Moving World, The American Moving and Storage Association

Dircks Moving, Logistics and Real Estate, Phoenix, has begun delivering purchases made by Costco Home customers.

Each week, Dircks Moving will be making approximately 100 deliveries throughout the Phoenix metropolitan area.

On average, each move will consist of 4.5 pieces of furniture.  In additionto making the delivery, Dircks Moving will aso set up and assemble the furniture according to the customer's direction and satisfaction.

With the addition of Costco Home deliveries, Dircks Moving had to purchase additional tool kits for furniture assembly.

Furthermore, the company may purchase additional vehicles to accommodate the new business.

"We're extrememly pleased to add Costco Home to our growing number of Logistics and thus distribution clients," Executive Vice President Rick Dircks.

"Our infrastructure, while ever changing, enables us to add new streams of business to our portfolio."

Costco Home's Tempe, Ariz.-based home furnishings store is one of only two in the U.S.  The other store is located in Seattle.

The Phoenix Business Journal

Services

Dircks Moving was hired by Costco to deliver Costco Home merchandise to metro Phoenix customers. Executives expect to make more than 100 such deliveries weekly for the home store, one of only two in the nation.

For more: www.dircks.com 

The Phoenix Business Journal

Dircks Moving, Logistics and Real Estate, Phoenix, hired Ronald Kebe as systems administrator and Therese Hagar as customer service representative.

The Phoenix Business Journal

Dircks Moving, Logistics and Real Estate, Phoenix, hired Ronald Kebe as systems administrator and Theresa Hagar as customer service representative.

In the Loop, RE/MAX Relocation

When the Arizona State Sun Devils visited Boulder, CO, on Sept. 16 for their road game against the University of Colorado Buffaloes, they brought more than just their football team.

Cruising up Interstate 25 and into enemy territory was a 25-foot, ASU-branded bobtail truck, used to transport ASU's football equipment.  Phoenix-based Dircks Moving, Logistics and Real Estate is a valued partner and the official mover of ASU Athletics.

Chip and Rick Dircks, brothers who happen to be ASU alumni, have owned and operated Dircks Moving since 1990.  One of the many ways they make their mark in Phoenix and beyond is through their association with ASU athletics.  And that means driving into hostile environments such as Boulder, Tucson, AZ, and many other stops across the country.

The truck left the event unscathed.  unfortunately, the same can't be said for the Colorado Buffaloes.

Dircks Allied is a valued service partner of RE/MAX Relocation, Inc.  Dircks provides local, long distance and international residential and corporate moving services as an agent for Allied Van Lines, the largest mover in the world.  In addition, Dircks owns a full-service real estate brokerage, RE/MAX Platinum.

Moving World, The American Moving and Storage Association

On Aug. 4, Phoenix-based Dircks Moving, logistics and Real Estate, unveiled an Arizona Diamondbacks branded moving truck.

Dircks Moving wrapped one of their 24-foot straight trucks that performs consumer moves around the Phoenix metro revealing a large baseball bat that is branded with both the Dircks Moving logo as well as the Diamondbacks logo.

Dircks Moving has been the official mover of the Arizona Diamondbacks since their inaugural season in 1998.

On Aug. 30, Dircks Moving, Logistics and Real Estate entertained 60 customers at a recent Arizona Diamondbacks afternoon game.

"The plan was for Dircks to entertain the customers but in some cases, the customers entertained Dircks Moving," said Rick Dircks, executive vice president.

Todd Laduron, with Schuff Steel threw out the Ceremonial First Pitch.  Dominique LaRoche of Arizona State UNiversity got to change out second base, not on, but twice and she went home with second base.  She legally stole second!"

Then, Katrina Odekirk, Stacie Nelson and their guests led the entire crown in "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" with Diamondbacks Organist Bobby Freeman, Dircks said.

"We had several trivia questions throughout the game including Guess the Attendance where autographed Brandon Webb, Stephen Drew, and Luis Gonzalez baseballs were given as prizes.  Just another way Dircks Moving gets closer to their customers."

On Nov. 4, the company also will celebrate the one year anniversary of Platinum Relocation, a part of the Dircks Family of companies, becoming a RE/MAX agent now known as RE/MAX Platinum.

