Category: Company News

LDP Cohort #2 sponsors company-wide sock drive

What do you do when you need more socks? Why am I even asking, and why do I keep talking about socks? I promise there’s a point. Hold your answer to that first question, while I try to explain myself. One of our core values at United Radio states that: “We have a responsibility to each other to create a better community.” When you learn about this core value during your LDP journey, your cohort will have the opportunity to embark on a campaign to help improve your community. In Cohort #2 of the Leadership Development Program, we decided that the best way we could make a positive impact on our community would be to help those struggling with housing and financial insecurity. A recent survey* tells us that 65% of Americans report that they are living paycheck-to-paycheck. When living paycheck-to-paycheck, a single unpredicted life event can, potentially, upend your life completely. Unpredictability is, ironically, one of the only things in our lives that is entirely predictable. The number of people experiencing homeless in the United States (653,104) is the highest it has been since reporting began in 2007.** 6 out of every 10 of the individuals in this number are staying in sheltered locations, while 40% (roughly 261,242 individuals!) are completely unsheltered. According to the local Syracuse news source cnycentral.com, about 1400 children were considered homeless for the start of the 2023-24 school year. In Utah, according to the National Alliance to End Homelessness, homelessness has been increasing year-over-year since COVID, and the same goes for the state of Georgia. As it turns out, socks are the least donated item to most homeless shelters, and, consequently, the most highly requested by charitable organizations that center onhousing insecurity. Imagine how quickly your socks would wear out if you only had one or two pairs—if that—to work with and didn’t have the means to acquire more. This can cause enough problems when you spend most of your days walking—it’s even worse during cold winters. And that’s how our sock drive was born! We would like to ask for your help in providing socks to the members of our communities who need them most. In Peachtree City, our partner will be the Real Life Center, an organization sponsored by the Dogwood Church, who uses a four-point strategy to accomplish their mission of assisting people in need (Focus, Address, Develop, and Achieve). Last year, they distributed 695,225 pounds of food to families in need. (Wild!!) For our Peachtree folks, come to Lunch & Learn on Wednesday March 6, 2024, to learn more about this organization and the sock drive. In Salt Lake, we are partnering with The Road Home, a wonderful organization with over one hundred years of experience helping the homeless! Last year, they assisted 3,491 people with employment and housing services. Rory Musselman will be speaking about this in his Lunch & Learn presentation about the state of SLC. In Syracuse, we are partnering with an organization called We Rise Above The Streets, headed by Al-Amin Muhammad, an upstanding man who survived a period of homelessness himself. Al-Amin will be speaking at the following Lunch & Learn events in Syracuse to tell his story, raise awareness for his organization and give more information on our sock drive: Check Jake’s Place for more information about our partner organizations in the coming days! Our sock drive will be held during the month of March 2024 from 3/1-3/31. Bins will be placed in all UR buildings where you can bring any socks you would like to donate. NOTE: Used socks will NOT be accepted as donations. Please donate only new and unworn socks. In addition to direct donations of socks, we will be doing raffles. Everyone’s favorite, and for good reason! Prizes will vary by location, but may include high end headphones, gift cards, as well as handmade wooden flags by our very own talented woodworker, Joe Ucher! Prices for raffle tickets will be: Any employee who donates pairs of socks will have the opportunity to get bonus tickets in the fundraising raffles! If you have any questions about how the sock drive or raffles will work, there are contacts in each building you can reach out to your division building representative. Alternatively, if you’d like to donate money directly to our partner organizations, scan the QR codes below to send to their PayPal accounts, or see their Venmo accounts. If you do, please add “LDP” in the notes section. We appreciate any amount you can give to help us make our community a warmer and safer place! And the most vulnerable members of the communities around our various UR locations will surely be even more grateful. Pick up a few socks and experience the dopamine rush of helping someone in need! (Seriously…it’s a really good feeling – science says so.) The artice was written by United Radio employee Derek Bowers

