Published in January 2011 for the employees of LifeSouth Community Blood CentersConnecting our donors to our patients

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Beat the Experts Winners 1CEO letter 2New Timeclock 2 LifeSouth Airplane 3Safety Woman 3

Karen Borden 3 Beat the Experts photos 4Beat the Experts photos 5The Best of Suwannee Valley 6Profile: Katrina Medley 7

Lifelines 8 Operation Santa Delivery 8NEGA Cord Blood 8

Beat the Experts beats expectationsThe 2010 edition of Beat the Experts was so successful that it required a rule change to reward the top teams that connected with 1,294 donors over six hours on New Year’s Eve, an all-time record for the event. “It was the best we’d ever done. The weather was perfect and I had a blast,” said resident “expert,” Director of Recruitment and Retention Galen Unold.

Unold credited the hard work of the Suwannee Valley team for pushing the other teams. They fell just one donor short of upsetting the Citrus team’s repeat victory, which drew 69 donors (three more than its total of 66 in 2009, which blew away the competition). Their 2010 victory was no clean sweep, however.

Unold said that because of the success, any team with more than 60 donors was awarded the prize of 25,000 STARS points per team member. Following Citrus was Suwannee Valley with 68, followed closely by NEGA with 63 and GATL East with 62. See page four and five for more on the Beat the Experts competition.

Beat the Experts: year by year

“Beat the Experts” challenge in 2010 set a record. Here are the totals since 2005:

2010 1,294 2009 1,161 2008 1,248 2007 1,108 2006 1,090 2005 909

The Citrus team included: Edwards, Lisa Powell, Toni Monsegur, Jessica Santiago, Jasmine Toliver, Jessica Wright, John Morris, Kevin Curry, Pam Egnot and Rachel Shramek. Their secret for success: cards and phone calls to remind donors, a group of donors that have made it a New Year’s Eve tradition, and burgers and dogs on the menu. “The excitement was there,” Edwards said.

Citrus Regional Manager Kim Edwards experienced her first Experts competition and was amazed.

“It was a great day, I didn’t realize it was that close,” she said. “I can’t tell you how many people came up to say what a great team we had.”

Nancy EckertPresident and Chief Executive Officer

Letter from the CEO

In my first letter of the new year, I typically reflect on what has happened in the past and give a glimpse of what is to come. This year, however, I will tell you something I don’t say often enough: thank you for a job well done. Your work is extremely valuable. Every day, each of you plays a vital role in saving lives. Sometimes, while my attention is focused on the technical aspects of our business (employee training, validations, and meeting collection goals), I forget to celebrate the fact that thousands of people are alive in 2011 because of the work we do. We must remember to celebrate our victories.

Before joining LifeSouth, I worked in a hospital blood bank here in Gainesville, FL. We did it all; connected with donors, tested samples, and sent the components to the doctors for use. One day, a young man came into our emergency room, seriously injured from a gunshot wound. He’d accidentally shot himself pulling his gun from his truck. It occurred to me that although the surgeon saved his life, he would never have had that chance if the blood hadn’t been there when they rolled him into the emergency room. At LifeSouth, we must all work together to get the components to the people who need them. Thank you for being a strong link that holds our chain of operations together. Even though our chain is already pretty strong, I will continue to push you to do better, because people are depending on us.

Here at corporate, the new building is rapidly taking shape, and it’s great to hear that construction is now underway in Montgomery and Huntsville.

I also want to briefly follow up on my email regarding the proposed merger of three of the larger community blood banks in South Florida. The merger has the potential to be quite positive for those three organizations. LifeSouth is not really affected in any way at this time. I have been in communication with executives of each blood bank, and I’ll continue to keep an eye on this situation and let you know if anything significant develops.

Again, thank you for all of your hard work in 2010, and I’m looking forward to 2011.

Beginning in February, hourly employees at corporate will be introduced to a new time clock and an updated system for keeping track of their hours, requesting PTO and more.

The new system, Enterprise eTime, will replace the current eTime system, and will eventually roll out to all employees in Florida, Georgia and Alabama. While employees and managers will get a full training session on the new system prior to it going live, here is a sneak preview of some significant changes that will be coming:

Swipe and scan to clock in/out: Hourly employees will still swipe in with a time card, but they’ll also clock in with their index finger. A biometric reader on each time clock will scan the finger to confirm the employee’s ID.

More info at the clock: When clocking in, employees will be able to see their total hours for the pay period, their total PTO and will be able to request PTO at the clock.

