September-October 2022

WHY TOP PERFORMING ORGANIZATIONS ARE CREATING A CULTURE OF SECURITY

How to Establish a Culture of Security

Establishing a culture of security begins with a top-down approach that aligns cybersecurity risk with business goals. It’s more than just protecting your systems and data—it also involves proactive processes that focus on security basics and continual education.

Cybercriminals are relying on human error and fear to help them gain access. Proper preparation and vigilance within your cybersecurity program will have the greatest impact in preventing successful attacks.

Who is Responsible For a Culture of Security?

Ultimately, many organizations believe security lies within their IT department. However, a true culture of security begins with a tone at the top.

Top-performing organizations seek to align their cybersecurity risks to overall business risks and objectives.

The Five Stages of Cybersecurity

Here are the five stages we recommend as organizations create comprehensive, in-depth cybersecurity action plans.

Stage 1: Foundational Security

The best plans begin with the proper foundation. Stage 1 assesses basic functions within your organization and common entry points for potential cyberthreats.

> Administrative Access

> Data Backup & Recovery

> Email Security

> Endpoint Protection

> Network Security (Firewall, IDS/IPS, etc.)

> Multi-factor Authentication

> Password Manager

> Wireless Security

Stage 2: Policies and Awareness

Once the foundation is laid, it’s time to write up the policies you need to keep things running efficiently and securely. Staff have the greatest ability to expose your organization to threats.

> Acceptable Use Agreement

> Disaster Recovery

> Cybersecurity Policies

> Business Continuity

> Work From Home Standards

> Security Training

> Email Phishing Exercises

> Remote Worker Education

Stage 3: Key Processes

Align key processes centered around areas where your organization has exposed vulnerabilities and increased risk.

> Asset Inventory

> Mobile Device Security

> Patch Management

> Security for Remote Workers

> Standard Configuration

Stage 4: Incident Preparedness

The worst time to plan is during or after the incident. Integrating proper systems, processes, and awareness practices can lead to lower downtime and lessen the

financial impact of an incident.

Incident Response Plan Includes:

> Define what an incident is

> Identify who is responsible (internally and externally) for assisting in response to an incident

> Outline the process of identifying and responding to potential incidents

Stage 5: Security Monitoring

Maintaining a culture of security is an ongoing process.

> SIEM Solution: A SIEM aggregates the log data from various services (e.g.,endpoints, anti-virus, firewall, etc.) and can correlate events to provide better visibility of activity within your network.

> 24/7 SOC (Security Operations Center): Analysts constantly monitor for and respond to anomalies identified within your network.

> Threat Hunting: Searching your network for common attack tactics and indicators of compromise.

> Managed Security Service Providers (MSSPs): Offloading the monitoring and hunting in your environment to a third party to manage your security stack.

Learn more about creating a culture of cybersecurity at eidebailly.com

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By: Kyle Hendrickson | Director of Cybersecurity | A version of this article originally appeared on eidebailly.com.

Jane Laskey EDITOR

Navigating Supply Chain Issues, Staffing Shortages and Continued Growth

Our July cover story focuses on the manufacture of power generation products at Rolls-Royce Solutions America Inc. in Mankato. Generator set production at the plant has grown by leaps and bounds over the past three years. Director of Operations Jason DeBus discusses how RRSA is tackling supply chain and recruiting issues, while simultaneously working toward a carbon net-zero future.

Next up is a company feature on Unidoor Corporation in Gaylord, where zero-waste initiatives and a focus on customer service are leading to cost-savings and growth. Our second company feature focuses on PRO TRAIN Aviation in Mankato, which has made a name for itself as one of the top pilot training destinations in the U.S.

Over in Mapleton, Highland Family Farms is sold on the benefits of cover crops and is happy to spread the word in our September Groundbreaker section.

This issue’s Rising Star is Laura Jans, a tax manager at Abdo in Mankato and the chair of Greater Mankato Growth’s Young Professionals group. In her interview, Jans talks about her rapid rise from intern to management.

Our Hot Startz! section highlights three new area businesses: Headstone Revival in Nicollet, Caring Transitions in Mankato, and Heaven’s Best Carpet Cleaning in Marshall and Mankato.

Until next time, Jane Laskey

almost nothing I can’t

DR.

Photo by Jonathan Smith

Rolls-Royce Power Solutions

Leads the Way to Carbon Net-Zero

By Jane Laskey

Things are hopping at Rolls-Royce Solutions America Inc. in Mankato, where RRSA manufactures power solution products under the mtu brand. The assembly lines at 100 Power Drive are bustling with activity as generator sets in various stages of completion move down the lines. The clean, bright space has soaring ceilings to accommodate the cranes and carriers required to move products that weigh tons and are roughly the size of a large RV.

Out on the production floor, employees efficiently build, test and package "gensets" for shipment. Remote-controlled skates glide by, carrying partial assemblies down the line. Production sounds fill the air as bolts are torqued and forklifts beep to clear a path. It's the sound of a thriving business.

As Jason DeBus, the director of operations for RRSA in Mankato, gives us the tour, it's clear he is proud of his team and all they have accomplished.

"We've got a team that wants to work together to be successful," DeBus said. "They're up for coming back for the next day's challenge versus just coming in and doing the work. We've got that sense of urgency. It's a great culture."

Submitted photo

Powering

Future

The last three years have been one heck of a ride for DeBus and his team. He joined RRSA in 2019. During his brief tenure, he’s guided the company through a pandemic, supply chain issues, and staffing shortages –all while riding the wave of three consecutive years of significant growth.

The appetite for power generation products is voracious right now. RRSA is churning out products as fast as it can make them, but not fast enough to keep pace with demand. Its production schedule for 2022 and 2023 is booked solid for some products, and RRSA is now taking orders for 2024 delivery.

“Capital investment in North America is driving this immense growth. A large part of it comes from data centers. It’s the infrastructure that’s needed in the world today to support all the electronics and cloud-based applications,” DeBus said. “They’re in full-on growth mode. Being a supplier to those data centers is driving most of our growth.”

Data centers, hospitals, and other mission

critical applications are all looking for power solutions to ensure the lights stay on at their business, no matter what. That’s the promise RRSA and its mtu branded power systems fulfill: power that never fails.

“When businesses face challenges with the weather or the electrical grid going down, we are there to power up those sites,” DeBus said.

The next decade will be transformative for RRSA as it converts all its sites around the globe into net-zero, carbon-neutral facilities, a goal it plans to achieve by 2030.

I sat down with DeBus to discuss the many changes and opportunities RRSA is experiencing in Mankato.

Could you briefly recap your career, and what brought you to Mankato and Rolls-Royce Solutions America Inc?

I’ve been in the supply chain and operations arena for close to 30 years. I’ve been in multiple industries, including computers, health care, power generation, water management, and plumbing and heating

manufacturing/distribution. So it’s been quite diverse, which is good. It allows me to look at things in many different ways. You can take the best from different industries and try to bring it together to come up with the optimal solution.

What brought me to mtu was the oppor tunity to return to Southern Minnesota, where I grew up. I’m originally from Welcome, Minnesota, and I was an undergrad at Minnesota State University, Mankato. So it was a great opportunity to join a great company and work with great people.

Your current title is director of operations/RRSA accountable person. What does that encompass?

I oversee everything in the Mankato operations and supply chain with the responsibility of looking over everyone. The RRSA accountable person role is really about health, safety and the environment. So from that perspective, I have responsibility for all of our facilities and employees, no matter where they’re located.

What’s your leadership style?

Entrepreneurial, genuine, empowering, agile, strategic.

How does your approach serve RRSA?

It’s good for growth and the challenges we face in the current post-pandemic envi ronment. It’s also good for the new product portfolio. It allows us to look forward instead of focusing on the here and now, so we are set up for success in the future.

Siesta

Siesta Hills Development

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from the best that the city has to

the

Investing in local communities

supporting

is a

that dates back to RRSA’s Katolight days.

“We are a member of Greater Mankato Growth, and we partner with GMG and other businesses in the region to figure out what we can do as a group to increase investments in the area,” DeBus said. “For example, we had a meeting here just last week. There were CEOs and presidents from other Mankato businesses and we were all here talking about what we can do to stimulate even more growth in the Mankato area.

RRSA also supports other community nonprofits such as the BackPack Food Program for kids, Adopt a Highway and the United Way. Over the years the company has supported many local nonprofit groups.

“Rolls-Royce was the primary (sponsor) for the United Way men’s event that took place a few weeks ago. We’re a big proponent of the United Way in the area,” DeBus said.

Powering

What products does RRSA produce here in Mankato, and why are they important in the world today?

We produce mtu generator sets that range from 30 kilowatts all the way up to 3.25 megawatts. It’s important because it’s backup power. It’s emergency power. It’s distribution for prime power and backup power for hospitals, data centers and really all mission critical applications. So it supports many different industries.

A significant amount of our product is for data center customers. They’re putting large amounts of generator sets on a single property. If the power ever goes down, all those gensets kick in and keep the data center going. Then the customer starts a contingency plan to move that data to other data centers. So the customer only needs them to run for a day to two days at most.

You recently expanded your Mankato facilities. What did that project encompass?

Rolls-Royce made a $17 million investment in the Mankato area between 2020 into 2021. We’ve got a new R&D facility where a lot of the prototyping and testing is done. It gave the R&D engineering team their own space, their own test bench, so they are not constrained or handicapped by what production is doing. Therefore, they can work on prototypes at a much higher speed and agility. We’ve also moved our controls group over there, so they have a dedicated space where they have more room to do their own testing and not be constrained. So at the time when we built it, there was little to

no room for them in the operations footprint.

We also upgraded our test benches, remodeled our office space and put in a new delivery road system to improve safety. The biggest change was the expansion of our Power Drive manufacturing location. If you came in three years ago, this place didn’t even remotely look like what it does today. We added 25 percent to the footprint of this building, expanding the production area to the south and east to increase capacity and capability. It will help support growth, new products, future volumes and capabilities we don’t have today.

