FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

AccuShred Launches “Shred Cancer” Program to Support

Susan G. Komen for the Cure Northwest Ohio Affiliate

Company introduces Pink Shred Bins to raise awareness and money to fight breast cancer.

(Toledo, Ohio, August 16, 2011):  AccuShred, an information destruction and electronics recycling company headquartered in Toledo, has introduced “Shred Cancer”, an innovative program to raise awareness and money to fight breast cancer.  Shred Cancer encourages AccuShred customers to display and use the company’s secure Pink Shred Bins throughout the year for holding their sensitive information to be destroyed, and to make a donation for each bin AccuShred services.  AccuShred will then match the customer’s contribution, with 100% of the money going to Susan G. Komen for the Cure Northwest Ohio Affiliate.

AccuShred is among the first information destruction companies in the country to utilize secure Pink Shred Bins and its Shred Cancer program is unique in the industry.   AccuShred sales manager Jeff Green believes the Shred Cancer program, with its donation-matching feature, is a great example of how local companies can make a significant impact on their community.  “Breast cancer has affected so many families in this community,” he said.  “By getting a little creative and working together with our customers and the Komen organization, we’ll be able to make a meaningful and ongoing impact on their behalf.”

To launch its Shred Cancer campaign, AccuShred has acquired an inventory of Pink Shred Bins; established a special accounting and reporting system to ensure that all customer contributions are accurately credited, matched and paid; and is actively discussing the program with its customers and prospective customers.  The company hopes to raise even more money by making an additional contribution – above and beyond its matching offer – for any company that first becomes an AccuShred customer before September 25, 2011, the date of the Komen Race for the Cure, the organization’s signature event that attracts nearly 20,000 participants.

Mary J. Westphal, Executive Director of Susan G. Komen for the Cure Northwest Ohio Affiliate thinks the Shred Cancer program is exciting news for the organization.  “We’re thrilled that AccuShred has found such a visible way to support our cause in Northwest Ohio,” she said.  “The more Pink Shred Bins we see at companies throughout the region, the more support we have for putting an end to breast cancer.”

About AccuShred

AccuShred (www.accushred.net) began operation in 2002 and was the area’s first AAA NAID-Certified information destruction firm.  The company provides on-site and off-site document destruction service and is an EPA Approved vendor for electronic waste recycling. AccuShred is a subsidiary of the State Paper and Metal Company.

Area businesses interested in participating or learning more about the Shred Cancer program are encouraged to contact AccuShred toll-free at 800-747-3341 or 419-244-SHRED (7473), or via the company’s Shred Cancer website at www.shredcancer.com.

PHOTO: This photo of a Pink Shred Bin may be used in conjunction with this news release.

CONTACT:

Jeff Green
Sales Manager
(419) 244-7473
jgreen@accushred.net

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Toledo-Based AccuShred Acquires Metro Secure Shred

Purchase expands information destruction company’s client base in Ohio, Michigan

(Toledo, Ohio, June 28, 2011):  AccuShred, an information destruction and electronics recycling company headquartered in Toledo, has acquired Metro Secure Shred, a mobile document shredding company based in Temperance, Michigan.  The acquisition makes AccuShred one of the largest privately-held information destruction companies in Northwest Ohio and Southeast Michigan.

AccuShred president Nate Segall cited the additional service capacity his company gains as the most important benefit of the acquisition.  “By adding Metro Secure Shred’s shredding trucks, staff and customers to our existing organization, we can continue to enhance our service levels and stay ahead of the increasing demand for information destruction services.”

The U.S. information destruction industry is growing rapidly, driven by an emphasis on environmental responsibility and a heightened need to protect private information.  As businesses and organizations of all types pursue Green initiatives and compliance with new regulations – the Health Information Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act (FACTA), and Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLBA) are all examples of recent legislation which impacts how private information must be handled – demand for professional information destruction services has intensified.  With its focus on security and reliability, AccuShred has helped hundreds of entities in the region solve such issues.

Metro Secure Shred’s excellent reputation for service to customers, including the Toledo Police Department and General Motors Powertrain was deemed to be a strong fit with AccuShred.  Mark Seeger, president of Metro Secure Shred, will join AccuShred as an information security professional.

