Issuu

CONNECT BUSINESS MAGAZINE P.O. BOX 176 NICOLLET MN 56074-0176 CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED PRSRT STD US Postage PAID Permit No. 609 MANKATO, MN

Business Snapshot Sponsored Content

APX Helps Build Dream: Picklebarn “APX has been absolutely amazing! We are definitely learning as we go with this process and APX has been there helping us every step of the way. We are so thankful we chose APX Construction Group.” It’s a sentiment often heard by APX clients. In this case, it’s Sidney Elofson. She and her husband had a vision, but no idea on how to even begin to make it happen. That’s when they found APX Construction Group. “APX Construction Group is working to redefine the construction experience,” says Jamie Jacobs, VP Sales and Marketing. “So often, business owners and entrepreneurs are left wondering where to start, or who do I call first. With APX, we will lead our clients through all layers of the process, from start to finish. This often includes, but is not limited to, land acquisition, business consulting, financing, and permitting. We are able to guide our clients with services ranging from construction management, general contracting,

pre-construction, design/build, development and owners representation. APX Construction Groups’ insistence on quality of service, hard work, and responsiveness to client needs, remains the company credo and has led to its success in a competitive industry.” The Elofsons chose APX to help them build their dream: Picklebarn. It will be an athletic facility full of pickleball courts, needed in Mankato to keep up with the demand of the sport. APX worked with the Elofsons for a design/build for the structure. Construction is now getting underway and they hope to be open to the public by early next year. This is just one example of how APX, with over 100 years of industry experience, strives to give its customers the best experience possible. APX owners Ryan Evenson and Mitch Rohlfing learned the business by working their way up in the construction industry before founding APX, a full-service construction company that provides a

single point of contact for clients. Evenson and Rohlfing say the business is built on relationships, focused on people and firmly rooted in the community they call home. Based in Mankato, APX also has a focus on Rochester, Minneapolis/St Paul, Sioux Falls, and Northern Iowa, although they have completed projects nationwide and their footprint is expanding every day. Local projects include Southern Minnesota Periodontics & Dental Implants, Maud Borup, DLC, Medieval Metalwerx, Buffalo Wings & Rings, Caribou and Spotlight Dance Company. “Our company offers a diverse portfolio of work ranging from industrial, medical, hospitality, community/nonprofit, civil/ government, housing and office/retail. We also differentiate our services with a unique ability to self-perform concrete, carpentry and steel erection. We are an authorized dealer for pre-engineered metal buildings and all of these can add up to noticeable cost savings for our clients,” says Jacobs.

APX CONSTRUCTION GROUP 1020 Innovation Lane Mankato, MN 56001 info@apxconstructiongroup.com (507) 387-6836 Web: apxconstructiongroup.com

CONTENTS

May | June 2021

10 COVER INTERVIEW

COMPANY PROFILE

Glenn Stolt

Revol Greens

CHS

FEATURES

HOT STARTZ!

DEPARTMENTS

The Evolution of Christensen Farms 28

Leaderboard

Special Collaboration

Janie Hanson, Croptimize

Agribusiness Educational Programming Experiencing Rapid Growth

Produce Possible! MADELIA

Tallgrass Cider

Connecting Growers to Consumers 23

NICOLLET

Performance Diesel of Nicollet NEW ULM

Becky Bakes

Connecting Southern Minnesota Business People Since 1994

Editor’s Introduction Connecting Back Industry Insight

Bountiful Harvest

Ask A Professional

Edward Jones: Why Should You See a Financial Advisor?

Connect Business Magazine www.ConnectBiz.com

STAFF & CONTRIBUTORS

CIRCULATION

ADVERTISING

Publisher: Concept & Design Incorporated

12,100 for May/June 2021

Call: (507) 232-3463

Published bimonthly

E-mail: sales@connectbiz.com

Editor: Jane Laskey Art/Photography: Jonathan Smith, Adam Hester Contributing Writers: Lisa Cownie, Kristin Duncanson, Jill Berdan Production & Circulation: Becky Wagner Printing: Corporate Graphics, N. Mankato Mailing: Impact Mailing

6 31 50

May | June 2021

CORRESPONDENCE Mailing Address: Connect Business Magazine P.O. Box 176 Nicollet, MN 56074 Send editorial correspondence to: editor@connectbiz.com

Information: connectbiz.com/advertising ABOUT CONNECT Locally owned Connect Business Magazine has ‘connected’ southern Minnesota businesses since 1994 through features, interviews, news and advertising.

Web: connectbiz.com

Connect Business Magazine is a publication of Concept & Design Incorporated, a graphic design firm offering print design, brand design, illustration and photography. Learn more at conceptanddesign.com.

Phone: (507) 232-3463

MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR INVESTMENT YOUR TRUSTED PARTNER Atwood Management is ready to partner with you to oﬀer a premier property management experience. Our expertise spans generations as one of Minnesota’s oldest family-owned and operated leasing and property management ﬁrms. Integrity and a commitment to excellence have always been a fundamental part of how we do business and remain at the forefront as we work to serve our partners and their residents. Residential. Commercial. Student Housing. Association Management.

MANKATO OFFICE 507.388.9375

DULUTH OFFICE 218.206.7531

ATWOODMANAGEMENT.COM

LOCAL AGENTS SPECIALIZING IN COMMERCIAL SPACES. 507.387.3131 C21Atwood.com

OFFICE

REAL ESTATE MANAGEMENT LEASING RELOCATION

INDUSTRIAL

MULTI-FAMILY

RETAIL

ANY SPACE. ANY PLACE.

