We here at PT’s want to send our best wishes out to Fernanda Hernandez of ELAN Organic Coffees. She is one of 38 competitors in the SCAA Western Regional Barista Comeptition this year. She spent 5 days of intensive training with us a little less than a month ago in preparation for her competition and has already gone through her preliminary round and sounds to have done well. To read more on the ongoing ins and outs of the competition check out their live blog. We wish Fern the best of luck, as there are many able competitors in that growing region. She has definitely shown herself to be very passionate about good coffee and honing her craft.

Good Luck Fern from all of us at PT’s!!!

Directs the financial affairs of the organization and prepares financial analysis of operations, including interim and final financial statements with supporting schedules, for the guidance of management. The Controller is responsible for the company’s financial plans and policies, its accounting practices, the conduct of its relationships with lending institutions and the financial community, the maintenance of its fiscal records, and the preparation of financial reports. The position involves supervision over general accounting, property accounting, internal auditing, cost accounting, and budgetary controls.ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:1. Development, analysis, and interpretation of statistical and accounting information in order to appraise operating results in terms of profitability, performance against budget, and other matters bearing on the fiscal soundness and operating effectiveness of the organization.2. Maintains the company’s system of accounts and keeps books and records on all company transactions and assets.3. Establishes major economic objectives and policies for the company and prepares reports that outline the company’s financial position in the areas of income, expenses, and earnings based on past, present, and future operations.5. Coordinates and directs (With the help of the Board of Directors) the preparation of the budget and financial forecasts, institutes and maintains other planning and control procedures (including the cost accounting system), and analyzes and reports variances.6. Is responsible for tax planning and compliance with all federal, state, and local corporate, payroll, and other applicable taxes and coordinates communication with the Company’s Tax Preparation CPA.7. Furnishes internal reports, revises and updates reports to be more useful and efficient, and furnishes external reports as necessary.Determines8. Evaluates and recommends insurance coverage for protection against property losses and potential liabilities.9. The Controller has the final responsibility for providing the organization and its management team with the appropriate financial and operating information necessary. This individual and the accounting staff are expected to work closely with other department groups on problems involving accounting systems and financial planning.10. Among the duties of this position are management reporting and policy-making as it pertains to the Department. In general, this individual may be looked to for technical and analytical guidance in identifying and solving problems within the functional limits of the Department.11. Responsibility for Payroll procedures, preparation, disbursement and keeps all employee records compliant and up to date.12. Works with Customer Service Representatives to help maintain current accounts receivable status with customers.ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES:Other responsibilities include seeing that company policy is carried out or complied with, assisting other departments in forecasting personnel and financial needs, accelerating cash receipts and controlling disbursements, overseeing bank balances, maintaining lines of credit and banking relationships, establishing and maintaining credit and collection procedures, controlling profit-sharing records, and evaluating and implementing computerized accounting systems.JOB QUALIFICATIONS:1. Degree in Accounting or Finance.2. Skill in math, accuracy and precision, interest in business, organized, willingness to follow recommended procedures, honesty, patience, good written and oral communication skills, good people skills, team player, knowledge Quick Books and three (3) to five (5) years’ experience in private industry.

A hearty thank you to everyone who participated in this year’s Easter egg hunt. It was a great success. We gave out over 25 pounds of free coffee, free shipping deals and a 4 month World Tour Membership. We hope that this event helped bring out the kid in all of you. If you missed out on the Easter egg hunt, sign up for our newsletter here. It will keep you informed about upcoming events, new coffee arrivals and usually includes a special promotion or two. As always, if you have any questions, feel free to call, or e-mail us anytime.

This is just a quick post to give a shout out to a good friend. His name is  Roper Green, he lives in Montana, and we go way back to my days just out of college - I won’t even begin to tell you how long ago that was!We haven’t actually seen each other in a number of years now, but we stay in touch via emails. He’ll drop me a line every now and then just to give me an update on how he and his family are doing. Well the most recent email was so fun I decided to share it with all of you. His son Hunter Green has turned into quit the film maker. His most recent project, “Sick Day,”  allowed him the “Junior Achievment Entrepreneur of the Year” in Montana.  Its a short film, I hope you enjoy it! After you’ve watched the film, order a lb. of PEACE BLEND and enter “Luck13″  into the promo code and we’ll give you a 15% discount! Congratulations to Hunter Green! An outstanding young entrepreneur. Jeff~ 

PTs Coffee Roasting Co. is now interviewing for the position of :

Customer Service Representative / Administrative Assistant

Date: 3-24-08                                                                                                                                   

Overview: PT’s Coffee Roasting Co is looking for a full time Customer Service / Administrative Assistant at our roasting facility in Topeka, KS. We are seeking someone who has an interest in coffee and enthusiasm towards meeting the needs of customers. PT’s Coffee Roasting Co is a growing member of the specialty coffee movement nationwide, and we need a team player with organizational skills and adept attention to detail.

