Many Hands: Intramural Committees Work Together for KA’s DT Minneapolis Homecoming
Jaci Bell
By Jaci Bell, Director of Development, Kraus-Anderson Development
As construction progressed on the KA Block, Kraus-Anderson’s new downtown Minneapolis headquarters was taking shape in East Town as part of a mixed-use development led by Kraus-Anderson Development. Behind the scenes, employees also were preparing for the move through committees focused on the new workplace, amenities and employee experience.
The committees included employees from across offices and departments:
Workstations: Chad Rettke, chair; Krystal Burton, Jay Vanderleest, Jennifer Brundell, Dian Parnell, Cindy MacDonald, Nancy Martel, Karen Melander, Rose Manthe, Dave Kummer, Jessica Masterson, Jamie Engelsma, Rick Brostrom and Mike Becchett.
Food Service: Mary Jo Kelly, chair; Mary Doughman, Sandy Hammer, Renae Lueckemeyer, Jody Foster, Lori Charlesworth and Bre Gish.
Technology: Jake Boerboon, chair; Andrea Blair, Mike Benz, Jennifer Hansen, Camille Helou and Larry Calhoun.
Fitness: John Huenink, chair; Diane Duguay, Emily Hals, Anthony Leon, Stephanie Selb, Latrice Dasher, Jamie Nagel and Jason Rentmeester.
Events: BriAna Vogel, chair; Amber Emly, Rhonda Karow, Kathy James, Brenden Nickels, Jillian Sidler, Kari Aufrere, Kristy Casper, MaryAnne London, Mary Doughman, Carolyn Johnson and Bre Gish.
Sustainability: Jennifer Parent, Dave Kummer, Sara Klein, Ken Vinje, Angela Lakedon, Laurie Glaser, Gary Zifko, Mike Smoczyk and Rachael Oelke.
History: Matt Goff, chair; Jan Goebel, Mary Kaeding, John Campobasso, Rose Manthe and Jon Diessner.
Culture Club: Diane Duguay and Jennifer Parent, co-chairs; Jim Bergren, Jim Beckwith, Jennifer Parent, Mary Doughman, Rick Lund, Jennifer Hansen, Jamie Engelsma, Rich Jacobson, Leslie Greves, Jillian Sidler, Jody Foster, Krystal Burton, Jake Boerboon, Doug Jandro, Mary Kaeding, Dana Schlegel, Chelsea Oldham, Jackie Holm and Doug Jaeger.
Move-In: Paul Carlsted and Mike Belz, co-chairs; Jake Boerboon, Jaci Bell, Terry Coleman, Leslie Greves, BriAna Vogel, Mike Benz, Larry Calhoun, Mary Kaeding, John Campobasso, Laurie Glaser, Terry Morgan, Jody Foster, Jen Wilson, Amber Emly, Tiffany Barmettler, Jackie Holm and Amy Remely.
Office Management: Leslie Greves, chair; Diane Duguay and Kathy Lundquist.
As director of development for the new headquarters building, how did you interface with these committees?
Committee members comprise a cross-section of KA's offices and departments.
ACI BELL: I checked in with the committees to review the progress of their research, requests and proposals. Since I started, committees were at different stages, from complete to preparing a working proposal on their topic.
I also watched for redundancy so committees were not duplicating work. I connected the groups and gave them a way to share progress and challenges with one another.
Can you share highlights from the committee status reports?
JACI BELL: One committee that completed its proposal was the Food Service Committee. The team faced the challenge of accommodating many different food preferences with a flexible solution, and I think they did a great job.
The proposal included a fully equipped kitchenette for employees who brought lunch from home, a catering kitchen for entertaining and training, a micro-market with fresh food and beverages for purchase, continued delivery options, and amenities throughout the building, including ice, water, coffee, fountains, a patio-deck grill and tap.
Were these interdisciplinary teams?
JACI BELL: The teams and committees were formed largely in 2014 and included employees from all buildings and positions. It was exciting to see such varied groups working together.
The committees even developed different working styles. Some met frequently and brought a great deal of energy to the process, while others were more reflective and worked primarily through electronic communication. Regardless of approach, these employees had significant responsibilities at their desks and still took time to create something valuable for the rest of the organization. They all deserved recognition for what they accomplished on behalf of KA.
Aside from the work completed through these initiatives, what did you see coming out of the committee planning sessions?
JACI BELL: The brainstorming was impressive, but many people also recognized how much empathy and compromise went into creating an environment that would meet the needs of a broad audience.
It was a difficult task to make decisions that served many groups. As a relative newcomer to KA, I was impressed with the level of concern and interest the committees devoted to getting things right for everyone. That work also supported the Culture Group’s transition planning for the move.
What could you share about how the new building was being designed for workflow and flexibility?
JACI BELL: Workstation adjacencies and the workstations themselves were both under review. The first floor, in particular, was designed to welcome vendors and visitors while providing common spaces where employees could meet, relax and work together.
The new headquarters also incorporated historic features and pursued LEED Silver certification, connecting workplace planning with the building’s history and sustainability goals.
CATEGORY: Innovation