Silver Service Honors Longtime Employees | Kraus-Anderson
Three Kraus-Anderson employees were recently inducted into the KA Silver Service program, recognizing current employees with at least 25 years of employment at KA. The dinner event was held at the Minneapolis Club. Excerpts from the program remarks are included below.
Inducted in this year’s program were:
Terry Smith, Project Superintendent, Kraus-Anderson Construction Company, Bemidji operations. “Terry’s been at the helm of several of our high visibility client relationships in the North region, including the Voyageurs National Park Services Headquarters in International Falls, Lueken’s Village Foods, Paul Bunyan Communications, Choice Therapy and Sanford Health. Terry’s responsiveness is legendary. One stormy June evening in 2007, Terry was home when he got an emergency call that our client, MJB Home Appliance Center, needed help fast. Flash flooding had just gashed a 20 X 40- foot hole in the brand new rubber membrane of the roof of their Park Rapids store, an hour away. Water was cascading into their store, power was out and it was still raining. Terry jumped in his truck, quickly arrived at the scene and went to work, laying a tarp on the roof to stabilize the building for the duration of the storm, and setting up temporary water diversion to get the water flowing out the back of the building. The next morning the store was open for business, as the KA team quickly acted to restore, replace, clean and repair. Water was wet vac’d out, appliances relocated to safe storage, carpet pulled and power and telephones restored in 23 hours, an unbelievable feet.
As fantastic as he is in an emergency, Terry is also highly valued for his ongoing longtime relationship with Sanford Health. He knows the facility inside and out, having worked on construction of the original hospital before he joined KA. Sanford sees him as an extension of their own team.”
Gary Benson, Director of project planning and development, Kraus-Anderson Construction. “Well-read and always well spoken, Gary brings the best of KA to our clients and partners, providing them with a great product and an exceptional client experience, in particular to our K12 school and referendum efforts. He has served multiple terms on the governor-appointed Minnesota Higher Education Facilities Authority, and a longtime board member of the 916 Education Foundation. Some words to describe Gary: Mentor. Friend. Trusted advisor. Outstanding board member. Excellent preliminary budget and concept estimator. Crossword puzzle finisher. Great story teller, presenter, emcee and poet.”
Joel Kildahl, Maintenance Technician, Kraus-Anderson Realty. “Joel is a tremendous asset to our properties maintenance team, with experience at virtually all our KA retail properties in the Twin Cities metro. He’s low key, careful with the details, and gets the job done. Back in KA’s centennial year of 1997, Joel was one of the individuals selected to prepare our former headquarters office building at 525/523 for the celebration. He prepared the landscaping, painted the building and made everything look its best. At Midland Shopping Center, Joel was the guy in charge of putting up the holiday lights. He remembers that, in the freezing cold temperatures, he’d enlist his wife to come out and help. She would hand up the lights while he was on the pole, and run back to the truck for more supplies.
For more than a decade, Joel’s been a regular presence at our flagship retail center, Southtown. But when there’s a need, he can also be dispatched to address an issue at any of our centers and can take care of it without a lot of details or follow up. Whatever you put on his list, you know will get done. Joel is Mr. Dependable. He works well both in a group, and independently. At Southtown, he does an excellent job taking care of the details to keep any vacancies looking their very best for a showing.”
In addition, awards were presented to the following employees for reaching additional milestone years of service:
30 years:“Your hard work and dedication exemplify the highest standards of the KA brand.
“Your hard work and dedication exemplify the highest standards of the KA brand.
Sheryl Fodness, KA Companies
Rick Lund, KA Construction
Jamie Engelsma, KA Financial Services Group
Linda Autrey, KA Realty
35 years:
Dennis Feela, KA Construction
Meredith Gardin, KA Construction
Bill Jarvis, KA Construction
Mary Kaeding, KA Construction
Dave Rollins, KA Construction
Greg Ryder, KA Construction
Carol Sende, KA Construction
Patti Schmidt, KA Insurance; and
Jay Tumberg, KA Realty
Speaking to the attendees, Kraus-Anderson Companies Chairman Bruce Engelsma stated, “Your hard work and dedication exemplify the highest standards of the KA brand. Your mentorship inspires our younger and newer employees and business partners to follow your example. And your genuine passion for what you do is what sets KA apart from all competition. We are very proud that you have made your career with KA. Thank you for all that you do.”
Currently 63 KA employees are members of the Silver Service program.
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