CHICAGO, Feb. 27, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- UPS (NYSE:UPS) today announced that 66 elite drivers from Illinois are among 1,582 newly inducted worldwide into the Circle of Honor, an honorary organization for UPS drivers who have achieved 25 or more years of accident-free driving.  

Illinois boasts 535 Circle of Honor drivers with a combined 13,831 years of accident-free driving. Ralph Lendi of Tinley Park is the state’s senior-most safe driver, with 46 years of accident-free driving under his belt. There are 4,648 total full-time UPS drivers in Illinois.  

Globally, 10,504 UPS drivers are members of the Circle of Honor. Collectively they’ve racked up 257,221 years and nearly 14 billion safe miles during their careers. That’s enough miles to travel to the moon and back almost 29,000 times.

“My thanks go to all of them for their dedication and focus and for the countless lives they’ve saved,” said George Willis, president, UPS West Region. “Their attention to detail has kept them safe and has helped improve public safety.”

Globally, the most seasoned UPS Circle of Honor driver is Thomas Camp of Livonia, Mich., with 55 years of driving without an accident. Ronald McKnight of Bronx, N.Y., is next in line with 49 years of safe driving. One hundred twenty six others have logged at least 40 years without an accident.

UPS’s 127,000 small package drivers are among the safest on the roads, logging more than 3 billion miles a year and delivering nearly 5 billion packages annually. 

Founded in 1907, UPS has a rich history of safety and training. The company issued its first driver handbook in 1917 and began recognizing safe drivers in 1923. In 1928, UPS recognized its first five-year safe driver, Ray McCue, with UPS founder Jim Casey presenting him a gold and platinum watch. UPS formally established its safe driving honor program in 1928.

** NOTE: The following pages list local drivers by hometown and UPS center.  If you’re interested in interviewing a local driver, please contact UPS Public Relations at pr@ups.com. Visit pressroom.ups.com for multimedia assets.

Following is a list of Illinois drivers inducted this year to the Circle of Honor.

DRIVER	HOMETOWN	UPS WORK LOCATION
Adams,  Anteco	East Saint Louis	St. Louis, MO
Adams,  Edwin	Lisle	Hodgkins
Adreani,  Anthony	Itasca	Franklin Park
Bauer,  James	Joliet	Hodgkins
Becton Jr,  John	East Hazel Crest	Chicago
Bialas,  Kevin	Bloomingdale	Addison
Blanchett,  Pamela	Bartlett	Addison
Bradshaw,  Kenneth	Summit	Hodgkins
Brown,  Kenneth	Danville	Decatur
Carnes,  Kelvin	Knoxville	Galesburg
Carter,  Brian	Calumet City	Hodgkins
Cernicky,  William	Oak Lawn	Hodgkins
Chobak,  Dale	Bolingbrook	Hodgkins
Christner,  David	Quincy	Quincy
Cooley,  Thomas	Chicago	Chicago
Correa,  Angel	Frankfort	Franklin Park
Craig,  Derian	Tinley Park	Hodgkins
Czajkowski,  Thomas	Saint Charles	Dekalb
Davis,  Lou	Harvey	Hodgkins
Dougherty,  Jerry	Pawnee	Decatur
Eastman,  Jeffery	Byron	Rockford
Frazer,  Derek	Flossmoor	Hodgkins
Frizzell,  Paul	Plainfield	Hodgkins
Garth Jr,  John	Champaign	Urbana
Grandy,  Mary	Grays Lake	Palatine
Grant,  Lynn	Cary	Palatine
Gullickson,  Mark	Harvard	Palatine
Hamm,  Chris	Argenta	Decatur
Harvey,  Bruce	Quincy	Quincy
Haslinger,  Brian	Homer Glen	Bedford Park
Hietikko,  Robert	Antioch	Palatine
Idrovo,  Manuel	Tinley Park	Bedford Park
Jarmoc,  Steven	Hampshire	Palatine
Kalal,  Mark	Dekalb	Rockford
Kaupp,  Timothy	Gridley	Bloomington
Kimes,  Darrin	Smithton	Belleville
Kuntzelman,  Kevin	Rockford	Rockford
Lee,  Darek	Kankakee	Kankakee
Leppert,  William	Carol Stream	Palatine
Mauritzen,  Gregory	Lemont	Addison
Mika,  Christopher	Arlington Heights	Northbrook
Montgomery,  Sabrina	Chicago	Hodgkins
Moran,  Duvall	Dixon	Addison
Muir,  Mark	Channahon	Joliet
Pappas,  Tom	Skokie	Palatine
Pearce,  Joseph	Marion	Marion
Pietrucha,  Donald	Crestwood	Hodgkins
Rettinger,  Kent	Coulterville	Belleville
Rhew,  Becky	Marion	Marion
Rozak,  Karl	Homewood	Chicago Heights
Sanders,  Jesse	Roselle	Palatine
Santiago,  Michael	Wauconda	Palatine
Schuster,  John	Washington	Peoria
Smith,  Edward	Chicago	Hodgkins
Spizzirri,  Salvatore	Mount Prospect	Hodgkins
Sturdivant,  Darrell	South Holland	Bedford Park
Swieter,  Patrick	Idell	Hodgkins
Thomson,  Glen	Aurora	Addison
Topczewski,  Eugene	Chicago	Chicago
Tyus,  Lasullus	Carol Stream	Addison
Weiss,  Jay	Bolingbrook	Hodgkins
West,  Gregory	Crete	Hodgkins
White,  Rick	Berkley	Franklin Park
Wiesike,  Lane	Streamwood	Palatine
Yeats,  Steven	East Peoria	Decatur
Zofkie,  Daniel	Evergreen Park	Hodgkins

Contact:		UPS Public Relations
		pr@ups.com