RRSA production employees assemble mtu generator sets.

Bringing Sustainable Options to Mankato

Microgrids and hybrid power solutions are some of the newest offerings in the RRSA power generation product line. They promise to bring businesses grid independence, energy cost savings and climate-friendly emissions.

As DeBus explains, RRSA in Mankato will soon be developing a microgrid solution consisting of fuel cells, electrolizers, batteries and hydrogen-powered generators, with the potential to power its Power Drive plant.

“To help meet the RRSA carbon net-zero goal, we plan to set up a prototype of the next evolution of

battery container systems to help support a microgrid. It’s an expandable system that can handle multiple megawatts of power. Our sister site down in South Carolina has a microgrid, and we’ll put one here in Mankato, too. Then when a customer visits, they can see what we have to offer,” DeBus said.

DeBus envisions a microgrid solution at the Power Drive production facility, which will make the facility energy independent and provide opportunities to integrate sustainable power components. It will be a win-win for RRSA as it will function as both a power source and sales showcase that will surely draw visitors to the Mankato location.

“Adding a microgrid to our Power Drive building will showcase the microgrid system and help with our

carbon net-zero goals,” DeBus said. “We’ll put transformers in and run our generators to power up the batteries. It will allow us to produce our own electricity and take the building off the grid. We may also put in solar panels and wind turbines. If we do, we may actually sell power back to the energy company. That’s pretty cool.”

If RRSA surpasses its own energy needs, DeBus plans to roll that power back into the plant in a move that is sure to be met with enthusiasm by RRSA assembly workers.

“My goal once we’re off the grid and self-supporting is to put air conditioners on the roof so we can cool this (production area) down in the summertime,” DeBus said.

Now that’s a great idea!

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507-381-9920

B U I L D I N G S O U T H E R N

When it comes to the products made here in Mankato, where are your customers and suppliers located?

Our supply base is North America-driven, and we have a large majority of our suppliers within a 100-mile radius of Mankato and mtu is supporting them. They’re partners, and we want them to grow with us and for us to grow with them.

We try to keep local as much as possible when it makes sense. We have alternative suppliers, obviously, to back our primary ones. It helped us in the pandemic that we had closer supply chains than longer inter national ones that would have impacted us worse than it did.

If you count Mexico as domestic, we’re almost all domestically sourced, which is good. So we’ve got a lot of local suppliers. We also have a sister plant in Aiken, South Carolina that provides all of our high horse power engines.

The majority of our customers are also in the Americas. We occasionally will support other locations around the world. We have a North American distribution network that we’ve partnered with that represents us out in the marketplace, and are drivers of sales and service. We have direct customers as well, where we’re dealing directly with large end-users of the product.

What is the scope of the RRSA operation here in Mankato?

This business drives about 425 jobs in Mankato. We’ve added at least 20 percent to our headcount in the local area in the last year, which is fantastic. We run four 10hour shifts in operations and logistics, and they’re all busy out there right now. We’ve had to increase our output by more than 30 percent in each of the last two years, which is great for our business locally.

It’s a tough environment for hiring new workers right now. Are you able to recruit enough staff to meet demand?

We’ve got a great group of people here. They’re all very dedicated to the organization, very loyal and very accepting. But they also understand that business needs to be done and put urgency where it needs to be to ensure that we take care of our customers. We’re a good partner to our customers and suppliers, and we do the right thing in the community. There’s a lot

of energy and teamwork. Our success is definitely due to our employees more than anything else. They continue to try to work smarter, be proactive and drive success at the execution level.

How do you build a driven, connected team?

One, it’s rallying around our purpose. Two, it’s being transparent, open, and honest with everyone while also being re spectful and mature. I think those are some of the big drivers. I believe some of these qualities are inherently part of Southern Minnesota culture.

We’ve got a lot of tenured employees with this organization. Employee loyalty has just been a legacy carried on through the generations, from the Katolight days through to Rolls-Royce.

What are you doing to attract and retain talent?

Once upon a time, this was the place to be. We used to have people standing at the door. Now we’re trying to make it the place to be again. We need to get the word out. Maybe people don’t know what RollsRoyce is. Maybe they don’t even realize what the mtu product is. They refer back to the Katolight days.

Like a lot of companies, we’ve struggled to get people in the door. We’ve been doing fairly well, but we’ve still more to add to get where we want to be. We’ve approached the market with sign-on bonuses and run radio advertisements, but a lot of our recruiting has been word of mouth. We’ve had great success with employee referrals. So our people are our best recruiters, which demonstrates the positive culture we have.

Your website uses words like “cleaner” and “smarter” to describe mtu products. How are you making these goals a reality?

The future is sustainability. By 2030, all Rolls-Royce sites are expected to be carbon neutral in how we operate and produce. By 2050, we’re trying to get our product out in the field to be carbon net neutral. That carbon net-zero goal is pretty exciting. Our customers are driving us into sustainability and green, as well. They’re trying to reduce their carbon net-zero footprint just like we are.

Taking Projects TO NEW HEIGHTS

elements

urban

Blending

Architecture

Engineering

Environmental

Planning

ISGInc.com

EIDE BAILLY TOWER Mankato, MN

The Evolution of Rolls-Royce in Mankato

Rolls-Royce Solutions America Inc. manufactures power generator sets under the mtu brand at its Mankato factory. Its Mankato facilities include a manufacturing plant on Power Drive, an R&D building on Energy Drive, and two warehouse and logistics centers, one on Lundin Boulevard and the other on Industrial Road.

Though the Rolls-Royce and mtu names are relatively new to the area, this company has been a part of the Mankato business landscape in one shape or another for 70 years. Mankato residents may remember its early incarnations as Katolight and MTU Onsite Energy. A brief history of its evolution from Katolight to Rolls-Royce Solutions America Inc. follows:

1952: Katolight is founded in Mankato as a spin-off of Kato Engineering. The new company focuses on building generators under the Katolight brand.

2000 : Katolight moves to its current location at 100 Power Drive in Mankato.

2007: Katolight is acquired by Tognum, a worldwide supplier of diesel engines based in Friedrichshafen, Germany.

2008: Combining the Katolight, MTU and Detroit Diesel brands, Tognum forms the MTU Onsite Energy global power brand.

2014: Rolls-Royce completes its acquisition of Tognum AG. The company name changes to MTU America Inc.

2021: Rolls-Royce Solutions America Inc. becomes the legal entity for all North American MTU America Inc. locations, selling generator sets under the mtu brand.

We have started focusing on efficiency first, which means the most sustainable energy is the energy we are not consuming. Second is to exploit on-site potential. As pioneers in the sustainable on-site energy solutions, we aim to maximize self-gener ation and minimize external procurement of energy. Third is to collaborate with local partners. We actively drive the energy transition by collaborating with project de velopers to add renewable energy capacities to the grid in close proximity to our sites if feasible. Last will be energy certificates as interim solutions. We carefully select and purchase high-quality renewable energy certificates if necessary to meet our emis sions reduction target.

We’ve got to be agile. A lot of it is driven by what the customer’s wants and needs are and how they’re changing. We’re giving them what they truly want. The changes that are taking place with the environment and sustainability are driving our path forward at a much faster pace. We have to respond to a lot of new demands, while

also being environmentally conscious to drive us to be more “green.”

So, we’re getting prepared to move the focus of our business to sustainability. A third of it is existing products, a third of it is how we modify our current portfolio to be more carbon neutral, and then a third of it will be new products, whether it be battery containers, electrolyzers, hydrogen fuel cells or hydrogen gensets. It’s pretty cool stuff.

Is it feasible that a microgrid system could power this entire facility?

Absolutely, and currently is in the plan ning phases.

Will microgrid production move to Mankato?

The battery containers, solar, wind tur bines, electrolyzers, fuel cells, and hydrogen and gas gensets are all components of the microgrid system plan in our product port folio. We’ll start producing them in Mankato.

Leading the race to green energy

would be a big win for RRSA.

It gets us ahead of the game and drives be ing a market leader in sustainable solutions. What’s important is that we deliver what our customers want, and we deliver on our service, our quality and on having a great product for those customers. It doesn’t turn into a price-driven commodity market. We provide value versus just the product. We are also working on programs to use hydrogen in our reciprocating engines, both in a blended and full hydrogen form.

Are there any trends in the power generation or manufacturing industries that are impacting how you do business?

Yes. On the power generation side, it’s about who can be the most agile and responsive to our customer needs. We have positioned ourselves very well to capture opportunities. Again, there is a push to look at more renewable fuels. Instead of standard diesel, utilizing HVO and other renewable fuels.

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By:

Ryan

Spaude,

Powering a Sustainable Future

On the manufacturing side, we’re looking at a lot of things, from just-in-time and lean methodologies to managing inventory to respond quickly without incurring unneeded capital. We’re trying to find the right balance. What does it look like now versus what it might have looked like three years ago? Global supply chains for us and our suppliers are facing all kinds of challenges, from astronomical costs to ship product to delays of capacity in ocean and air freight to domestic trucking. So just in time is not the ultimate answer anymore and again it’s looking for the right balance to deliver to our customers and have 100 percent quality in what we do.

Do you have plans for future growth?

Rolls-Royce made a conscious effort to invest in Mankato even in the poor economic times going into 2020. We all realized that was the right decision, even

takes safety very seriously. We’ve seen significant improvements in the type of incidences we have. We have transparency and people speaking up when they feel that there is an unsafe situation. So, it’s really changing that culture of safety. It’s been

Mankato footprint to understand what we need to do to meet our goals going into 2030 and even further into the future. We’re also allocating funding to grow even more into the community.

An RRSA employee adjusts a part on an mtu generator set at the company’s Mankato manufacturing plant.

best product in the industry and investing into our groups to meet zero quality defects.

Other achievements include seeing the expansion through, year-over-year growth, and being able to respond to the market as well as we have through the pandemic. It is something that our entire team feels has been a success. Of course, we may feel defeated on days when things don’t go right. But overall, we’ve responded to our customers’ needs as best as anyone could have expected.