"Dircks Moving continues to grow its Logistics Division," Rick Dircks notes.  "The Distribution Services will most likely record its biggest year yet."

Dircks Moving just wrapped up a three-month job with St. Joseph's Hospital by managing, storing and placing medical supplies and equipment in the new seven-story Barrow Neurological Institution tower.

In addition, Dircks Moving currently handles a distribution project by managing Target's excess inventory.

This includes daily pick up and delivery of products so that Target can keep a larger and more diversified inventory.

Dircks Moving moves ASU's College of Public Programs from their main campus to their brand new Downtown Campus.

Additionally, Dircks Moving handled Herb Sendek's residential move to the Valley.  Sendek is the new ASU Men's Head Basketball Coach who has come to the university from North Carolina State.

The Phoenix Business Journal

Dircks Moving, Logistics and Real Estate, Phoenix, hired Diana Chapman as customer service manager and promoted Rhonda Young to controller.

The Arizona Republic - by Andrew Johnson

High fuesl prices, a colling housing market and a drop in the number of long-haul truck drivers has presented Dircks Moving, Logistics and Real Estate with some big hurdles.

The Phoenix-based residential and corporate moving company is trying to handle the situation by adding more services and marketing itself as a "move management" company instead of just a traditional moving business.

That means Dircks Moving is becoming involved with companies earlier on as they plan large moves to figure out scheduling, review proposal requests from vendors and map out where and how to set up employee workstations.

"It's a good way for us to expand our business without us having to buy more trucks (and) more warehouses," said Chip Dircks, company president.

In the past year, Dircks Moving has done move-management projects tied to the US Airways-America West airlines merger and the opening of Arizona State University's new campus in downtown Phoenix.

The company's founders also plan to offer home financing when they become part owners of a mortgage brokerage company, Benchmark Loan Services LLC, within the next month to complement the real estate brokerage they bought five years ago.

"The moving industry is typically about a 2 percent profit margin industry," said Executive Vice President, Rick Dircks, who started the business in 1990 with his borther, Chip.

"You can't really afford to hiccup when you're in tight margins," Rick said.  "Kind of the way we dealt with overcoming that was spreading out our lines of business."

The Dircks borthers, both Minnesota natives, started their moving business after buying All Methods Moving, a franchise of international moving company Allied Van Lines.

At the time, the business was earning about $2 million annually, Rick said.  This year he projects revenue will be about $14 million.

The company has changed locations twice to accommodate growth.

In 1995, the business moved from a 52,00-square-foot facility in eat Phoenix to a-135,000 square-foot building in the same area.

Dircks Moving leased that building for 10 years before building its new 110,000-square-foot office and warehouse in southwest Phoenix.

The company moved into the facility in March.  The warehouse, which is 100,000 square feet, holds furniture, automobiles, motorcycles, office equipment and other items.

Despite being smaller than its previous location, the new building has 20 percent more storage capacity because it is taller, Rick said.

Economic conditions have a major impact on the moving and storage industry, which is why Dircks Moving decided to focus on more than just the hauling side of the business.

"Recessions are very difficult in our business because we are tied directly to home sales, so when home sales drop, it has an impact on us," Rick said.

Move management is just one way moving companies have been trying to stay competitive, according to David Sparkman, vice president of communications for the American Moving and Storage Association in Alexandria, Va.

"A lot of firms in our indsutry, because of the seasonality of the business and the way it goes up and down with the economy, have expanded into other business lines, as well," Sparkman said.

The Arizona Republic - by Jeff Metcalfe

Arizona State's offensive line depth took another hit with the loss of sophomore guard Leo Talavou, who left the team for family reasons.

Talavou joins Jonathan Lehmann, Brent Russum, Bradis McGriff and J.D. Walton as scholarship offensive linemen who have left the program since Aptil 2005 for disciplinary or personal reasons.

"Leo has some off-the-field situations," coach Dirck Koetter said Wednesday.  "The importance of those situations far outweigh anything that would happen on the football field, and Leo needs to attend to some personal situations.  We wish him nothing but the best."

