THE RIGHT PEOPLE ARE KEY TO COMPANY ’ S SUCCESS
Organizations succeed through the performance of their people . Being the best employer and hiring the right people are the most important things an owner and / or manager can do for the business . Businesses that nurture their employees by providing opportunities for their growth know they are making a wise investment that leads to success for all .
DAVE KUEHL Robotic Press Brake Programmer Du Fresne Manufacturing
As a young boy growing up in a small town near Detroit Lakes , Dave Kuehl dreamt about becoming a pilot . His deafness , however , blocked that path to ���������������������������������������� first , to Washington , D . C ., to study IT at Gallaudet University , a private university for the deaf and hard-of-hearing ; then , to a technical college in Tampa , Florida , to study electrical engineering .
Kuehl began working with Du Fresne Manufacturing about 14 years ago , setting up and operating a Pemsetter – a machine that inserts hardware into precision metal parts . A few years later , he trained in and quickly mastered the operation of press brakes , which bends material into different shapes . Du Fresne ’ s customer base is diverse in the areas of defense , industrial , hi-tech , medical and telecom ; Kuehl and fellow employees manufacture products such as enclosures for X-ray equipment , radar systems and high-end computers .
After applying for his current position – Robotic Press Brake Programmer – he had second thoughts , thinking he would have to sit in an office , so he withdrew his application . His employers quickly addressed that concern , and today Kuehl trains fellow employees in operating the state-of-the-industry Amada robotic ���������������������������������� them sign language . Training for his new position was challenging at first because of communication issues , so Du Fresne hired an interpreter . Du Fresne has two Amada machines , and Kuehl and two other employees are among a handful in North America that can program them .
Kris Diemer , Du Fresne ’ s VP of Human Development , says , “ College-educated engineers who apply at Du Fresne are usually not as qualified as Dave because they don ’ t have his experience , skills and knowledge of the sheet metal fabrication industry . We ’ re very proud of his accomplishments and glad he ’ s on our team .”
LARRY EVANS Auto Body Technician Fairway Collision and Automotive
Larry Evans knows he ’ s one of the lucky ����������������������������������������� job that ’ s also his passion . When he isn ’ t working on cars , he ’ s at the car shows admiring them : “ It ’ s always interested me how the car has evolved over the years . How ‘ old technology ,’ as simple as it may have been in the past , worked very well and fulfilled the needs back in the day . Nowadays , cars have multiple computers , different types of metals and / or plastics , and safety features from airbags , parking sensors , cameras , structural design , etc . There are even self-driving cars !”
His passion began when he was young : “ My Dad was the only one who worked on our cars , and I learned by helping him .” After graduating from White Bear Lake High School , he immediately entered the 18-month program at Northeast Metro 916 Career and Technical Center : “ Opportunity knocked , and I answered .”
Opportunity knocked a second time for Evans , when Mike Lund – founder of Fairway Collision and Automotive – stopped in at the 916 vo-tech school and asked an instructor who his best students ��������������������������������������� Lund says , “ The instructor said Larry was one of his top students , and he certainly turned out to be a top-notch body man . Larry learned quickly and has constantly strived to better his quality . He ’ s been a big factor in the success of Fairway Collision .” continues on page 31
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