Texas Book Company - News and Events

Each year Texas Book Company’s College Bookstore executives, administrators and bookstore managers gather in Dallas, TX, for training and team building. In addition to the hours of training and concentration on system upgrades, process and procedure instruction, and financial assessments, the participants made time for a little fun and games, to catch up with friends, and make new acquaintances. As in years past, light hearted competition proved to be amusing and an opportunity to learn leadership and team member skills. One of the favorites this year was “Building Bridges”, a competition that challenged teams to think creatively, plan, communicate, and execute. The challenge; build a bridge out of newspaper and masking tape tall and wide enough for a large “boat” to pass underneath, and strong enough to withstand the weight of a gallon of water. All five teams were successful in constructing a bridge, although some looked more like mutated animals, only one team came out on top. Top prize for building the winning bridge was a set of new teeth, proudly sported here by the winning team. Left to right: Heather Stevens, Tammy Williams, Ramsey Castillo, Shannon Carlsen, Dana Poag, and Tom Peterson.

Everyday bookstore managers are challenged to lead their team of employees. Often during times of extreme challenge or when celebrating our successes, we reflect on inspirational quotes to guide us. One of the team challenges was to write an inspirational quote, which could be used to encourage participants and motivate their employees. All 33 participants voted and chose the winner, which was adopted as this year’s group motto. The winning team of Tracy Turpin, King Thomas, Ali Martinez, Cindy Munsterteiger, Carmel Davis, and Debi Rippe inspired the group with this motivating quote:

Gene Widder, manager Brazosport College	Doreen Degenhardt, manager Howard College, San Angelo Campus
Nickey McEwen, manager East Central University	Lisa Ballard, manager Concordia University
Carmel Davis, manager Cossatot Community College of the University of Arkansas	Tammy Williams, manager University of Arkansas Community College at Hope
Tracy Peralta, manager New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology	Ramsey Castillo, manager South Plains College - Reese Campus
Joyce Ballew, manager Hill College - Cleburne campus	Heather Stevens, manager Frank Phillips College
Margaret Harp, manager Hill College – Hillsboro campus	Randy Blythe, manager Baton Rouge Community College
David Fisher, manager Western Texas College	Debi Rippe, manager University of Texas – Tyler
Patricia Tatom, manager McMurry University	Dana Poag, manager University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma
Tom Peterson, manager Midland College	John Pagliasotti, manager East Texas Bookstore
Ricky Ashcraft, manager Howard Payne University

Once again this year every regional manager was awarded the Regional Management Excellence Award for outstanding leadership and management. Those who received the award are:

Carol World
Western Region

Mary Ann Hyland
Central Region

Cindy Munsterteiger
Eastern Region

Brent Dyer, president, acknowledged the leaders of the Company’s College Bookstore Division by recognizing Pam Keeling, Vice President, and Darren Croom, Asst. Vice President, for their exceptional vision, guidance and performance.

In 2004 Texas Book Company introduced the Spirit Award, later named the Elaine T. Brown Spirit Award in memory of Ms. Elaine Brown, a respected employee, who managed TBC bookstores at Frank Phillips, Howard Payne, UT Tyler, and Howard College. Ms. Brown, who lost her battle with ALS, (Lou Gehrig's Disease) in 2005, exemplified the spirit of Texas Book Company with her steadfast loyalty and exceptional service. The 2008 Elaine T. Brown Spirit Award went to Walter Waller, UT Tyler, for his exceptional and selfless service to customers, the Company, and his peers.

Each year the award ceremony culminates with the five top performance awards, and Manager of the Year. This year proved to be an unprecedented success for Tracy Peralta, manager at New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, pictured here with Brent Dyer, president.

Most Improved Used to Total Ratio Kit Kraus,
South Plains College – Levelland Campus

Most Improved Text Margin Tracy Peralta,
New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology

Most Improved Gross Margin Tracy Peralta,
New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology

Most Improved Net Profit as a Percent of Sale Tracy Peralta,
New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology

Most Improved Manager Tracy Peralta,
New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology

The Manager of the Year Award is the highest honor bestowed on a bookstore manager as acknowledgment of superior customer satisfaction, exceptional financial return, outstanding leadership, and participation in the campus community. This year, Tammy Williams, bookstore manager at University of Arkansas Community College at Hope (UACCH), received the prestigious honor as the 2008 Manager of the Year. Now in her eighth year as bookstore manager at UACCH, Tammy’s road to Manager of the Year is highlighted with many professional accomplishments. In 2004 Tammy graduated from Texas Book Company University Manager’s Training. In 2007 she was honored as the recipient of the Elaine T. Brown Spirit Award for her outstanding leadership and contribution to her peers and Company service excellence strategies. Tammy has earned membership in the President’s Club for five years. In addition to the responsibilities of managing the UACCH bookstore she has assisted with training, operations, and transition at Cossatot Community College of the University of Arkansas and Oklahoma Christian University.

This year’s banquet included a sentimental goodbye to a respected colleague and friend of Texas Book Company. After nine years as the bookstore manager at Baton Rouge Community College (BRCC), Randy Blythe is leaving to pursue his life-long dream to live in the Ozark Mountains of Missouri. Randy was recognized as 2007’s Manager of the Year. Under Randy’s watchful eye BRCC achieved the President's Club honor every year since 2000. Randy is an important part of the TBC and BRCC family, and he will be missed but not forgotten. BRCC’s bookstore success is largely due to Randy’s dedication. He has built a firm foundation for his successor, and fulfilled his personal objective “to be an important part of each student’s success.”

The final, and seemingly favorite activity, was the Charity Bike Build. The challenge was to assemble a children’s bicycle and then race it to the finish line. All four teams were successful at building the bikes, with no spare parts remaining. The race proved to be the biggest challenge. The challenge was great fun, as the pictures prove. The bicycles are slated for donation to Boy’s and Girl’s Clubs across Texas.