What is your biggest challenge right now?

It’s the supply chain. We see shortages across all industries. With all the supply chain issues globally, we have to start building units even though we don’t have all the components we need to finish the product. We can’t give up the capacity slots. So we’ll build them, and then quarantine out of process, waiting for the parts to come in.

Lead times have far exceeded what they had been in normal times. It’s happening

throughout the industry, not just with us. We are working as diligently as possible to build more agile supply chains to increase our output and bring those lead times back in as quickly as possible.

We’ve been relatively successful in man aging on-time delivery to customers. So, the challenge is making sure that we balance out supplies the best we can to take care of our customers, whether it’s finding a locally sourced product or looking at our processes completely differently than we have in the past to figure out how we can be more agile.

Then the other challenge is with the area’s low unemployment. Getting staffed up to where we need to be to meet increased demand is tough.

It sounds like these challenges are prompting process changes that will serve your company in the long run.

The pandemic and its impacts have forced us to reinvent ourselves a little bit, to look at things differently than we had in the past.

We don’t have to react, but we can proactively address the situations. So again, it goes back to agility. We’re starting to see different issues that maybe we hadn’t in the past, but it’s making us better as an organization and better prepared for the future.

Is there anything else you’d like our readers to know about RRSA?

Rolls-Royce Solutions America is set up for success and growth. It’s been a part of the Mankato community for many years, with solid roots that go back to Katolight. It’s a great place to work and our people make the difference.

THE ESSENTIALS

Rolls-Royce Solutions America Inc.

100 Power Drive Mankato, MN 56001

Phone: (507) 625-7973 Web: mtu-solutions.com

Jans

Laura Jans is a tax manager at Abdo in Mankato. She graduated from Mankato State UniversityMankato with both her bachelors and masters in accounting. This year, she is also the chair of the Greater Mankato Growth Young Professionals after serving in other leadership roles in the organization. Let’s meet Laura.

When did you start on your career path?

I began my career at Abdo as an intern in 2014, started full time in January 2015, and progressed from staff accountant to senior accountant and now to manager. I also achieved my Certified Public Accountant certification in the summer of 2015 as I knew doing it ASAP in my career would be a great launching pad. From there I focused in on specialty areas in the tax world (estates and trusts and state and local taxes).

Why did you choose this career path?

I took a couple of accounting classes in high school and really enjoyed them. It reminded me of doing a puzzle, pieces had to fit in the right spot.

What personal strengths help you excel in your chosen career?

Problem-solving skills. I jump right into things and am willing to try almost anything.

What is your favorite part of your job?

Being surrounded by bright and caring people all the time.

What inspires/drives you?

Giving my dog the best life possible. I also thrive on challenges and deadlines, so tax season is my ultimate adrenaline rush.

What advice would you give to other young professionals?

Just because you’re young, doesn’t mean you don’t belong in the room. Your voice and opinions have value.

Are there any trainings or events that have had a big impact on your career?

This is where I’m probably going to nerd out, but I went to a state and local taxes conference and was blown

By Ashley Hanley

away by all the various concepts and taxes that exist. It became a passion area for me, and I now get to specialize in that area.

What books, podcasts or videos have helped you?

Harry Potter. I know it’s not professional, but I think there are a lot of lessons in Harry Potter that can relate to any scenario. It’s a classic “good will prevail.”

What app can’t you live without?

Realtor. I’m not in the market but I love to look.

Looking back on the beginning of your career, what do you know now that you wish you’d known then?

It’s OK to not know everything and to ask questions when you have them. This was a huge hurdle for me because I was used to knowing most things during schooling.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

Still in public accounting but as a partner at Abdo. I’ll also be 40, so likely having some type of midlife crisis and doing something impulsive – I hope that means I buy a lake place rather than taking up fire breathing or something extreme.

Sharing the stories of the next generation, and exploring the dreams that motivate them.

Next Generation

CNA

Partnering to Reduce Barriers in Healthcare

According to data from the Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED), Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA’s) are one of the most in demand jobs in the State of Minnesota. Despite the demand, the number of students seeking the CNA credential has not been well positioned to meet the need for healthcare workers, and long-term care facilities continue to face staffing pressures. In response, Governor Walz announced the Next Generation Certified Nursing Assistant initiative - a plan to train and recruit 1,000 CNA’s throughout the state in just a few months. The result has been a collaboration between the state, higher education, and industry partners to aid in providing relief for overextended staff in nursing homes, hospitals, assisted living facilities, and home care agencies.

The Next Generation CNA initiative has an aim of removing barriers for individuals seeking to become nursing assistants, and several colleges and universities across the state system have stepped up to the challenge. Minnesota State Univer sity, Mankato began offering tuition free CNA courses in early 2022. These classes are delivered in a hybrid format, with both online knowledge modules and required lab sessions, intentionally designed to ensure convenience for students with varied backgrounds and lifestyles. The University’s CNA courses have been offered completely tuition free, and have offset additional expenses for students including books, technology, test fees, and even daycare and travel. Students are also provided a free set of scrubs to ensure they have the necessary clothing required to enter the workforce and be successful. The CNA students leave the classroom equipped with the knowledge to transition immediately into a role within a long-term care facility.

The answer to the call to action has been great, far exceeding the initial goal of 1,000 individuals trained. Dr. Kara De La Fosse facilitates Minnesota State Mankato’s CNA courses and has witnessed students becoming more empowered in their education and abilities. “At first, the students didn’t know if this career choice was attainable for them”, shared Dr. De La Fosse. “Once they got acclimated, they began to see success.” Dr. De La Fosse also emphasized that many students have

reached out to her following their successful completion of the CNA course and shared that because of their experience in the Next Generation CNA initiative, they are moving on to pursue higher degree fields within healthcare science, including becoming a nurse or a physician’s assistant.

Each class hosts industry partners, with the intention of providing students with a platform to compare their employment options and connect long-term care facilities with trained employees. Dr. De La Fosse shared students are essentially hired on the spot. “It’s been a great partnership. Industry partners trust the quality of students that we are bringing through this program, and the students trust that we are going to place them in an establishment that is going to be a great fit for them.”

Nearly 10 months later, the success of the Next Generation initiative continues to actively reduce barriers and provide relief for a critical shortage of healthcare providers, so much so that it has been extended through the remainder of 2022. Upcoming classes are planned for September, October, and November, and you can view the full course schedule at https://link.mnsu.edu/next-gen-cna. Please contact workforce@mnsu.edu if you have any questions on the Next Generation Certified Nursing Assistant Initiative.

Students practicing hands-on skills in the Maverick Family Nursing Simulation Center.

UNIDOOR

Family-Owned Gaylord Company Succeeds Through Creativity & Flexibility

By Anna Vangsness • Photos by Jonathan Smith

Jason Campbell has been officially at the helm of Unidoor Corporation as president/CEO since 2009, but he's been with the Gaylord-based company for most of his life. The family-owned company has been around even longer.

Unidoor Corporation was founded by Jerome "Bud" Bloom. Bud owned many companies, starting with Lakeland Doors, which opened in 1948 in St. Louis Park, Minnesota. He went on to open numerous businesses throughout Minnesota and Wisconsin, all of which produced different parts of doors and millwork.

"At one point, there were 12 companies under one umbrella between the two states," Jason said. "One plant would make wood veneer; another would cut stock for frames … so all of these different plants would be making different parts for the doors."

For years, Jason's dad, Thomas Campbell, had a close working relationship with Bud. Thomas would accompany Bud when he picked up parts for various machines. On one of those trips, Bud expressed interest in purchasing another plant.

"They drove around the [Twin] Cities, and eventually out of them, and came across the spot we are today. One thing led to another, and here we are," Jason said.

In 1973, Bud opened Unidoor Corporation in Gaylord, Minnesota, in what was once an old alfalfa pelletizing plant. After working under Bud's guidance for years, Thomas and his work partner, Randy Hlavac, purchased Unidoor from him and moved the entire company to Gaylord.

The Campbells: Jason, Gianna, and Michael

Success Through Creativity and Flexibility

Today Unidoor is its own entity. After Randy died in 1992, Thomas became the sole owner, a role he maintained until his death in 2009.

“I was going to college when Randy passed away, which left my dad alone down here at Unidoor. So my brother Michael and I came down to help him out,” Jason recalled. “I had worked at Unidoor before that part time, but then I came on full time. So, really, I’ve been working here my whole life.”

The company remains a family business to this day.

“Today, my mother, Gianna Campbell, owns the company with [me] and my brother Jeffrey,” Jason said. “Recently, my brother Michael has returned to our family business, as well.”

Unidoor Corporation is a wholesale manufacturer that sells products to bigbox companies like Menards and Lowes, to “pre-hanger” companies that assemble door components, and to lumber yards and building material companies. It also sells products for the residential market, and has worked with commercial offices and banks.

Unidoor team members manufacture interior wood doors and related millwork, including doorstops and doorjambs. The company ships material and products all over the United States and Canada, though Jason said most of their business comes from areas around the Midwest.

“We have shipped all over the country, but it just depends on the customer,” Jason said. “Typically, when we send truckloads of doors, it’s regional because you’re shipping hollow core doors, which means you’re shipping a lot of air. With the

Plant manager, Ken Garman

amount of doors we ship at a time, they can only go so far before a competitor can save on shipping. That’s why the Midwest is our main pocket for sales.”

In addition to doors, Unidoor manufac tures doorstops and jambs. Unidoor works with 20 different wood species, though Jason said only half are used regularly. The other 10 varieties are used for specialty runs that require less-common woods, like hickory or African mahogany.

“We make a variety of widths for jambs,” COO Ken Garman said. “Really, we can produce anything from 3 to 12 inches, though most jambs are sized between 4 to 5 inches.”

Over the years, Jason has worked to engineer machinery on-site at Unidoor, keeping as much work in-house as possi ble. It’s turned out to be a smart business move for the company.

