Amoroso Baking Company Employee Spotlight
Covering the Miles...
When Bud Hoffman came on board as a full-time driver five years ago, he moved up to a bigger truck. A familiar part of the Amoroso Baking Company family, he has been covering Sundays in the warehouse as a sort of weekend problem solver for the previous 25 years, making sure operations were set for Monday morning and, often, driving a smaller truck to fill in some orders.
As a full-time driver, he immediately upgraded his driving certifications and training. He practiced driving a "steak-body" truck on the seven blocks between the warehouse and the bakery until it was time to take it on the road.
In Bud's combined 30 years of service, he has learned many delivery routes. Bud, affectionately called the "WaWa Man", delivers to most of the WaWa stores Amoroso serves. He also delivers products from the frozen warehouse in Vineland to be shipped all over the country. The virtual map Bud has developed in his head from experience driving the routes makes him a valuable resource. He knows where every store on the Amoroso delivery map is located.
Seeing that service is in his blood, Amoroso grabbed the opportunity to hire Bud full-time when Sears, where he worked in appliance repair for 25 years, downsized. "I worked in every kind of home and in customer relations at all times," says Bud. "I did not leave until the customer was happy with the job I'd done."
Although drivers must balance everyday concerns like traffic and road conditions, loading and unloading, it's the people Bud talks about. "I don't leave the bakery until the count is correct so that the store doesn't get shorted. You have to have the right amount of product on the truck," he says. "When everything is unloaded, I always make sure the paperwork is right. When you work in service, you have to make sure the customer is satisfied."
His strong work ethic and record of service is added reassurance to customers. "I do whatever I can for the company and I try to promote our products." He never fails to ask a potential customer, Did you every try us? And, he says, "I'll always be there to help you out," he says.
According to Fleet Manager Jim Keavney, "Bud is always someone you can count on to get the job done and done right." His facility for recalling routes and flexibility makes Bud an asset as an employee. "I'll go wherever they send me and come in with any kind of weather. I'll be somewhere and get a call and they send me out to deliver." On Superbowl Sunday during one of the busiest times of the year, for example, he made back-up deliveries for stores requesting extra products. After his journey to work from his home in Delaware, he made deliveries across the river in New Jersey (Woodstown, West Deptford and Cherry Hill), crossed the bridge for some Pennsylvania deliveries (Jenkintown and Cheltenham), made a quick run from the bakery to Northeast Philly and back, and finally finished out the day with two more New Jersey deliveries (Elmer and Swedesboro). The demand during the holidays each year means longer work days, moving trucks out on time and keeping customer satisfaction in mind.
"I haven't missed a day in five years," says Bud. With the pride he takes working at Amoroso, he hopes never to miss a delivery either.
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