People are our most important resource,” says C.J. DeCrescente, President and CEO of DeCrescente Distributing Company (Mechanicville, NY). C.J. is the third generation to run the company, which distributes more than 7.8 million cases of beer and New Age beverages, representing more than 30 suppliers including nine of the top 10 beer marketers in the US. Through its 170,000 square-foot facility, the distributor services 7,500 square miles in upstate New York. Its market share is as high as 65 percent in some parts of its territory.

Sales achievements like that don’t happen without a well-run warehouse and logistics operation behind it, but like many other successful distributors, there was a time when DeCrescente was wary of having OSHA come into its facility. “Now we’re proud to be the first beverage distributor in New York State to receive the SHARP Award,” says DeCrescente.

The Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP) is awarded through the NY State Department of Labor under the Federal Department of Labor to companies that achieve and maintain a safe work environment. DeCrescente’s rate of injury and days away from work is nearly half the national average for the beverage industry.

With 285 employees working 630,000 hours a year and 50 trucks on the road every day, it’s remarkable that DeCrescente had only 8 recordable injuries in 2006. Aside from the human suffering that has been averted, DeCrescente has reduced the dollars paid out in accident claims by 66 percent since 2003. The company also reduced the amount spent on Workers’ Compensation and has been free from the fear of receiving devastating OSHA fines.

In fact, today DeCrescente regularly hosts OSHA safety meetings for other NY companies at the state-of-the-art conference center in its Mechanicville facility. This remarkable change in culture was led by Ray Cordani, safety director for DeCrescente. Cordani was motivated by a serious workplace accident that impacted the entire DeCrescente organization.

“In 1998, I was struck by a forklift, resulting in amputation of several toes,” he says. “The company was distraught and stood by me through my rehab. I was out of work for a year getting skin grafts and healing a shattered ankle. When I came back I got involved in operations. I don’t want to see someone ever again get hurt at DeCrescente. Safety has a special meaning for me.”

Around that time, DeCrescente received a site-specific target letter based on the company’s OSHA reports that its rate of injuries for reportable accidents was above national average.

“We realized that accidents, unfortunately, were going to happen,” says Cordani. “But we didn’t know there were programs and better ways to find root causes of accidents. So when we got the letter I said, ‘I think I can help.’ C.J. was quick to agree; there was no hesitation.”
“I want our company to be the best we can be in every facet—especially safety,” says DeCrescente.

When Cordani and facility manager Andy Laing attended an OSHA meeting in 2002, they found in attendance not only OSHA directors but also contacts from GE, International Paper and the US Postal Service in the Albany region.

“We were in the room with giants, so I felt better,” says Cordani. “We went to observe and listen, but there was such a comfort level that I quickly joined in on the conversations. We began to incorporate ideas we heard from other companies which had had similar incidents or accidents. We really put it on the table—what we’re doing, how we’re doing it, the difficulties we’re encountering.”

Cordani and Laing formed a safety committee consisting of employees from all the departments to meet monthly to discuss issues and incidents. Like most distributors, they found that some accidents occur off-site. “In 2006, we made over 171,000 deliveries to 4,000 accounts in 11 counties,” says Cordani. “Going into uncontrolled situations, we may find missing steps down to the basement, greasy floors and slippery alleyways without salt. So we equipped our drivers with disposable cameras. When they encounter adverse situations, they take a picture and bring it in. I get our sales people involved and we work with our customer to resolve them.”

DeCrescente also created an Accident Review Committee made up of employees who review Cordani’s investigation of every incident, accident or near-miss. “Employees fill out an accident report, and I take statements, review photos, perform measurements and get doctors’ reports,” says Cordani. “The committee decides if they are chargeable and to what level.”

DeCrescente also developed an Ergonomic Training Program in partnership with its medical care provider. A physical therapist stayed all night at the warehouse watching the loading of cases and kegs and also went on the road with the drivers and merchandisers. Then she trained groups of employees in ergonomics, the best way to move while doing each job and created an informal stretching routine that they do before work. “The payoff was tremendous,” says Cordani. “We’ve had a drastic reduction in back injuries.”

DeCrescente’s investment in safety extends beyond its employees. The company also is involved in critical incident training with the Town of Stillwater Emergency Management Office. In 1998, a tornado devastated Mechanicville, destroying more than 60 homes and causing substantial damage to DeCrescente property. Today, its facility is a designated command center where emergency services can stage rescue operations, assemble fire equipment and land rescue helicopters.

DeCrescente is the largest employer in the Mechanicville/ Stillwater area and its connection to the community runs deep. The company was founded in 1948 by Angelo DeCrescente, who started with brands such as Fitzgerald’s, Carling, Kruger and Miller High Life in his lone Studebaker.

Angelo’s son Carmine, Sr. took over in 1973. DeCrescente broke the 1 million case mark in 1988, and he made 15 acquisitions over a 16-year period of time. At 80 years old, Carmine remains active as Chairman of the Board, and was recognized as a “Legend” in the Beer Industry in 2005 by Miller Brewing Company.

The fourth DeCrescente generation is now hard at work. C.J.’s son Matthew is in the company’s IT department, and C.J. III is involved in sales and operations. “It’s a nice balance,” says DeCrescente. “I’m very proud of how they have matured in such a short time and how open they are to learning.”

More than a quarter of DeCrescente employees have been with the company for at least 10 years, including some key 25-year-plus veterans: warehouse manager Dom Clements; vice president of logistics John Perkins; vice president of sales Don Miller; vice president of chain sales Sam Izzo and draft technician John Keil. “We have been fortunate to have a solid core of people who have been with us for many years,” says DeCrescente. “They’re like family to us and they treat the business like it’s their own. You couple that with some of the folks we’ve brought in from the outside, and my boys taking active roles, and it’s a pleasure to come to work each day.”

VITAL STATS: Decrescente Distributing Company
PRESIDENT & CEO: C.J. DeCrescente
HEADQUARTERS: Mechanicville, NY
’06 SALES: Approximately $120 million
EMPLOYEES: 285
GOALS: Continue investing in people to grow the company.