A few years ago, Unidoor created a unique new product. The Uni-White Jamb encapsulates wood doorjambs in a white coating that performs better than paint. The pre-primed jambs require no preparation and allow consumers to paint them any color they like. In the past, the company would have spent time and money to send its wood jambs to a separate Twin Cities company to be primed. Then Unidoor would have to wait for them to be shipped back before they could be sold.

“Having the jambs already colored white saves our customers a step,” Jason said. “We wanted to compete with the market. Instead, we were shipping our products out and losing money in the process. This product has alleviated that problem.”

Unidoor is also driving cost savings by building its own equipment whenever pos sible. Building on-site machinery from the ground up has become a mission for the business. It’s also one more way Unidoor can stand out from its competitors.

“With the machinery we’ve built and what little we’ve bought, we’ve been able to diversify our offerings,” Jason said. “We decided that what would be best is to not pigeonhole ourselves into what we can make but try our best and produce it. If a cabinet company wants us to produce a panel cutout for their cabinets, we can do that.

“We truly pride ourselves on customer service and the safety of our employees.

take pride in

throughout

Because we live here too.

Blue Earth Co/CSAH 17 Madison Avenue

Success Through Creativity and Flexibility

We’ve always been a company where a customer can come to us and say, ‘Can you do this?’ And we’ll look into it. If we can’t do it on one of our machines, we’ll build a machine to do it.”

In addition to building its own machines, Unidoor also sharpens its own tooling.

“It’s just important to us to try to do as much as we can in-house,” Jason said. “It helps with cost savings.”

Another cost saver for Unidoor is becoming a nearly zero-waste facility.

“We used to be throwing so much wood away,” Jason said. “Throughout the years, we’ve really cut that down to become close to zero waste.”

As Ken explained, Unidoor now reuses most of its wood scraps to create other job components. For example, material that can’t be used to make high-quality jambs can be used as pallet material for shipping products instead.

“We have a wood grinder that we use for everything less than 8 inches,” Ken said. “Everything else is ground up into sawdust and blown into a sawdust trailer, which is then sold to farmers who use it for animal bedding.”

Jason said repurposing scrap lumber started as a cost-savings plan, but it quickly turned into an environmental initiative once they realized how much product was being sent to the landfills each year.

“You know, a lot of the materials that we get in for our door and jamb products come in packaging,” Jason said. “A lot of it is two-by-fours. Think pieces of wood and pallets. We used to have to pay to haul it away. Now, we can do it in-house and reuse everything that comes in.”

Back in ‘73, when Bud purchased the company, numerous Quonset huts stood on the property and served as outbuildings to the operation. Today, Unidoor occupies roughly 120,000 square feet in Gaylord, next to the train tracks, which is pivotal for their receiving operations. The facility has grown substantially but still occupies the original land it started on, partially due to a massive fire in 2003.

“We had a big fire on Easter in 2003,” Jason said. “Half of our plant burned down.”

An investigation discovered that the cause of the fire was arson. An ex-Unidoor employee, with a few accomplices, broke into the plant and started it. The fire grew larger and larger until, eventually, the whole door department was engulfed in flames and burned down. It took 10 to 12 area fire departments to put out the inferno.

Jason recalls his father weighing their options at the time: “At that point, obviously, we looked at what do we want to do? I remem ber my dad saying, ‘Do we want to throw in the towel or rebuild somewhere else?’”

But throwing in the towel wasn’t an option Thomas Campbell or his family wanted to consider.

“The way I grew up, and the way my dad was and how he was so caring about people … he taught us that you might only have 50 employees, but you have about 300 with their families, husbands, wives and children,” Jason said. “So, it was very important to keep Unidoor here and to keep it here for a long time to come.”

Unidoor moved all door department employees into its jamb department to keep them employed during the rebuilding phase. A year to the day after the fire, Unidoor was back up and running, making their first door in the newly built space.

“We’re a family-run business,” Jason said. “Continuing that way

Unidoor

The Unidoor Corporation crew.

Success Through Creativity and Flexibility

was important to us.”

Today, the Unidoor Gaylord factory is home to 40 employees. Although finding employees before the COVID-19 pandemic wasn’t always easy, it is even more difficult now. Jason estimates recruiting has been two to three times harder since the shutdown.

“People were just used to staying home,” Jason said. “I think people’s expectations have changed now. There’s a different focus that people have. We’re a manufacturing company; we can’t just run once and a while. We have to have enough people to produce the product and run our machines.”

Though Unidoor has experienced a labor shortage as of late, Jason is proud of his crew and said there is a plus side to what they’ve experienced over the last few years.

“Almost half of our employees have been here more than 20 years, 10 more than 30 years, and five have been here more than 40 years,” he said. “That has really helped us out. Even before COVID, Ken worked really hard with his employees to diversify their knowledge around the plant to cross-train them on the different types of machinery. Our staff has seemed to like that. People don’t want to do the same thing day in and day out; they like to go in and do something different.”

Ken agrees that cross-training employees has helped with labor shortages.

“We still have to make doors no matter what,” Ken said.

While COVID-19 had a negative impact on staffing, it did not have the same effect on the demand for Unidoor products. The number of orders actually increased during the pandemic.

“I was very surprised throughout COVID and before, actually,” Jason said. “We were busy, but when COVID hit, we were extremely busy. Our lead time tripled because of the materials and how swamped with orders we were.”

Jason said Unidoor has never been too adversely impacted by what is happening in the markets because doors have always been a customer need.

“We were considered an essential plant during COVID, so we were able to remain open the whole time,” he said.

“Part of the reason we were so busy during that time was backwards,” Ken added. “A lot of customers were importing products like jambs and buying imported primed jambs because they could get them cheaper from outside the United States. But with the shipping crisis, suddenly these businesses couldn’t get them fast enough, so companies were scrambling to buy domestically from places like Unidoor. Because more people were buying locally, that created a huge number of orders and back-orders for us.”

Over the past 10 years, Jason has moved much of Unidoor’s product sourcing from international to domestic sources.

“We used to import 60 to 70 percent of materials from around the world from countries including China, Taiwan, Canada, the Philippines, Africa and Russia,” Jason explained. “Then the industry changed. Taiwan used all their wood, and then it picked up in the Philippines. Within the last five to 10 years, we started concentrating on moving to domestic suppliers.”

The decision to source locally has paid off, given recent struggles with imports. Today, Unidoor utilizes domestic suppliers for 80 to 90 percent of its outsourcing. It’s a decision driven partly by choice and partly due to lead times and shipping issues.

“Definitely in the last few years, we’ve struggled with getting materials coming in within a timely fashion, and pricing has been a whole other issue,” Jason said. “There were times when we didn’t know when the product would come in. Everyone in the country was scrambling. It really helped that we moved most of our items domestically.”

If Unidoor had continued working with international suppliers as much as in the past, Jason said he doesn’t know what he would have done during the pandemic.

“We wouldn’t have had any product to work with because the ports are all plugged up,” Jason said. “When working with inter national suppliers, we’d pay about $3,000 for a shipping container that carried about $30,000 to 40,000 worth of supplies. Now, people are bidding on containers and paying upwards of $25,000 for one container. When that’s half of the amount of your product (cost) in it … we can’t afford that. So, we lucked out in a way. It was good timing.”

Jason said over the past few years the organization has certainly kept him on his toes, but it goes with the territory of the business.

“Just like most companies in a field like ours, things evolve over time, and you just have to be flexible,” Jason explained. “At different periods of time, different species of wood might be popular, just like different wood grains are popular. So even the real-wood style products are cyclical. It’s a lot of work, but we keep working on changing when needed.”

Unidoor’s relatively small staff of 40 has helped the organization stay flexible. Jason’s quick to share credit with his staff when it comes to customer services, as well.

“Our concentration is keeping and building very good relationships with our customers and our vendors,” Jason said. “We concentrate on getting back to people as soon as possible and giving out the correct information. We double- and triple-check our quality before we ship it out. What we ship out is going to be good, high quality and people realize that’s what they can expect when they order through us.”

GREENSEAM BOARD OF GOVERNORS HIGHLIGHT: JERAD MICHELS

Why does Eide Bailly invest in GreenSeam?

Eide Bailly invests in GreenSeam because many of our clients are directly or indirectly tied to agriculture. From directly working with farmers or businesses that are impacted by the status the farm economy is in, Eide Bailly wants to see growth in the region.

How does GreenSeam, the organization, shape the future of agriculture, business, and communities in the region?

GreenSeam is investing in the future through education, addressing concerns, and bringing the industry together. By bringing Agricultural classes to the area more individuals can learn about the im pact it has and keep the talented individ uals in the region. GreenSeam has forums to find out what local businesses are struggling with. Once they have targeted the issues, they are looking to work towards a solution as a collective. Bringing businesses together, the industry has the knowledge to work together and grow.

THE 39th ANNUAL

Do you recommend others to invest in GreenSeam and why?

I would recommend others to invest in GreenSeam because its one of the few Agricultural advocates in the area. It’s an investment into the current and future growth of Agriculture.

Share with us some of the opportunities your business/industry receives from being in the GreenSeam region.

Eide Bailly has benefited by other businesses and individuals knowing we have a strong Agricultural accounting group in the area to support them. We have the specialization to provide con sulting and tax services to provide them the help them need.

What would you share with someone considering moving to and working in our region?

I would share that GreenSeam is here to help. The issues you are having, others are facing too. The industry is strong and GreenSeam is here to help the region stay strong in Agriculture.

Jerad Michels, Eide Bailly. I grew up on my family grain and hog farm that’s located just outside of North Mankato. From as early as I can remember, I wanted to be a farmer. When it came time to go to college, I wanted to get a degree in agriculture but Minnesota State University – Mankato did not offer a degree in agriculture at the time. I didn’t want to leave the Mankato area because I wanted to continue to work at my family farm. I decided to go into business and received my undergrad and master’s in accounting at MSU –Mankato. Thankfully, I can still work on my family farm and help prepare taxes for Agricultural businesses/farmers.

