The Evansville Iron Street Rod Club will be hosting the annual Frog Follies, at the Vanderburgh County 4-H Center in Evansville Indiana, this weekend.  Approximately 5,000 vintage cars will roll in for the event and the proceeds will benefit Easter Seals and other charities.  The Frog Follies is one of the largest pre ‘49 events in the country.

Entrance fees for adults are only $5 and children under the age of 12 are free.  Concessions are owned and operated by the club to keep prices reasonable.

Jasper Engines and Transmissions will be an attending vendor at this year’s event with static displays, literature, videos and a variety of new performance engine parts and accessories for sale. Our experienced and knowledgeable sales staff will be on hand to answer your re-power questions. We are all set up and ready for you to stop by!

Today, August 13, we were visited by a special group of Corvette owners.  The National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, KY offers a Museum Delivery program (Option R8C) to new Corvette owners.  Option R8C must be specified at the time the order is finalized; a special ship code of 184590 is then designated to identify Corvette museum delivery.  This year’s newly expanded R8C/Xperience Reunion includes an Indiana road tour for the participants and Jasper Engines and Transmissions has the good fortune to be a featured stop on their trip.

Jasper Engines and Transmissions implemented a six-month fitness plan at its Jasper, IN facility and awarded more than $8,000 to Associates who reached their goals.

Of the 210 JASPER Associates who participated in the inaugural Fitness Experts program, 80% completed the program successfully, with over 40% achieving their individual fitness goals.  The results from the six-month trial period were phenomenal.  Participants successfully lost weight, reduced cholesterol, blood sugar and blood pressure.  Some Associates improved their health to a level in which they were able to discontinue medications.

JASPER ultimately benefits from the program by saving money on reduced future health care costs. Due to its success and popularity, the Fitness Experts program is now offered to all JASPER locations.

It’s our third and final day here at the 11th Annual Dupont Syracuse Nationals.  The sky is clear with a breeze out of the northwest - perfect weather for a car show.  There are over 7,000 cars at this year’s event with activities including: tech seminars, JEEP’s Rocks & Road Tour (driving course), a burnout and flamethrower show and musical performances, to name a few.

Dick and Carol Fracasse displayed their ‘68 Ford Mustang Fastback next to our ‘66 Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray the first two days of the event.  The Fracasse’s chose JASPER to remanufacture their 347 Stroker engine and by the stories we’ve heard, its performance exceeds their expectations.  We had a great time the past couple of days visiting with people from all around the country and Canada.  If you’re in the area you should really stop in for a visit.

Question for comments:  Corvette or Mustang, which would you prefer to see at our display?

After an adventurous 450+ mile motorcycle ride, Factory Sales Representative Ron Klemm and his Pittsburgh Branch customers stepped off of their bikes for a factory tour last Friday. Harley Davidsons, Hondas, Yamahas and even a lone Buell grazed the parking lot on that humid summer morning. Guests were given a guided tour of all remanufacturing processes at our air-conditioned Crawford County and Jasper facilities. They participated in a scenic Poker Run with JASPER Associates and finished the day with a cookout at the JASPER go-kart track. Here at JASPER, we know how to “Do It Right and Have Fun!”

JET Transit held its 2010 1st Quarter drivers’ safety meeting on March 20th for its Crawford facility drivers, and March 27th for its Kingman, Arizona, drivers.  Two drivers were recognized for their efforts in reaching different levels of accident-free driving.  John Owen received an award for 500,000 Accident-Free Miles.  Dwayne Keck was honored with a plaque for 750,000 Accident-Free Miles.  Congratulations to both of these drivers for their achievements.

In these meetings, the drivers were introduced to the new CSA2010 program which will be implemented in November by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA).  CSA2010, or Comprehensive Safety Analysis 2010, is a program that will replace the current Safestat safety system.  Companies will be rated for their safety compliance in seven basic areas.  The rating will be based on roadside inspection data and compared to companies in peer groups, or companies the same size.  For the first time, drivers will also have a safety measurement system that inspectors can view.  The goal of the new program is to insure that drivers and companies comply with FMCSA regulations.  This new program will alert drivers & companies if they are deficient in an area that is identified by roadside inspections.  By giving notice, corrections can be made to issues identified before intervention measures are taken.

