UPS internship prog. lets execs. help communities

Journal Record, The (Oklahoma City), Jun 17, 2002 by Bill May

When dealing with people, preconceived ideas should be thrown out. That's what Aldred E. Williams Jr. of Edmond found out when he traveled to Chicago to mentor a group of inner-city teen- agers. Like most people, he had preconceived ideas about what was needed and how they would look up to him and his lifestyle. He was wrong. "First of all, I found out that my preconceived ideas about how these kids just needed to be straightened out and how they were always wrong were totally wrong," Williams said.

"One kid in particular was having a lot of difficulty with his mother, she was using him as the one she took out her anger and I knew he was in the wrong. "But the more I got to know him, I realized that his mother was on dope, that she had a lot of issues and the boy is the one who wanted to do things right. He was having a hard time of it." This was just one example of the youth he ran into while working with the St. Margaret of Scotland Catholic Church and School on Chicago's South Side. Williams made the four-week trip in April as part of the United Parcel Service Community Internship Program, which sends either high-level executives, or senior managers on their way up, to help a community. At first, wife Daphne was a little skeptical about Williams being away from home for the entire month of April. "I've been with UPS for 14 years and we've been relocated four times," he said. "We've only been in Edmond for two years and I was afraid she'd say no." She didn't, but she also wasn't overjoyed with the idea, said Williams, controller for UPS' Oklahoma City branch, 901 S. Portland Ave. "What impressed me most was working with Father Dan Mallett who ran the church and school," Williams said. "He has spent most of his life there and has dedicated his life to helping that community and the youth. Because he's been there so long, we had people of all ages coming in to see him, seeking some kind of help." They all got some kind of help, Williams said. Because he was immersed in his work with the youth of Chicago, he came away with a far different picture. What Williams came away with was exactly what founders of the program back in 1969 wanted senior managers to realize - how to deal with people. "There is such a diversity in the work force now that you've got to experience something like this to be able to relate to them," Williams said. "I feel that I came away as a far better manager and more understanding as a person." As a result, he now will be working with his church group more, working with disadvantaged youth. "I'd like to see other executives get involved with kids this way, it does a lot of good," he said. But, he's not going to try to set up a new organization just to deal with youth, gang, drug and school problems. "There are enough programs out there already, but all of them need help. Why try to start another one?" he asked. "Instead, we should be working with the existing organizations to assist youth any way we can." There was no earth- shattering realization of how to do things. Instead, Williams simply was himself and met the youth on their same level. "One of the things I realized is that this is a far different culture than I'm used to," he said. "I got to see firsthand the problems these kids are having and how to solve some of them. It was a great experience." After growing up in Memphis, Williams, 36, received a bachelor's degree in business from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and a master of business administration from Cumberland College, Lebanon, Tenn. Williams was totally unprepared for what he ran into in Chicago. "That was a foreign environment for me," he said. "I always felt that kids didn't go to school, didn't do their homework or gave the teacher problems because they didn't want to learn. "Those kids I worked with were frustrated, but they did want to learn and they wanted a way. It's just that poverty, violence and drugs were all around and they just couldn't see how school would help." Before his time was up, though, some of the kids were bringing their schoolwork to Williams to ask for help. "That was gratifying," he said. When Williams was tapped for the assignment, which wasn't voluntary, he became one of about 50 people UPS sends out in the program every year. The company, which has 330,000 employees in the United States and revenues of $30.6 billion annually, has four sites where the internship program works. Besides Chicago, they are in New York City, Chattanooga and McAllen, Texas. While there, the UPS employees offer all kinds of assistance, ranging from mentoring to help to build houses, clean up neighborhoods and even consult with local agencies on how to provide a service more efficiently. "There's a broad range of activities these senior executives participate in," said Don Wofford, UPS' community internship program coordinator in Atlanta. "I think that everyone who participates in it comes away with a good experience and are better managers when they return." While it costs in the neighborhood of $500,000, corporate executives feel the results are well worth the cost. "The business end of what we get out of this is that all the managers improve their communication skills, their problem-solving skills and have a better understanding of people and the diversity that's out there. "While helping the community is a major element, the business aspect can't be ignored. That is that we end up with better managers who are able to implement some of the things they learned while participating. "It's not just business, though," Wofford said. "While providing a needed service to the community, these people come back better managers. "But all of them say they are better people, better spouses and better parents because of their experiences." UPS founder James Casey started the program in 1969. Williams feels that he benefited probably more than the Chicago youth did. "I made some good friends, I feel that I impacted some lives positively and I know that I'm a better manager and a better person for having gone through this," he said. Now that it's over, Williams doesn't want it to end. He feels that his children, Colby, 12, Kelsy, 10, and Aldred, 6, all can benefit from his experience. "They are all interested in it and want to know more," Williams said. As a result, the family plans a Chicago vacation this summer when Williams will introduce his family to the youth he met and especially Father Mallett. "I want to go back and see if the kids are doing better in school and if they are continuing what we discussed," he said. "I'm not ever going to forget those kids or Father Mallett. In fact, his church and school are now on my tithing list."