INTRODUCTION

Change and Growth in the GreenSeam

Jane Laskey EDITOR

Spring and summer in the fertile GreenSeam are glorious. This year the season of growth is particularly sweet as we emerge from the dark days of a pandemic and surge back to a new normal. Our May issue celebrates the abundance and possibility of this season. Nowhere is that more evident than in our region’s agriculture, food, and farm industries. These businesses, along with the many peripheral businesses that support them, put food on our tables and sustain us in good times and in bad. It’s a big job feeding the world! This month we talk to local ag giants Christensen Farms and CHS with decades of experience and hard-won wisdom to share. We also interview innovators Revol Greens and Croptomize, two companies whose cutting-edge products and processes are changing the ag landscape. Then there’s a feature on ag education, which takes a look at how area schools and colleges are rising to the challenge of training the next generation of employees for ag-related industries. Finally, our Hot Startz! section welcomes newcomers Tallgrass Cider, Performance Diesel of Nicollet and Becky Bakes. Of course, new seasons also bring change. Here at Connect, we are sad to see Lisa Cownie, our editor of the last seven years, step down to pursue other projects. You’ll still see her wonderful stories in our pages, though, as she’ll continue to be a contributing writer. That’s my cue to introduce myself! My name is Jane Laskey and I’m stepping into the editor’s role with this issue. I am delighted to be here, telling the stories of the businesses and people that make this region great. If you have a business story idea, I want to hear it. You can reach out to me anytime at editor@ connectbiz.com. Until next time,

United Prairie’s on featuring DI Labs

of Willmar, Minnesota “The quality that we deliver is what draws our clients from such a wide range of industries, like aerospace, defense and medical.”

May | June 2021

ideo

ev h t h c t Wa

Jerry Kopel

David Thamert

Veronica Bruckhoff

Taylor Nawrocki

SVP Ag/Business Banking

VP, Business Development

Ag/Business Banker

Ian Bents

Ron Kopischke

Garrett Schock

Martin County President

West Region Business Development Director

AVP, Ag/Business Banking

Business Snapshot Sponsored Content

The A Team: Profinium’s Ag Lenders Have Farming Backgrounds and Expertise People and passion are the keys to Profinium’s promise to cultivate relationships in everything they do. That credo is perhaps most evident in their approach to ag lending. “One thing I like about being an ag lender is truly getting to know the people I am helping,” says David Thamert, Profinium in Owatonna. “The first thing I do is go in to get to know the operation, their family, how they like to do business, those sorts of things. That will help me understand the best way to help them.” Profinium’s ag lenders understand the best ways to help because they themselves have firsthand experience in the industry before becoming lenders. “All of our ag lenders have a farming background,” says Veronica Bruckhoff, Profinium in Mankato. “So we understand the lingo, we understand the trends. We understand when they need money, what they need the money for and why. We eat, live and sleep ag.” That’s the way life has always been for Profinium ag lender, Taylor Nawrocki. “Growing up on a farm as a kid will always be very special to me,” explains Nawrocki. “One of the most rewarding parts about being an ag lender is being able to build relationships within the ag community, help our clients achieve their dreams, and celebrate their success!” Helping them succeed often means helping them pivot quickly. “The aspect of ag lending that I enjoy most is that the environment is extremely dynamic and fluid, which allows us to help

our clients act swiftly to grow and enhance their operation. Ag is in the blood of our clients, which is evidenced by relationships that span generations,” says Ian Bents, Profinium in Fairmont. Being with families through generations is the best evidence of Profinium’s commitment to the industry and the people in it. “Having worked in Martin County for four decades, it is gratifying to work with multiple generations of the same family. It is fun to have worked with them and see them succeed both personally and professionally,” says ag lender Ron Kopischke. Profinium Bank’s roots are in agriculture, and while they service a number of different industries, agriculture will always be a main vein. “We’ve been in ag a long time and we are in it for the long haul,” says Bruckhoff. “We’ve seen farming operations through ups and downs in the market, natural disasters and all the things that can make or break them. We stand behind farmers and we have PROFINIUM for 140 years.” 100 Warren Street, Suite 100 Profinium is a full financial Mankato, MN 56001 health solutions center Phone: 507-389-8900 offering personal and busiWebsite: profinium.com ness banking, mortgage, Facebook: Profinium insurance, trust and wealth planning services.

ELEVATING OUR REGION AS THE WORLD-CLASS FOOD AND AGRIBUSINESS EPICENTER GreenSeam is not only a region that spans across southern Minnesota and northern Iowa, but also a nonprofit organization dedicated to strategically building and connecting the region’s extensive agricultural business assets to the world by enhancing collaboration and investment with public and private sector partners. We are committed to the long-term prosperity of southern Minnesota and northern Iowa by strengthening collaborations and partnerships, growing businesses and their workforces, as well as the communities they call home.

C O N N E C T WI TH U S

To find out how GreenSeam can help support the growth of your idea, business, or workforce contact: Sam Ziegler, Director sziegler@greenseam.org 507.385.6672

Garrett Lieffring, Program Manager glieffring@greenseam.org 507.385.6649

GreenSeam is proud to partner with Connect Business Magazine in offering this special

groundbreaker EDITION

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT GreenSeam accelerates business creation and growth by connecting them, as well as their communities, to the opportunities and resources they need to succeed.

WORKFORCE & TALENT DEVELOPMENT GreenSeam partners with schools, businesses, and industry to educate, coordinate, and facilitate the development of a workforce well-prepared for emerging opportunities.

BRANDING & PROMOTION GreenSeam drives investment and opportunity by promoting the activities and resources that help develop businesses and partnerships in our region, the “Silicon Valley of Ag.”

greenseam.org

FARMS

By Jane Laskey

When the phone rang on Nov. 3, 2012, Glenn Stolt had no idea how much his life was about to change. It was a Saturday morning, the beginning of the weekend. At that time, Stolt was the vice president and CFO at Christensen Farms. He liked his job. He had two years at Christensen Farms under his belt and the company was in a good place. The news was not good. While hunting in Missouri with family and friends, Bob Christensen, the founder and CEO of Christensen Farms, died suddenly of an apparent heart attack. Everything at Christensen Farms was about to change. “Bob was the icon,” Stolt said. “The view of many people externally was that all decisions ran through Bob's office. With his sudden death, we realized that many people might think, ‘What in the world is going to happen?’” Amid the grief and chaos, the Christensen family and company leadership put a plan in place that would help the company heal and move forward. One of their first steps was to appoint Stolt as interim president and CEO. It was an interesting choice. Stolt was one of the few members of the leadership team that had not grown up in the pork industry. What he brought to the table was business savvy and decades of corporate experience. Continues SUBMITTED PHOTOS

CONNECT Business Magazine

The Evolution of Christensen Farms

Visit a business banker at First National Bank Minnesota to talk about your goals and how we can help. Your community banking partner since 1857.

www.fnbmn.bank

“Sitting here now eight-plus years after the fact, that decision was the right one,” Stolt said. “It pulled the team together with a common purpose, but it also added a level of diversity in experience and background that has created thus far a winning outcome.” Stolt would be the first to tell you that it’s been a team effort. His pride in his team shines through and he is happy to admit he depends on them. With their help, he has plotted a course that blends Bob Christensen’s passion and entrepreneurial spirit with new enterprise-oriented processes and goals.