Access/correction by computer: Employees will also be

able to check their hours and PTO on their computers. Missed punches can be corrected by the employee (although this will be the exception, not the rule).

Time card approval: Employees will be responsible for approving their timecards prior to payroll processing. This can be done at the time clock or via computer.

Goodbye to two forms: Since PTO can now be requested at the time clock or computer, the Request for Employee Leave form will no longer be used. Because missed punches can also be corrected by employees, the Employee Time Maintenance Request form will no longer be used.

When the system rolls out, Enterprise eTime will be explained in full, there will be an online training session, and hourly employees will receive assistance in getting set up.

Sneak Preview: Enterprise eTime brings changes

Human Resources Generalist Susie Shewchuk taps her inner Vanna White to show us the new time clock.

When the sleek red, white and blue plane lifted off from the Gainesville, FL runway at 7:30 p.m. on December 28, it was the start of something new for LifeSouth.

At the controls of LifeSouth’s new plane for its first evening run were Dr. Michael Lukowski, a LifeSouth Board of Directors Member, and his son Zach Lukowski. Zach is one of the plane’s regular pilots. In addition to being a medical doctor and a professor at the University of Florida, Dr. Lukowski is Director of Air Operations for University Air, whose pilots handle the daily roundtrip flights from Gainesville to Atlanta, Huntsville, Birmingham, Montgomery and Mobile, ferrying the samples for testing, blood components, cargo and

interoffice mail that keep all of the communities served by LifeSouth connected.

The 2010 Cessna 208B Super Cargo Master replaces a 2003 version of the same model. Dr. Lukowski said the new version includes several improvements

that should make the nightly flight safer, faster and more economical.

While, to its pilots, the new model handles identically to its predecessor, it’s more aerodynamic, so its cruising speed is 7 to 8 knots faster. This improvement means the 1000-mile daily run will take about 20 minutes less. The increase in speed and drop in

time has a major cumulative effect. “That results in thousands of dollars a year in fuel savings,” Dr. Lukowski explained.

The old model had a pneumatic ice removal system that’s been replaced by an “ice prevention” system that “weeps” antifreeze over the prop, wings and other surfaces. Ice buildup can degrade the aerodynamic performance of the aircraft, which can contribute to a crash. Dr. Lukowski explained that on a recent flight, ice buildup prompted the pilot to land in Macon, GA before heading on to Atlanta. “Icing in the winter is an issue we frequently have to deal with,” Dr. Lukowski said.Inside, the view for the pilot is considerably

different. Instead of dozens of individual gauges, sensors on the plane feeds data to three different digital displays. “It’s a completely modern avionics and aviation management system,” he explained.

One other major change on the new model is that it will have the ability to expand from its normal two seats to four, giving LifeSouth staff a travel option between locations.

And after the first run, Dr. Lukowski gave the new plane a great review. “The new flight management systems performed so well that I joked with the couriers that they might see the plane come in without a pilot soon, and would have to unload it themselves,” he said.

New LifeSouth plane goes to work

When North Alabama District Community Development Coordinator Karen Borden stepped into her office in early January, she knew she was in for a challenge, since she hadn’t been there since early December. But she also knew she could draw on an extra bit of motivation in tackling her job. She hadn’t planned on being one of LifeSouth’s best customers. “If it wasn’t for our donors, I wouldn’t be here today. I know first-hand just how important donating is,” Borden said.

When she went to the hospital emergency room on Dec. 6 with a bleeding ulcer, she came close to bleeding to death. It took two surgical procedures, seven units of blood, and a five-day stay in the hospital to save her life. “There are blood donors here in North Alabama who saved my life. I’ll never know who they are, all I can say is thanks,” Borden said.

It wasn’t the first time she’d faced such a close call. In April of 2008, that same ulcer and fibroid tumors sent her to the hospital. She underwent surgery and ended up receiving seven units of blood. “I’ve now received 14! I have no blood of my own left,” she said. “When I tell people ‘donating blood saves lives,’ that’s not just a line. I’m living proof of that.”

Borden has renewed appreciation for blood donors

GREATER ATLANTARecruiter Jackie Hicks said it was a day unlike any other she’s experienced. “People were just flocking in,” she said. “They were coming to the tent before we ever got to speak to them.”

