p align="left"><font size="-1"
face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><b>Minimum Wage:</b></font></p>
</div>
</td>
<center>
<td width="100%" valign="top"><font size="-1"
face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">$5.15/hr.</font></td>
</center>
</tr>
</table>
<table border="0" width="99%">
<tr>
<td width="13%" valign="middle" style="border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1; border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1; border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1"><font
face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b>Average
Income:</b></font></td>
<td width="67%" style="border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1">
<table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse" bordercolor="#111111" width="100%" id="AutoNumber4" height="76">
<tr>
<td width="100%" height="76">
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse" bordercolor="#111111" width="100%" id="AutoNumber5">
<tr>
<td width="50%" align="center"><b><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">Hourly</font></b></td>
<td width="50%" align="center"><b><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Weekly</font></b></td>
</tr>
</table>
<table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse" bordercolor="#111111" width="100%" id="AutoNumber6" height="50">
<tr>
<td width="25%" height="50">
<p align="center"><u><font size="-1">February 2003</font></u><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><br>
$15.34</font>
</td>
<td width="25%" height="50">
<p align="center"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><u>
February 2004<br>
</u>$15.60</font>
</td>
<td width="25%" height="50">
<p align="center"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
<u>February 2003</u><br>
$515.42</font></td>
<td width="25%" height="50">
<p align="center"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
<u>February 2004</u><br>
$516.59</font>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
</td>
<td width="20%">
<table border="0" width="99%" height="78">
<tr>
<td width="100%" height="40">
<p align="center"><font size="-1"
face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><b><u>Family of<br>
Four</u></b></font>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="100%" height="30">
<p align="center"><font size="-1"
face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">$64,000 (annual)</font>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="13%" bgcolor="#C0C0C0" style="border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1; border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1"><font
face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b>Federal<br>
Poverty Level:</b></font></td>
<td width="67%" bgcolor="#C0C0C0" style="border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1"> </td>
<td width="20%" bgcolor="#C0C0C0">
<p align="center"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size="-1">$17,650 (annual)</font>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
<hr noshade color="#000000">
<table border="0" width="99%">
<tr>
<td width="100%" style="border-style: solid; border-width: 1">
<h3><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size="-1"><b><u>Benefits <br>
</u></b><i>as a Percentage of Payroll</i></font></h3>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
<table border="0" width="100%" height="275" style="border-collapse: collapse" bordercolor="#111111" cellpadding="2">
<tr>
<td width="31%" height="45" valign="top" bordercolor="#000080" bgcolor="#C0C0C0">
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b>1997</b></font></p>
</td>
<td width="5%" height="45" valign="top" align="left" bordercolor="#000080" bgcolor="#C0C0C0">
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b>24.8%</b></font></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="31%" height="46" valign="top" bordercolor="#000080" bgcolor="#C0C0C0">
<p><font size="-1"><b><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">
1998</font></b></font></p>
</td>
<td width="5%" height="46" valign="top" align="left" bordercolor="#000080" bgcolor="#C0C0C0">
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b>23.4%</b></font></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="31%" height="46" valign="top" bordercolor="#000080" bgcolor="#C0C0C0">
<p><font size="-1"><b><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">
1999</font></b></font></p>
</td>
<td width="5%" height="46" valign="top" align="left" bordercolor="#000080" bgcolor="#C0C0C0">
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b>22.8%</b></font></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="31%" height="46" valign="top" bordercolor="#000080" bgcolor="#C0C0C0">
<p><font size="-1"><b><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">
2000</font></b></font></p>
</td>
<td width="5%" height="46" valign="top" align="left" bordercolor="#000080" bgcolor="#C0C0C0">
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b>26.1%</b></font></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="31%" height="46" valign="top" bordercolor="#000080" bgcolor="#C0C0C0">
<p><font size="-1"><b><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">
2001</font></b></font></p>
</td>
<td width="5%" height="46" valign="top" align="left" bordercolor="#000080" bgcolor="#C0C0C0">
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b>27.1%</b></font></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="31%" height="46" valign="top" bordercolor="#000080" bgcolor="#C0C0C0">
<p><font size="-1"><b><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">
2002</font></b></font></p>
</td>
<td width="5%" height="46" valign="top" align="left" bordercolor="#000080" bgcolor="#C0C0C0">
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b>
30.0%</b></font></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="31%" height="46" valign="top" bordercolor="#000080" bgcolor="#C0C0C0">
<span style="text-decoration: none"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
<b><i> In 2002, employee benefits represented 30% of the total compensation
