History Hunter: A profile on Kraus-Anderson’s history department and archivist Matt Goff
by Brenden Nickels
Brenden Nickels is Senior Office Assistant at Kraus-Anderson headquarters, and a member of KA’s Green Team.
Ever since it first opened to business in 1897, Kraus-Anderson has built a multitude of different types of buildings. And of course, this leads to a long history of being a competitive force in the construction industry. KA Archivist, Matt Goff, has worked at Kraus-Anderson since January 2016. Most recently, Goff has been writing articles on the company’s Facebook page about the famous Kraus-Anderson projects of the past. Examples include the Valspar building in downtown Minneapolis and Lawson Commons in downtown St. Paul.
“The best part about history is telling stories,” said Goff. “I think that is how history is truly preserved. Collecting things is important, but it is a shame to tuck things away and never use them. I want a living, breathing archive.”
Finding Historical Inspiration
When it comes to topics that he wants to write about, Goff said that he often gets ideas from finding them while searching for a completely different topic. He’ll also get sources from the company archive or from fellow KA employees. Most of the time he’ll just use outside sources such as the Minnesota Historical Society and the Hennepin County Library.
Sometimes it has been difficult for Goff to find the information that he needs. This is why he subscribed to newspapers.com (which he still holds as he finds it to be handy) as well as archives of libraries in the areas that KA serves. Kraus-Anderson has been doing work throughout the United States, not just in Minnesota, and our influence can be found in almost every state. At times, Goff has had to look for old pictures of projects past or soon-to-retire employees. “Sometimes I have no idea what the purpose is, but I’m always here to help,” said Goff. “I love history questions, so keep them coming!”
Growing up with KA History
The history of Kraus-Anderson is not just a big deal for Goff, but also for two members of the Engelsma family who currently work there now. Growing up, Kirsten Walstein, KA’s Director of Investment Management (as well as daughter of CEO Bruce Engelsma and granddaughter of the late company president and visionary Lloyd Engelsma), didn’t really realize the importance of the company’s history before she started working there. “The people who work at Kraus-Anderson over the many years are who have made it what it is today,” Walstein said. “It’s not only the family who believes and lives the core values, acting with integrity and working together to do better, but it’s everyone who has been a part of Kraus-Anderson’s history and story.”
Executive Vice President of KA Insurance Jon Diessner, grandson of Lloyd Engelsma, recalls making Lego towers and cutting up his father’s business cards to make them look like KA projects. When he got older, Diessner worked at the KA Yard in Circle Pines and this is where he said that it’s where he found out how many people it takes to build all of KA’s projects. He said, “Our family history in the construction world will always be a tremendous source of pride. I will always be mindful of all the people that contributed to making that history possible.”
Goff added, “The history of KA is so intertwined with the histories of the communities in which we work. Kraus-Anderson has an interesting history, but we are also an interesting part of history in general.”
CATEGORY: KA Culture