United Radio recognizes National Leadership day

Editor’s note: The following is from the National Day Calendar: “National Leadership Day is set aside to acknowledge the power of leadership. Every year, on February 20th, we recognize the impact that leaders make in people’s lives as they seek to develop themselves and others. When you think about it, in every relationship, one person influences another, whether a parent or child, spouse or friend, student or teacher, employer or employee. In our everyday interactions with one another, someone is leading or influencing the other to do something or become something. This means that anyone can be a leader, whether you have a title or not. When we talk about leadership, we know that leadership is about growth – for yourself, your relationships, your productivity, and your people. To lead well, you must embrace your need for continual improvement so that you can be the best leader you can be. The observance aims to empower people to help others and be change agents and difference makers in someone’s life. This is the opportunity we have on National Leadership Day: To show people what it means to be a good leader and inspire them to be a positive force of change in another person’s life.” What does leadership look like at United Radio? How can you grow your leadership skills? Anyone can take steps to grow as a leader. An important part of leadership is recognizing that everyone is on a different part of their leadership journey. We can honor this by supporting each other and helping others grow!

Audio Pro starts collaboration with United Radio

The Swedish speaker manufacturer Audio Pro has assigned United Radio to take care of their distribution of products as well as repair and service in the US, Canada, and Latin America The Swedish speaker manufacturer Audio Pro has recently started a collaboration in the United States with the long-established United Radio. United Radio, which is the market leader in the repair and recycling of products for the electronics industry globally, will assist Audio Pro with warehousing, distribution, and repairs of its products. Via third-party logistics, United Radio will manage North, South and Central America. The collaboration will entail service to online as well as offline stores, meaning United Radio will also manage Audio Pro’s website and Amazon. United Radio, which celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2023, has solid knowledge in consumer electronics and has established itself as a world leader in creating innovative solutions for the ever-increasing technological needs of their customers. Along with constantly improving the way of how to repair electronics; they also make sure to minimize waste, use recycled materials and pioneer sustainable solutions. Jens Henriksen, CCO at Audio Pro, says that the new collaboration has been long-awaited: “We needed an experienced partner who can meet our logistical needs. And after a couple of months with them as a partner in the US market, we can already see that it has made our work significantly easier. They have extensive experience in managing logistics, and even though we are probably one of the smallest among their customers in terms of volume, we still receive five-star service from them. Now we can feel reassured that our American customers are well taken care of by our partner.” Using state-of-the-art logistics, United Radio distributes electronic products faster and more reliably than ever before. They are constantly working to grow and develop towards a more sustainable future. Headquartered in Syracuse, New York and with repair and distribution centers in Peachtree City, Georgia and Salt Lake City, Utah, United Radio works with some of America’s largest companies as well as smaller service offices throughout New York state. As for Audio Pro, United Radio is their distribution and support partner based in Salt Lake City.

Viewpoint Partners with United Radio Inc. to Spotlight Environmental Impact and Economic Opportunities in Electronics Repair and Remanufacturing

Viewpoint Partners with United Radio Inc. to Spotlight Environmental Impact and Economic Opportunities in Electronics Repair and Remanufacturing Miami, FL, January 18, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — Viewpoint, the distinguished educational program hosted by actor Dennis Quaid, has joined forces with United Radio Inc. on an enlightening new project that explores the impact of electronic waste and the positive environmental and economic effects of repair and remanufacturing. Filmed in December, the segment features key members of the United Radio team, highlighting their expertise and leadership in fostering environmental sustainability and workforce development. The growing issue of electronic waste has become a global concern, and the collaboration between Viewpoint and United Radio Inc. seeks to address the environmental impact while showcasing the economic opportunities in repair and remanufacturing. The upcoming segment aims to educate viewers on the value of these services and their role in creating sustainable solutions. United Radio Inc., recognized for its state-of-the-art logistics, expertise in electronics repair and remanufacturing, will feature prominently in the episode. Viewers will gain insights from key members of the United Radio team, delving into the processes involved in reducing electronic waste and the economic opportunities created by their commitment to sustainability. “At United Radio we utilize a combination of expert repair services, in-depth failure analysis, and innovative logistics solutions that help to extend the lifespan of electronic products, and reduce their environmental impact.” said Phil Rubenstein, United Radio President. Filmed in December, the episode will explore various aspects of electronics waste, the environmental implications, and the solutions provided by United Radio Inc. to address these challenges. Additionally, it will showcase how their commitment to sustainability extends to fostering the professional growth and development of their workforce. “We are very committed to training our employees, as one of our six core values states”, said Mara Charlamb, Partner/Vice President, and Director of Human Resources. “We recently developed a two-year Leadership Development Program for our employees, and we based our program on our core values, which are a living, breathing part of our organization. This is what sets our leadership program apart from other programs. It is not just about leadership; it is about leadership at United Radio.” For more information visit unitedradio.com. About Viewpoint Viewpoint is an educational program hosted by Dennis Quaid that explores innovative ideas, advancements, and trends across various industries. The program is dedicated to providing viewers with valuable insights and knowledge on a wide range of topics. About United Radio Inc. United Radio is a leading provider of repair and remanufacturing solutions to electronics manufacturers worldwide, with a commitment to environmental sustainability and workforce development. Focusing on automotive and consumer electronics, communications products and advanced research and development, the company has established itself as a world leader in creating innovative solutions to the emerging technological needs of our customers specializing in extending the lifespan of electronic devices, contributing to a reduction in electronic waste and creating economic opportunities.