an employee received.</i></b>
<p><b><i> Those benefits ranked are:</i></b>
</font></span>
<p>
</td>
<td width="5%" height="46" valign="top" align="left" bordercolor="#000080" bgcolor="#C0C0C0">
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="31%" height="46" valign="top" bordercolor="#000080" bgcolor="#C0C0C0">
<span style="text-decoration: none"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">
Health Care Benefits</font></span></td>
<td width="5%" height="46" valign="top" align="left" bordercolor="#000080" bgcolor="#C0C0C0">
<span style="text-decoration: none"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
11.5%</font></span>
<p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="31%" height="46" valign="top" bordercolor="#000080" bgcolor="#C0C0C0">
<span style="text-decoration: none"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">
Paid Time Off</font></span></td>
<td width="5%" height="46" valign="top" align="left" bordercolor="#000080" bgcolor="#C0C0C0">
<span style="text-decoration: none"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
10.4%</font></span>
<p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="31%" height="46" valign="top" bordercolor="#000080" bgcolor="#C0C0C0">
<span style="text-decoration: none"><font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">
Retirement Savings Plan</font></span></td>
<td width="5%" height="46" valign="top" align="left" bordercolor="#000080" bgcolor="#C0C0C0">
<span style="text-decoration: none"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
8.1%</font></span>
<p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="31%" height="46" valign="top" bordercolor="#000080" bgcolor="#C0C0C0">
<span style="text-decoration: none"> <font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><b>Total
Benefits (As a percentage of total compensation)</b></font></span></td>
<td width="5%" height="46" valign="top" align="left" bordercolor="#000080" bgcolor="#C0C0C0">
<span style="text-decoration: none"> <font size="-1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><b>
30%</b></font></span></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="31%" height="46" valign="top" bordercolor="#000080" bgcolor="#C0C0C0">
</td>
<td width="5%" height="46" valign="top" align="left" bordercolor="#000080" bgcolor="#C0C0C0">
</td>
</tr>
</table>
<hr noshade color="#000000">
<b>
<table border="0" width="100%">
<tr>
<td width="37%" style="border-style: solid; border-width: 1">
<p align="left"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size="-1"><b>IRS Mileage Allowance :</b></font></p>
</td>
<center>
<td width="63%" style="border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1">
<div align="left"><font size="-1"><b>37.5</b> </font><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size="-1">cents per mile<br>
</font></div>
</td>
</center>
</tr>
</table>
<table border="0" width="100%" bgcolor="#C0C0C0">
<tr>
<td width="32%" style="border-style: solid; border-width: 1">
<p align="left"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size="-1"><b>Postage:</b></font></p>
</td>
<center>
<td width="68%" style="border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1"> </td>
</center>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="32%" style="border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size="-1">1 oz.</font></td>
<td width="68%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size="-1">.37</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="32%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size="-1">Each additional ounce</font></td>
<td width="68%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size="-1">.23</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="32%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size="-1"><i>Postcards</i></font></td>
<td width="68%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size="-1">.23</font></td>
</tr>
</table>
</b>
<hr noshade color="#000000">
<b>
<p>
<table border="0" width="38%" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" style="border-collapse: collapse" bordercolor="#111111" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0">
<tr>
<td width="100%" style="border-style: solid; border-width: 1"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size="-1"><b>Where Uncle Sam got his money in 2003:</b></font></td>
</tr>
</table>
<p align="center"> <img border="0" src="../graphics/2003usrevenue.gif" width="630" height="371"></p>
<hr noshade color="#000000">
<table border="0" width="38%" bgcolor="#C0C0C0" style="border-collapse: collapse" bordercolor="#111111" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0">
<tr>
<td width="100%" style="border-style: solid; border-width: 1"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size="-1"><b>Where your federal tax dollar went in 2003:</b></font></td>
</tr>
</table>
<p align="center"> <img border="0" src="../graphics/2003usbudget.gif" width="632" height="402"></p>
<hr noshade color="#000000">
<table border="0" width="98%">
<tr>
<td width="34%" style="border-style: solid; border-width: 1">
<p align="left"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size="-1"><b><u>Population:</u></b></font></p>
</td>
<center>
<td width="82%" style="border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1"> </td>
</center>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="34%" style="border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size="-1"><b>World</b></font></td>
<td width="82%">
<p align="left"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size="-1">6.3 Billion</font>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="34%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size="-1"><b>U.S.</b></font></td>
<td width="82%">
<p align="left"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size="-1">292.3 Million</font>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
</b>
<hr noshade color="#000000">
<table border="1" width="99%" bgcolor="#C0C0C0">
<tr> <b>
<td width="48%" style="border-style: solid; border-width: 1">
<p align="left"><b> <font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">U.S.