“It pulled the team together with a common purpose, but it also added a level of diversity in experience and background that has created thus far a winning outcome.” “We wanted to make sure that we preserved the positive cultural attributes that Bob brought into the company. There was a sense of entrepreneurialism, a sense of being a visionary, and certainly a sense of excellence.” Eight years later, Stolt is still president and CEO, and the company is thriving. Christensen Farms continues to honor the past while growing and evolving to meet the needs of a hungry planet.

FIRE UP

THE GRI With Schmidt’s Award Winning Brats and Wieners. • Steaks • Burgers

• Chops • Chicken

Downtown Nicollet • (507) 232-3438 • schmidtsmeatmarket.com 12

May | June 2021

Tell me about your background and your path to Christensen Farms. I grew up in southern Minnesota. I was born in Nicollet, and my parents moved to New Ulm. My father was a cabinetmaker, and my mother was largely a stay-at-home mom. I met Tami, my wife of almost 30 years, while attending New Ulm High School. I attended Minnesota State University, Mankato, where I got my degree in finance and accounting in 1989. In 1996 I earned my MBA at the University of St. Thomas. Professionally, I started at Honeywell, then went on to The Toro Company, G&K Services, and Capella Education Company, holding a variety of finance roles. I aspired to be a CFO. That was my goal. When an executive recruiting firm asked me to consider a CFO job for a protein company

Glenn Stolt | Sleepy Eye in southern Minnesota, I was interested. It was Christensen Farms. I threw my hat in the ring and in May of 2010, I came down and met Bob Christensen for the first time. Having worked in publicly held, nonagricultural organizations for my entire career, going to Christensen Farms was a lot different. Obviously, the business was different, but even Bob was different. He was an entrepreneur. I remember him coming into the interview and his shirt was untucked. He was incredibly laid back. It was just an entirely different conversation than I was used to. Bob took me for a drive in his truck around the countryside. There was a loop that drove by a finishing barn, a sow farm, a nursery, and the feed mill by our corporate office. It was his way, I think, of gauging a person’s genuine interest in the business and their ability to ask questions, to be curious about the business. It was a very unique interviewing technique. Long story short, he offered me the role and I joined Christensen Farms on Oct. 5, 2010, as the vice president and CFO. What were your early days like at Christensen Farms? When I joined the company, our balance sheet was not where we would have liked it to be. The hog industry had been going through some really challenging times starting in ‘08 and continuing into 2010 due to a number of factors. Needless to say, I spent the better part of my first two years managing the financial recovery of the company and working with our banks, keeping them apprised of what we were doing and how we were managing our risk given the commodity nature of our business. In April of 2012, we did a recast of our banking facilities. We celebrated that we had made it through a very, very difficult time. I recall in August of 2012, Bob and I sat down. We talked about what I’d done for the last couple of years and his desire for me to get more involved in the operations of the business. We also talked about the fact that Bob wasn’t an easy guy to work for. He obviously had great visionary skills and passion, and he was very entrepreneurial. But he was tough. He and I laughed about the fact that I’d been there two years. Would I be there for another two years or would I get lured away? That was kind of the jovial interactions that I had with him. Little did we know that we would lose him just a few months later.

Convenient, Quality Insurance for Your Business Insurance Needs

Nick Smith Mankato, MN 320.761.9208

Stacey Johnson Owatonna, MN 507.455.5299

Jay Horner Owatonna, MN 507.455.5200

Jessica Grayson Owatonna, MN 507.455.5358

Imagine how much easier it would be to handle your business insurance with just one insurer.

Federated coverages range from property to liability to IRAs to business life and disability income. That means your Federated marketing representative can help design an insurance plan that takes care of almost every aspect of your business. Just pick up the phone and call. What could be more convenient than that?

Ed. 3/18

Weelborg Chevrolet in Historic New Ulm would like to welcome Jeff Frye as a Sales and Lease Professional. Jeff has been in the Mankato area since leaving the Marine Corps in 1987. He worked in the automobile and manufactured home industry after the Corps and has spent the last 15 years in the radio industry. Jeff currently lives in North Mankato with his wife, Sonja, and is very active in the veteran community. In his spare time, you can find Jeff at the golf course or at the hockey rink. For all your automotive needs, contact Jeff at Weelborg Chevrolet in Historic New Ulm.

www.mykwchevrolet.com Office: (877) 713-7134 Mobile: (507) 340-0831

CONNECT Business Magazine

The Evolution of Christensen Farms

Glenn Stolt and Gary Koch

WE BUILD PROJECTS AND PARTNERSHIPS THAT LAST We work as a dedicated partner with each and every client. You have our promise to be here long after the job is done to ensure and maintain the integrity of our work. Perhaps that’s why many of our clients call on us again and again to expand their facilities and build new ones. Do you have an upcoming building or development project you’d like to discuss? We would be happy to sit down with you and learn more about your business.