Talavou of Fountain Valley, Calif., started three games and played in eight last season after reshirting in 2004.

ASU could sign as many as five offensive linemen in February to make up for its depleted numbers.

For now, ASU is two-deep across the line, and that's it.  Julius Orieukwu, Shawn Lauvao, Thomas Altieri, Paul Fanaika and Richard Tultu'u are the backups behind Brandon Rodd, Stephen Berg, Mike Pollak, Robert Gustavia and Andrew Carnahan.

SEnior Zach Krula could returnat midseason if his recovery from multiple ankle surgeries goes well.  Another option is Saia Falahola, the only scholarship offensive lineman among the true freshmen.  Altieri, Lauvao and Tuitu'u are reshirt freshmen who have yet to play in a game.

Going north

The first practive at Camp Tontozona outside Payson is from 3:40 to 6 p.m. today.  The Sun Devils wil continue at Tontozona through Aug. 17, including a scrimmage from 8:35 to 11:05 a.m. on Saturday.  That's eight days, down from 11 last year.

"It was very humid," Koetter said Wednesday morning after the team's second practice in pads at the Kajikawa Practice Facility.  "I guess that's why God or Coach (Frank) Kush invented Camp T.  We did get all new beds, but we can get out team bonding and all that stuff in there in eight days.  That Day 9, 10, and 11 without the comforts of home, with no disrespect to Coach Kush, enough is enough."

Practices at Tontozona are open to the public.  Rain can force the Sun Devils to practice at Rumsey Park in Payson.

Dircks Moving transported more than 10,000 pounds of equipment from Tempe to Tontozona.  The moving company provides a 48-foot semitrailer as well as toher trucks for medical, video and field equipment and daily laundry runs to Payson.  Dircks' 24-foot Sparky bobtail truck is used to transport equipment for road games.

The Phoenix Business Journal - by Angela Gonzales

The Arizona State University Center for Nonprofit Leadership and Management is poised to help local nonprofits struggling with a leadership crisis.

A national study by My Bridgespan Group found nonprofits need to attract and develop a total of 640,000 new senior managers over the next decade at a time when more nonprofits are being formed and executives are retiring from existing nonprofits with few people to replace them.

"It's a pretty powerful trajectory for the nonprofit sector," said Robert Ashcraft, director of ASU's Center for Nonporfit Leadership and management, which is moving into new offices at ASU's Downtown campus this week.

Thanks to a three-year, renewable $900,000 grant from the Corporation for National Service and in partnership with the Public Allies national office, ASU will place 25 young people in 10-month apprenticeships in local nonprofit partner organizations.

To coincide with the opening of ASu's new downtown Phoenix campus, the program will focus on Phoenix-area nonprofits during its first year, with a special emphasis on strengthening minority communities, Ashcraft said.

Young adults 18-30, selected from the program, will receive training in professional and leadership skills.  Once they are matched with nonprofit, they will receive a stipend from the ASU grant, matched partly by the nonprofit where they are placed.

Several local nonprofits have applied for the mentoring program and are awaiting word to be selected. Young adults have until Aug. 16 to apply for the program.

Missy D'Aunoy, Habitat for Humanity's chief development officer hopes her organization will be chosen.

"We will be able to mentor someone interested in nonprofit management and be able to have someone on staff we would never be able to afford without this program," she said.  "It's dificult to find funding for staff.  That makes this really unique."

Jim Piscopo, founder of Bridging AZ Furniture Bank, agreed.

"It's easy to get retirees as volunteers because they have time," he said.  "This gives the younger people a little stipend, but also gives them experience in the real world of nonprofits.  To mentor someone in this world, you're really making an impact in other people's lives."

The program's goal is to develop a next generation of nonprofit leaders, said Michelle Lyons-Mayer, director of ASU's new Public Allies Arizona program, which was created as a result of the grant.

Public Allies was founded in 1992 as part of the AmeriCorps program to tap into young people to tackle community issues.  It has expanded into 14 communities, including the new Phoenix site operated by the ASU Center for Nonprofit Leadership and Management.