Cohort 1 – Leadership Development Program Completion (video)

The members of our United Radio Cohort 1 group have officially completed the Leadership Development Program (LDP)! Please warmly congratulate Adam Jewell, Cheryl Hughes, Denise Nettnin, Ernie Pichette, Kevin Liang, Margaret Kelly, Mel DePan, Missy Hubbard, Philip Moore, and Ryan Osborn on their incredible achievement. As a cohort, they have shared a wonderful journey. Throughout the two years of LDP, the group has built relationships, their confidence, mentoring skills, an understanding of what leadership looks like at United Radio, and much more. Each of their commitments to learning and growing does not go unnoticed and it’s apparent with their evolution throughout the program. To celebrate this achievement, Cohort 1 and the LDP Advisory Committee were joined by guests of the cohort and our Senior Management Team. This group spent time offsite to celebrate the cohort’s achievement!

United Radio employee focus: Jim Fellows, Director of Technical Development

Jim recently celebrated his 50th year of employment at United Radio! He has held several positions during the last half century with the company and is currently Director of Technical Development, which involves training United Radio employees to get their Certified Electronics Technician certification amongst other accreditations.  Also, in support of United Radio’s dedication to community and industry service, Jim serves on the Board of Directors for several local schools and national electronics trade organizations. Jim possesses several industry-related accolades. Two that he is most proud of include being inducted into the National Electronics Industry Hall of Fame “For outstanding service to mankind through contributions to the advancement of the electronics industry” in 2012. Jim also received the first-ever Gerry M. McCann, CET/CSM/EHF Memorial from the National Electronic Services Dealers Association, “For dedication to promoting the goals and welfare of NESDA” during the preceding year in 2008. He again received the award in 2019. We asked some members of our Senior Management Team this question: “What has Jim Fellows meant to you and your division during his 50 years of service to UR?” Here are their responses. Phil Rubenstein: Jim Fellows has been a teacher and mentor to me for many of his 50 years at United Radio, in not just electronics, but also customer service and when to use more commas. Mara Charlamb: Where do I begin to try to explain what Jim Fellows has meant to me over the vast majority of my life? As Jim will tell you, he has known me since I was in diapers. Our relationship has seen many different phases over the course of 5 decades. He has watched over me when I was young, taught me about United Radio, and managed me when I was working in “the Shop” as we used to call it. Today, he is still trying to teach me electronics, advise me on things that have or have not worked in the past, and ensure that Phil and I continue the success of United Radio.  Most importantly, Jim is FAMILY and I don’t tell him that enough! Keith Martin: The thing that stands out to me about Jim is his enthusiasm and willingness to teach others the things he has learned.  He has spent years not only trying to better people for United Radio but to also give them skills that will make them better for the rest of their lives. Jim Fitzgerald: I have had the pleasure of seeing the amount of respect and admiration Jim is viewed with from people in our industry. His name is synonymous with United Radio in our industry. The legacy he has created is well known and respected. I aspire to gain the respect and influence he has achieved in our industry.  He is a role model and hero to me. Mark Fuller: “For me, Jim has always represented our commitment as an organization to “Learning, growing and accepting challenges…” He and Arnie bring a wealth of history, institutional knowledge and deliver plain-talk perspective often when it is difficult for some of us to hear. I appreciate Jim’s commitment to teaching, his ability to meet his students where they are and his innate knowledge of how stuff works. Here is some more about Jim: What makes you the happiest at work? When we are recognized by a customer or dealer for the great service we provided. When not at work, you’ll probably find me doing this:  Reading, working on my old house, and playing guitar. Looking into the future, the one thing I’m most excited about for United Radio is: The amount of electronics in almost all new products; automotive, industrial, and consumer is increasing at a very fast rate.  New semiconductors entering the market promise to make greater advances in efficiency, especially in the automotive and power industries. United Radio can service almost any type of electronic equipment, so the opportunities are endless. Why have I stayed at United Radio for 50 years? My previous job was as part owner of a small electronics service business in Oneida, NY. We ran a very ethical company, and prided ourselves in how well we treated our customers. I knew about United Radio at that time and had heard they had a great reputation.  Also, I had purchased parts from them in 50s and 60s when they were in the old State St. location, and I was always treated very well at the counter. When I was offered a job at UR, it was a tough decision, but I felt in the long run it would be the right choice. After a very short time at UR, I really enjoyed the family atmosphere and how well everyone worked together. Equally important, their business philosophy meshed very well with my own. In short, just “Do the right thing”. Today that is summarized in our “Core Values”, and I often refer to it as the “United Radio Way”. I’m very proud of how we conduct business at UR, and have never regretted choosing to come here.