Architecture Construction Management General Contractor Self-Performing Field Services Real Estate + Brokerage Maintenance Services

May | June 2021

507.625.2634 / ricecompanies.com Mankato • Sauk Rapids • Glencoe • Fargo

Glenn Stolt | Sleepy Eye Bob Christensen died unexpectedly in November 2012. That must have been a truly difficult transition. What was your strategy for healing the company and building a path to a solid future? Bob and his son and others went down to Missouri on a hunting trip on a Friday night. On Saturday morning I learned that Bob had passed away. I got a call from Gary Koch, a longtime attorney for the company and the Christensen family. I remember Gary saying, “Glenn, you need to step up.” I didn’t know what that meant, and I wasn’t sure exactly where that was going. What I did know is we couldn’t waste one minute getting communications out to our employees, our contract growers, our customers, and to all our stakeholders. We wanted to make sure our team members internally had a sense of continuity and a sense that we were going to move on. By Saturday afternoon, communications had been sent out to all stakeholders, both internally and externally. Bob’s younger brother, Lynn, had been instrumental in building the company, but had left and relocated to Colorado. He flew back that weekend from Denver and we had a meeting on Sunday night. It included the senior management team, Gary Koch, and Lynn. That meeting was all about the days ahead. By Monday, I got the impression that they were probably going to ask me to step in on an interim basis. I’d never aspired to run a company. I aspired to be a CFO. It never really dawned on me that I’d be in that position. Yet there I was. I was immediately concerned about how my colleagues, many of

whom had been there for a lot longer period of time, would feel about that. I remember approaching Jeff Rusch, our vice president of operations, in the hallway, pulling him aside, and saying, “Hey, I think this is what’s going to happen. Are you OK with this?” At the time, I didn’t realize how impactful that would be. Jeff and Greg Howard, who is now our chief operating officer, are the two executive leaders that have been with me the entire time. I would eventually need to depend on them. I was one of only a few individuals running a hog production company that didn’t grow up in the business. It was critical that I have experts around me that were deep in hog production. I think the people that were making the decision — the Christensen family, Lynn Christensen, and certainly Gary Koch — must have decided to take a chance on somebody that didn’t have a lot of deep-seated hog experience. I had broad-based business experience to compliment the pig farmers, as we call ourselves within the business. Gary deserves enormous credit, as well, and has been a steadfast partner and confidant to me the entire time. Sitting here now eight-plus years after the fact, that decision was the right one. It pulled the team together with a common mission. What is Bob Christensen’s legacy? How is his imprint still felt in the company today? When Bob passed away, we wanted to make sure that we preserved the positive cultural attributes that Bob brought into the company.

CONNECT Business Magazine

The Evolution of Christensen Farms

Identified as the core economy of the region, ISG proudly supports Agribusiness. Business Units dedicated to serve rural drainage and food production efforts. Commercial Education Energy Government + Cultural Healthcare Housing Food + Industrial Mining Public Works Sports + Recreation Transportation Water

Architecture + Engineering + Environmental + Planning | ISGInc.com

May | June 2021

There was a sense of entrepreneurialism, a sense of being a visionary, and certainly a sense of excellence. At the end of the day, Bob was a student every day. He looked at things around him and asked himself: What worked? What didn’t work? We wanted to make sure (to) retain those cultural things that Bob brought to the table. We recrafted our mission statement to incorporate Bob’s legacy but also to recognize that we’re operating in a new world. Our mission statement had to be more reflective of what we’re trying to do with consumers, not only here in the U.S., but also globally. We also fine-tuned our values. Respect and integrity are two key values that just have to be there in every one of us. Then there are three other values that are more business oriented. First, there’s adaptability, the ability to be nimble and agile and adapt to changing circumstances. Innovation is also important. We continue to look at innovative ways to make our job easier and to deliver on our responsibilities, whether that be environmental stewardship, animal welfare, or employee safety. Last but not least, we need to continue to be excellent. When the industry goes through a challenge, as we’ve done so many times, those of us that are continuously performing at the highest level tend to be the last ones to enter those down cycles and the first ones to get out. Excellence is a critical component of what we do every day. How does the Christensen family continue to shape the business today? The Christensen Farm’s board is made up of three people. Mary Ann Christensen is the current chairperson, and Gary Koch and I also sit on the board. The three of us provide the governance. We keep the family apprised through quarterly meetings and on an ongoing basis on what is going on in the company. The family has provided us absolutely unwavering support over so many years, which has been extremely helpful to me and the rest of the organization. Bob and Mary Ann have two children, Robert Jr. (Cubby) and Kellen. They were very young at the time of Bob’s passing. It is yet to be determined what type of role either one of them would like to play in the industry. They are both currently pursuing academic degrees.

Glenn Stolt | Sleepy Eye When you have a first-generation founder pass away at 51, there isn’t a ready generation to take his spot. So, we need to look at ourselves as the bridge to the second generation. We don’t know whether that second generation will be owners or operators or a combination of the two. We just need to continue to manage the business, grow the talent within the business, and provide the business the leadership and talent it needs, not only today but also into the future. Today Christensen Farms is one of the largest family-owned pork producers in the United States. Can you help me understand the scope of your operation? On the live side of the business, we have close to 1,000 employees. These are individuals that are working on our farms, in our truck washes, in our feed mills, in our research facilities, and in the corporate office in Sleepy Eye. We also rely on some 1,500 contract relationships. These are individuals that are contract producers (farmers that house our livestock, providing space and husbandry), grain farmers, and truck drivers that transport our livestock between farms or to market. All told, we have 2,500 people; 2,500 families that are dedicating themselves to our business. They get up every morning thinking about Christensen Farms and what we do every day. In addition to that, with our partial ownership in Triumph Foods, Seaboard Triumph Foods, and Daily’s Premium Meats, our proportion of employees on the processing side of the business is roughly 1,500 employees. All told our leadership team has a responsibility to over 4,000 families in what we do and how we make decisions every day. In terms of your locations, what is your footprint today? We have farms in Minnesota, Iowa, South Dakota, Illinois, and Nebraska. That’s the general footprint for our live side. It includes about 400 sites, sow farms and what we call nursery grow-finish facilities that are growing out the pigs before they are sent to market. On our processing and further processing side, we have facilities in Iowa, Missouri, Montana, and Utah, as well.

LET US BE YOUR GATEKEEPER

A TECHNOLOGY TEAM YOU CAN TRUST CTS Select Services offer the same benefits of your own tech team plus added security and additional capabilities. Our highly trained technology professionals are able to assist you on-site and remotely. With 24/7 support, you can rest easy knowing someone always has you covered.

COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS YOURCTS.NET |507-388-3880 NETWORK & DATA SECURITY | CABLING SECURE WI-FI WITH BYOD PROTECTION TELEPHONE SYSTEMS (UC) | CAMERAS BUSINESS COMPUTER SERVICES

CONNECT Business Magazine

The Evolution of Christensen Farms How has the company changed since you took the reins? At one point in time, I think Christensen Farms was in the top five in the industry with a much larger sow base as reported by the Pork Powerhouse Rankings. We strategically decided to get leaner and meaner on the live side of the business. That was critically important because when we look at the breakout of the value of a pound of pork, the data would say that very little of it goes to the farms. Yet the farms hold all the commodity risk, so it is a difficult business to be in. In 2006, we started processing some of our pigs at Triumph Foods, a pork processing company owned by Christensen Farms and four other producers. It was a risk-oriented decision by Bob and those producers at the time, but it has turned out to be very successful. Since Bob’s passing, we have doubled down on that venture. We went through a strategic planning process that we entitled Vision 2020. One of its key priorities was

May | June 2021

We continue to challenge ourselves in how we are recruiting people. How are we selecting those individuals? How do we onboard them? How do we assimilate them into our farming family? How do we show them the view of where they can take their careers? to increase our level of integration — in other words, the number of pigs we send to plants in which we have partial ownership. At that time, we were roughly 40 percent integrated. We would never want to be 100 percent integrated, but we certainly wanted to capture a greater share of integrated margins for the viability and sustainability of the company. We accomplished our goal by the end of 2019 through the building of Seaboard Triumph Foods. Today on the live side of the business, we are integrated into feed milling, genetics, nutrition, and research. Much of that is proprietary assets and activities. We have a base of about 143,000 sows today, breeding moms that produce around 3.5 million

market animals a year. The majority of them go to the processing facilities we own in conjunction with other partners. By doing this we capture the benefit of integrated margins. We’ve talked a little bit about the number of employees you have. What is your need right now? Are you hiring? Labor in many industries is really, really tight, particularly for those of us that operate in rural areas. Twenty-five years ago, we were hiring people that grew up on farms and were dedicated to rural communities. That’s not the case anymore. We are struggling to get labor into our rural communities to serve our farms, but we’re also struggling to get labor even in

Glenn Stolt | Sleepy Eye our plants that are in larger metropolitan areas. Part of it is finding people that have a passion for agriculture, retaining those people, and continuing to develop them. Quite frankly, while we focus on the recruitment of new employees, our primary focus needs to be on the retention of the employees that we have today. We continue to challenge ourselves in how we are recruiting people. How are we selecting those individuals? How do we onboard them? How do we assimilate them into our farming family? How do we show them the view of where they can take their careers? For example, Jeff Rusch started as a herdsman 25-plus years ago. He literally started on the farm and now he’s the vice president of operations. We spend a lot of time on what we call the employee lifecycle: recruitment, retention, and giving the best employee experience. That includes paying them a competitive salary, giving them competitive benefits, and creating opportunities for them to develop themselves and continue to grow.

Every quarter we do a town hall to give employees an update on the business. I end that call with a recognition of all the employee anniversaries for that quarter. I’m always blown away by how many employees have been with the company above 15 years, above 20 years, and even above 30 years. It’s incredibly satisfying for me, for the Christensen family, and across the management ranks of the company. We’re humbled by the fact that people have been willing to dedicate their entire work life to Christensen Farms. In terms of the number of employees, most of the growth requirements for us are in our integrated platforms, our processing plants, and further processing plants. For example, in the Seaboard Triumph Foods facility in Sioux City, Iowa, we could easily accommodate a few hundred more people to process all the products we produce every day. You are a very large company headquartered in a very small town. How has your Sleepy Eye

location shaped your company? Sleepy Eye is where our roots are. Bob was blessed not only with his visionary skills and his entrepreneurial skills, but he was also blessed by where he was born. Seriously, there is no better place on the globe than southern Minnesota to raise protein and, specifically, to raise pigs. We have a very close, abundant supply of everything we need. All of the inputs, namely corn and soybeans, that we feed our animals are grown right here. For Christensen Farms, being here in the right place relative to the business, we generate over $110 million of annual economic impact to the communities in which we operate within the state of Minnesota alone. Sleepy Eye is an incredibly important place for us to be. What kinds of products do you produce? As we take a pig into a primary processing facility, a number of different products are produced. Primals such as loins are produced,

SIESTA H

Luxury Town Homes

Now Under Construction in Mankato!

Have It All, Carefree! Experience the advantages of carefree townhome living, without sacrificing space or features! Enjoy exceptional living with a sunroom, large bonus room, walk-in pantry, professionally designed cabinetry, large kitchen with center island, stainless steel appliances and more!

Community Amenities Take a closer look at Mankato’s exclusive adult lifestyle community and imagine yourself in a Siesta Hills dream luxury town home.

Living Square Feet: 2,560 | Garage Square Feet: 675 | Total Square Feet: 3,235

KITCHEN

LIVING ROOM

• Indoor Pool & Large Outdoor Pool

• Large Gourmet Kitchen for Groups

• Fitness Center

• Pickleball & Tennis Courts

• Spin Cycle Studio

BEDROOM

• Steam Room & Sauna • Yoga/Pilates Studio

• Golf Simulator

Owner is licensed Real Estate Agent.

507-345-1111 • MankatoCommunityGroup.com 300 St. Andrews Drive, Ste 110, Mankato, MN 56001

VISIT: SIESTAHILLSLIVING.COM Depictions of Siesta Hills made in this ad through renderings, specifications and planned amenities are based on current proposed development plans and are subject to change without notice.