“As demand for information destruction grows, so too will the requirements for experience and professionalism,” said Segall.  “We think bringing Metro Secure Shred into the AccuShred family raises the bar for service excellence and expertise in this region.”

About AccuShred

AccuShred (www.accushred.net) began operation in 2002 and was the area’s first AAA NAID-Certified information destruction firm.  The company provides on-site and off-site document destruction service and is an EPA Approved vendor for electronic waste recycling.  AccuShred is a subsidiary of the State Paper and Metal Company.

Area businesses are encouraged to contact AccuShred Toll Free at 800-747-3341 or 419-244-SHRED (7473) directly to inquire about routine shredding service, one-time purges or computer recycling.

CONTACT:
Jeff Green
Sales Manager
(419) 244-7473
jgreen@accushred.net

(Toledo, Ohio – June 11, 2008) Nate Segall, Vice President of AccuShred, a Toledo, Ohio-based data destruction company, has announced Jeff Green and Ian Mikolajczak have joined the staff of the organization to further enhance its role as a leader in information protection, recycling, and green technology.

“Jeff and Ian come to AccuShred with differing backgrounds but with much in common,” said Segall. “Both are dedicated team members who we can rely upon to help continue growing our business as more and more companies are looking for a strong partner to meet their shredding and recycling needs.”

Green – with a very fitting last name to-be-sure – will serve as the organization’s Sales and Marketing Manager. Previously with Huntington Bank, Green comes to AccuShred with several years of management consulting and marketing experience. He is a proud graduate of Michigan State University and received his MBA from the University of Toledo. Extremely active in the community, Green supports organizations including The University of Toledo Alumni Association, EPIC Toledo and United Jewish Council of Greater Toledo’s Young Leadership Division.

Mikolajczak joins the customer service team as a mobile and warehouse security professional. He is a Toledo native who graduated from E. L. Bowsher High School before joining the U.S. Marine Corps. Stationed at Camp Pendelton, CA for four years, he served in Iraq for two tours of duty and received numerous decorations including the Combat Action Ribbon, Army Achievement Medal and Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal. Mikolajczak will work directly with AccuShred customers to implement the company’s data destruction services.

About AccuShred: AccuShred, LLC provides secure destruction of obsolete files, computer disks, CDs, audio and video tapes, books, X-rays, photographs, uniforms, computer hard drives, electronic devices, security IDs and more. The company provides both on-site and facility-based information destruction services for clients in the Northern Ohio, Southeastern Michigan and Northwestern Indiana areas. AccuShred is the first company in Northwestern Ohio to obtain the coveted AAA Certification, the industry’s highest professional certification for information destruction. In addition, AccuShred is covered by the industry’s only Professional Liability Insurance coverage specifically designed for document destruction service providers. Sensitive customer information is destroyed quickly and securely every time. AccuShred is a division of State Paper & Metal Company, a respected name in the recycling industry for more than 70 years. For more information, visit www.accushred.net.

AccuShred Employees Learn About Industry, Network With Experts
by Jeff Green

AccuShred’s Matt Freed and Jeff Green are the two most recent graduates of Shred School, a seminar put on by Total Training Solutions of Spartanburg, South Carolina. The pair spent several days learning about the document destruction industry and enjoying “Southern Hospitality.” The now famous Shred School provides recent start-ups, as well as industry veterans in the information destruction business, sales and marketing tools specific to the shredding industry. The founders of Shred School believe that the success of a growing business centers around inspiration, a great consultative sales and marketing plan, a prospect cultivation plan, and efficient operating procedures.

“What a fantastic opportunity to network with other professionals in the industry,” Jeff Green, AccuShred’s Sales Manager, said. “I’ve been to several motivational seminars, and this, by far, was the most inspirational. I can apply most everything I learned in class today.”

Green not only was a student in the November school, he also spoke to the class about the importance of the Internet and social networking.

Business Development Officer, Matt Freed also felt the experience was invaluable. “Shred School gave me several tools that I can take back to help provide the best customer service I can,” Freed said. “The relationships I made at Shred School are tremendous. I’m now able to call on other professionals in the industry and bounce ideas off of them.”