"We're looking for the diamond in the rough, the young person who has passion and commitment to community, but hasn't necessarily had a lot of opportunity to participate in leadership programs or had the opportunity to attend college," Lyons-Mayer said.  "We'll get some really stellar students, but we'll also get young people who perhaps haven't been the class president or the young person we typically think of as an emerging leader."

Direction Magazine, The American Moving and Storage Association

in 2002, the Moving and Storage Institute was established exclusively as a separate non-profit, 501C (3) organization for charitable, educational, and scientific purposes.  One of the objectives is "to award annual scholarships to those who pursue a career in a business that has an impact on the field of household goods moving and storage."

Since the inception of the institute, scholarships have been awarded annually to those whose combination of eligibility criteria, academic achievements, future aspirations, and work experience, qualifies them as deserving.

This year, the MSI Board of Directors has voted to award a scholarship to the following: Cori Godeke, Katharyn Hope, Jenny Ortega, Ryan Parker, Caitlyn Reddington, Vanessa Rolek, Lyndsey Reynolds, Max Reznick, Matthew Sommerfeld and Heidi Vetter.

The partial tuition scholarship will permit these deserving recipients to study at various two and four year accredited colleges and universities all over the United States.  Some of the awardees work for moving and storage companies, others who have parents who work in the industry.

Upon receipt of the scholarship honor, Rachel Hope commented, "It is a great thing when all of the hard work throughout high school pays off.  I am very happy to be able to use this award towards my tuition."

In Caitlyn Reddington's thank you she recognizes the Institute and her family.  "Both my parents and I have worked hard to make my dreams of attending college a reality.  Your generosity will greatly aid my family."

None of these rewards or accolades would be possible without the generosity of the many AMSA members, who contribute to the scholarship fund, or those members who volunteer to participate on the Institutes Board.

When asked why it is important for the industry and American Moving and Storage Association members to support scholarships for those pursuing a career in the field of household goods moving and storage, MSI Chair Robert "Chip" Dircks, President of Dircks Moving Services, Inc. commented.  "As movers become more diversified as well as more sophisticated, it has become more critical to invest in the people that will become the future of our industry."

He added, "With the increase in technology, it has become very important that our next generation of movers is highly educated in not only accounting and sales, but also in supply chain management.  As a third generation mover, I believe in promoting the industry and investing in the future of the industry in any way possible."

Board member, K. Scott Ogden, senior vice president and general counsel for Bekins Van Lines, Inc. commented that changes which have swept through the moving and storage industry require more extensive education and professional development on the part of those working in it.

"The local moving and storage agency has become much more than a simple 'Mom and Pop' local trucking comapny.  Today's successful local agents need to have a solid business background to run their firms.  They much not only have general business skills but, also have solid human resources, sales, accounting and information technology skills," he observed.

"While some of these skills can be learned the old fashioned way through on the job training, a college education gives a solid foundation in the many business facets that are required for continuing growth and profitability in a chalenging industry.  By providing scholarships to our next generation, we are assisting them in getting the education they will need to succeed not only in their own careers, but to use this individual success to improve the industry as a whole."

Between 2002 and 2005, AMSA members have contributed more than $45,000 in cash contributions to the MSI scholarship fund.  September 2006 will kick off the annual fall fund raising campaign when AMSA members will have opportunity to contribute to the scholarship funds for 2007 and beyond.

The Phoenix Business Journal

The first of three Arizona State University colleges has officially moved into its new downtown Phoenix digs.

Phoenix-based Dircks Moving helped move the ASU College of Public Programs to its new location at 411 N. Central.

The site will hold approximately 200 faculty and staff and serve more than 1,500 students.

The College of Nursing and University College also will move downtown in time for the fall semseter, which opens in late August.  Other colleges will make the move from Tempe to downtown Phoenix over the next few years.

Welcome Week at the Downtown Phoenix campus is scheduled for Aug. 17-20.  Move-in for students at the Residential Commons downtown will begin the morning of Aug. 17.

Moving World, The American Moving and Storage Association

Dircks Moving Services welcomed their customers and bsiness associates to tour and celebrate the opening of their brand new Phoenix facility near 43rd Avenue and I-10 and it made a contribution to Peoria Police Officer Bill Weigt and the 100 Club.

