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A Maria Shapes Air Cargo

     Maria Schmucker is one of the ladies who helped to shape our industry.
     For decades in New York, JFK and responsible for handling issues at Lufthansa Cargo she is not only a very professional but also charming, sharp minded and highly appreciated Lufthansa family member.
     In the office she’s the first to come, the last to go; lives the old Prussian virtues like punctuality, reliability and discipline.
     Maria walks the extra mile for our customers and for her employees.
     Maria Schmucker does her job wholeheartedly - and in her daily work it can be kindly said that she’s more American than many Americans - and more German than many Germans.
     It is people like Maria who made and make our industry special and give you the feeling that you belong to a big family.
     Cheers and thank you to all the Maria’s in our air cargo industry.
Nils Haupt
Frankfurt Germany

     Sheryle "Cheese" Burger is a veteran here in Atlanta that works for Coca-Cola in the Worldwide Military Customer Team.
     Sheryle is a great American.
     She has served her country both abroad and here on our own soil.
     Her two career goals when she was a child:
     “Serve My Country and work for Coke!”
     On 9/11 when the USA was brought to its knees as we saw our politicians and others standing proud and being united,      "Cheese" took her own personal stand.      She made a vow to wear the American Flag every day for every life lost that terrible day.
     On September 12, 2001 "Cheese" donned a small U.S. Flag on the left arm of her shirtsleeve and has done so each day since.
     Sheryle says that the flag will be worn until the last life has been memorialized, one day at a time.
     In this small but touching way she reminds us both of our loss and also our responsibility to honor America.
     "Cheese" also is very active in participating in the USO at the
Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta.
     She has been over to the airport so many times with her group from Coca-Cola, (Worldwide Military Customer Team) bringing the goodwill and thanks many of us feel, to people who serve in the armed forces as they travel. Upcoming on September 6, 2007 "Cheese" and other representatives from Coke and several members of the Atlanta Air Cargo Association will visit the USO to welcome home our courageous soldiers and shake the hands of those that are going off to defend our wonderful country.
     I am so proud to be a friend of Cheese and want the families and friends of the victims of 9/11 to know that elsewhere their loss is not forgotten.
     Here in Atlanta, many miles away from ground zero, a wonderful, giving lady takes time every morning to don a shirt with a small flag.
     Cheese says a short prayer, and goes out into the world honoring a lost life for the day.
     Her strength and caring make all of us better.
Donna M. Mullins
(Editor’s note: Donna (above left) who is no slouch herself is President of Alpha Sun International, a full service brokerage and freight forwarder that specializes in fresh vegetables, flowers, all food stuffs, quota goods and textiles. Alpha Sun is a heart and soul, hands on company with a 24/7 attitude reflecting Donna, a person who makes air cargo look good. Donna also serves as Secretary of the Atlanta Air Cargo Association.She is one of the reasons that this air cargo club ranks in our estimate as “best in the world.”   www.alphasunintl.com)