CONNECT Business Magazine

The Evolution of Christensen Farms so if you go into certain grocery stores you might run into the Prairie Fresh brand in the pork section. They sell flavored loins, which are produced within our processing facility. We like to sell the bellies to our Daily’s Premium Meats business. Those bellies are smoked and ultimately are made into bacon for retail or food service. Variety meats, also known as offal, go to international markets. There’s also what we call trim product that we sell to other further processors that are made into sausage products or other related pork products. Let’s move on to your customer base. Your website mentions providing food for 15 million people around the world. Who are your customers? Pork is the No. 1 consumed protein globally. There’s no other protein — chicken, beef, or aquaculture — that is bigger. The U.S. pork industry exports roughly 24 to 26 percent of its product, and the most significant pork export markets are Canada, Mexico, China, Japan, and South Korea. The Triumph Foods system exports closer to 30 percent of our product. Given that per capita pork consumption in the United States is relatively flat, as the industry grows it automatically puts more reliance on exporting products to international destinations. Many of these export markets like the same products that we enjoy here in the U.S., loins and hams. What’s incredibly important though is the market for byproducts. Offal or variety meats, the intestines and other types of products, are very highly valued by some of the Asian markets. Having continued access to those export markets

and being able to grow them is very important. In the U.S., our customer base is broken down into largely three areas. The first area is further processing, where we don’t have the capability to process the by-product ourselves. The second area is food service such as restaurants. The third area is retail grocery stores, whether it be Walmart or Costco or local grocery stores in our own communities. Today’s farms are high-tech, business-savvy enterprises. What are the latest technological developments in your industry? We are heavy into the use of data and a bit into artificial intelligence, using data to create modeling that helps us run our business and make better decisions. Another avenue of technology we’re pursuing is the use of systems to advance farm operations on a number of fronts, including predicting pig weights. We are also looking at automation, robotic automation, from a biosecurity perspective. Keeping our pigs healthy, for example, requires a lot of power washing in farms and in trucks. Those are really, really difficult jobs. It’s difficult for us to retain people in those jobs, so we are looking for technology solutions. We try to align ourselves with contract manufacturing outfits to create mutually beneficial opportunities to build equipment and build technology to basically overcome some of these types of challenges. Finally, COVID has taken a business that is largely face to face, eyeball to eyeball, and made it far more virtual than it’s ever been in the past. We were faced with a very challenging task last March

Explore Gallagher’s comprehensive approach to benefits, compensation, retirement, employee communication and workplace culture that is holistically focused on organizational wellbeing. Jay P. Weir

Area Executive Vice President

Jenny Hering

Associate Consultant Health and Welfare Consulting

Contact Jenny, your local, experienced Benefits & HR Consultant: 507-461-4147.

600 S. Riverfront Drive | Mankato, MN 56001 507.387.3433 | ajg.com 20

May | June 2021

Glenn Stolt | Sleepy Eye when COVID hit us. We had to bolster our virtual communications reality literally overnight. During the pandemic, people stayed home, and restaurants were closed. Did you see a shift in demand for your products? Absolutely. The shift from food service to retail was significant. If you think about it, a lot of product that goes to food service gets packaged much differently than what you and I would buy at the grocery store. Take bacon, for example. You buy a 1.5-pound package of bacon at the grocery store but we’re delivering 15-pound packages of bacon to food service. We had to be pretty nimble at processing facilities to make that shift. The projections our bacon business provided us last year looked like a heartbeat. As states opened up, you’d get a surge in demand for food service products. Then as states closed your demand would shrink quickly. The biggest impact from COVID was the fact that the primary pork processing facilities across the industry found themselves short of labor due to COVID cases in those plants. They couldn’t process nearly as many animals as they normally would have. I am pleased that our plants, in addition to plants across the industry, have largely and safely returned to pre-COVID processing levels. What are some of the achievements that your company has had that you’re most proud of? Our five-year Vision 2020 plan set the strategic priority of reaching

It was a huge, huge win. We improved our competitive position within the industry on the live side of the business from middle of the road to the top quartile. We believe that we’re probably even in the top 10 percent of the industry. I’m incredibly proud of what the team has done in that regard. a higher level of integration to our plants, which we achieved. It was a huge, huge win. We improved our competitive position within the industry on the live side of the business from middle of the road to the top quartile. We believe that we’re probably even in the top 10 percent of the industry. I’m incredibly proud of what the team has done in that regard. I’m also proud of our employee development efforts. When we were an entrepreneurially run business under Bob, development opportunities often consisted of throwing people in the deep end of the pool. As you think about the life cycle of a growing business, that was an important step. But as the company starts to mature,

Voice, Data & Video Solutions FOR YOUR BUSINESS

NATIONWIDE COVERAGE on

Portable OR Mobile.

Get the best of both worlds with push-to-talk, two-way radio communication on a nationwide network.

• • • • • • •

I.T. Support Security Cameras Door Access & Control Cyber Security (Firewalls) Cloud Backup Solutions Vehicle Telematics (GPS/AVL) Wireless Networks & Mobile LTE Routers

1-800-967-1778 or 507-625-6720 • info@alpha-wireless.com www.alpha-wireless.com • www.alphaitpros.com • 1115 Cross St, North Mankato CONNECT Business Magazine

The Evolution of Christensen Farms you’ve got to transition from an entrepreneurial focus to more of an enterprise leadership focus. That means that you’ve got to build out a greater level of infrastructure and talent development. We’ve done that and continue that journey. One last thing. In our mission statement, we use the words industry leadership. We use those words not to pound our chest. We use those words as a point of responsibility that we have not only to ourselves, but to the industry. When I look at the people in our organization that now participate at industry association levels, community levels, it has drastically increased over the last five years. I’m proud of the fact that we’ve been able to run the business, improve the business, but also dedicate ourselves to broader industry and community activities, as well. This has been a team effort. It isn’t just me. There are a lot of people that are incredibly instrumental in our success. That’s a big list of achievements and one that you can certainly be proud of. Is there anything that keeps you up at night? When you have a good team that helps, right? We have a quality team that demonstrates their passion and commitment every day. So, what keeps me up at night isn’t the risk in the business, it’s the risk outside the business. There is a growing knowledge gap between consumers and the development of the product they consume. People that don’t like what we do, whether it’s animal activists or environmentalists, have become very skillful in going out to consumers in a very myopic way and asking consumers a question (out of context). That question might be an observation of one out of hundreds of activities that take place in pork production. But the question is asked to a naive consumer in such a way that the consumer naturally says, “No, I don’t really like that.” The consumer doesn’t have the curiosity or the time to investigate. So, we have this growing impression that what we do is not good, that what we do is not healthy, that what we do is not good for the environment. Some would say that we’re not regulated enough. Some would say we’re not transparent enough. I would tell you neither of them is true. We are regulated not only by governments but by ourselves, and we are very transparent. To suggest otherwise is just simply not the case. Yet it is a long, drawn-out challenge for our industry to get out ahead of this misinformation. It’s something that concerns me deeply. Ultimately if we don’t course-correct it, it’s going to have an impact on the price and potential availability of nutritious food across America. Now by the same token, we can’t ignore the fact that we do have a responsibility for being good stewards of the environment, which we are. I don’t think that story gets told nearly enough.