Bill Weigt, a police officer witht he Peoria Police Department, was hot and paralyzed on Dec. 17, 2005.

Dircks surprised Bill and his wife Dolores with a check for $800 as well as a matching contribution to the 100 Club, which provides financial assistance to public safety officers and firefighters who are severely injured or killed in the line of duty.

Diamnodbacks outfielder and Dircks Spokesperson Luis Gonzalez was at the grand opening posing for pictures and receiving accolades for his milestone achieved on April 18, 2006 against the San Francisco Giants.

That night, Gonzalez hit the 500th double of his career putting him in elite status with only 20 other Major League Baseball players who have hit at least 500 doubles and 300 home runs.

As a gift to Gonzalez, Dircks made a contribution to Weigt, who Gonzalez had befriended following the shooting.

"After Luis hit the double to join the other 20 players to record this awesome feat, we knew we wanted to pay tribute to him," said Executive Vice President Rick Dircks.  "But what do you get a guy that seemingly has it all?"

Weigt who graciously accepted the check with his wife, commented, "Enough can't be said for what Luis means to me and my family and all of the support that he has given me.  Then, for Dircks to make this contribution, I can't thank them enough to even think of me."

Dircks' new facility houses their entire staff as well as over 100,000 square feet of warehouse and storage space.

"We're extremely proud of our new facility and would not be here without our awesome and loyal customers as well as our dedicated employees," said Chip Dircks, president of the moving company that celebreated its 16th aniversary May 12.

Dircks is a full service moving, logistica and real estate company that specializes in the transportation and storage of household goods, computerized equipment, office and industrial equipment and other commodities.

The Phoenix Business Journal

Dircks Moving, Logistics and Real Estate hired Alexis Extract as marketing manager.  Jim Cooper joined Dircks as a commercial operations manager.

Wilson-Gray Inc. Movers Search Group Newsletter

Dircks Moving Services of Phoenix, AZ celebrated the opening of their brand new, state of the art facility on May 12th.  Phoenix public officials and Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder, Luis Gonzalez, a spokesperson for Dircks, were on hand at the grand opening.

The Phoenix Business Journal

Dircks Moving Services held a grand opening May 4 for its new Phoenix facility at 4340 W. Mohave St.  Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon and company spokesman, Luis Gonzalez, attended the event.

The Phoenix Business Journal

Arizona recorded more inbound than outbound moves in 2005, according to Allied Van lines' 38th annual Magnet States Report, a study tracking relocation patterns throughout the 50 states.

The study revealed that Arizona reported 8,585 interstate moves, making it the third-most-popular state for people moving with Allied.

Mirroring the statewide trend, 71.3 percent of Phoenix's relocations were inbound as well.

"With Arizona's unbelieveable climate and our strong real estate market, it comes as no surprise that we are still attracting people from afar as well as within," said Rick Dircks, executive vice president of Dircks Moving, Logistics and Real Estate in Phoenix, an Allied Van Lines affiliate.  "Plus, with Arizona's vibrant economy and affordable cost of living, our high ranking in this report should continue year after year."

Texas attracted the most new visitors, according to the 2005 Magnet States Report.  The Lone Star State experienced 8,629 inbound shipment performed by Allied, compared to 6,638 outbound shipments for a new relocation gain of 1,991.  Runner-up North Carolina had a net relocation gain of 1,917 out of 7,491 total shipments, while Arizona's relocation gain was 1,331 out of 8,585 shipments.

On the flip side, California was America's No. 1 outbound state in 2005.  According to the Allied Van Lines report, the state posted 11,387 outbound shipments compared to 8,564 inbound for a net relocation loss of 2,823 shipments.

Allied Van Linse is a household goods moving firm, and a subsidiary of SIRVA Inc., (NYSE:SIR), a global provider of relocation services to corporations, consumers and governments around the world.

Moving World, The American Moving and Storage Association

Dircks Moving Services is on the move - literally.  After occupying a site on Elwood Street near 40th Street and the I-10 in Phoenix for the past 10 years, Dircks moved to a state-of-the-art, brand new facility that they can call their own.

