December 2024

Welcome: Larry Haase, Purchasing Manager, Vice President, Co-owner

Position: As purchasing manager, Larry helps support Divina/Phoenix by interfacing with production planning to ensure that any supply chain issues are addressed. His role involves coordinating closely with suppliers and vendors to maintain a steady flow of materials and resources. Larry says, “I am committed to developing strategic partnerships and negotiating contracts that benefit the company and our suppliers. By staying informed about market trends and potential disruptions, I aim to manage risks proactively and implement solutions that keep our operations running smoothly. It is truly a “team effort” at Divina/Phoenix. I collaborate with interdepartmental teams to optimize inventory management and cost efficiency, ensuring that our purchasing strategies align with the organization’s overall goals. It is our team’s goal to maintain a resilient supply chain that supports Divina/Phoenix’s growth and success for our family of customers!”

As a purchasing manager, Larry manages purchasing for all departments. As vice president and co-owner, Larry works closely with his brother, John Haase, president of Divina/Phoenix’s family-owned business. Together, they oversee the company’s strategic direction and ensure that all operations run smoothly and efficiently. Larry and John’s partnership is built on trust and a shared dedication to excellence, driving the company towards growth, innovation, and success.

Background: Larry went to Henry Abbott Technical High School in Danbury, CT, for carpentry. His intention was to build custom cabinetry and homes. When the roaring 80s slowed down, jobs in the field were hard to come by. Al Haase, his father and founder of Phoenix, asked if Larry would work at Phoenix. Over the years, Phoenix acquired several companies, Divina being one of them. Throughout his career with Phoenix, Larry started in the warehouse, then obtained his commercial truck driver’s license (CDL) before moving into inventory management and eventually transitioning to purchasing. Larry said, “It has been an exciting time filled with new opportunities to learn and grow professionally. Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of working alongside incredible people who have been colleagues, mentors, and friends. Each day has brought challenges and triumphs, contributing to my growth into who I am today. Moreover, my wife, Lisa, has been my strongest supporter. I am truly thankful to everyone.”

Years with Divina/Phoenix: 34 Years, Anniversary date June 15, 1990.

Unique Fun Facts: Larry believes in family first and spending quality time with his loved ones. He actively looks for family outings and adventures to create lasting memories, embracing new experiences and adventures as a family. He finds the “silver lining” and the “humorous” aspects of life.

Personal Life: Larry says, “I have been married to Lisa for 9 wonderful years. She is the greatest person ever and my greatest supporter. If you don’t believe me, ask her. LOL We are the proud parents of three children. Our oldest, Nico, is 22 and currently studying at Wentworth College. Anthony, 21, works as an Order Picker/Forklift Operator at Divina/Phoenix. Finally, our youngest, Callie, is an impressive 8-year-old excelling as a third grader.”

Personal Message: Larry says, “Your satisfaction drives us to continually innovate and improve, doing our best to exceed your expectations and supplying you with the best products and services. It is a team effort at Divina/Phoenix. We believe that strong relationships with our customers are the foundation of our success. Our dedicated team is always here to listen, respond, and adapt to your evolving needs. Thank you for being a part of our journey! We appreciate your business and

are excited about the future we will build together.”

Divina’s NEW Clear Styling Gel

Both Divina’s new Clear Styling Gel and our popular Clear Blue Styling Gel provide a medium to firm hold depending on hair type, styling method, and amount of product used. Divina’s Gels offer so many benefits, such as: heat protection, shine, pliability, movement, and frizz control while maintaining a touchable hold and shape throughout the day. These gels can be used for versatile hair styling on wet or damp hair, smoothing hair frizz and flyaways to obtain a sleeker look, defining curls and coils, slicking down baby hairs, and adding structure to fine hair. Divina Gels can be used on short hair for the natural air-dried tasseled look. The non-flaking formula along with added conditioners will allow you to create defined styles and shape, or mold the hair. It does not leave a residue. Clear Styling Gel is formulated without dyes and fragrances.

