A group of Des Moines Team Members take time the first Thursday of every month to serve at Hope Ministries, a local homeless shelter. Hope Ministries has served the homeless and hurting of Greater Des Moines for 126 years. It is a Christ-centered, faith-based ministry that provides programs and services for homeless, hungry and hurting people in Des Moines and central Iowa.

Each year over 100 individual churches participate in the ministry through financial support, volunteers, clothing and/or food drives, while nearly 1000 volunteers donate valuable time and expertise each year.

Go Team Des Moines!

To learn more about Hope Ministries visit http://www.hopeiowa.org/

“W”, the women’s show invited Gale to share his battery expertise in an upcoming episode. Stay tuned!

March 25, 2009 — Deerfield Beach, FL — While many women are responsible for the care and maintenance of their cars, they are often uninformed about a simple but critical element to a reliable car: the battery. Since we’re in the midst of the hot summer months, and heat is the most damaging factor to a battery, W, the women’s show invited Gale Kimbrough from Interstate Batteries to share his expertise in an upcoming episode.

The show will air on July 19^th, 2009 at 7:00 am on the WE network and on July 27^th, 2009 at 7:30 am on Oxygen.

We don’t want women to be in a vulnerable situation that could arise when a car battery is suddenly dead,” says Ron Secreto, W’s Executive Producer. “Mr. Kimbrough will tell viewers how they can find out the condition of their car batteries, as well as what to consider when it needs to be replaced.

W, the women’s show is a fast-paced half-hour show that transports women to the “non-fluff” zone, offering in-depth, relevant and inspiring one-on-one interviews and stories that highlight the triumphs and challenges that women face. Each episode offers viewers helpful ideas and timely information that make their lives easier and more enriched.”

Interstate Batteries! “Every battery for every need” isn’t just a statement but a fact!

*Remember to tune-in to hear some beneficial information. 

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Our Interstate Team Members just recently returned from the annual Russia trip. This trip is of great importance to Interstate, our team members and all those individuals involved in reaching out to these Russian orphans.

Here’s a brief album of some smiling faces and other wonderful sites.

Team Member overall satisfaction

The 2008 Employer of Choice results are in and home office team members are reporting increased satisfaction of 15-20% across the board. Check out some of the impressive ratings we received:

• Interstate’s business practices are consistent with the values it claims to hold
• Interstate is a family-friendly company
• I feel Interstate’s work environment/culture is a significant reason why I remain employed here
• I’m proud to tell people I work for Interstate
• I would not hesitate to recommend a job at Interstate to a qualified person

Interstate Batteries sells over 16,000 different kinds of batteries—from AA alkalines to critical power solutions, and everything in between. Combine professional battery services, recycling programs and the largest battery distribution network in North America, and you’ll find Interstate has EV ERY BATTERY FOR EVERY NEED™.

Interstate’s 1400 team members received jump ropes in the mail, announcing the new IB Fit rewards program. Team members can rack up points through health challenges, quizzes, exercise and preventive visits and cash them in for awesome rewards.

Even Executive Management is “hitting the ropes”!

Arena racing took an unexpected turn when Joe Gibbs flipped Norm Miller’s (Interstate Batteries Chairman) car during lap 6 at the Hampton Coliseum. This is exciting footage - check out the link below.

See the action for yourself - click here!

“The economy is brutal, but their business booms”

That was the headline - And, Interstate Batteries is listed as one of those businesses that’s booming. Below is an excerpt of the story on the USA Today site.

Getting a charge

Dallas-based Interstate Batteries, with 125 retail stores nationwide, seems to have little in common with Bathroom Magic. But Interstate is benefiting from the same do-it-yourself, cost-cutting fever sweeping consumers.

The 56-year-old, private company sells batteries not only for cars and trucks, but also for power tools, hearing aids, cellphones, cameras, laptop computers, toys and other devices. Interstate’s retail stores, called All Battery Centers, sell batteries that people can install on their own, or customers can pay to have them installed.

“October and December were the best months for revenues and profits in our company’s history,” says Mickey Elam, vice president at Interstate Batteries.

The company opened 43 new stores last year. It now has 125 stores in 41 states, Canada, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. Elam says sales in October, November and December combined were up 12% year-over-year.

In December, Interstate began airing ads on cable TV featuring its top-selling auto battery, the green and white Mega-Tron.

“With the recession, people are not upgrading to new products, whether it’s cars or laptops,” Elam says. “Instead, they are trying to extend the life of their products.”

“Have It, Find It, Build It” - Click here!

Interstate Batteries was recognized by The American Heart Association on their “Fit-Friendly Companies” program list.

This program recognize companies that focus on a “culture of wellness” for their employees, and Interstate Batteries is one of those companies that see the importance of getting our team members healthier.

The American Heart Association’s Start! initiative calls on all Americans and their employers to create a culture of physical activity and health to live longer, heart-healthier lives through walking. At its core is the Start! Fit-Friendly Companies Recognition Program.

The program recognizes employers that champion the health of their employees by offering physical activity programs within the workplace. The program also provides encouragement and resources for companies that seek to improve their employees’ health and well-being. Since it was launched in 2007, the nationwide initiative has recognized more than 1,000 companies as Start! Fit-Friendly Companies. Gold-level status is awarded to companies that meet the Fit-Friendly criteria. Companies that take the program a step further and demonstrate successful outcomes or ROI from their wellness programs receive platinum-level recognition. “

You can see more information showcased in the Oct. 27 issue of Forbes magazine.