First to the Finish: UPS Business Manager Steve Culley
Steve Culley
When you and your 47,000 fellow runners check your clear plastic UPS bags at Fort Wadsworth on Sunday, you can all set off on your five-borough journey knowing that it will be waiting for you in Central Park—thanks to the efforts of UPS Business Manager Steve Culley and his team. Culley has been involved with the ING New York City Marathon since 1996, and his 200-strong crew has made big strides over the past 15 years.
"We sort all the bags by hand so that we can hand them back quickly at the end," he explains. Culley's team has dramatically streamlined their process over the years. "Ever since we figured out that runners' numbers are assigned according to their anticipated pace, it's gone much more smoothly," he explains. "It helps that I've got a great team—one of my drivers was transferred to Florida a few years ago, and he flies back here every November to pitch in for the marathon."
This year, Culley's team is expanding by one. "My son is coming home from college to pitch in—he was just 6 when I started, and now he's excited to be a part of the ING New York City Marathon himself." They may not break the tape, but Team UPS will get to the finish line first. They'll be waiting to congratulate you on your accomplishment, and hand you the dry clothes you're craving.