CELEBRATION AGof

| 4pm to 8pm

Save the Date! The 39th annual Rural Forum is on Thursday, Dec. 1, 2022 at the Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center in Mankato. This premium event connects public leaders and a wide range of attendees from the agricultural sector, such as producers, manufacturers, educators, researches, and more. Rural Forum presents a great opportunity for conversations about key issues facing the rural economy, as well as brainstorming potential solutions.

Thank you to everyone who joined us at the 2022 Celebration of Ag! It was an incredible event filled with Inspirational speakers, laughs, agriculture, and networking. Keep your eye out for the 2023 Celebration of Ag!

EvEnt REcap

Jerad Michels Eide Bailly

Highland Family Farms Sees Success With Cover Crops

Kristin Duncanson and her husband, Pat, have been farming near Mapleton for the past 38 years. For the past 12 years the family has also been planting something a little different. Cover crops.

Cover crops are a mixture of seeds that grow quickly and are planted in the fall after other crops have been harvested. They’re planted, “winter over,” and then grow in the spring. If things go just right, they’re the first greenery to pop up in the springtime.

Farmers have two options when it comes to cover crops: leave them and plant into them, or terminate them before spring planting.

“When the snow is melting and we’re seeing added moisture,

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we have the opportunity with these cover crops to help prevent erosion events,” Kristin Duncanson said. “In spring, when we still have frozen ground and then melting and movement occurs, those planted cover crops allow the topsoil to stay put.”

The same is true with windy days. When the snow melts, exposing the soil, farmers want to prevent the soil from blowing away.

Duncanson said that cover crops are used to keep the soil healthy so spring planting can be done as early as possible. Healthier soil and fluffier tilth mean the soil will remain and the water will drain properly, drying the fields more quickly than they would without the use of cover crops.

In fact, last Memorial Day when the weather was windier and warmer than usual, Duncanson noticed that all the family’s fields that had cover crop didn’t have a loss of soil, unlike the fields around them that weren’t covered.

“We’ve been able to visibly see that our fields aren’t blowing, which is great,” Duncanson said. “Then there’s the winter months. When we have cover crops on our fields during that time, we can have no snow on the fields and they’re still not frozen because they’re

covered with the crops. We’ve also seen a reduction in blowing on those fields, too. The bottom line is we’ve seen, and so have our colleagues, that this works. Cover crops get the desired outcomes.”

Forty-five years ago, Duncanson’s fatherin-law was experimenting with his own type of cover crop by planting bromegrass after fall harvest. Over the past decade, the Duncansons have relied on their own cover crop to help replenish the soil at Highland Family Farms.

Duncanson said there’s not yet a stepby-step process to follow due to different factors, like slope, soil and where cover crops are planted, but that’s what research and development are for.

“You have to be willing to experiment a little,” Duncanson said. “That’s where you have to look at science and the data that’s out there. Science has already proven that cover crops are good for the land. They help with soil to build organic matter and soil tilth and therefore the yield is increased over time.”

In Minnesota, the period between har vest and freeze up is short, so Duncanson said cover crops rely on a different method of thinking.

“Our neighbors think we’re doing proof of concept on different things all the time,”

Duncanson said with a laugh. “You have to be willing to do it. We rotate crops, just like you do with manure application. It does take time to show the benefit of cover crops, so there is a risk, and I think that’s a huge barrier for other farmers.”

With cover crops still being relatively new in the area, Duncanson has found helpful resources through various extension offices, universities, the United States Department of Agriculture, National Resource and Conservation Services and agronomists. Until there is a larger set of data, it’s tough to stick to one decision when it comes to planting cover crops.

“We’re blessed with the fact that we do have a great network of like-minded farmers across the country that are also planting cover crops,” Duncanson said. “It’s nice to reach out to them and say, ‘What did you plant, and did it work?’”

Along with the traditional cover crop mixture, the Duncansons have also dabbled with planting cereal rye, which the farming family has, surprisingly, found to be a beneficial weed deterrent.

“Weeds apparently don’t like rye, so that’s promising,” Duncanson explained. “We’re still in the proof-of-concept phase, but this is our third year of growing rye, and so far,

it’s going well.”

After their cereal rye cover crop is out of the fields, a portion of the product goes to mills, while some goes to distilleries, Duncanson said.

“Cereal rye isn’t something you can just haul to the co-op,” she said. “You have to be creative with it, which is why we thought of the distilleries. Anytime I’m in different areas for work, I’m dropping samples off. I just keep rye samples with me in my car. Working with cereal rye has been fun and new.”

To Duncanson, the decision on whether to plant cover crops, like cereal rye or the more traditional non-grain mixed option, is an easy yes, because it allows for less sediments going into ditches or runoff and there is little to no wind erosion. The result is better organic matter and nutrients that stay within the soil.

“The bottom line is that there just aren’t enough farmers utilizing this practice,” Duncanson said. “Yes, we have an obli gation to ourselves to be profitable, but we’re also stewards of the land, water and community. Farmers do a lot of great work, and we just don’t hear about this practice from the collective. We’re hoping more people start to look towards cover crops

region’s

A test field comparing strips of tilled land versus cover crop areas on Highland Family Farms.

to understand why it’s important to not only their bottom line, but to the water, streams and soil, as well.”

Though less expensive to plant than traditional crops like corn, soybeans and wheat, there is still a cost to cover crops. Depending on the cover crop that is plant ed, the price can range anywhere from $10 to $110 per acre. The cost varies based on where it’s planted and how many species are within the specific cover crop.

“It’s less expensive than traditional crops, but it’s still an expense because you have to make another pass with equipment and there’s also labor costs,” Duncanson said. “You have to be strategic in what you’re planting so over time you can see what it does to your bottom line in terms of bushels and production.”

When Highland Family Farms first started planting cover crops, Duncanson said they almost immediately saw a positive increase in growth and profitability, yet at other times it took a few seasons for the cover crops to pay off. The reasons for this discrepancy are

differences in topsoil, crops and weather.

“Overall, for us, it’s been profitable,” Duncanson said. “Our productivity is higher, and we’ve even minimized some passes over our fields because of reduced tillage.”

Duncanson draws a comparison between the current use of cover crops and earlier times when much of the land was prairie and covered with tall grass.

“It’s the mindset that we know that prairie grass acted as a great filtration system and stabilized the soil,” Duncanson said. “Now, it’s a coming of age to say, ‘Here’s the issue, and how can we work together to enhance this practice.’”

As she was driving around this spring, Duncanson recalls feeling anxious when driving past fields that didn’t utilize cover crops.

“I just didn’t like seeing how many fields were being tilled to completely black,” Duncanson said. “It reduces the nutrients because all of it is just blowing away. The biggest thing is, we would just like other operations to try cover crops, too, so they

can see how well they work.”

Duncanson said Southern Minnesota farmers do a good job of managing their waterways, but acknowledges that there’s more to be done.

“We don’t have all of the answers, but we’re trying different things out and are definitely willing to talk. Just try it,” Duncanson said. “Start small and seek technical and science-driven information.”

THE ESSENTIALS

Highland Family Farms 57746 Highway 30 Mapleton, MN 56065

Phone: (507) 524-3797

Facebook: @Highland Family Farms Instagram: highland_family_farms

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TRAIN AND RETAIN EMPLOYEES WITH WORKFORCE EDUCATION

According to technological research and consulting rm Gartner, the pace of employee turnover is forecast to be 50–75% higher than companies have experienced previously, and the issue is compounded by it taking 18% longer to ll roles than pre-pandemic. Unless e orts are refocused on retention, managers will be unable to drive performance and a ect change within their organizations.

One of the most critical keys to retention right now is upskilling to increase employee pay and responsibilities at work. In addition to improving retention, the total number of skills required for a single role is increasing 6% annually, meaning that building critical skills within the workforce must be a top priority and developed quickly enough to meet the organization’s ever-evolving needs.

Non-credit certi cations and workforce trainings are an e cient and e ective way to build up a company’s workforce with the skills they need to meet production demands, as well as provide employees with an opportunity for professional development and career growth. And South Central College’s Customized Workforce Education division makes it easy for organizations to upskill their employees without the hassle of investing company time and energy to develop new trainings in-house.

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busy schedules and provide exibility for working professionals. SCC’s expert trainers can even develop and lead a customized training program right at a company site.

In addition to upskilling and retaining current employees, organizations can also utilize SCC’s workforce education o erings to train new hires in the critical skills needed to ful ll their job duties.

South Central College is forging an exciting new collaboration with Google and other national organizations to develop innovative pathways that will help adult learners gain transferable, job-ready skills for high-demand careers in data analytics, IT support, project management, UX design, and digital marketing. Employers in Southern Minnesota will be able to partner with South Central College to provide both new and longtime employees with these easily-accessible, expert-developed trainings.

And last but not least, employees’ wellbeing should be taken into consideration when it comes to

improving job satisfaction and retention, as well as increasing productivity. e Associated Press recently reported that untreated mental illness may cost companies up to $300 billion annually, and Harvard Business Review identi ed Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) – one of SCC’s newest workforce education o erings – as the most popular training program of its kind. MHFA participants learn to identify, understand, and respond to signs of mental health or substance use challenges among colleagues and direct reports on the job, and they’ll earn a 3-year certi cation from the National Council for Behavioral Health.

South Central College Customized Workforce Education can help you train, retain, and invest in your workforce.

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Offering World-Class Pilot Training

By: Christine Nessler Photos by Jonathan Smith

Just a few miles outside of Mankato, Minnesota, lies a hidden gem. Few people realize there is an impressive aviation hub at the Mankato Regional Airport, housing Minnesota State University, Mankato’s Aviation program, North Star Aviation Flight School, and PRO TRAIN Aviation.

“We’re developing an aviation training hub in Mankato, as well as other aviation-related businesses,” said Jason Ceminsky, program manager, instructor and examiner for PRO TRAIN Aviation. “We have become known as a pilot training magnet for the Midwest.”

