Harold Is Everyone's Santa

Harold's staff

     It’s 07:30 inside the big Perishables Center at Hartsfield Jackson International Airport in Atlanta.
    The regular crew is buzzing about the building with office and staff coming to life.
    Another busy day begins at a place that defines what a great driving force a well run, on airport cool-chain operation is all about.
    Before the coffee is done brewing, in breezes Harold Hagans, President of Atlanta Customs Brokers & International Freight Forwarders.
    Harold is on his early morning rounds, looking after his business at the big airport.
    Harold Hagans takes nothing for granted.
    He is already well into a schedule at work that commences at 06:00 hours before sunrise and continues non-stop until 18:00 hours every weekday evening.
    Although any one of his nine employees could probably look after this assignment, Harold is a boss as a team player, who never mails it in or sits around giving orders.
    When it comes to challenges and getting things right, underneath a gentle exterior is a tough no-nonsense former career military man who once made his living as a paratrooper jumping out of airplanes.
    While building a business, Harold Hagans has become an icon of the air cargo community in Atlanta for his generous giving spirit.
    He is willing to stand up and help others.
    The Wednesday before Thanksgiving ACB hosts its annual Christmas party open house, inviting everybody up and down the line from the office complex where ACB resides, and from elsewhere, guests start the season bright with a full turkey dinner.
    Harold Hagans is everyone’s Santa.
    “My employees are my family,” he says.
    “I am here every morning because we handle such a broad variety of specialized shipments.
    “This perishables center has empowered our ability to move all types of unusual cargo that others shy away from by offering several value-added features including fumigation, on site Customs and Department of Agriculture, and other services in a one stop arrangement.
    “Everything we do at ACB begins as hands on total service.
    “So every day I start early and make my rounds.
    “As example, twice weekly we move more than three million worms for two companies up north.
    “I often wonder who counts all those worms?”
    Harold Hagans reveals a secret with that remark.
    As he speaks he winks and smiles all at once.
    Air cargo meets a true Southern Gentleman we are thinking.
    This isn’t just work.
    He is having one hell of a good time too.
    Cornerstone to Mr. Hagans activities is his community outreach program.
    Mr. Hagans conducted a seminar in import and export technique, rules and regulations during July 2005 at nearby Perimeter College.
    “There are numerous small business opportunities emerging in today's global marketplace, but none are as solid and exciting as international trade.
    “With minimal initial investment, the opportunities for expansion in this industry are exceptional.
    “As with all small business ventures, the success of an international trade business is based on knowing the rules and regulations governing the industry.
    “With this knowledge in place, entrepreneurs can venture into a successful business opportunity that has the potential to yield great returns now and into the future.
    “That was our aim earlier this year, and our classes were well attended with several students entering the air cargo business and also attending from the industry as well.”
    Harold Hagans has served as chairman of the International Committee for Clayton County and is President of Atlanta Customs Brokers & International Freight Forwarders, which was selected as the international business of the year in 1995 and again in 2001 by the Chamber of Commerce.
    He holds a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration and Criminal Justice from Columbia. In addition to teaching international import and export classes for Mercer University and Perimeter College, he also serves as instructor for Dale Carnegie.
    His past credits include serving on the Atlanta International Committee, acting as Chairman Vice President of the Terminals Committee for Hartsfield International Airport and President of the Customs Brokers and Freight Forwarders Association of Atlanta.
    But whether teaching or mentoring, it seems that there are always one or two young people seeking an air cargo career, who Harold is mentoring into air cargo from either Latin America or as far away as Africa.

This is Joseph Christian. JC served for many years on the Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport Fire Brigade. We met him at the AACA Luncheon last week and he told us after watching air cargo grow at ATL, he decided to purchase a “box truck” and try his hand delivering cargo to and from the airport and around Atlanta . “Mr. Hagans suggested I should come up here and meet the folks,” JC said. Joseph and his box truck operate under the name JC Express, are bonded and available for pick up and delivery 24/7 and can be reached at (404)579-9212 or majchristian@comcast.net.

    Harold Hagans is what this business is all about, or at least ought to be.
    The offices of ACB are efficient, warm and friendly.
    The place by any measure is both beautiful, bright clean and comfortable,
    You think, “anybody who takes this kind of pride in his place, is surely going to be good to ship with.”
    But Harold Hagans takes things farther.
    In addition to serious business he seems to know a lot about the stuff he is shipping.
    Inside the handling facility and warehouse, three tons of coffee sit next to pallets of flavored chips used to smoke meat.
    Elsewhere fish there and a big consignment from Mongolia rest easily with a Lotus racecar bound for South America.
    Several boxes from Africa filled with stuffed rare animals are about to be cleared by Customs.
    “Should have seen that stuffed gorilla that just left here,” one of the girls laughs.
    “Talk about big!”
    Out in the hallway Harold Hagans is putting the finishing touches on a six foot Santa that will greet visitors at party time this week. Santa on Santa we are thinking.
    “We are going to deep fry the turkey in peanut oil this year,” Harold ventures.
    Never taking anything for granted, Harold says that he did a run through with this turkey frying technique in the company kitchen the previous week, and the result was sensational.
    “Folks ate the bird, bones and all,” he laughs.
    That somehow Harold Hagans finds time to be all he is to air cargo in Atlanta lifts the entire form is our view.
    “We are just as good as the community of people we become, as cargo specialists all involved in the same thing,” everyone’s Santa smiles.
    (Contact (404) 762-0953. After hours (770) 460-0230 or www.atlantacustomsbrokers.com.