“Shred School confirmed several things that AccuShred has been doing right for a long time,” Green said, specifically citing the company’s trucks that act as mobile billboards, its strong affiliation with NAID (National Association for Information Destruction) and AccuShred’s monthly newsletter: the Data Destruction News.

In addition to networking with industry experts and vendors, Shred School students learned about setting up personal marketing plans, properly identifying clients’ needs, a history of the document destruction industry and the importance of being NAID-certified. The graduates also had the opportunity to tour the country’s largest product destruction facility.

“It was great to have the AccuShred ‘Mafia’ in class,” said Dean of Shred School Ray Barry. “Nate (Segall) did a great job of getting two quality professionals in Matt and Jeff. They both brought a lot to the table and even taught me a few things. They graduated with flying colors!”

“I’m very excited to see how Matt and Jeff have taken what they’ve learned and have already applied it to our current processes,” AccuShred Vice-President Nate Segall said. “I expect great things to come from them, and if they are a representation of shred school graduates, I would certainly recommend the investment in the program.”

The AccuShred Team Would Like to Thank
All of its Customers for Putting Us on Top

Two of the most talked about topics in businesses today are having a major impact on AccuShred’s profitability and growth. For the fiscal year, which ended on June 30th, revenue rose nearly 50% at the Toledo-based company. Both the movement of companies to become more green, or environmentally responsible, and the rising importance of privacy and data protection fueled the best fiscal year on record for the organization which provides secure destruction of obsolete files, computer disks, CDs, audio and video tapes, books, X-rays, photographs, uniforms, computer hard drives and other electronics, security IDs and more.

In the last quarter alone, AccuShred’s processing volume was over 660,000 pounds or 333 tons, a 38% increase over the same quarter in 2007. The number of pickups the company arranged to securely remove items from client locations and transport the materials to the AccuShred facility for destruction increased by nearly 20% over last year’s number as well. “We have often said our biggest competitor is the company that believes they can handle their own destruction needs with a personal shredder and an administrative assistant,” said Nate Segall, vice president of AccuShred. “Now that more companies are becoming educated about the intricacies of privacy issues surrounding the destruction of their documents and other items – and now that more want to ensure that task is being done in an environmentally-friendly way – we are seeing an increased demand for our services.”

To keep up with this growing demand, AccuShred has purchased two new pieces of equipment. A NEXGEN baler, capable of processing nine tons of paper per hour, will add efficiency to AccuShred’s process, giving the organization capacity for more and larger clients. This baler automates the tying of bales into tighter, hence more secure, bales as well as reduces throughput time.

In addition to the baler, AccuShred has purchased a 2009 UltraShred Shred Truck. The new shred truck will allow up to 12,000 pounds of paper to be shredded at a time. This is a significant upgrade from AccuShred’s current shred truck, which can destroy up to 5,000 pounds of paper at a time.

“As we continue to enjoy success in the marketplace, we will continue to invest in our company,” said Segall. “We would not be able to be in this position, however, without the continued confidence of our loyal customers. We will continue to do what we have been doing to get to this point – and that is by providing outstanding customer service and by having a knowledgable, professional, team-oriented staff.”

(Toledo, Ohio – May 29, 2008) Toledo-based AccuShred is proud to announce that corporate Vice President Nate Segall is one of a limited number of information security professionals nationwide to be authorized as a distributor for a new Information Destruction Policy Compliance Toolkit. The “Toolkit,” is designed to help organizations develop the written information destruction procedures now required by law. According to the National Association for Information Destruction (NAID), most organizations in the US report that they currently do not comply with this requirement and, therefore, are at risk. The Toolkit is the first and only publication to specifically address information destruction policy development with a goal of making compliance with the laws easy and understandable.

And, the timing could not be better.

The Federal Trade Commission recently reached a settlement with an Illinois-based mortgage company for discarding personal information without first destroying it, resulting in a fine of $50,000. In the settlement, the FTC cited the absence of the required written policies and procedures as a basis for the penalty. Similarly, the Attorney General of Texas recently announced two settlements with retailers for improper disposal of personal information, also citing the failure to have written policies and procedures. In each of the settlements, the resulting fines amounted to hundreds of thousands of dollars.

