SEATTLE, Feb. 24, 2016 -- UPS (NYSE:UPS) today announced that 27 elite drivers from Washington are among 1,613 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.
Washington boasts 121 active Circle of Honor drivers with a combined 3,456 years of accident-free driving. Roy Oki of Spokane is the state’s senior-most safe driver, with 39 years of accident-free driving under his belt. There are 2,218 total UPS drivers in Washington.
Globally, 8,703 active UPS drivers are members of the Circle of Honor. Collectively they’ve racked up more than 245,000 years and more than 5.3 billion safe miles during their careers. That’s enough miles to travel to Mars and back 19 times.
“My thanks go to all of them for their dedication and focus and for the countless lives they’ve saved,” said Joe Braham, president, UPS Northwest District. “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 53 years of driving without an accident. Ronald McKnight of Bronx, N.Y., is next in line with 47 years of safe driving. Sixty-six others have logged at least 40 years without an accident.
UPS’s 102,000 drivers are among the safest on the roads, logging more than 3 billion miles a year and delivering more than 4 billion packages safely.
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 table lists local drivers by hometown and UPS center. If you’re interested in interviewing a local driver, please contact UPS Public Relations at [email protected]. Visit pressroom.ups.com for multimedia assets.
Following is a list of Washington drivers inducted this year to the Circle of Honor.
| Driver | Hometown | UPS Work Location |
| Ballantyne, Bradley | Woodland | Portland |
| Bitterman, Scott | Olalla | Bremerton |
| Brentin, Scott | Tacoma | Tacoma |
| Cook, Paul | Moses Lake | Moses Lake |
| Crickman, Charles | Spokane | Spokane |
| Ditore, Joseph | Duvall | Seattle |
| Greetham, Thomas | Gig Harbor | Tacoma |
| Grow, David | Spokane | Spokane |
| Hawkins, Pedro | Seattle | Tukwila |
| Hays, Shawn | Vancouver | Vancouver |
| Holt, Rick | Maple Valley | Seattle |
| Kato, Kent | Renton | Seattle |
| Kogut, Michael | Sultan | Redmond |
| Lauth, Martin | Shoreline | Seattle |
| McGuire, Daniel | Marysville | Arlington |
| Miller, Jack | Kennewick | Kennewick |
| Nava, John | Vancouver | Vancouver |
| Okubo, Douglas | Kent | Seattle |
| Peters, Tom | Kennewick | Hermiston |
| Ravella, Thomas | Kennewick | Hermiston |
| Schmidt, William | Cashmere | Wenatchee |
| Swensen, Clair | Bonney Lake | Pacific |
| Tradal, David | Bothell | Redmond |
| Van Sant, Michael | Carlsborg | Port Angeles |
| Vance, Kyle | Omak | Omak |
| Voight, Phil | Tacoma | Pacific |
| Whitford, Spence | Sultan | Everett |
Contact: UPS Public Relations [email protected]


Warner Bros Discovery Weighs Amended Paramount Skydance Bid as Netflix Takeover Battle Intensifies
California DMV Proposes New Safety Rules for Autonomous Vehicles After Waymo Incidents
Sanofi to Acquire Dynavax in $2.2 Billion Deal to Strengthen Vaccines Portfolio
Hyundai Recalls Over 51,000 Vehicles in the U.S. Due to Fire Risk From Trailer Wiring Issue
California Regulator Probes Waymo Robotaxi Stalls During San Francisco Power Outage
South Korean Court Clears Korea Zinc’s $7.4 Billion U.S. Smelter Project, Shares Surge
Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk Battle for India’s Fast-Growing Obesity Drug Market
Nvidia and Groq Strike Strategic AI Inference Licensing Deal
Hanwha Signals Readiness to Build Nuclear-Powered Submarines at Philly Shipyard for U.S. Navy
Brazilian Oil Workers’ Strike Continues as Key Petrobras Union Rejects Proposal
BP Nears $10 Billion Castrol Stake Sale to Stonepeak
Winter Storm Devin Triggers Massive Flight Cancellations and Travel Disruptions Across the U.S.
Nvidia to Acquire Groq in $20 Billion Deal to Boost AI Chip Dominance
Winter Storm Disrupts Northeast Travel as Snow and Ice Blanket New York, New Jersey
BlackRock-Backed Global Ports Deal Faces Uncertainty Amid Cosco Demands
Saks Global Weighs Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Amid Debt Pressures and Luxury Retail Slowdown
TSMC Honors Japanese Chip Equipment Makers With 2025 Supplier Awards 