So who did brothers Chip and Rick Dircks hire to move their company from the old location to is new site?

"Let's just say it was an internal hire," said President Chip Dircks.  "All hands are on deck for this move which essentially incorporates all of Dircks' services."

The new location is at 4340 West Mohave Street and represents an increase of 35% more storage capacity than the company's previous location.

The new facility features 34-foot clear height ceilings, parking for 50 trucks, an 80-foot long, 200,000-pound capacity public scale, all sitting on 7.25 acres.

Construction of the new faciltiy began in April 2005.  this is the third location for Dircks since the company was founded back in May 1990.

The items that were moved by Feb. 25 included over 700 semi-loads transported to the new facility from the old one; 2,000 storage vaults; 1,700 pallets of goods, and almost 80,000 individual items in total.

Dircks said its own move would have ranked amongst the Top 3 moves performed by the company in 2005.

An Allied Van Lines agent, Dircks is a full service moving, logistics, and real estate company that specializes in the transportation and storage of household goods, computerized equipment, office and industrial equipment and other commodities.

Movers Search Group National Email Newsletter

Dircks Moves Dircks.......Last month Dircks Moving Services in Phoenix completed their third largest move of the past 12 months: Their own! Their 3rd location since 1990, the move encompassed over 700 semi-loads, 2,000 storage vaults, 1,700 pallets and almost 80,000 individual items...it is rumored that Chip and Rick Dircks refused to pay with a cashier's or certified check upon delivery...........

The Phoenix Business Journal

A Phoenix company known for moving people is about to make a move of its own.

After occupying a site on Elwood Street near 40th Street and interstate 10 for the past 10 years, Dircks Moving is moving to a brand-new facility at 4340 W. Mohave St.

The new building has 35 percent more storage capacity than Dircks' previous location.  The new facility features 34-foot-high ceilings, parking for 50 trucks, and an 80-foot long, 200,000-pound capacity scale.

The official move is Saturday.

Dircks is a full service moving, logistics, and real estate company, and serves as an agent for Allied Van Lines and RE/MAX Platinum.

The Phoenix Business Journal - by Laura Newpoff

A large portion of the 90 employees at Dircks drive trucks, handle heavy boxes and have face-to-face interaction with customers.

So it should come as little surprise that the Phoenix company randomly tests its workers to make sure they're not on drugs. What is surprising, though, is that methamphetamine use hasn't surfaced in the tests despite the drug's rise to epidemic status.

"This is a pretty touchy one in my business," said Rick Dircks, executive vice president of Dircks Moving, Logistics, Real Estate. "We have truck drivers and employees who are in people's homes every day. We do regular and random drug testing, and this one (meth) has not come up yet."

Whether the meth problem is knocking on the door of the small-business community is debatable. Several small companies contacted by The Business Journal, such as Dircks, have no experience with workers using the drug.

But some experts wonder how small firms would even know if there's a meth user in their midst, noting that small businesses have shied away from drug testing because of the perception that it's a costly administrative headache.

Since 2004, Mark Ogden, managing partner of Littler Mendelson's Phoenix office, a labor and employment law practice, has seen meth use become more of an issue for clients, especially in the form of employee theft. The firm had a case last year where a client's employee embezzled more than $250,000 and spent it on meth and casino gambling.

"We've also seen cases involving rapidly deteriorating performance and the employees later admitted that they had gone several days without sleep, because they were using the drug," Ogden said.

Small firms also are vulnerable to the effects of drug addiction because of their dependency on single individuals for crucial tasks, according to Drug-Rehabs.com, an online information site that links drug users to treatment centers.

That risk is compounded by the tendency of small businesses to take no action, the site reports.

The percentage of American workers who tested positive for amphetamines such as meth nearly doubled from 2001 to 2005, according to data from Quest Diagnostics Inc., a national provider of drug testing services for businesses.

The drug's connection to the workplace is obvious because it keeps users alert and the high can last up to nine hours.

Ryan Krostue, a spokesman for Universal Background Screening in Phoenix, said as meth use surges, employers can expect to experience increased absenteeism and accident rates.

He said statistics show drug-using employees take three times as many sick benefits as others and are five times more likely to file workers' compensation claims.