JET Transit has viewed its roadside data collected in the past 24 months and is within standards at this time.  It must be an on-going effort to continue to have good roadside inspections, because the data will be downloaded much faster than the Safestat system and the rating can change quickly either way.

Our crew left Indiana this past Monday for the 20th Annual Cruisin’ Ocean City in scenic Ocean City, Maryland, which is scheduled May 20-23. Jasper Engines and Transmissions is one of ten new sponsors appearing in this year’s event. Visitors can expect to see: up to 6,000 cars, live on-stage DJ’s, daily on-stage trophy awards, automotive and pop culture trivia contests, special give-aways and door prizes.

Activities will begin Thursday morning, May 20th, with the Cruisin’ Ocean City Parade on Ocean City’s Beachside Boardwalk. Special guest Henry Winkler, who played Arthur “the Fonz” Fonzarelli on the television sitcom Happy Days, will be available for photo and autograph opportunities during the event. Check out the Motown sound of The Four Tops, as they are to perform live in concert on Friday night at the Ocean City Convention Center. Tickets can be purchased through Ticketmaster or at the Convention Center Box Office. Cruisin’ Ocean City 2010 will be featured on two half-hour television segments, which will air Sunday June 6th at 11AM, with a re-air on Monday June 7th at 4PM and Sunday August 15th at 11AM, with a re-air Monday August 16th at 4PM on FOX Sports Net.

Visit our JASPER exhibit for the latest product literature and pricing, informative videos and network video game racing. We will also have a variety of new performance engine parts and accessories available for sale. Our experienced and knowledgeable sales staff will be on hand to answer your drivetrain component questions. We are looking forward to seeing you there!

For more information about this event, click on the following link: www.specialeventsponsorships.com

Associate Sam Schwenk took a pie in the eye at high noon in the company’s parking lot for JASPER’s Relay for Life Team on April 16th.  Twelve Associates, comprised of mostly managers, volunteered as contestants in the second annual Pie in the Eye fundraiser.  JASPER Associates paid a quarter per vote to see their favorite participant have a pie thrown at them.  Sam Schwenk, a cancer survivor himself, received the most votes and raised over $600 himself, bringing the total to $1400.  JASPER and its Associates are continuously involved in raising money for various charities, such as March of Dimes, Easter Seals, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, area food banks and many others.  Do you or your company have any creative fundraising stories that you would like to share?

Would you like your repair facility to be busier? Would you like to grow and improve your profits? Are you looking for simple and effective things you and your staff can do to grow? If you answered YES to any or all of these questions, the JASPER “Strive To Thrive” program will benefit you.

“Strive To Thrive” was designed by JASPER’s Customer Advisory Group to help independent garage owners (IGOs) grow and be more profitable. The program has been tested in major cities with amazing results. Some IGOs have reported some super results in just 60 days!

The cost to attend Strive to Thrive? Four hours of your time, initially. If your spouse, child, partner or key Associates want to attend, they are welcome too.

Doug Bawel, President of JASPER, is the presenter of Strive To Thrive. His resume reads like the “Who’s Who” in the automotive industry:

• 1973-1976 - Ruxer Ford, Youngest member of the Ford 500 Club
• 1976 - Present - Jasper Engines & Transmissions
• President of Jasper Motorsports
• President of Penske Jasper Racing

Doug’s real passion is helping others. He believes in the success of the small independent business operation and has devoted a large portion of his life to helping others. In 2003, Doug was named Business Man of the Year by the Indiana Chamber of Commerce. 

“During the presentation, we will share over 50 ideas that work,” says Bawel. “Only ideas that work will be shared.”

Upcoming Strive To Thrive events for 2010 include: 

Take advantage of this opportunity to help your business grow. Learn more about the Strive To Thrive program by contacting your JASPER Sales Representative!