Page 6 | January 21, 2012
www.plamerican.com | Prior Lake American
From the rink to the Web and back
To go What: 2012 U.S. Pond Hockey Championships, the nation’s largest outdoor pond hockey tournament. Players in six divisions will compete to have their names on the Golden Shovel.
Area native runs tech firm, pond hockey tournament BY KRISTIN HOLTZ kholtz@swpub.com
When Justin Kaufenberg was a kid, his family would gather around the kitchen table. The theme of the family meetings was always the same: How to make dad rich. His dad, Dave, had an entrepreneurial spirit but never hit upon his “golden idea,” said Kaufenberg, a 1999 Shakopee High School graduate. He did, however, plant the seed in his son. So when starting a business meant knocking on doors from dawn to dusk soliciting clients for his painting business, Kaufenberg did it. When it meant using his student loans to buy computer equipment for a college startup, Kaufenberg did it.
When it meant selling his duplex, canoe, even his clothes, and eating every meal from a 30-pound salami his girlfriend picked up from the Hormel Foods sample closet, Kaufenberg did it. Today, Kaufenberg, 31, no longer eats SPAM. He’s the co-founder and chief executive officer of a multimillion-dollar tech company that makes webmanagement tools for youth sports leagues. TST Media, based in Minneapolis, is growing at incredible speed. After landing $3.5 million in venture capital last year, the web developer expanded its offices and is hiring a new employee weekly. TST is also branching out, as organizers of the 2012 U.S. Pond Hockey Championships on Lake Nokomis this weekend.
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PHOTO BY KRISTIN HOLTZ / REPRINTS AT PHOTOS.SHAKOPEENEWS.COM
Former Shakopee High School hockey player Justin Kaufenberg is where he always thought he would be – running his own company. Kaufenberg is also co-commissioner of the U.S. Pond Hockey Championships, taking place this weekend in Minneapolis.
STARTING OUT For Kaufenberg, starting his own business was always a foregone conclusion. During his sophomore year at the University of WisconsinEau Claire, the collegiate hockey player started a College Pro Painters franchise. He jumped in head first, purchasing equipment and hiring painters, all before he had his fi rst client. So Kaufenberg hit the streets. Every weekend, after playing a Friday-Saturday hockey series, Kaufenberg jumped in his car and headed back to the Twin Cities to knock on as many doors as possible. It paid of f. By su m mer, he had 250 homes signed up, enough to keep his crew busy for six months — not bad for a colorblind kid who had never painted a house in his life. “I learned more about sales and entrepreneurship than anything else I ever did,” he said. But painting houses was just building capital for his next endeavor. In his dorm, Kaufenberg met Carson Kipfer, a graphic-design
major from Wisconsin Rapids, Wis. Kipfer was doing freelance design and Kaufenberg understood numbers, so the two decided to start a custom-design business, Third North — named after their dorm wing. The partners leased office space in downtown Eau Claire, maxed out their student loans and headed to the Apple Store. “We didn’t have a dime, so we bought a computer and a camera and let our tuition lapse,” said Kaufenberg, a business economics major. “We figured we’d worry about everything later.” The full-time students hired fellow college kids and arranged their class schedules to alternate time at the office. Kaufenberg, however, admits he rarely made it to class. He usually skipped and made sales calls instead. “The one thing that made it attainable was a lot of what we were doing in the business correlated pretty well with the classes we were taking,” said Kipfer, describing how he handed in client work for school credit. The painting business and Third North taught Kaufenberg
that success is about showing up on time, charging a fair rate and working harder than anyone else. There’s no magic bullet, he said; it’s about differentiating yourself from the crowd.