Workforce</font></b></p>
</td>
</b>
<center>
<td width="12%" align="center"><b><u><font size="-1">January 2003</font></u></b></td>
<b>
<td width="12%" align="center"><font
face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><u><b> January
2004 </b></u></font></td>
</b>
</center>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="48%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size="-1">U.S. Civilian Workforce</font></td>
<td width="12%" align="center"><font
face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">145,</font><font size="-1">693,000</font></td>
<td width="12%" align="center"><font size="-1">146,154,000</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="48%"><font size="-1">Number Employed</font></td>
<td width="12%" align="center"> <font size="-1">136,433,000</font></td>
<td width="12%" align="center"> <font size="-1">137,384,000</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="48%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size="-1">Number Unemployed</font></td>
<td width="12%" align="center"> <font size="-1">9,260,000</font></td>
<td width="12%" align="center"> <font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">
8,</font><font size="-1">297,000</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="48%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size="-1">Unemployment Rate</font></td>
<td width="12%" align="center">
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">6.4%</font></p>
</td>
<td width="12%" align="center">
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">5.6%</font></p>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
<hr noshade color="#000000">
<p><b>COMPARATIVE WORLD UNEMPLOYMENT RATE FOR MID-YEAR 2003:</b></p>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse" bordercolor="#111111" width="100%" id="AutoNumber7">
<tr>
<td width="40%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">France</font></td>
<td width="60%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">9.2%</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="40%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">Germany</font></td>
<td width="60%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">9.2%</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="40%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">Canada</font></td>
<td width="60%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">7.0%</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="40%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">Sweden</font></td>
<td width="60%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">6.1%</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="40%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">United
States</font></td>
<td width="60%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">6.1%</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="40%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">Japan</font></td>
<td width="60%"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">5.5%</font></td>
</tr>
</table>
<hr noshade color="#000000">
<table border="0" width="98%" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" style="border-collapse: collapse" bordercolor="#111111" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" height="96">
<tr>
<td width="25%" style="border-style: solid; border-width: 1" height="48">
<p align="left"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size="-1"><b>Absentee Rates (annualized)</b></font></p>
</td>
<center>
<td width="10%" align="center" valign="top" style="border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1" height="48"><font
face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b><u>1997</u></b></font></td>
<td width="10%" align="center" valign="top" height="48"><font
face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b><u>1998</u></b></font></td>
<td width="11%" align="center" valign="top" height="48"><font
face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b><u>1999</u></b></font></td>
<td width="11%" align="center" valign="top" height="48"><font
face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b><u>2000</u></b></font></td>
<td width="11%" align="center" valign="top" height="48"><font
face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b><u>2001</u></b></font></td>
<td width="11%" align="center" valign="top" height="48"><font
face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b><u>2002</u></b></font></td>
<td width="11%" align="center" valign="top" height="48"><font
face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b><u>3rd Quarter<br>
2003</u></b></font></td>
</center>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="25%" style="border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1" height="48">
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">Men equal
approximately 1/3 of all absenteeism<br>
Women approximately 2/3</font></td>
<td width="10%" align="center" valign="top" height="48"><font
face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">2.0%</font></td>
<td width="10%" align="center" valign="top" height="48"><font
face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">2.6%</font></td>
<td width="11%" align="center" valign="top" height="48"><font
face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">2.4%</font></td>
<td width="11%" align="center" valign="top" height="48"><font
face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">2.9%</font></td>
<td width="11%" align="center" valign="top" height="48">
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">2.1%</font></p>
</td>
<td width="11%" align="center" valign="top" height="48">
<p><font size="-1">3.6</font><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">%</font></p>
</td>
<td width="11%" align="center" valign="top" height="48">
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">1.9%</font></p>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
<hr noshade color="#000000">
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse" bordercolor="#111111" width="100%" id="AutoNumber3" bgcolor="#C0C0C0">
<tr>
<td width="100%">
<h4><b><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">PRODUCTIVITY
OF THE AMERICAN WORKFORCE</font></b><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><br>
(The amount of goods produced, divided by the number of work hours
it took to produce it)</font></h4>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
<p>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse" bordercolor="#111111" width="100%" id="AutoNumber2" bgcolor="#C0C0C0">
<tr>
<td width="32%">
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b>1992</b></font></p>
</td>
<td width="68%">
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">3.7%</font></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="32%">
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b>1993</b></font></p>
</td>
<td width="68%">
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">0.5%</font></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="32%">
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b>1994</b></font></p>
</td>
<td width="68%">
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">1.3%</font></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="32%">
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b>1995</b></font></p>
</td>
<td width="68%">
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">0.9%</font></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="32%">
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b>1996</b></font></p>
</td>
<td width="68%">
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">2.5%</font></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="32%">
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b>1997</b></font></p>
</td>
<td width="68%">
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">2.0%</font></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="32%">
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b>1998</b></font></p>
</td>
<td width="68%">
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">2.6%</font></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="32%">
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b>1999</b></font></p>
</td>
<td width="68%">
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">2.4%</font></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="32%">
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b>2000</b></font></p>
</td>
<td width="68%">
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">2.9%</font></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="32%">
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b>2001</b></font></p>
</td>
<td width="68%">
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">1.1%</font></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="32%">
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1"><b>2002</b></font></p>
</td>
<td width="68%">
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="-1">4.7%</font></p>
</td>
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<td width="32%"><b><font size="2">2003</font></b></td>
<td width="68%"><font size="2">4.5%</font></td>
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<h3 align="center"> </h3>
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<p><font face="Verdana" size="2">� 2004 William J. Cook</font></p>
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