MELLOHAWK LOGISTICS CELEBRATES 10 SUCCESSFUL YEARS
MELLOHAWK LOGISTICS CELEBRATES 10 SUCCESSFUL YEARS
By Joan Sheppard | photos by Teresa Oliveira
On November 29th, award-winning MELLOHAWK Logistics Inc., hosted an elegant and tasteful party, at their Mississauga office. The celebration, which featured four colourful samba dancers, was in recognition of the company’s 10 successful years in business, and their journey from a start up struggling in the first four or five years to establish higher credit lines to manage their cash flow, into a company that has built personal yet business relationships with 60 freight forwarder agents world wide, and able to ship almost anything around the world. The success of this international freight forwarding company is a testament to the hard work, integrity and vision of owners and Managing Directors Arnon Melo and Peter Hawkins, and their multi-lingual staff, who are mostly new immigrants to Canada, and hand picked for their attitude; because the wrong attitude is more difficult to fix than a deficit in education or training, according to Hawkins.
Client satisfaction
While the success of the company and its “emphasis on client satisfaction” is noteworthy, what makes MELLOHAWK truly outstanding is the philosophy nurtured by Hawkins and Melo. It has never been about making money, but a “search for internal realization,” says Melo. Hawkins noted that they are “both from families where giving, helping others is a big part of their self worth.” In other words, giving back is a big part of their success. They are presently setting up a training program in Logistical courses for international students, and awaiting accreditation from the Ontario Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities.
For their willingness to hire new immigrants to Canada, Hawkins and Melo were awarded the Scotiabank sponsored “Small Business Big Impact Challenge” for Leadership. But that’s not all the recognition they’ve received. Melo is a member of the Seneca College Advisory Committee on International Transportation & Customs, while Hawkins is a member of the council for TRIEC (Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council). Melo says that it is all about giving people the chance for success that others gave to him. Aside from what motivates Melo and Hawkins, one thing is clear, Canada needs more companies like theirs.