According to NAID’s executive director Robert Johnson, “It is obvious that law enforcement agencies are becoming more aggressive in requiring compliance with the information destruction regulations as they continue to struggle with the growing ID Theft epidemic. Since last summer alone, there have been more fines, charges and penalties for improper disposal of personal information than there have been in the prior 10 years.”

“For some organizations, the policy on information destruction amounts to a single sentence, advising employees to destroy sensitive information properly before it is discarded,” Johnson adds. “In today’s social and business climate, that simply does not provide sufficient direction to employees who are dealing with many forms of media from any number of sources. Regulators, auditors, courts of law, the media and public sentiment are insisting on a more thorough approach to information disposal because of the potentially devastating consequences of improper disposal on people’s lives.”

Prior to authorizing a NAID Member representative to distribute the Toolkit, NAID requires that they become oriented in its use. Only individuals who have completed the orientation are permitted to distribute it. In addition to personally completing the orientation, Segall strongly supported the program in his role as President of NAID. He is currently the association’s immediate Past-President.

The Toolkit contains sample policies and procedures for training, authorization and destruction for the full range of conventional media forms, including paper records, computers, magnetic tapes, optical and micro media. In addition, the Toolkit includes sample forms, templates and other resources useful in implementing the policy. And, while the Toolkit offers information destruction procedures for in-house information destruction, it also contains sample policies and procedures for selecting competent service providers.

Alan Andolsen, a highly regarded records management consultant who contributed to the Toolkit, says, “To my knowledge, this is the most thorough examination of proper information destruction available to date. It is something that can be integrated into almost any existing information management or security program or it can stand on its own.”

The NAID Information Destruction Policy Compliance Toolkit runs over 70 pages and includes a CD, containing electronic versions of all templates and sample forms.

For more information on the NAID Information Destruction Policy Compliance Toolkit, contact Nate Segall at AccuShred by telephone at 419-244-7473 or by email at nsegall@accushred.net.

About AccuShred: AccuShred, LLC provides secure destruction of obsolete files, computer disks, CDs, audio and video tapes, books, X-rays, photographs, uniforms, computer hard drives, electronic devices, security IDs and more. The company provides both on-site and facility-based information destruction services for clients in the Northern Ohio, Southeastern Michigan and Northwestern Indiana areas. AccuShred is the first company in Northwestern Ohio to obtain the coveted AAA Certification, the industry’s highest professional certification for information destruction. In addition, AccuShred is covered by the industry’s only Professional Liability Insurance coverage specifically designed for document destruction service providers. Sensitive customer information is destroyed quickly and securely every time. AccuShred is a division of State Paper & Metal Company, a respected name in the recycling industry for more than 70 years. For more information, visit www.accushred.net.

(Toledo, Ohio; December 21, 2007) AccuShred, a Toledo-based data destruction company, is the focus of a cover story in the December edition of Secure Destruction Business magazine, a national industry trade publication. A photo of company executives, including President Barry Gudelman, Vice-president Nate Segall and sales manager Chuck Small appears on the cover.

“SDB is a respected publication in our industry,” said Gudelman. “We’re very pleased that they thought highly enough of what we are doing at AccuShred to feature our company in such a prominent way.”

The four-page article, entitled “Promote and Prosper” sheds light on how AccuShred has used high-touch customer service and a strong promotional mindset to grow its business and become an advocate for the greater data destruction industry. It points to Nate Segall’s recent election as President of the National Association for Information Destruction (NAID) as an example of the company’s education-based approach to its customers can be built upon for the benefit of others throughout the country.

“The tactic of marketing through providing knowledge has helped Segall’s NAID involvement tie-in nicely with AccuShred’s own business plan,” writes Brian Taylor, editor-in-chief of SDB and author of the cover story.

The magazine’s interest in publishing a cover story about AccuShred can be traced to a comment Taylor writes early in the article; “AccuShred has…distinguished itself as a regional secure destruction service provider after just five years in business.”

Click here to read or download the article

(Toledo, Ohio; October 11, 2007) Nate Segall, Vice President of AccuShred, a Toledo-based data destruction company, has become President of the National Association for Information Destruction (NAID). NAID is the non-profit international trade association for companies providing information destruction services and has nearly 1,000 member locations around the globe.