The essential functions of this position are:

Educating customers, taking orders and discussing coffees/products

Promoting new coffees and products to customers

Working with philanthropic organizations

Answering phones, solving problems and building teamwork.

Filing and other clerical duties will also be involved with this job.

Non-Essential Functions:

Knowledge of coffee is not essential. Passion for learning and a love of coffee is important.

Minimum/Essential Qualifications:

High School Degree

Some College

Preferred Qualifications:

College Graduate  - BA or BS preferable

*The employer reserves the right to change or add duties to this position as long as the changes and/or additions are consistent with the job classification.

Who says that Easter egg hunts are only for kids? This Easter we will help everyone discover their inner child by hosting our first annual Easter egg hunt. In the next eleven days, we will embed little Easter eggs in the text of our website. When you find one, click on it to uncover the treasure hidden inside. Inside each Easter egg we have included major discounts, free shipping coupons, coupons for free coffee and one or two lucky people will uncover a four month membership to our World Tour Club. When you find an egg and uncover the coupon code, enter the code in the shopping cart to receive your prize. Unfortunately, we are only able to offer one type of prize per household.  Happy Hunting, and as always, if you have any questions, feel free to give us a call anytime! 888-678-JAVA

We are pleased to announce that on March 10, around 9:45pm Abigail Rose Seitz joined the rest of the world after 9 long awaited months. She is the second child of of Robin and Danielle Seitz. Robin is our general manager of retail and recently placed third in the SCAA Midwest Regional Barista Competition and Danielle is one of our customer service representatives at our roasting facility. Abigail weighed in at 8 pounds 11 ounces (actually smallest of this generation of Seitz’s) and every one is doing well. Her disposition is extremely laid back and agreeable so for and she will go home tomorrow afternoon for the first time. Their other child Elizabeth, 2 and a half…namesake of Espresso Elizabetha, (Robin’s competition blend in 2007) is very excited about her new little sister. The next generation of coffee children has gained it’s newest member

This morning, I had the opportunity to play around with the Australian Bundja. As, a brew it is not the most captivating coffee, but as an espresso it is quite an experience. We have taken it to a bit lighter dose to try to play on its natural sweetness and acidity. After playing with it initially a little bit darker roast profile, we found that it had a very delicate brightness that needed some enunciation, that the lighter roast provided. When pulling shots, I started as I always do- a PT’s dose of coffee (around 20 grams for a double shot). It tasted overwhelmingly of citrus fruits with a strange undertone of cereal (Adam said MiniWheats, while I thought more Rice Chex). The body was a bit lacking as it was simply too light of a roast to be dosed that high.

I then took it down to 14 grams and it was wonderfully balanced. There was a mellow sweetness laced with a smooth acidity like lemon or ginger and had a nice, even body. Check it out in our passport section!

On a trip to origin February of 2007 I had the good fortune to meet members of the Finca Vista Hermosa family (Edwin Martinez and his son Edwin Jr. ) and the excellent staff they have that works their farm high in the mountains of Huehuetenango region of Guatemala.The staff is managed, in the family’s absence, by a very smart, warm and genuine man named Carlos Garcia Martin. Carlos is the one responsible for the coffee from seed to harvest and the quality of his work is evident in the top 10 award garnered in the Guatemala Cup of Excellence 2007.It has been just over a year now since that wonderful trip. So as I sat at my computer this morning to catch up on world news, I was shocked, surprised and saddened to discover that Carlos Garcia Martin and his son Edwin - were killed on Feb. 15, 2008. I remember Carlos as a very engaging and kind man. He treated us as if we were family on our short stay at the farm. He spoke with the passion of a true coffee and family man.  Our thoughts and prayers go out to the Martin and Martinez family’s as they deal with the loss of such a wonderful friend and father. For more on his passing …. Click Here

In the last couple of weeks, a couple of the Price Chopper grocery stores have converted to Dillons Stores, and this conversion has worried some of you who buy our coffee at these locations. I am happy to relieve your worries; the new Dillons Stores are carrying our coffee in their standard grocery aisles. For those of you who buy our coffee at the Price Choppers that are closing, you can always buy it at our PTs location at 29th and Arrowhead. If you have any questions, feel free to give us a call at anytime. 862-5282

Bryan