Newly re-launched United Radio eBay store reaches 100 Perfect Positive Reviews!

The Automotive Radio Sales department re-launched the United Radio eBay store in mid-2022, and after six months of active sales the group has recently hit 100 buyer reviews, and every single one is a perfect 100% positive! This is no small achievement as the automotive overstock being sold does require buyers to read the product listings telling them they need to have the correct radio part number as well as possibly take the radio to their new car dealer for everything to work perfectly when installed.  Many buyers do NOT read the listings, and still the reviews are STELLAR! Great job to John Tobin and Dan Marafino for their excellent eBay customer service skills! If you’re interested in joining the sales team, we’re still looking for the right person to take charge of this exciting new program – check out the current job posting here! A couple examples of the enthusiastic feedback so far:

Phil Rubenstein on leadership: Six core values at the heart of a century-old company

The following story was featured on syracuse.com as part of their weekly “Conversations on Leadership” column. By Stan Linhorst | StanLinhorst@gmail.com United Radio celebrates its 100th anniversary in January. Jacob Rubenstein founded the company in 1923 as a radio repair shop on Salina Street in downtown Syracuse. Over the past century, the company adapted to changing demands and opportunities but remained family owned – now led by the third generation. Phil Rubenstein assumed the presidency from his father, Arnie, in 2005. Rubenstein and his sister, Mara Charlamb, who is vice president, are sole owners of the company. Rubenstein said United Radio’s work covers three broad divisions. The automotive division is the largest and operates globally, repairing, re-manufacturing, and distributing any electronic device that runs off a vehicle’s battery. That includes things like instrument clusters, climate controls, engine-control modules, satellite radio, rear-seat entertainment, and so on. Automotive devices arrive at the company on Enterprise Parkway in DeWitt from more than 140 countries. The consumer electronics division handles products like audio equipment, home-theater systems, and video-game devices. The third division, concentrated in Upstate New York, sells, distributes, and repairs communication devices, mainly for people who need to talk or signal over systems other than cellular phones. “The first things that come to mind are police and fire, first responders if you will,” Rubenstein said. “But also we’re involved in other industries – delivery services, landscapers, anybody with a fleet of vehicles that need to speak to one another.” Rubenstein says the company has thrived for decades guided by a belief in six core values that create lasting relationships, adapt to business challenges, and enrich lives. A leader in that kind of culture is always learning, always curious, always authentically themselves. Give me some scale of the company – number of employees, your expansions in Georgia and Utah, and similar descriptions. Our employment goes as high as 700 employees. We’re closer to about 640 right now, about 450 of which are here in Central New York. The rest are in Georgia and Utah. Our workforce tends to follow a little bit of our seasons, so we use contract employees, particularly in our gaming-repair centers. In the summer months, people aren’t breaking their video games as much because they’re outside having fun. As the holiday season approaches, and typically into late February and early March, we can be processing as many as 3,000 to 4,000 units a day. So we bring in contract employees at that time of year and that’s when we have our highest numbers in terms of employment. There is a logistical advantage with our locations. Our location in Peachtree City, Georgia, is about 20 minutes south of the Atlanta airport. With our facilities now in Salt Lake City, we can cover the entire country in three-day ground shipping. We determined that we needed something in the Western part of the United States. We started looking for spaces toward the end of 2020. It was probably not the best time to be traveling and probably not the best time to be looking at expansion, but it really was the right timing for us. Our Salt Lake City facility opened in December 2021. We started there in a sublet facility of about 36,000 square feet that we set up to get going on a project for a partner out there. In February, we started moving into our 148,000-square-foot facility that we will be growing into. We had our official grand opening Aug. 4. I’d like to ask about your dad, Arnie. He’s so well known locally, both in business and also for his community involvement. What’s his role now? Historian. (Laughter) He’s chairman of the board, but he is fully retired at this point. He does come into the office every day. He and I share an office. I take full advantage of that, because I can turn around and ask him questions. He spends most of his time here working on personal stuff. My mom (Libby) and dad were very good role models. My parents were very involved in the community and I got to experience that and watch them. Were you in leadership roles growing up? I am an Eagle Scout and spent many years involved in Boy Scouts and worked my way up through leadership in the Boy Scouts. I would say that’s where I learned quite a bit of my leadership and leadership skills – obviously in addition to observing my parents in leadership roles. In Boy Scouts, I worked my way up through like quartermaster – I think I started as bugler. But quartermaster and assistant patrol leader, patrol leader, assistant senior patrol leader. I was senior patrol leader for a number of years. I attribute much of my leadership education to the Scouts. Give me an example of an instructive moment in Scouting. There were a lot of them. (Laughter) I remember when I first became the senior patrol leader – basically in charge of the troop, if you will. I took on that role from someone who had a much different style than I did. I tried to be like what I had seen him be as a senior patrol leader and realized that wasn’t me and that it wasn’t going to work. Granted, I was young, so I was still developing my leadership style. There were some rocky moments in the transition and I learned from them. Everybody leads differently. What I learned is that just because somebody’s style is different, doesn’t mean it’s right or wrong; it’s just different. I see that at United Radio very profoundly in one of our core values, which is that our differences make us stronger. We need to look for and value and celebrate differences in people and not try to make everybody the same. Being authentic is how we should be every day. It’s what trust is built on – being who you are and being authentic and being consistent. Thanks for a great insight, but I interrupted your