It may have had something to do with the smell of hot dogs on the grill; Hicks’ husband Dennis was grillmaster for the day, and donated for the first time. Hicks said cheerleaders from Youth Middle School were there to root the donors on. Several local

restaurants donated gift certificates to further entice donors at the Walmart in Loganville, GA. There was also a football

up for grabs autographed by Georgia Bulldog Coach Mark Richt. “This was my hometown, my territory,” Hicks said. “The community came together and gave.” The team

included: Sam Hemphill, LaToya Gaines, J.B. Bowles, Marcia Jones, Ted Schwartz, Tamica Jackson, Ulysses Beris, Jackie Hicks, Michael Becker, Sue Ashe and Faith Taylor.

Team GATL East is pictured above. Back row, left to right: Sam Hemphill, LaToya Gaines, J.B. Bowles, Ted Schwartz, Tamica Jackson, Ulysses Beris and Jackie Hicks. Kneeling, Sue Ashe, left, and Faith Taylor, right.

Mobile Angels 2, back row, left to right: Anya Hilton, Jennifer Van Pelt, Jerry Keeling and Staci White. Front row, Virginia Boone, left, and Pat Tooker.

Mobile Center team, back row, left to right: Jarmelya Simmons, Natasha Spraggins and Fa’Kesia Smith. Front row, Jerona Autrey, left and Shelitha Gray, right.

SOUTHERN CRESCENTTeam SOCR, left to right:

Adam Ward, Sheila Zachow, Jil Osborne, Celina Bostic,

Melisa Brittian, Richard Scott, Willie Keyes and

Jamila Arden.

CITRUSPutting “Flopsy” the sky puppet on top of the bloodmobile offered maximum visibility.

Team Citrus, left to right: Rachel Shramek, John Morris, Jessica Wright, Kim

Edwards, Pam Egnot, Lisa Powell, Jasmine Toliver, Jessica Santiago, Kevin Curry and Toni Monsegur.

MARIONLeft to right: Crystal Innes,

Steven Tillery, Natasha Barutas, Becky Burton

and Calvin Green.

Left to right: CaSaundra Alberty, Larry Fish and Ronnell Mills with a donor.

NORTHEAST GEORGIAIn past Experts challenges, the NEGA team had consistently finished in the money, but in 2009 the switch to a different location dropped the total to 36. Veteran Sondra Wallace-Foster said this year the move back to Dawsonville helped boost the effort. “This was our redemption round,” she said. “We had a deeper recruitment team, more experience. Everybody worked together extremely well. The power of the people was more effective.”

The NEGA team included: Wallace-Foster, Tom Bemben, Therena Smith, Kathleen Krueger, Erica Strickland, Elizabeth Higgins, Sandra Jones, Darlene Holly, Joseph Shank, Victor Simental, Penny Lyday, April Stone and Josh Bohannon.

Team NEGA, left to right: Victor Simental, Kathleen Krueger, Sondra Wallace-Foster, Darlene Holly, Elisabeth Higgins, Therena Smith, Erica Strickland and Tom Bemben.

CITRUSPutting “Flopsy” the sky puppet on top of the bloodmobile offered maximum visibility.

Team Citrus, left to right: Rachel Shramek, John Morris, Jessica Wright, Kim

Edwards, Pam Egnot, Lisa Powell, Jasmine Toliver, Jessica Santiago, Kevin Curry and Toni Monsegur.

NEWBERRYLeft to right: Katie Brooks, Sarah Deatherage, and Jennifer Sealey.

SUWANNEE VALLEY Timothy Mimbs, Suwannee Valley’s

Assistant Regional Manager, said there was great teamwork and a

secret weapon – chili dogs.“It was definitely a group effort. Everybody knew their jobs and everybody was

firing on all six cylinders,” he said. “We had a lot of first-time donors and that helped a huge amount.”

The team included: Mimbs, Tony Hudson, Barbie Garcia, Amber Burress, Galen Unold, Christina Petty,

Rachelle Lilly, Jennifer Fox and Jessica Swartz.

Left to right: Tony Hudson, Barbie Garcia, Amber Burress, Galen Unold, Christina Petty, Rachelle Lilly, Jennifer Fox and Jessica Swartz.

MARIONLeft to right: Crystal Innes,

Steven Tillery, Natasha Barutas, Becky Burton

and Calvin Green.

Left to right: CaSaundra Alberty, Larry Fish and Ronnell Mills with a donor.

HERNANDOLeft to right: Kristiana DiPilla, Ray Hill and Tatjana Prindle.

Best Place to See a Ghost: The Hotel Blanche building’s third floor has a ghost. The building, which dates back to 1902, also lays claim to being the home of Florida’s oldest elevator, and during its years as a hotel had

Al Capone and Johnny Cash on the guest register.