Liability looms

Tom Fraker, executive director of the Arizona Small Business Association, calls the meth epidemic a "significant problem." Companies are paying attention to the issue, he said, especially in light of the David C. Grammatico case.

In 2000, Grammatico was a foreman for Phoenix drywaller Arok Inc. To do his job, he had to walk around on 42-inch stilts. One day, he fell, was injured and later tested positive for marijuana, amphetamines and methamphetamines, causing him to be denied workers' compensation benefits.

Grammatico later filed a lawsuit and the Arizona Supreme Court ruled in his favor, eliminating drug and alcohol use as a factor in denying benefits. That means in Arizona, you can get stoned, have an accident at work and be compensated for the injury.

Meth is easy to use at work without detection, Ogden said. Several clients have drafted policies to allow for "reasonable suspicion" testing, he said. The best way for employers to address illegal drugs is to adopt a written policy, allowing for lawful termination of a worker who fails a drug test or refuses to take one, he advised.

Employee drug use also causes liability concerns for small firms, Ogden said.

For example, if an employee injured a third party while driving a company vehicle and his superiors knew he was using drugs, the business could be held liable.

The company also can be found liable if the third party can prove the employer had no actual notice of drug use, but the employee's conduct was so obvious that it should have been known, he said.

Paying forward

Background checks before hiring, a written policy and drug testing afterward seem to be the recipe for employer protection.

A basic background check is $29 at Universal Background. Ogden said a business that hires someone without doing a check that would have revealed a history of inappropriate or illegal conduct makes the employer potentially liable if the worker repeats the behavior.

Urine-based drug tests start at $35 and cover methamphetamine, marijuana and cocaine use, among others. And, an oral drug test conducted on the job site costs $40, according to Universal Background.

Rick Dircks said marijuana is the drug workers most often test positive for at his company.

After a positive test, the employee gets the opportunity to explain the results. An unsatisfactory explanation means termination or other disciplinary action.

Dircks said employees may be referred to a rehabilitation program. Once completed, the worker could be re-hired but subject to random testing.

The potential of accidents in the moving business makes drug testing a must at Dircks, he said.

But Stephanie Angelo of Human Resource Essential in Tempe, said it's not just companies with workers in physical jobs that need to worry about the meth crisis. White-collar workers often have access to clients' account and personal data, along with company account information.

"Too often, small employers think they can't afford to drug test and do background checks," Angelo said. "It's an investment in the long run. If something goes awry -- a theft, a major injury, a lawsuit -- it could take the company down.

"Even the cost of a nonfunctional employee, especially when they're coming off the three-day mega-high, is very expensive to the employer," she said. "It's worth it to spend a little more up front so you don't spend it in legal expenses, jury awards and punitive damages, turnover, retraining -- and the list goes on."

The Phoenix Business Journal

It's a "sweet" relationship now into its seventh year, as Dircks Moving Services continues to provide storage services for the Girl Scouts Arizona Cactus-Pine Council.

This year, there are over 1 million packages of Girl Scout Cookies in storage at Dircks' warehouse, 4440 E. Elwood St., Suite 103, in Phoenix.

These cookies will be distributed by the Girl Scouts to customers throughout the state of Arizona beginning next week.

"What better way to freshen up the smell of a storage facility than with Thin Mints?" said Rick Dircks, executive vice president of the moving company and father of two Girl Scouts. "Seriously, one of Dircks' missions is to weave ourselves into the fabric of the Arizona community and we are very pleased to serve our state's Girl Scouts".

On Thursday Dircks will host the Girl Scouts' first-ever CookEology class at its storage facility, along with Shamrock Farms and Bashas'.

CookEology will feature local Bashas' chefs and their dessert creations made from Girl Scout Cookies.

Dircks is a full service moving, logistics, and real estate company that specializes in the transportation and storage of household goods, computerized equipment, office and industrial equipment and other commodities.

The Phoenix Business Journal

Dircks Moving Services Inc. hired janet Arnold as customer service manager.

The Phoenix Business Journal

Dircks Moving Services, Inc. hired Chris Rudhe as a commercial moving consultant.