Proudly made in the USA.

Styling Gels Offered In:

Blue – Item #025-371022D04
Clear – Item #025-371322D04
Size – 4x5LB Tubs/Case

Christmas Day
Closed: Monday, 12/23/24
Reopen: Monday, 12/30/24

New Year’s Day

Closed: Tuesday, 12/31/24 (half day)

Reopen: Thursday, 01/02/25

Communication Is A Two-Way Street

In October, we explored ways to express our thoughts, and in November, we focused on effectively conveying our messages. Now, we arrive at the final piece of the puzzle in mastering communication skills — Active Listening. While I have mentioned the importance of listening lightly in past newsletters, today, we will delve deeper and further break down this topic to lead the way to success.

PRIORITIZING TWO-WAY COMMUNICATION
Listening skills are just as important to communication in the workplace as talking. Part of being a collaborative team member is listening to other people’s ideas instead of just trying to put your ideas out there.

THREE TYPES OF LISTENING

Effective communication in the workplace involves speaking, active listening, and feedback. Both parties need to understand each other.

Listening to Reply — When you listen to reply, you focus on what you will say next rather than what the other person is saying. With this type of listening, you risk missing key information or even repeating what the other person just said. Instead, try active listening—that is, listen to what the other person has to say without thinking about how you will reply. If you think of something you want to say, jot it down and comment later. Give the speaker your full attention.
Listening to Understand — To avoid missing important information, don’t listen to a co-worker just so you can reply. Instead, listen with the intention of understanding them. Maintain eye contact with the speaker, jot down whatever comes to your mind while they speak, and respond with reverent gestures to show you are listening.
Active Listening — A key component of effective communication is active listening. It involves giving the speaker your full attention and trying to understand their intended message. Here are some tips for active listening:

Focus on the speaker. Give the speaker your full attention and try to understand their intended meaning.
Avoid distractions. Eliminate anything that could take your attention away from the speaker, such as your cellphone. Turn it off or mute it and flip the screen side down.
Maintain eye contact. Eye contact indicates where your attention is focused.
Watch your tone. Pay attention to the speaker’s tone of voice, body language, and other non-verbal cues.
Reflect and paraphrase. Reiterate what you have understood in your own words.
Ask for clarification. Do not hesitate to ask if any part of the message remains unclear. Asking for clarification does show you were paying attention.
Listen fully before responding. Ensure you have heard and understood the entire message before responding. Sometimes the answers you seek may be at the end.

EMBRACING FEEDBACK

Growing is learning, and asking for feedback is growing. Ask your team members for feedback on your message and communication style. Note their comments and concerns for improvements. They can share such information during meetings or drop them anonymously in suggestion boxes. You can also offer feedback, but please deliver it in a thoughtful and respectful way. Just do not do it harshly or in public. The best way to provide constructive feedback is by first appreciating their work and giving compliments, then pointing out how they can improve, not what they did wrong. Allow your coworkers to share their thoughts on your feedback, too, and never take it personally. Remember, growing is learning, and that goes both ways.

MEETINGS

Meetings, whether large or small, are critical to a workplace’s internal communication strategy. They are also one of the least understood and most overused types of communication. Effective meetings build synergy between teams and quickly communicate information that would have a high potential to be misunderstood in another format (like email). The best meetings are highly collaborative and leave participants feeling energized and not drained.

Employee Retention Rates — Organizations experience low employee retention because of ineffective communication between management and staff members. But when employees understand their tasks and how their roles affect the team’s overall success, they’re motivated to take necessary steps. Not only will your organization enjoy longer employee retention, which strengthens your company, but employees will stay motivated, which makes all the difference.

Listening is the Number One Form of Communication — People spend about 70%-80% of their day in some form of communication, but 55% of their time is dedicated to listening.

We Learn By Listening — 85% of what we learn is through listening.

Distractions — Did you know that 75% of the time, we are distracted, preoccupied, or forgetful? That is why we need to develop skills to reduce distractions when giving someone our attention.