THE ESSENTIALS Christensen Farms 23971 County Road 10 Sleepy Eye, MN 56085 Phone: (507) 794-5310 Web: christensenfarms.com Facebook: Christensen Farms 22

May | June 2021

HOT STARTZ! MADELIA

Tallgrass Cider At Tallgrass Cider, it all starts with the apple. “Making a good cider is all about the apples and starts with work in the orchard,” John Knisley said. “A good cider should have an apple aroma, great mouthfeel, and nice color. The apple varieties we use to make the cider have a huge influence on how good it will be.” Tallgrass Cider opened in 2020 and is owned by husband-and-wife team, John and Brooke Knisley. The Madelia couple makes smallbatch, farm-crafted hard ciders using only organic apples. They manage about 14 acres of orchards near Lake Crystal, producing more than 50 home-grown apple varieties. They have additional orchards at their organic farm, Alternative Roots Farm, in Madelia. John is also the City Planner for New Ulm. “The cider has been well received. It’s off to a great start,” Knisley said “Folks appreciate the local, simple ingredients. Our wild fermented ciders are made with apple juice...that’s it. One of our new releases will also feature raspberries from our farm and orchard.” Tallgrass Cider’s current releases include MN Nice, a semi-sweet hard cider, Wild Orchard, a semi-dry wild fermented hard cider, and Scratch & Tangle Raspberry Cider a semi-dry hard cider. “After growing apples since 2012 and making homebrew for the better part of a decade, it felt like a natural evolution from our farming enterprise to start a farm cidery,” Knisley said. “We initially started making small-batch cider for personal use with family and friends. We really enjoyed it and decided to further our research and refine our process.” Expect to see more of Tallgrass Cider soon. Knisley hopes to expand cider production and is seeking 8-10 acres to manage or plant into new orchards. In the meantime, look for Tallgrass Cider at area liquor stores, bars, and restaurants. Tallgrass Cider 11197 130th Street Phone: (507) 439-6541 Web: tallgrasscider.com Facebook: Tallgrass Cider

CONNECT Business Magazine

HOT STARTZ! NICOLLET

Performance Diesel of Nicollet, LLC Tony Beckius had been nursing a dream for a long, long time. A lifelong mechanic, he wondered what it would be like to open his own business. In June 2020, he finally found out when he opened the doors at Performance Diesel of Nicollet. “I always wanted to open my own shop, but with two kids in high school and sports, I just never had the time,” Beckius said. “Then my youngest graduated last spring and this building on Pine Street became available. Everything just kind of fell into place.” Beckius has always had a passion for mechanics. He studied automotive engineering technology at Minnesota State University, Mankato, and soon he was using his new mechanical skills at the Chesley International diesel truck dealership. The dealership changed hands and names several times, becoming River Valley Truck Centers, then Westman Freightliner, but Beckius stayed on. “I’ve been a mechanic for 30 years. This is all I’ve ever done,” Beckius said. In 1995, Beckius moved to Nicollet. He and his wife, Jennifer, have lived there ever since, raising their kids and building a life. So, when the time came to make his dream a reality, Nicollet was the obvious choice for his new business. His shop, Performance Diesel of Nicollet, offers a full range of auto and truck repairs and services. “I work on pretty much anything from cars and pickups to heavy trucks. Mostly I focus on diesel and semitrucks,” Beckius said. “I do anything from an oil change to a complete overhaul.” The Nicollet community’s reception has been more than enthusiastic. Beckius said he’s currently booked out almost two months

in advance and frequently logs 12-hour days just to keep up. “The local people have been really great. Pretty much all my work comes from the surrounding area, and everyone has been great to work with,” Beckius said. If business continues at the same hectic pace, Beckius hopes to hire another mechanic and someone to help with bookkeeping and scheduling soon. “I’ve been very fortunate to be busy since I opened,” Beckius said. “I work by myself, so it has been a challenge to keep up with the books, invoices, scheduling, and getting the work out on time. Luckily, my customers understand.” Performance Diesel of Nicollet, LLC 205 Pine Street Phone: (507) 420-7706

FIND US ON LISTEN LIVE ON OUR WEBSITE USE THE STATION'S THE VOICE OF MANKATO Entertaining, informing, and connecting the community everyday.

May | June 2021

ASK

APP TO PLAY

LISTEN ON Visit RadioMankato.com for more details.

To be considered for Hot Startz, tell us about a new business or new professional in the area by emailing editor@connectbiz.com.

NEW ULM

Becky Bakes Oh. My. Goodness! If you have a hankering for something sweet, you’ll find an assortment of irresistible confections at Becky Bakes in New Ulm. The gourmet bakery is run by mother-daughter team Becky Waibel and Emily Atnip. The pair set up shop in September 2020. “We both live here in New Ulm and we love our community,” Becky Waibel said. “We fell in love with our little brick building on Minnesota Street.” The Becky Bakes menu includes gourmet cakes, cake pops, cookies, cookie sandwiches, and cheesecakes. Their filled cupcakes are customer favorites, with more than 30 flavors to choose from. “Our cupcakes are one of a kind, and we are always coming up with new creations,” Emily Atnip said. Other favorites include old-fashioned treats like peanut bars, apple pie bars, mock angel food, and pumpkin pie bars. They also have a great cookie lineup. Waibel, the Becky in Becky Bakes, has always had a passion for baking. After 25 years with Pioneer Catering at Martin Luther College, she knows her way around a kitchen. “I baked for people as a hobby,” Waibel said. “The demand was there for personalized and home-baked goods. With so many moms working, no one has time to do their own baking and New Ulm didn’t have anything like it.” Word got out, and she frequently found herself filling baking requests for other people. The idea of starting a bakery had always been at the back of Waibel’s mind. When her daughter moved back to New Ulm from Texas, the two decided to start a new business together. “We have thoroughly enjoyed getting to work together,” Atnip said.