TST MEDIA In 2005, Kaufenberg and Kipfer started developing a web platform for amateur youth hockey associations. It took two years to create the NGIN (pronounced “engine”) software, which they rolled out as Puck Systems. With only $500, their marketing strategy was, well, primitive. They jumped in Kaufenberg’s old jeep with a hole in the floor and hit every hockey arena in the Midwest using duct tape and 3M adhesive. “That’s was our whole marketing budget, sneaking posters into bathroom stalls and brochures on the concession stands,” Kaufenberg said. “And it worked.” Puck Systems had five youth hockey associations sign up its fi rst year, including its fi rst, Shakopee hockey. At the time, former Shakopee
High School boys hockey coach Ed Loiselle was looking for a better, more user-friendly way to track stats and communicate with parents. Kaufenberg’s product hit the mark. Soon, non-hockey associations were interested in Puck Systems’ platform, so they changed the name to TST Media. In three years, TST Media has grown to 75 employees (it started 2011 with 35) and more than 2,000 clients. The company has advanced to realtime data, tablet-based systems, mobile applications and league management. Among their clients are the National Lacrosse League and the Star Tribune’s Minnesota Hockey Hub. Shakopee’s youth basketball, baseball, wrestling and soccer associations all use TST platforms. Kaufenberg anticipates another 100 percent growth in 2012. The company has positioned itself as a leader in sports technolog y at every level of play, Kipfer said. The advancement of technology has made the company valuable for larger leagues, such as semipro teams, college athletics and pro leagues, he explained. With all those new employees, TST Media recently expanded its office space from
Kaufenberg to page 7 ®
LIVESREMEMBERED Katie Marie Rose
Anita Margaret Busse
Philothea “Phil” O’Hern
On Jan.23, 1986 in Robbinsdale, MN, Katie Marie was born parents Brad and Jacki (Lundgren) Rose. She was the older sister to Alissa. Katie’s early years were spent in St. Michael, MN, were she excelled in her education. Later, the family moved to Shakopee, where Katie graduated from Shakopee High School in 2004. She attended Normandale Community College. All throughout Katie’s life, family was always most important. Every Memorial Day and Labor Day, the entire family would spend the weekend at a resort, enjoying each other’s company. Katie loved fishing with her dad and grandpa, boating at family reunions, hanging out with her cousins and watching the beautiful sunsets. She enjoyed attending the state fairs with the cousins and shopping at the Mall of America with the girls. In her later years, Katie loved going out with friends, watching movies, and spending countless hours doing her hair, nails and makeup. In her free time, Katie loved to read novels, cross stitch and created beautiful beaded jewelry. Purple was her favorite color and treasured her shot glass collection that she received from family and friends throughout their travels. She had special love also for her four-legged friends, Minnie, Tasha and Stella. For all of Katie’s life, she lived with Congenital Fiber Type Disproportion Myopathy (a muscular disease). Walking until the age of 10, she was later confined to a wheelchair. Throughout her life, Katie created special bonds with the nurses and doctors from Children’s Hospital. A young woman of incredible courage throughout her life with health challenges, Katie was always known to look at the positive side of life and encourage family and friends in their endeavors. Katie loved and cared deeply for each person, she was everyone’s angel. On the afternoon of Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2012, Katie was called home peacefully with her family at her side, at her parents’ home in Shakopee. Forever loved, Katie will be deeply missed by her parents, Brad and Jacki Rose of Shakopee; sister(s), Alissa Rose and Gen Westphal (honorary) of Shakopee; goddaughter, Tiffany Farnquist; grandparents, Ken and Dorothy Lundgren of Shakopee; many loving aunts, uncles, cousins and devoted friends. Katie is preceded in death by her grandparents, William and Beverly Rose; cousins, Jayme Hill and Jonathan Bartelds. The Celebration of Life Service will be Saturday, Jan. 21 at 11 a.m. with visitation from 9:30 until 11 a.m., all at Ballard-Sunder Funeral Home, 833 S. Marschall Rd., Shakopee. The Rev. Scott Searl will officiate. Pallbearers for Katie will be her cousins, Todd, Ryan and William Rose, John, Brian, Eric Rutt and Brandon Bartelds. Honorary pall bearers will be Elle Rose, Sarah Bartelds, Jessica Lundgren and Tara Simanovich. Katie will be laid to rest at St. Michael’s Catholic Cemetery in Prior Lake, besides her two cousins. Memorials are preferred and will be distributed in Katie’s memory by the family. The Rose family is served with honor, care and compassion by Ballard-Sunder Funeral Home, Shakopee Chapel.
Anita Margaret “Mitzie” was born Nov. 4, 1933, to parents Joseph and Bernadine (Lucas) Link. She was the second youngest of eight children. Mitzie (a nick name given by her father) spent her childhood years in Jordan, where she loved to attend her brothers sporting events. Attending St. John the Baptist Catholic School through the eighth grade, Mitzie later graduated from Jordan High School. While working at Continental Machines in Savage, Mitzie met the love of her life, Wilmar (Wimp) Busse. On Feb. 14, 1953 at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church parsonage they exchanged wedding vows. Mitzie and Wimp were blessed with four children, Ken, Tom, Cindy and Dan. Living in Burnsville most of their life, they later retired to their lake home in Danbury, WI, where they spent many precious years together. Mitzie’s life changed when Wimp passed on March 17, 2005. A life of service to the Lord and her family, Mitzie was a devoted wife and a loving mother. Her family always came first. She enjoyed gardening, baking, cooking, canning and making apple pie. In her free time, Mitzie loved to play flume, volunteer at church, travel and spend time with her friends at Lakefront Plaza in Prior Lake. Enjoying the interaction of people, Mitzie was a waitress, a daycare provider and a cook for the school. In her later years, Mitzie served lunches to the seniors twice a week at the Northland Community Center. A member of the V.F.W. Ladies Auxiliary and Cozy Corners Snowmobile Club, she was also a treasurer for the Lake Association and an active member of the St. Paul’s Lutheran Funeral Committee. A funny, loving, caring and a genuine wife, mother and grandmother, Mitzie, 78, passed peacefully in the presence of her family in the early morning hours of Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2012 at her home in Prior Lake. Forever loved, Anita will be deeply missed by her loving children, Tom (Cindy) Busse of Burnsville, Cindy (Tim) Lois of Burlington, WI, Dan (Denise) Busse of Burlington, WI; grandchildren, Jenni (Andrew) Luu, Mike Busse, Marcus Lois, Kevin Lois, Mitchell Lois; brother, Larry (Marlene) Link of Shakopee; brother-in-law, John Oden of Fridley; sistersin-laws, Lorraine Link of Shakopee, Carol Pumper of Shakopee, Helen Link of Shakopee; many other loving relatives and friends. Mitzie is preceded in death by her husband, Wilmar; son, Kenneth Busse; parents; brothers, Donald, Joseph Jr. Cletus; sisters, Evelyn (Vince) Kanuit, Dorothy Oden, and Lavina Drakeim. Visitation will be Saturday, Jan. 21 from 4-7 p.m., at Ballard-Sunder Funeral Home, 4565 Pleasant St. SE, Prior Lake and one hour prior to the service at church on Sunday. The Celebration of Life Service will be Sunday, Jan. 22 at 2 p.m., at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, 5634 Luther Rd., Prior Lake. Pastor John P. Vaughn will officiate. Pallbearers for Mitzie will be Mike Busse, Marcus Lois, Kevin Lois, Mitchell Lois, Jim Thorsfeldt and Dave Thorsfeldt. Mitzie will be laid to rest next to her husband and son at St. Paul’s Lutheran Cemetery in Prior Lake. The Busse family is served with honor, care and compassion by Ballard-Sunder Funeral Home, Prior Lake Chapel.
