WJ Byrnes & Company Centennial - What Lasts For 100 Years Anymore?
The buggy whip and buggy whip makers are almost museum pieces; 8-track tapes, LPs, Betamax and VHS are passé; and venerable, old Western Union sent its last telegram in 2006. What lasts for 100 years anymore? Answer: W.J. Byrnes & Company with wholly owned offices in Arizona, California, Colorado, New York, Oregon, and Wisconsin.
San Francisco, CA (PRWEB) June 2, 2007 -- Today, more vital than ever, customs brokers and freight forwarders help take possession of and help move products and information across international borders with efficiency and improved security. Since the year after San Francisco's Big Quake - for one hundred years, W.J. Byrnes & Company has provided these critical services to companies around the world and customers of all sizes.
According to John Leitner, president of W.J. Byrnes & Company, the staying power of any business - especially a medium size, international business - is based on three things:
·Professional and service-oriented staff
·Growing network of engaged customers and partners
·Staying acutely aware of needs, technologies and changes in the evolving business climate
As Leitner announces this year's plans for the company's 100th year anniversary and celebration in San Francisco, he also points to several examples and explanations for W.J. Byrnes' longevity:
· Timing: Byrnes was founded just as San Francisco became the busiest port on the West Coast.
· Continuous Focus on Talent: Alva Eisfeldt became the Company's first female president in 1923; 30% of the staff hold 5 to 14 years tenure; 20% hold more than 15 years tenure, rare for any industry.
· Customer Advocacy / Readiness: 1947 - ByrnesAIR was formed/certified - the same year that lnternational Air Transport Association (IATA) was established, a global agency regulating shipment of goods by air. Early on, ByrnesAir provided knowledge, insights, solutions to air freight customers
· US Presence: Offices opened in 1980s - 2000s: Arizona, Colorado, Wisconsin, New York; matching customer growth and needs by offering industry expertise in close proximity for personalized focus
· International Presence: Offshore agency network in 52 countries providing standardized services
· Automation / Technology to Expedite Service: Remote location filing and electronic data exchange to reduce paper handling while increasing accuracy, with secure connectivity with US Customs, other Government Agencies, and our service partners.
· Security: Byrnes becomes an early participant of the Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT), a post 9-11, anti-terror and homeland security initiative
· Industry Advocacy: Recognized for trade expertise at international, national, state, and local levels; company offers our customer training about compliance and new trade initiatives
Leitner further explains: "The Company has come a long way from the founding days when staff personally, physically boarded ships to take possession of incoming goods or to place outgoing goods on ships on behalf of customers. It was and is a high-touch and high-trust service. We've kept and built on that service model, even though we remain a modest-sized company. We pride ourselves on using the latest technology and employing the talent of high quality people to satisfy our customers."
W.J. Byrnes & Company will be celebrating its Centennial with staff, customers, agents, and friends from around the globe on June 2, 2007. The event will be held at the Argonaut Hotel, another 100-year-old establishment, located in the Cannery complex at the Maritime National Historical Park.
For more information contact: Mariane Zanetti, Director, Administrative Services, W.J. Byrnes & Co. 415.421.2068 x103 or at www.byrnesnet.com
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