Best Music Festival: Suwannee River Jam at the Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park near Live Oak pulls in some of the biggest names in country, and

the 20th anniversary edition is April 28-30. Not into country? Suwannee

Springfest on March 24-27 is a roots music extravaganza, and the riverside setting is wonderful.

Best Sausage: If you haven’t heard of Nettle Sausage, put it on

your list of foods to discover in 2011. This small home-grown company in

Lake City sells its tasty delight all over the Southeast. It developed from a backyard pastime to a multi-million dollar business that can’t be beat.

Best Place to Go Tubing: While lots of rivers offer the joy of a float on an inner tube on a hot summer day, the famed Ichetucknee (pronounced Itch-a-TUCK-knee), a crystal-clear tributary of the Santa Fe River, is the best by far. The spring water provides 72-degree

water year-round that can defeat any Florida dose of heat and humidity. The clear water and tree-lined banks offer a beautiful slice of natural Florida above and below the water. It’s also great canoeing in the winter.

Best Chili Dog: This one isn’t for sale; it’s a treat only LifeSouth donors and a few friends of Recruiter Tony Hudson know. The chili dogs have fueled many successful blood drives. Tony has his own secret recipe. Tums are the official after-dinner mint of the Suwannee Valley Region.

Best Feud: Yes, folks in Alabama, there is one better than Alabama vs. Auburn. The Suwannee Valley’s was deadly. Columbia County Sheriff John C. Henry had a long-running feud with Gus Potsdamer that on Jan. 27, 1880, came to a head when the good sheriff was shot dead on Main Street in Lake City. Potsdamer was sentenced to life in prison, but was pardoned and later became sheriff of neighboring Suwannee County.

Best Place to Donate Blood: While there’s sure to be others who will make this bold statement of being the best, Suwannee Valley, LifeSouth’s second-oldest location, isn’t afraid to stake its claim. It opened Jan. 5, 1980, as the Columbia County Blood Bank and was the first branch outside of Gainesville.

The Faces of Suwannee Valley

(Clockwise from top middle) Left to right: Randi Croft, Lisa Turman and Jessika Schautz. Timothy Mimbs, left, and Christina Petty Charlie Elwell, left, and Desirea Ouellette. Left to right: Rachelle Lilly, Tony Hudson, Jessica Swartz, Jennifer Fox and Amber Burress. Regional Manager Lorrie Woods has spent all 12 years of her LifeSouth career in the region.

Medley is a Wiregrass original who likes what she doesWhen the Wiregrass Region opened in 2003, Katrina Medley was one of the original five staff members to open the doors - except the door had wheels under it. “We just had the one bus. We didn’t even collect in the center,” she recalled.

She calls herself a “military brat” who lived all over the world before her family settled in South Alabama in 1969. From her former jobs as a hairdresser and 16 years as a phlebotomist at a local hospital, she knew lots of people and plenty about finding veins and drawing blood, but still the new job delivered a surprise. “I really, really loved I was helping people, and I was doing it through healthy people,” she said.

Medley’s hospital work had taken its toll. She found herself drawing blood from sick babies and from the elderly who had so few visitors that she would occasionally use her lunch hours to visit or read to them. “I’m not one of those people who could leave it at work; I took it home,” she said.

The new job also offered a lesson about blood transfusions she didn’t get at the hospital. She remembered working in the emergency room and putting arm bands on trauma patients who needed blood. “Blood doesn’t always fall out of the sky, and a blood bank arm band doesn’t mean there’s blood for that person,” she said.

She’s worked toward making sure that hasn’t been the case since LifeSouth came to town. March 1, 2007, she recalls, was one of her most memorable days on the job. It’s a day few who live in the Wiregrass Region will ever forget. That day, a tornado crushed a portion of Enterprise High School, killing eight students. Residents channeled their shock and grief by lining up to donate blood. Medley was off work that day, taking her son to get his driver’s license, but came right in, still in the t-shirt and shorts she was wearing. She put on a white lab coat and went to work. “It was awesome. They were just everywhere,” she said.

While Medley was touched by the outpouring, it was also upsetting. “Why does it take a public tragedy for people to donate like they should?”

Cherelle Whiters, the Wiregrass Center Team Leader, arrived just a few months after the opening and has worked with Katrina since then. “She was the happiest tech I’ve ever come across,” Whiters said. “No matter what the days are like, she always tries to put her best foot forward. If there’s anything to be done, she jumps in.”

