JACKSONVILLE, Fla., Feb. 24, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- UPS (NYSE:UPS) today announced that 88 elite drivers from Florida are among 1,613 newly inducted worldwide into the Circle of Honor, an honorary organization for UPS drivers who have achieved 25 or more years of accident-free driving.
Florida boasts 499 active Circle of Honor drivers with a combined 14,081 years of accident-free driving. Ginny Odom of Orlando is the state’s senior-most safe driver, with 41 years of accident-free driving under her belt. There are 5,385 total UPS drivers in Florida.
Globally, 8,703 active UPS drivers are members of the Circle of Honor. Collectively they’ve racked up more than 245,000 years and more than 5.3 billion safe miles during their careers. That’s enough miles to travel to Mars and back 19 times.
“My thanks go to all of them for their dedication and focus and for the countless lives they’ve saved,” said David Ruiz, president, UPS Florida District. “Their attention to detail has kept them safe and has helped improve public safety.”
Globally, the most seasoned UPS Circle of Honor driver is Thomas Camp of Livonia, Mich., with 53 years of driving without an accident. Ronald McKnight of Bronx, N.Y., is next in line with 47 years of safe driving. Sixty-six others have logged at least 40 years without an accident.
UPS’s 102,000 drivers are among the safest on the roads, logging more than 3 billion miles a year and delivering more than 4 billion packages safely.
Founded in 1907, UPS has a rich history of safety and training. The company issued its first driver handbook in 1917 and began recognizing safe drivers in 1923. In 1928, UPS recognized its first five-year safe driver, Ray McCue, with UPS founder Jim Casey presenting him a gold and platinum watch. UPS formally established its safe driving honor program in 1928.
** NOTE: The following table lists local drivers by hometown and UPS center. If you’re interested in interviewing a local driver, please contact UPS Public Relations at pr@ups.com. Visit pressroom.ups.com for multimedia assets.
Following is a list of Florida drivers inducted this year to the Circle of Honor.
| Driver | Hometown | UPS Work Location |
| Allen, Willie | Jacksonville | Jacksonville |
| Ammaturo, Elizabeth | Longwood | Longwood |
| Andres, Fermin | Hialeah | Miami |
| Autrey, Larry | Orlando | Orlando |
| Ayers III, David | Brooksville | Brooksville |
| Barton, Gary | Orange Park | Jacksonville |
| Baxter Jr, James | New Port Richey | New Port Richey |
| Benjamin, Jeffrey | Orlando | Orlando |
| Bishop, Lawrence | Boynton Beach | Riviera Beach |
| Bitcon, Rowland | Orange Park | Jacksonville |
| Borge, Jacqueline | Pembroke Pines | Miami |
| Boza, Charles | Kissimmee | Orlando |
| Bradley, Frank | Cape Coral | Naples |
| Browning, William | Riverview | Orlando |
| Butler, Timothy | Naples | Hialeah |
| Campbell, Craig | Jacksonville | Jacksonville |
| Castillo, Ariel | Miami | Miami |
| Cathey, Michael | Port Orange | Daytona |
| Chambers, Timothy | Melbourne Beach | Melbourne |
| Chasteen, Michael | Gainesville | Jacksonville |
| Conde, Manuel | Miami | Hialeah |
| Crouse, Peter | Orlando | Orlando |
| Demyan, Andrew | Shalimar | Panama City |
| Diaz, Adalberto | Miami | Hialeah |
| Ervin, Steve | Sarasota | Sarasota |
| Farmer, Patrick | Sun City Center | Tampa |
| Foster, Fitzgerald | Royal Palm Beach | Deerfield |
| Gallant, Stephen | Leesburg | Leesburg |
| Giudice, Nicolas | Land O' Lakes | Bayside |
| Gonzalez, Carlos | Pembroke Pines | Hialeah |
| Graves, Larry | Wellington | Hialeah |
| Gray, William | Ocala | Ocala |
| Griner, Ernest | Riverview | Tampa |
| Gwynn, Christian | Eustis | Longwood |
| Hicks, Quentin | Brandon | Tampa |
| Howell, Jody | Live Oak | Lake City |
| Johnson, Joseph | Tallahassee | Tallahassee |
| Kathman, Mark | Port Orange | Daytona |
| Keiger, John | Bradenton | Bradenton |
| Kiernan, James | Clermont | Longwood |
| Kirkland, Bruce | Tallahassee | Tallahassee |
| Koelker, George | Ormond Beach | Daytona |
| Kriminger, George | Miami | Miami |
| Lamp, Rockne | Cape Coral | Ft. Myers |
| Lawrence, Kent | Winter Haven | Lakeland |
| Leonard, Michael | Ft. Myers | Ft. Myers |
| Lewers, Richard | Ft. Lauderdale | Ft. Lauderdale |
| Lewis, Charles | St. Petersburg | Pinellas Park |
| Lowe, Randall | Pensacola | Panama City |
| Machado, Gerardo | Miami Springs | Hialeah |
| Martin, John | Labelle | Ft. Myers |
| Mascia, Lori | Lakeland | Orlando |
| McArdle, James | Ft Walton Bch | Panama City |
| Medvetz, Craig | Bradenton | Sarasota |
| Mims, Terry | Daytona Beach | Daytona |
| Murphy, Patrick | Miami | Miami South |
| Nauman, Kenneth | Sarasota | Orlando |
| Nelson, Robert | Palm Harbor | Orlando |
| Parcels, Kevin | Palmetto | Bradenton |
| Peplow, Robert | Stuart | Stuart |
| Perrone, Dennis | Tampa | Tampa |
| Peters II, Donald | Sanford | Longwood |
| Pogue, Delarian | Cantonment | Pensacola |
| Radd, Jerry | Tallahassee | Tallahassee |
| Ray Jr., Roy | Casselberry | Longwood |
| Reuter, Kurt | Ft. Lauderdale | Ft. Lauderdale |
| Rhoden, Schiley | Naples | Naples |
| Ridenhour, Randall | Jacksonville | Jacksonville |
| Robinson, Karl | Margate | Deerfield |
| Rogan, Sean | Naples | Naples |
| Roman, Joseph | Longwood | Longwood |
| Sarro, Jeffrey | Boynton Beach | Deerfield |
| Schaare, Daniel | Oviedo | Longwood |
| Schafer, Tommy | Davie | Miami |
| Schultz, Edward | Palm Harbor | Palm Harbor |
| Schunatz, Joseph | Loxahatchee | Hialeah |
| Sloan, James | Leesburg | Leesburg |
| Smith, Thomas | Orlando | Longwood |
| Stephenson, Thomas | New Smyrna Beach | Daytona |
| Stewart, David | Clear Water | Pinellas Park |
| Straley, David | Palm Beach Gardens | Riviera Beach |
| Strandberg Jr., Robert | Largo | Pinellas Park |
| Tidwell, Lawrence | Lithia | Lakeland |
| Tigner, Curtis | Deerfield Beach | Deerfield |
| Trudeau, Jay | Parrish | Pinellas Park |
| Velez, Danny | Miami | Miami South |
| Wright, Harrial | Brooksville | Bayside |
| Zessin, Kirk | Defuniak | Chipley |
Contact: UPS Public Relations
pr@ups.com