Mike Fabery to take part in Remanufacturing Sectors: Consumer Products webinar

Mike Fabery, United Radio Automotive Operations manager will take part in Remanufacturing Sectors: Consumer Products webinar. November 9, 2022, 10:00 am EDT Description This is the second webinar in a new series where RIC will explore different sectors of the remanufacturing industry. Attendees will gain insight into other sectors and learn how they are similar to, and different from, their own industry. As we have done in past webinars, we will bring together experts on this topic from various perspectives. Following panelist presentations there will be time for questions from the audience. The registration link will give you the opportunity to submit specific questions in advance. You will also have the opportunity to submit questions during the webinar. Learning Objectives Learn the difference between refurbishing and remanufacturing in the Consumer Products sector. Hear how a company decides what level of effort to put into a Consumer Product before remarketing it. Understand how Consumer Products are remarketed and what impact that has on the sale of new products.

United Radio hosts SCSD, SSEP, and MACNY members

Teachers representing a variety of elementary and middle level schools from within the Syracuse City School District (SCSD), along with members of the Smart Start Externship Program and MACNY’s Workforce Development team, took part in a tour of our United Radio East Syracuse campus in August. Led by United Radio Human Resources Manager James Branch, the group toured the three-building campus to learn more about how United Radio provides remanufacturing and repair solutions for electronics providers worldwide. Mike Fabery, Automotive Division Operations Manager, discussed how this division provides efficient integrated solutions to manufacturers, dealers and other automotive businesses. Margaret Kelly, Director of Strategic Initiatives and Communications for our Consumer Division, gave an overview of after-the-sales service solutions the division provides to the electronics industry during a tour of the facility. The Smart Start Externship is an opportunity for teachers to observe and interact with a company, like United Radio, and have a real-world business experience to bring back to the classroom. Through this program, teachers learn to work together to create an interdisciplinary, project-based lesson(s) to use with their students. The Smart Start Externship Project will also provide teachers with industry exposure and to apply in the classroom. This experience is the springboard to opening future doors and opportunities for interaction between the SCSD and United Radio.