In addition to being a hard worker, Whiters says Katrina is a skilled listener. “She’s a good friend; if you ever need someone to talk to, she’s there,” Whiters said.

In the region, she’s also famous for her blueberries and her blueberry pies. According to Whiters, when the pies arrive in the center, they don’t last long. In addition to baking, her outside interests include antiquing and reading. Most of the time when she’s not at work, Katrina has her nose in a book. She reads about three each week. She and her husband Donnie live on four acres with a garden and fruit trees just outside of town. He works offshore with a three weeks on-three weeks off schedule. She also has a special little buddy who keeps her company: Tassie, her 11-year old Pekingese Shih Tzu combo, aka ‘Peki-Tzu.’ Whether it’s in the house, visiting neighbors or rolling around the property on a golf cart, the two are always together.

“She’s a mama’s girl. She loves wearing her dresses and sweaters, and she thinks the golf cart is hers,” Katrina said.

Title: Wiregrass Assistant Regional ManagerFamily: Husband Donnie, son Travis Fondren, stepchildren Stephanie Medley, Jimmie Lee Medley, and Jason Medley, his wife Katie and their 2-year-old son Logan. All live in the area.What’s playing on her car stereo? The Eagles, Van Morrison or a country station Book she’s read recently and enjoyed: Cross Fire by James Patterson. She loves to read, and Patterson, Debbie Macomber and Danielle Steel are among her favorites.Movie seen recently she enjoyed: Avatar, she says, gave her a “warm fuzzy feeling.” She’s watched National Lampoon’s Vacation more times than she can count and would rate it her all-time favorite.TV program she enjoys: HouseGood advice she’s received: “Your choices, your attitude and the life you live are the legacy you leave,” from Slocomb High School Principal Zelma Chitty. Restaurants to recommend: McLin’s Kitchenette in Daleville, AL has awesome seafood. She recommends the platter for two, which comes with “everything,” including whole catfish, shrimp, oysters, clams and more.

Katrina Medley

LifeLinesIn Baldwin, Regional Manager Shelley Asmus had lots of good news to share. He notes that Misty Busbee was promoted from Center Team Leader to Center Team Captain and Monica Byrd was promoted to Mobile Team Leader. Baldwin Donor Services Specialist Rachael Sexton is expecting her first child in August and Baldwin Mobile Team Captain Jennifer Stuart recently closed on her first house.

Across the bay in Mobile Regional Director Laura Ghoulame reports that Tanisha Turner, who has been with LifeSouth since 2007, was promoted to Resource Management Supervisor.

Hannah Carpenter, a first grader at Redland Elementary School and daughter of Montgomery Branch Director Sharon Carpenter and husband Jon, made the A/B honor roll.

LifeSouth LifeSavers Team Captain Andrea Dowdell, right, is all smiles, celebrating the promotion of Elisha Luke, left, as Mobile Team Leader in East Alabama.

Operation Santa Delivery(Top left) Operation Santa Delivery is much more than an a helicopter drop-in by Mr. Claus - it’s games, food, face painting, a petting zoo and more.

(Bottom left) Little Collyns Froman, shown here with dad Russ, went Hollywood for her first Santa encounter.

(Bottom right) A crowd of nearly 2,000 kids and parents were on hand for Operation Santa Delivery in Gainesville, including the man of the hour (meeting here with a future donor).

NEGA Cord Blood has gangbusters startWith cord blood collection starting Dec. 6 at LifeCord’s newest location, Northeast Georgia Medical Center in Gainesville, the hospital staff and the LifeSouth operations staff that supported the effort had an incredible start.

In the first month, new parents in Northeast Georgia were able to donate 148 cord blood units that offer hope to patients needing marrow transplants.

“They blew our expectations out of the water,” said Cellular Therapy Manager Amy Lambert. “Their commitment to the program, the way they’ve embraced it, is inspiring.”

(Top left) Cellular Therapy Recruiter DiAnn McCormack can’t be accused of not being on the ball. (Top right) The staff at Northeast Georgia Medical Center gave LifeCord an enthusiastic welcome. Not only are they supportive of the mission, they are fun to work with.(Middle) Cellular Therapy Manager Amy Lambert traveled from Gainesville, FL, to Gainesville, GA, to help get the collections off to a good start.(Bottom) Northeast Georgia Medical Center kept the LifeSouth staff busy, LSeft to right, Damonique Hathaway, Yolanda Bolanos, Rachel Booth, Kristen McCarter, Sondra Wallace-Foster and Tom Bemben.

Elisha Luke and Andrea Dowdell