Although a modest Ceminsky credits the nationally known MSU aviation program, it’s clear his contribution to PRO TRAIN has helped build that reputation over the last 12 years.

North Star Aviation started PRO TRAIN in 1998. Whereas North Star provides general flight training to MSU aviation students and the general public, PRO TRAIN offers specialized training courses and pilot evaluations for the Beechjet series of aircraft.

Ceminsky, who served in the Air Force as an officer and pilot before beginning a career as a corporate pilot, found himself in need of a career change during the recession of 2009.

“As happenstance would be, I fell into this job at PRO TRAIN,” Ceminsky said. “When I came to the company, North Star had it in operation, but it was a little bit dormant. So it was one of those perfect coincidences where I really needed a job because there weren’t a lot of aviation jobs during the recession, and we made an agreement to reinvigorate PRO TRAIN.”

Ceminsky more than just fell into the job. His extensive experience made him the right person to take PRO TRAIN to the next level.

Ceminsky came into the position with years of experience as an instructor in the B-2 Stealth Bomber. As a member of the Air National Guard, he flew numerous assignments for the Air Force, including two Afghanistan combat tours. He also served as an Air Force T-38 pilot, and a T-1A and C-130 instructor pilot.

During his time in the Air Force, Ceminsky received his bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from the U.S. Air Force Academy and has since completed his master of business administration in aviation.

PRO TRAIN aircraft in its hangar.

In addition to his experience in the Air Force, Ceminsky is now an airline trans portation pilot, a certified flight instructor and an FAA-designated pilot examiner.

In 2012 PRO TRAIN became a separate entity from North Star Aviation, with Ceminsky leading the charge. Since then, he has developed his Beechjet specialty into a convenient training service for businesses and pilots worldwide by offering on-site training in a client’s aircraft or allowing customers to come to Mankato to learn by flying one of the PRO TRAIN Beechjets. This allows Ceminsky and his staff to tailor their training to the specific nuances of each individual jet.

PRO TRAIN focuses on the Beechjet series aircraft, which are small- to medi um-sized corporate transport aircraft for business travelers. It is flown by two pilots and typically seats between eight and 10 people. There are several variations of avionics, or aviation electronics, in each specific Beechjet. The avionics include the electrical equipment used in aircraft, such as navigation, weather radar and radio communication equipment.

“Each jet aircraft, while they all share similar characteristics, all have nuances, as well; different limitations and different emergency procedures,” Ceminsky said. “So that is why it’s required they receive spe cialized training on their specific aircraft.”

A Beechjet is used primarily for the busi ness purposes of Fortune 500 to Fortune 1000 companies. These large companies own their own aircraft and employ their own pilots.

“This is all a part of what we call business aviation,” Ceminsky said. “It’s a whole subset of commercial aviation, separate from the airlines.”

What makes business aviation unique is the efficiency of using a corporate aircraft to visit multiple clients in multiple cities around the country in one day. In addition, corporate aircraft aren’t limited to the 400 commercial airports in the United States. According to Ceminsky, over 5,000 smaller airports like Mankato Regional Airport can be utilized by a corporate aircraft.

PRO TRAIN caters to business aviation by providing convenient, on-site training in the pilot’s or business’s own jet.

“Our emphasis is personalized, special ized training,” Ceminsky said. “We do the training wherever our customers are based.”

cimankato.com

385-4485

Mankato Vernon Center | Amboy

Offering World-Class Pilot Training

Roughly 80 percent of his clients have their training done on-site. Ceminsky serves clients all over the world, including the Middle East, Columbia, Europe, and Guatemala.

Carlos Granda is a pilot for Cadence Holdings in Guatemala. He has taken two recurrent training sessions with Ceminsky in the last year. Ceminsky’s knowledge of varying avionics and ability to take the training to Granda has been very beneficial to him.

Because of the different jets used by Cadence Holdings, Ceminsky provided training for Granda and other Cadence Holdings pilots in both Miami and Guatemala.

“After Miami, Ceminsky came to Guatemala for the other crew of the Beechjet 400 because the avionics are not the same as mine,” Granda said. “I did some training on the Garmin 5000, the Proline 4 and the differences in between.”

Ceminsky’s vast flight experience allows him to understand the nuances of each particular jet and avionics system. This is no easy task considering the dozens of models of Beechcraft jets.

“He has a ton of experience flying this kind of airplane,” said pilot Drew Fraber, of Omaha, Nebraska. “He probably knows as much if not more than the manufacturers.”

Fraber flies for a private individual’s multiple businesses. He has done recurrent training with Ceminsky, as well as the check ride to upgrade from his commercial license to ATP.

“Jason can do the check ride and the recurrent training all in one ride,” Fraber said.

Fraber has used other aircraft training businesses in the past. Across the country, many facilities provide simulator training. PRO TRAIN does its training in actual jets instead of simulators. It’s what makes PRO TRAIN stand out from the competition.

According to Fraber, simulators are designed to be accurate and realistic, but as similar as they try to make them to actual aircraft, it just isn’t the same. Training pilots in their own aircraft over a simulator provides a more in-depth understanding of risk management and cockpit resource management.

“Flying is a huge benefit to being in an aircraft over a simulator. A simulator just can’t 100 percent replicate the feel of an airplane,” Fraber said. “The recurrent training with PRO TRAIN covered all the same required items that a simulator training does, but you get a much more realistic, real-world understanding of what the aircraft is capable of. It made our confidence go sky high.”

Getting the feel of a scenario in a real aircraft assures pilots they will be able to handle a similar situation if it arises during a flight.

“When you do a scenario with Jason, you have a little more confidence that if it really happened, you would be comfortable with how to handle it,” Fraber said. “Jason has been in the aircraft and has flown the aircraft himself, so he can lay out the information very plainly.”

PRO TRAIN offers three main courses of instruction. Initial Train ing is a 10- to 14-day program for pilots new to the Beechjet. This course includes ground school training on systems, emergencies, and procedures; flight training; and the pilot’s final certification.

As an FAA-designated pilot examiner, Ceminsky can certify pilots for the FAA. Across the country, FAA DPEs like Ceminsky certify 98 percent of all pilots in the country for the FAA.

“The FAA only has a certain amount of bandwidth,” Fraber said. “So, what they do is give a blessing to certain people in the country,

and then they can go out and do check rides on behalf of the FAA.”

This is no small blessing to Ceminsky, considering that every 12 months those same jet pilots need to be recertified as a requirement of the FAA.

The Recurrent Course offered by PRO TRAIN is a three-day course held at the customer’s location, and provides the annual training and education required for FAA annual recertifications.

According to Ceminsky, the Recurrent Course has become their niche in the industry.

“I also have authorization from the FAA to provide that recerti fication for jet pilots,” Ceminsky said. “We are the only ones in the country that can do it, so it keeps us very busy.”

The final course is the Military Airline Transport Pilot, which provides military pilots with the final flight check needed to fly corporate aircraft.

“That has been really fun for us because of my military back ground,” Ceminsky said. “We bring quite a few military pilots here as well when they are getting ready to transition out of the Air Force.”

Since the military uses the Beechjet for its pilot training, it has been a seamless transition for pilots needing a final check ride from PRO TRAIN. Typically it can be completed in one day.

Instruction for the various training options includes ground and flight training based on a rigorous PRO TRAIN syllabus, customer standard operating procedures, FAA airman certification standards, and a strict safety policies manual.

Another perk of being a pilot examiner for the FAA is that Ce

minsky can assist with testing for MSU aviation students as they go through their course. The program currently consists of nearly 550 students. The bachelor of science in aviation program requires seven check rides over four years. That includes private pilot, instrument pilot, and commercial pilot check rides.

Although Ceminsky employs four part-time instructors to help with flight instruction, he is the only examiner at PRO TRAIN. On average, PRO TRAIN administers 100 jet certifications and another 100 general pilot certifications per year. For jet certifications, he provides the service worldwide. However, on smaller aircraft, he chooses to limit the certifications he administers to Minnesota.

“There is really no one else in the country that can do what I do,” Ceminsky said. “No one else in the world can do the certifications for the Beechjet pilots.”

Ceminsky’s work has been vital in recent years because of the current pilot shortage in the United States.

Community Service

Even though PRO TRAIN keeps Ceminsky busy, he continues to stay active in the community as an Air Force reservist. Locally he serves on the Visit Mankato board, the Mankato Airport Commission, and the North Mankato Planning Commission.

“Being an FAA-designated pilot examin er allows me to help get new pilots trained and in the sky,” Ceminsky said. “There is a huge pilot shortage in our country. Airlines are canceling flights because they don’t have pilots, and the aviation industry cannot train them fast enough.”

According to Ceminsky, this is not a quick fix. It takes years to train a pilot and then years of experience to get them to the level of flying a jet aircraft as an ATP.

“Having your private license is like hav ing your bachelor’s degree, having your commercial is like having your masters and having your ATP is like having your doctorate,” Fraber said. “Having an ATP makes you a lot more marketable. You

really can’t have a serious aviation career without getting that ATP, especially if you ever want to fly for an airline or upgrade to captain at a charter company.”

For any upcoming pilots, Ceminsky says the appeal of business aviation is variety. Commercial airline schedules are very regimented, but corporate pilots cover the gamut of locations and can develop relationships with the clients they are consistently transporting.

“What I love about it is the variety,” Ceminsky said. “Every day is something new for corporate pilots.”

Pilots interested in advancing their skills or aviation enthusiasts seeking a degree just need to travel to Mankato to the training

hub at the Mankato Regional Airport.

“The cool thing about pilots is that they all spread out and go to different places,” Ceminsky said. “But they all remember they got their training in Mankato and have good feelings about that.”

Mankato Aviation Hub’s positive repu tation and growing worldwide presence in aviation are partially thanks to Ceminsky and his work through PRO TRAIN Aviation.

“He’s an incredible guy,” Fraber said. “He is laid back in how he approaches training, but he makes sure you are comfortable and get value out of your training. He’s not just passing through. He’s there for you.”

