“Find Your Niche:” Sheryl Fodness Reflects on Her KA Career
“Infrastructure” is a term generally used to describe vital components such as roads, power supplies, technology connectivity and other technical supporting structures that make our cities and organizations functional. Yet people are also part of infrastructure, reliably keeping vital information connected and flowing smoothly where and when it is needed, along with the humanity that robotics and A.I. cannot match. Sheryl Fodness is an inspiring example. For nearly 35 years and working in multiple capacities around KA, Sheryl has supported and implemented systems that keep progress and relationships moving forward. As she prepares for retirement, Sheryl shared some takeaways from her KA career.
As a Senior HRIS Specialist, you are known to many as a go-to person at KA Companies. Talk a little about the work you do, and some of the ways you support our people.
SHERYL FODNESS: I enter a lot of data about employees in our systems!! I also prepare most of the employee documentation change forms – from travel pay agreements to promotions, and all the year-end statements that employees receive. During Covid, I prepared all the essential employee letters for everyone!
Tell us about your beginnings at KA.
SHERYL FODNESS: I started March 23, 1987, as a “temp” at the Star Tribune printing facility jobsite at 800 North First Street in Minneapolis. At the time it was called “Project Pegasus,” and it was one of the first printing plants in the country utilizing robotics. It was a very cool project to work on, and I was hooked! Jorg Eschwey was the Project Manager, but more importantly, I got to work with the famous father-son duo of Barry and Project Superintendent Syd Dahlin!
I was filling in for the Project Coordinator (PC) who was on jury duty in a big murder case. After she came back, I got to go and work at a few more jobsites, including the Ceresota Building renovation and Whitney Hotel in the Mill District downtown, working with John Solberg, Dave Rollins, John Boerboon, and Mark Coudron. I also worked in the office for a while, including the startup of the Gaviidae Common-Saks project with Al Gerhardt as project manager.
Then I went to work for 3M for a while before Gary Hook called me to come and work in KA’s Circle Pines office. And here I am 37 years later! Jorg’s advice to me back on that first project was to “find my niche” — I think I did that!
You were an early adopter of technology as our industry was learning to use computers. Talk about that.
SHERYL FODNESS: I have always had an interest in technology. Before I came to KA, I had gone to school to be a computer programmer. My background included typesetting at a small newspaper and word processing at State Farm Insurance.
What was the KA workplace like at that time?
SHERYL FODNESS: When I started in the Circle Pines office, we wore many hats – answering phones, helping open/distribute mail, working on proposals and bids, etc. Bids were done on paper and over the telephone. We would call subs to bid on projects, mail out addendums, take bids over the phone, type up the information, put it onto the appropriate section of the bid box for the Project Manager (PM) to review, then I would type in the final bids onto the spreadsheet. We had a portable fax machine that Steve Johnson used to plug into his truck. We thought we were cutting edge!
Rich Jacobson started at KA in 1992 and as he recalls, there were eight PM’s and four PC’s. No PM computers, no email, no voice mail, no cell phones. Team members carried pagers and got their messages on little pink slips. The PC’s had Apple computers with legal sized screens to do subcontracts. The accounting team had computers and a dot matrix printer so the PM’s could get reports.
We had a fire at the Circle Pines office in the summer of 1994 and a lot of documents were lost or water damaged. That summer everybody with teenage kids brought them in to take all the soggy paperwork and photocopy and salvage what we could. So much information was in binders, not backed up on servers.
As we grew, there were more opportunities to contribute – especially regarding technology! When I returned to the Circle Pines office after maternity leave in 1997, I returned in an IT role, as administrator for Expedition and then Prolog, our project manager software. We’ve come a long way since those days!
It was fun to be able to set up and integrate many of the computer systems. I have been fortunate to be able to work in varied roles during my tenure here at KA… I am very grateful for the opportunities that Rich Jacobson and Terry Hart gave me while working for them in the Circle Pines office!
Proud Moment?
SHERYL FODNESS: I attended night school at the University of Northwestern-St. Paul in Roseville 2011-2013 and got my B.S. in Communication Studies. Lindsay was in high school, so we did our homework together at the dining room table nights and weekends.
Talk about your involvement with KA University (KAU).
SHERYL FODNESS: Mike Smoczyk and I have worked together almost since he started with KA in 2007. We started with a different database, eventually moving to the current Learning Management System (LMS) – so I was involved with building our database since its implementation and keeping a record of all employee training. Mike’s leadership has grown KAU into the professional development tool that it is!
When did you make the transition from Construction IS support to the Human Resources Information Systems (HRIS) role?
SHERYL FODNESS: I was one of four System Support Specialists who helped implement Viewpoint, our construction accounting and project management software, in 2014. After the rollout was finished, we were reassigned. I joined the HR Team when the offices were merged into the new Twin Cities office in 2017.
More recently, what are some of the software integration efforts you are involved with?
SHERYL FODNESS: Most recently, I have helped roll out more modules in ADP – recruitment and onboarding, pVault (electronic document storage), and I write numerous reports using Crystal Reports. Past projects include Cosential/Unanet – marketing/BD, SiteDocs – safety, KAU, and I wrote several programs in Access and Filemaker Pro.
You are known for both your technical skills and your people skills. What’s something you’ve learned over the years about how to successfully communicate and collaborate with people?
SHERYL FODNESS: While I enjoy writing reports and working with data, I love the working relationships I’ve developed over the years! Whether I’m working on a project with a senior leader or trying to help a laborer get logged into KAU over the phone, I hope I have shown that they are receiving my attention and kindness.
You have also contributed a second gen KA-er to our team: your daughter Lindsay, who leverages her DNA-driven excellent organizational skills in her work as Marketing Information Services Coordinator. What advice did you give her in making KA a career choice? Or what do you think she observed from your example that prompted her to make KA her choice?
SHERYL FODNESS: I have always told Lindsay that I’m the last person to give advice! But seriously, I’ve told her that she should give a little more than expected, live on a little less than she earns, and chase her dreams!
Given all the changes you have seen through your career, what advice would you give a new hire today?
SHERYL FODNESS: Embrace change and be open to learning new things!
Is there anything else you’d like to say?
SHERYL FODNESS: I have always been proud to tell others that I work for Kraus-Anderson! I was fortunate to be here when Lloyd was still at the helm, and I remember some of the 3G (third generation KA leaders) working at the Yard during summers! I’m grateful to the Engelsma family and so many others who have encouraged, supported, and believed in my abilities over the years! While I’ll miss the people at KA, I’m excited to start the next chapter!!
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