From Ron Jones, Chairman of Dawn Food Products, Inc.

The tragedy of September 11 will leave its mark on every person who witnessed the event or the subsequent network coverage. It certainly makes us aware of our many blessings and the freedoms that we have so matter of factly taken for granted in the past.

Many of us at Dawn travel extensively and I'm sure I speak for all Dawn people when I say, "It's always great to be back home." We all value those "one-on-one relationships," and the Dawn family business has been built on participating in conventions and activities, meeting each Dawn customer to say, "Thank you for the business," and to show you how you will be even more successful working with Dawn. Is that about to discontinue? I say, "No!" Will we be doing it differently? Very probably, yes.

Dawn people are very talented and are a valuable resource for you and, yes, a great asset for Dawn. I don't want them to jeopardize their safety under any circumstances, and we all must be very much more aware of our surroundings as we go about our daily jobs. I urge you all to be cognizant of your surroundings. Watch for areas where harm could come to any person and take the proper precautions. The Power of One cannot be overestimated.

We all have much to offer, which is why we are here. We must act responsibly to protect this great asset - ourselves. It's going to be different for all of us. But, serving this industry is where it's at for Dawn - and we will continue to be there, trying to make it better every day.