“He is great at what he does, knowing the different nuances of each Beechjet,” Granda said. “As an instructor, he’s great and as a person, the same.”

THE ESSENTIALS

PRO TRAIN Aviation

3030 Airport Drive

Mankato, MN 56001

Phone: (507) 933-0787

Facebook: @PRO

Aviation Web: beechjet.com

Jason Ceminsky in the cockpit

SEPT/OCT 2017

Tom Peterson was Connect Business Magazine’s cover story five years ago. We learned how Peterson’s family built a publishing business over three generations, by adapting to changes and staying true to their belief in the power of the written word.

Also featured this issue was F/X Fusion & Graif Clothing in Mankato and Welsh Heritage Farms in Lake Crystal.

SEPT/OCT 2012

A decade ago, our cover featured Kevin & Kathy Finstad. Remarkably, they built up nearly all their businesses while work ing full time, for someone else.

Other features this issue included Compart Family Farms in Nicollet and Powder Werks from Lake Crystal.

SEPT/OCT 2007

Fifteen years ago, our cover story featured Mike Drummer of Drummer Companies in Mankato. Other profiles in cluded: Dr. Linda Nussbaumer of Lake Crystal and Juba’s Super Valu of Blue Earth.

SEPT/OCT 2002

Mark Davis of Davisco Foods International in Le Sueur graced the cover of our magazine in September of 2002. New Ulm Furniture and Najwa’s Catering in Mankato were also featured.

Serving the 5th Generation of Youth Campers

Located on the shores of Lake Washington in Le Sueur County, Kiwanis Camp Patterson has been serving thousands of youth campers each summer for the past four generations. In fact, today, the camp serves 2,600 each season. “My grandma, mother, and kids attended camp here,” said Shannon Gullickson, Camp Patterson, Inc. president. “I was the only one in my family who didn’t attend a camp there,” she said.

It all started in 1927 with a charitable donation of 9.2 acres of land on the east side of Lake Washington by Mankato merchant H. A. Patterson. The land was donated to the Mankato Kiwanis Club, which had been

hosting youth camps on leased land. Over the years, Patterson family members and other Kiwanis and community members continued to fund improvements and the purchase of additional parcels of land for the camp, which now consists of 19.2 acres. Today, the camp features 14 cabins, a recreation hall, a restroom/shower facility, a caretaker’s house, and a newly expanded dining hall.

The camp property is rented at an affordable rate to area non profit organizations that offer youth camps, including the YMCA,

Celebrate Me Week, 4-H, Royal Family Kids, Camp Oz, and others. Each camp provides its own staff, food, and planned activities, but Kiwanis Camp Patterson provides the rest, including sleeping cabins, recreation hall, dining hall with commercial kitchen, softball field, basketball court, volleyball court, archery range, gaga ball pit and of course, a swimming beach with kayaks and canoes.

Without the opportunity to welcome campers in 2020 due to the pandemic, Mankato Kiwanis Volunteers and camp caretakers Nate and Missy Starke formed a plan to fully renovate the interior and exterior of 10 of the camp’s cabins. Volunteers also worked to trim trees, repair broken fences, add new landscaping and make other much-needed improvements. A fundraising campaign was started with the goal of improving and maintaining Kiwanis Camp Patterson to serve the next (fifth) generation of campers.

In 2021 volunteer camp leadership approached the Mankato Area Foundation (MAF) with information about their “Next Generation Campaign” and plans were put into place to tackle the item most requested by groups utilizing the facility: an expanded dining hall with air conditioning and 21st-century audio-visual capabilities. Summers have become increasingly hot, and the danger to campers was becoming clear. In addition, the dining hall was not large enough to accommodate all campers at one time.

“We knew we’d have donors who would be interested in sup porting Camp Patterson,” said Nancy Zallek, MAF President

and CEO. “We reached out to our donor advised fund holders, and to date, they have contributed over $190,000 toward the cam paign. We are so pleased by the enthusiastic support – it’s a wonderful project.”

Members of the Mankato Kiwanis Club also con tributed, as well as many community members and past campers. Gullickson also said many businesses contributed in-kind mate rials to help keep costs low.

The dining hall addition was completed just in time for the first campers in early June of this year, and the committee is already working on their next big project: raising funds for a new restroom and shower facility. Gullickson said she’s confident they’ll meet their fundraising goal. “Once we share the history of the camp and our plans to serve a new generation of youth campers, people fall in love with it.”

Go to kiwaniscamppatterson.com for more information on the Kiwanis Camp Patterson.

Nancy Zallek, president and CEO of Mankato Area Foundation

Heaven’s Best Carpet Cleaning

The motto at Heaven’s Best Carpet Cleaning says it all: “Heaven’s Best, where we treat your home like our own.”

Wayne Seehusen is the owner/operator of Heaven’s Best Carpet Cleaning in Mankato and Marshall. He started with a Heaven’s Best franchise in the Marshall area about nine years ago. He worked part time for about five years before taking the plunge to work full time in the business. When the owner of the Mankato location recently retired, Seehusen stepped in to cover this area.

Heaven’s Best offers both residential and commercial carpet cleaning. But that’s not all. It also provides various other services, including cleaning upholstery, hardwood floors, area rugs and ducts, and cleaning and sealing tile and grout.

Heaven’s Best covers an extensive territory. Currently, Seehusen is a one-man band, although his sons help him from time to time. His goal is to hire more employees as his business booms.

According to Seehusen, his company’s distinctive cleaning method leaves carpets dry in about an hour, helping it stand out amongst its competitors.

“It works really well. Basically, what I do, is I bring everything inside, so there are no doors left open. I vacuum everything I am going to clean and use a buffer and pads. As the buffer rotates, the pads bring the dirt and moisture back into them, which is why it can dry in about an hour,” Seehusen said. “So that’s where the system

really shines. … If you get a rental unit, it can leave the carpet extra wet, which may create mold and damage.”

Seehusen said seeing the impressive results is the most rewarding part of his job.

“The before and after pictures speak for themselves. I’ve even had a lady who gets sarcastically mad at me because when I come to clean her carpet, it leaves it so clean that she says she can’t get new carpet.”

Beautiful clean carpets, customer testimonials and dedication to service are just some of the many reasons why Seehusen’s Heaven’s Best Carpet Cleaning continues to grow throughout the Southern Minnesota region and beyond.

Heaven’s Best Carpet Cleaning

Phone: (507) 828-1575

Mankato Web: heavensbestmankato.com Marshall Web: marshallmn.heavensbest.com

Caring Transitions

Caring Transitions of Mankato is one of approximately 270 franchises throughout the country specializing in senior move management and liquidations. It helps seniors transition from their home to another location, such as an apartment or senior living facility. Its focus is the “things” in the home.

Owner Doug Lamoureux said Caring Transitions offers packing, moving, measuring furniture, building a space plan, and working with the movers and apartment or senior community the customer will be moving to. They also offer liquidation services, such as online auctions for items that will not be moved or kept by the family.

Lamoureux opened the Mankato franchise of Caring Transitions last May. He said the best part of his job is when his team recreates the look and feel of the previous home in the new space. Clients’ gratitude and relief is a joy and motivation for the crew.

“I wanted to help people and give back to my community. I got started after moving my parents back in 2020, right after COVID started. My sister and I were caring for my mom, who had Alzheimer’s, and my dad had fallen, so we knew we had to get them to a safer place to live. That was my inspiration,” Lamoureux said. “About a week after this move was completed, I received an informational email on Caring Transitions from an entrepreneur magazine and realized the services offered by a Caring Transitions franchise was a big need in the Mankato area, and I got started from there.”

Lamoureux’s core value is key to his business success: treating customers as family. Caring Transitions offers free consultations

up front to help families determine if the services fit their budget. These services can be beneficial when a senior’s extended family is out of town or unable to help.

The Mankato franchise has about 15 employees. The demand for its services has grown exponentially over the last year, a testament to the care and compassion Caring Transitions offers to families as they help loved ones transition to the next season of life.

Caring Transitions

422 Belgrade Ave.

Phone: (507) 225-0073

Web: caringtransitionsmankato.com

Headstone Revival

Headstone Revival has a slogan: Remembrance never dies. The business, which washes and cleans memorials and monuments, is based out of Nicollet but services a wide range of the Southern Minnesota area.

Owner Matthew Mickelson opened Headstone Revival at the beginning of this year. So far, he’s completed about six headstones, with other projects scheduled, including a large project with the Boy In Blue Civil War Memorial Committee. Mickelson said the project will focus on the headstones of Civil War veterans in Blue Earth County. There are an estimated 900 headstones, of which about 75 percent will be washed.

“It is one way to give back to those who gave so much to our country,” Mickelson said.

For Mickelson, the idea started through his own family tragedies. Two years ago, he lost his father and then unexpectedly lost his father-in-law two months later.

“Spending a lot of time in the cemeteries over the last two years and seeing all of these beautiful stones, it just kind of clicked,” Mickelson said.

He’s cleaned headstones that were installed as recently as 2020 and as long ago as 1917. Mickelson finds the work very rewarding.

“Seeing the before and after the cleaning and the reactions of the family members, the people are just elated,” Mickelson said. “Just seeing the stone restored, I think, brings back some of the memories of their loved ones, and that reaction is priceless.”

Mickelson said the business is all in the family, with his wife doing most of the advertising. His sons have taken notice, too.

“At one of my son’s programs, they asked them what they wanted

to be when they grew up, and my son said a headstone cleaner.”

Although Headstone Revival has been in business less than a year, it is already impacting generations both past and present and preserving history for generations yet to come, ensuring that remembrance never dies.

Headstone Revival 106 Jamie Way Phone: (507) 828-1075

If you’re a person of color who is an entrepreneur thinking of starting a business in Southern Minnesota—perhaps just after having graduated from college—my heart goes out to you if you have believed what some people today say about systemic racism and all whites being “racists” and “supremacists.”

If you believe, you probably won’t start your business in a region more than 90 percent white. Why would racists buy from or hire a person of color, you ask? So why try? Or why stay?