Philothea Theresa was born Jan. 26, 1919 in St. Benedict, MN, to Henry and Ann (Hartman) Deutsch. Phil married Eugene E. O’Hern Feb. 7, 1939 at St. Benedict Catholic Church in St. Benedict. They were blessed with two children, Eugene and Carol Ann. A resident of Prior Lake, Phil, 92, passed away peacefully in the presence of her family the evening of Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2012, at her residence at Key Stone Communities in Prior Lake. Forever loved, Phil will be deeply missed by her daughter, Carol Ann Mattison of Burnsville; grandchildren, Michael (Oi) Mattison of Golden Valley, Scot Mattison of Eagan, Shawn (Cheri) O’Hern of Jordan, Rob (Heather) vanderHagen of Bird Island; great-grandchildren, Hailee, Coleman, Casey, Molly, Sarah, Madison and Roman; sisters, Dephine, Cleo Kubes, Sylvia (Don) Martz; many other relatives and friends. Phil is preceded in death by her husband, Eugene G. O’Hern; son, Eugene J. O’Hern; and great-granddaughter, Megan O’Hern. Visitation will be Sunday, Jan. 22 from 4-7 p.m., at Ballard-Sunder Funeral Home, 4565 Pleasant St. SE, Prior Lake and also one hour prior to the mass at church. Mass of Christian Burial will be Monday, Jan. 23 at 11 a.m., at St. Catherine’s Catholic Church, 4500 220th St. East, Prior Lake. Father Orlando Tatel will officiate. Pallbearers for Phil will be Scot Mattison, Shawn O’Hern, Rob vanderHagen, Roger Kubes, Dennis Kubes and Robert Hildreth. Phil will be laid to rest at St. Catherine’s Catholic Cemetery. The O’Hern family is served with honor, care and compassion by Ballard-Sunder Funeral Home, Prior Lake Chapel.
For current information on visitation and funeral arrangements, visit our website:
www.PLAmerican.com/obituaries This information is updated daily
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Karen Schmakel Karen Schmakel, 67, of Askov, MN, former resident of Chaska, fell asleep in death, Tuesday Jan. 10, 2012, after a short pain free battle with cancer. Survived by husband, Dale; sons, David (Tara), Jeffrey (Ashley), Terry, William; grandchildren, Tyler, Sophia (Paul Carlson), Gavin, Ryland, Devan and many brothers sisters, nieces and nephews. A Funeral Talk will be given Saturday Jan. 21 at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses, 13001 Lake Street Ext, Hopkins, MN 55305 at 2 p.m.
Kimberly S. Erwin Kimberly Erwin, 36, of Shakopee, died Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2012 at St. Gertude’s Health Center, Shakopee. Kimberly was born in Shakopee, Sept. 29, 1975 to Patrick C. Erwin and Mary J. (Combs) Erwin. She was employed in the licensing department of Ameriprise Financial. Kimberly was a 1994 graduate of Jordan High School and a 1999 graduate of St. Catherine University with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology. She was a student pursuing a career in nursing. Kim found great pleasure in travel. She is survived by mother, Mary Erwin; father, Patrick C. Erwin; brother, Patrick V. Erwin and wife Kayla; grandmother, Adelia Combs; aunts, uncles and two loving nephews. She is preceded in death by maternal grandfather and paternal grandparents. Visitation was Sunday, Jan.15, from 2-6 p.m. and one hour prior to the service at Immanuel United Methodist Church, Jordan. Memorial service was held Monday, Jan, 16, 11 a.m. at Immanuel United Methodist Church. The Rev. Larry Kasten was the officiant. Funeral arrangements through McNearney Funeral Home in Shakopee, 952-445-2755. www.mcnearneyfuneralhome.com