“Every day brings a new challenge for organizations of all types to protect the security and privacy of their business, employees and customers,” said Robert Johnson, Executive Director of NAID. “Nate Segall is an innovative leader with a vision for how the data destruction industry can best meet those challenges. He has the respect of his industry peers in the U.S. and around the world.”

Data destruction for businesses is an increasingly critical concern due to an upsurge in identity theft and other abuses of privacy. Consumer protection laws in industries such as healthcare, finance, education, and legal have given rise to specialized data destruction companies that collect, destroy and recycle paper and electronic data. Many examples of inadequately protected information have been well publicized, including the discovery of prescriptions, student records, and even military personnel files found in dumpsters in recent months.

According to Segall, educating businesses on the importance of proper data destruction and creating a heightened professionalism for the destruction industry are his goals for NAID, as well as his own business at AccuShred. “The more that companies respect the dangers and understand the solutions, the fewer people will get hurt,” he says. “That is why the industry itself must maintain the highest integrity – from the way we operate to the people we hire.”

Segall cites NAID’s Certification Program, conducted annually by independent auditors, as an example of the industry’s growing professionalism. AccuShred was the first company in Northwest Ohio to obtain AAA Certification from NAID, the highest professional certification available.

Segall’s term as President of NAID will run through May 2008. He previously served on the NAID Board of Directors, where he was Chair of the Public Relations Committee and a member of the NAID Certification Review Board.

A native of Warren, Ohio, Segall is active as a community volunteer, currently serving as Past-President of Jewish Family Service of Toledo. He is a past member of the Board of Directors for the Sylvania Recreation Corporation and also a past member of the Board of Directors of the United Jewish Council of Toledo. He lives in Sylvania, Ohio with his wife Rina and their two children.

About AccuShred: AccuShred, LLC provides secure destruction of obsolete files, computer disks, CDs, audio and video tapes, books, X-rays, photographs, uniforms, computer hard drives, electronic devices, security IDs and more. The company provides both on-site and facility-based information destruction services for clients in the Northern Ohio, Southeastern Michigan and Northwestern Indiana areas. AccuShred is the first company in Northwestern Ohio to obtain the coveted AAA Certification, the industry’s highest professional certification for information destruction. In addition, AccuShred is covered by the industry’s only Professional Liability Insurance coverage specifically designed for document destruction service providers. Sensitive customer information is destroyed quickly and securely every time. AccuShred is a division of State Paper & Metal Company, a respected name in the recycling industry for more than 70 years. For more information, visit www.accushred.net.

(Toledo, Ohio; November 1, 2006) Nate Segall, Vice President of AccuShred in Toledo Ohio, was elected to the Board of Directors of the National Association for Information Destruction at their recent annual meeting in San Diego, California. NAID is the major industry association for companies specializing in secure document destruction, and offers professional certification to document destruction firms. Segall will be focusing his efforts on promotion and marketing of the 525 member companies of NAID, as they communicate with their customers on issues such as identity theft and security of medical, financial and legal records.

Segall has 15 years’ experience in the recycling business, including two years as VP of AccuShred. He also serves as Vice President of Jewish Family Service of Toledo and is on the Board of Directors of the Sylvania Recreation Corporation in Sylvania, Ohio.

Robert Johnson, Executive Director of NAID, commenting on the election, said: “We are happy and proud that Nate was elected by his peers to the NAID board. It is through leaders such as Nate Segall that NAID will continue to act as the professional and ethical barometer of the shredding industry.

About AccuShred: AccuShred, LLC provides secure destruction of obsolete files, computer disks, CDs, audio and video tapes, books, X-rays, photographs, uniforms, computer hard drives, electronic devices, security IDs and more. The company provides both on-site and facility-based information destruction services for clients in the Northern Ohio, Southeastern Michigan and Northwestern Indiana areas. AccuShred is the first company in Northwestern Ohio to obtain the coveted AAA Certification, the industry’s highest professional certification for information destruction. In addition, AccuShred is covered by the industry’s only Professional Liability Insurance coverage specifically designed for document destruction service providers. Sensitive customer information is destroyed quickly and securely every time. AccuShred is a division of State Paper & Metal Company, a respected name in the recycling industry for more than 70 years. For more information, visit www.accushred.net.