The truth is different. Although some whites are racists (who can argue against that?), most here would hire and/or buy from you—if you have a good business plan, product, work ethic, and customer service skills. Don’t be discouraged. Opportunity exists. It won’t be easy, of course. Starting a business never is.

Like some other business owners in this region, some of my best life and business teachers have been people of color—and I consider their work ethic and business skills far superior to mine.

The first was Skeeter Barnes, who played infield for Woodward and I at rival Walnut Hills High in Cincinnati, where I grew up. In 1975-76, he and Ray Birch were summer regulars at Pleasant Ridge Park, where Ray directed countless grounders from home plate towards shortstop where Skeeter caught and threw home—or sometimes Ray hit and caught from first. Skeeter worked up summer sweat—a driven dude with endless work ethic—while I wondered why. He wasn’t overly blessed with natural talent.

I completely forgot about him until attending an Orioles-Tigers tilt early ‘90s, when the Baltimore announcer said “Skeeter Barnes” was playing third base. I nearly coughed up peanuts. As it turned out, after short stints with the Reds, Expos, Cardinals, and Reds again, and slapping 1,700 minor league hits, Skeeter finally had reached his dream of being a Major League regular at age 34. He had never quit.

The second was Ben Ocasio, who I hired while working for a Baltimore food brokerage early ‘90s. Raised in Puerto Rico, Ben was living out his U.S. dreams. His first stop here was the University of Maryland, where the professors spoke only English, and he had to learn our culture, the endless idioms, and eventually a Bic sales job. When I was training him, much of my time was spent answering his questions about our culture, history, religion, and politics. He was driven in terms of adapting to change. Now he works as an account executive for a Danish pharmaceutical company.

The last was Hui Yul Han, who co-owned a Washington D.C. grocery/candy/tobacco wholesale business off New York Avenue. I was his grocery buyer two years—our desks nearly touched. I called him “Ah-joe-shee,” the Korean word for uncle.

He arrived in the U.S. early ‘70s and was employed full-time at a Montgomery Ward auto center while working three part-time jobs. He saved up and bought Minnesota (Avenue) Market before co-owning the wholesale business, which he eventually owned himself and built to $38 million annually. He and the other Koreans (I was the lone white among 20 Koreans and six blacks) worked 70-hour work weeks. He always kept his eye on his goal.

Skeeter was Black, Benny Hispanic, and Mr. Han, Korean. In terms of work ethic, they were all superior to me. And they all succeeded in America despite being people of color. Their talent and drive overwhelmed any fears they may have had regarding racists, white supremacists, and systemic racism.

Soli Deo Gloria.

Daniel J Vance FORMER EDITOR

Daniel J. Vance was editor of Connect Business Magazine from 1996 to 2015. The opinions of this column are his own.

From the Henderson Chamber of Com merce: The State Hwy 93 Flood Mitigation project, south of Henderson, has begun with the leveling and resurfacing of State Hwy 19 east of Henderson. Hwy 19 will be closed through the end of September. The Hender son Classic Car Roll-In Fall Encore will be October 2. The Minnesota Design Team will make a visit to Henderson October 6 through October 8. The Henderson Lions Club will host Ladies Night out on November 4.

Le Sueur

From the Le Sueur Chamber of Com merce: LSH Community Education, City of Le Sueur, and Le Sueur Chamber of Commerce will hold Trick or Treat on Main, on October 31. A map of Trick or Treat locations will be posted on each Facebook page. The Le Sueur Farmers Market is held every Saturday morning thru October 29. Beginning in September, the Le Sueur Chamber of Commerce will begin its monthly membership meeting the third Thursday of each month at 11:30 am. Each meeting is open to members for participa tion. The location will vary and can be found on the Chamber’s website and Facebook page. Also beginning in September, the Le Sueur Chamber of Commerce will begin offering educational opportunities for the greater business community in the form of “Lunch & Learns” or “Coffee Chats”. The host, topic, and location will change each month, but will be posted on the Chamber’s website and Facebook page.

Mankato

Dennis Paul and Aaron Wurm, financial advisors with Wealth Management Solutions , a private wealth advisory practice of Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC in Mankato and Lake Crystal, recently obtained their Certified Financial Planner practitioner certification.

Amber Pietan of Amber Pietan Travel Agency was chosen as a subject of bi ographical record in Who’s Who in America from the Marquis Who’s Who Publications Board. Pietan also received the 2021 Top 100 Agent Award from Outside Agents.

From the Regional Economic Develop ment Alliance: Greater Mankato leads the state in employment growth between June 2021 and June 2022, according to data re cently released by the Minnesota Department of Employment & Economic Development. Greater Mankato’s unemployment continues to set historic lows with only 770 unemployed individuals as of May. Greater Mankato has seen rapid job growth in 2022, with 900 jobs added between March and June.

Long-time architectural planner and ed ucation consultant, Rod Schumacher, has joined Minnesota architectural and engineer ing firm, Widseth. Kaeko Leitch has joined Widseth as a vice president in the firm and manager of the firm’s Mankato office.

Applications are open for Eide Bailly’s annual Resourcefulness Award which honors outstanding nonprofits for their creative and sustainable revenue-gener ating initiatives. The award will be offered nationwide, with one 501(c)(3) organiza tion winning $50,000. The award recipient will be announced on October 21.

The Mankato Marathon, presented by Mayo Clinic Health System, will be held on October 14 and 15. The Mankato Marathon was named the “Top Marathon Worth Trav eling For in Minnesota”. For additional info and to register, go to mankatomarathon.com.

Maschka, Riedy, Ries & Frentz lawyers Jerry Maschka, Renee Rubish, Nick Frentz, Jed Chronic and Nicholas Maxwell were named 2022 Super Lawyers and Eric Iverson was named a 2022 Rising Star. All six lawyers were selected in the practice area of Personal Injury: Plaintiff.

Full STEAM ahead!, Bolton & Menk’s children’s book series, was recognized by the Creativity International Graphic Design and Advertising Awards for in troducing students to careers in STEAM. The series received a Silver Award in the Children’s eBook category. With the help of their staff, Bolton & Menk’s book series introduces children ages 6-12 to STEAM careers. Students learn about construction, environmental, and social issues that land scape architects and engineers help solve.

WEB Construction has moved into their newly constructed offices at 320 Saint Andrews Drive, Suite 100.

Marshall

From the Marshall Chamber of Com merce: The fifth annual State of Agricul ture panel was recently held at the Lyon County fairgrounds with panelists weigh ing in on topics ranging from the economy to the future of ag education. Area edu cators and businesspeople recently cele brated the first class of students in the new

Lyon and Murray County CEO (Creating Entrepreneurial Opportunities) program. The CEO program will draw students from Marshall High School, Tracy Area High School, and Murray County Central out into the area business community.

New Ulm

The New Ulm Area Chamber of Com merce welcomes MN Canine Club and Twin Cities Spine Center as new mem bers. Kate Nelson joined the Chamber’s team as Communications and Programs Specialist. The Chamber’s leadership programs, Network New Ulm, NNU 2.0 and NNU Youth begin in September. A Newcomers Event was held in August to welcome those new to the community. Upcoming events include HermannFest (September 10), Leaderfest (September 16), Murder Mystery Dinner Fundraiser (September 21 and 22), Tour of Manufac turing (October 6 and 8) and Oktoberfest (October 7 to 8 and October 14 to 15).

North Mankato

the Prairie (September 10) Bier on Bel grade (September 17); Music in the Park (Thursdays in September); Party on the Prairie (October 1); Jack-O-Lantern Walk (October 15); Trick or Treat on Commerce Drive (October 31); and Trunk or Treat (October 31).

St. Peter

The St. Peter Chamber of Commerce welcomes new 2022 members Dayna Jaster–True Real Estate, Amber Seaver Team–Keller Williams Preferred Realty, Altelier Creative , Reagan Outdoor & Online Advertising, MAPVEST Wealth Management, Becky Willis–True Real Es tate. The Chamber hosts Girls Day Out on October 6; Halloween Fun Run on October 29; and the Spend-$50-Receive-$20 Shop ping and Dining promotion in November and December. The Rock Bend Folk Fes tival will be held on September 9 and 10 and Oktoberfest on September 23 and 24.

New programs offered at the Arts Center of Saint Peter include: a new urban sketch ing workshop; a fiber arts “speed show-and tell” event; and the return of open clay studios every second Sunday of the month. St. Peter artist Michael Callahan leads the urban sketching workshop on Saturday, August 20. On Saturday, August 27, St. Peter seamstress Bianca Wilson facilitates “speed show-and-tell” for participants to share cur rent sewing projects in the works. Beginning Sunday, October 9, the Arts Center hosts “Meet A Potter @ Open Clay Studio,” an opportunity to observe and visit with local potters as they work. See the Arts Center’s Facebook page for further details.

Madelia

The Madelia Area Chamber of Com merce and Visitors Bureau welcomes new members Amber Pietan Travel Agency, GRO AG LLC and Redlin Electric. The Chamber will host the 3rd Annual Madelia Oktoberfest on September 17 in Watona Park featuring Crazy Good Beer from Lost Sanity Brewing , performance by “The Josh Norman Musik Meisters”, and brats, burgers and hot pretzels with beer cheese served up by the Madelia Fire Department. General admission tickets can be purchased at the event; presale general admission tickets are available online at simpletix.com/e/madelia-okto berfest-2022-tickets-105166. Upcoming events include: Madelia Spooktacular on Friday, October 28 and Razzle Dazzle Holiday Festival on November 18 and 19.

Winnebago

From the City of Winnebago: Genesis Classical Academy is expanding their preschool program to every day in the 2022-2023 school year. Enrollment is limited to 20 students, so call for more information. The City of Winnebago is also excited to announce the opening of a new dog grooming facility at 7 Main Street North called Doggy Style and Design LLC. Artist, Ray “Bubba” Sorenson will be coming to Winnebago on September 7 to begin painting the Faribault County Freedom Rock.