“Neither of us would have ever thought of going into business with anyone else. We both have the same mindset, goals for the business, passion, and work ethics. We pride ourselves in the work that goes into each sweet treat.” Becky Bakes’ treats are only available through preorders and pop-up sales. Keep an eye on their Facebook page for notifications. “We love our random Saturday pop-ups,” Waibel said. “It is a day where we are not baking, and we get to chat and interact with our customers. Our customers are our favorite part of our job. Becky Bakes 213 South Minnesota Street Phone: (507) 217-3947 Web: beckybakesmn.com

BANKING WAY IT SHOULD BANKING THE WAY THE IT SHOULD BE BE FOR THOSE THAT WORK IN ACRES, NOT HOURS WE THANK YOU.

MANKATO | AMBOY | EAGLE LAKE | VERNON CENTER | CBFG.NET

Mankato | Amboy | Eagle Lake Vernon Center | cbfg.net CONNECT Business Magazine

PRESENTED BY:

STR ATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS SERIES

Partnering for Global Human Wellness The upper-Midwest is a region defined by powerhouse players in the human wellness industry. With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic exposing economic and social insecurities worldwide, the upper-Midwest’s concentration of major business firms and key organizations in areas of nutrition, food security, agriculture, and healthcare, serves as a place for answers. In an effort to support economic and social prosperity, Minnesota State University, Mankato has become a member of the Global Wellness Consortium (GWC), an initiative actively working to shine a light on the region as a hub for innovation in creating a healthier globe. GWC’s mission is to create a leading region centric consortium for engaging the public, private, and academic sectors focusing on health, food nutrition and human well-being. CEO of the GWC initiative and Mayor of Edina, James Hovland, describes the region’s potential in saying, “There is this concentration of capabilities in the upper Midwest- in the entire region that goes all the way from Duluth, over to Sioux Falls, down to Iowa, and over to Wisconsin- that has an unbelievable amount of capability in food, nutrition, and healthcare.” GWC came to fruition alongside a partnership with the Export and Foreign Investment Agency (AWEX) based in the Wallonia region of Belgium, an area known internationally for trade and commerce activities. While the United States often operates public, private and academic sectors as silos, Europe has worked towards developing a unified front, creating more opportunity for economic prosperity. The adoption of a similar structure is vital for the continuation of growth in business, industry, and education throughout the region. Hovland expands on this sentiment in sharing, “We’ve got the resources, we’ve got the players, but you need to play on all fronts in order to make this worthwhile.” Brenda Flannery, Dean of the College of Business at Minnesota State Mankato agrees that the region has the potential to play a key role in global human wellness through embracing collaboration- a conversation that the university is excited to be a part of. Minnesota State Mankato recently announced new academic programs in Agribusiness and Food

Innovation, both of which will benefit by connecting students, faculty and staff with global research opportunities through GWC. The consortium takes action in the form of projects proposed by business, industry, and education that provide opportunity for assistance in global human wellness. GWC projects begin in Dynamic Learning Laboratories, where ideas start out, and public, private, and academic partners are able to create intellectual collisions- bringing the right people in the room to solve problems and spur action. Dr. Teri Wallace, Minnesota State Mankato’s interim associate vice president for research and dean of extended campus, describes the convergence of thinking during the Learning Labs as potential for faculty and student research, areas for talent development, potential innovation and entrepreneurial growth, and more. For example, one of the most exciting projects that the GWC team has partnered on explores a magnetic levitation system for moving people and goods. HyperloopTT is set up to be the biggest evolution in transportation infrastructure in over a century, traveling at over 700mph underground. For context, that’s fast enough to take you from Rochester to the Twin Cities in just 12 minutes. Each project backed by GWC has the purpose of increasing the economic well-being and productivity of the entire upper Midwest region. Michael Wright emphasized the overall mission of GWC in stating, “The end goal is the development of a region known globally for answers, opportunity, and innovation in human wellness. It’s great to have research, but is the research going to impact the social fabric of the region?”. Inequality and climate change are both primary focus areas as GWC seeks out project and research opportunities. As the social fabric continues to evolve, GWC hopes to play an important role in combatting areas of inequity throughout the region. As the globe sets its sights on the future of human wellness, GWC intends to place the upper-Midwest region as a key player in the future of nutrition, food security, agriculture, and healthcare. The Global Wellness Consortium is seeking additional visionaries to get involved in connecting the region to the globe. If you are interested in learning more about GWC, please contact James Hovland (jhovland@hovlandrasmus. com). To learn more about Minnesota State University, Mankato’s contribution to GWC, reach out to Teri Wallace (teresa.wallace@mnsu.edu).

LEARN MORE: https://link.mnsu.edu/maverickacademy

UPCOMING TRAINING EVENTS

Peer Connections: Women Entrepreneurs Come connect with and learn from three entrepreneurial coaches - all in different stages of their lives and careers. This three-part lunch and learn style series is designed for women entrepreneurs in the first three years of business. Join us to learn strategies for stepping into your vision, mission, and values, creating your story, and leveraging your brand for success!

DATE: Date: May 12th, May 19th, May 26th TIME: 11:30am – 1:00pm COST: FREE

Cyber-Awareness This session focuses on the personal and professional aspects of being cyber aware, and implications of working from home. Learn best practices for being cyber safe while living and working in a virtual world.

DATE: May 14th TIME: 9:00am – 10:30am COST: FREE

The Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS)® Academy Systematically and permanently improve your leadership teams and organizations by mastering EOS®, a proven system with over 10 years of history and having been implemented in more than 2,500 companies. Get started, gain traction, and continue to build on your strengths!

COST: This session valued at $750 is being DATE: June 10th offered for FREE courtesy of an TIME: 9:00am – 1:00pm economic development grant.

DEVELOPING LEADERS | MEETING INDUSTRY NEEDS

TO SIGN UP, OR FOR MORE INFORMATION: https://link.mnsu.edu/courses-and-programs Sessions are offered in virtual and in-person settings. Please visit our registration site for details on a specific program. 424 North Riverfront Drive, Mankato, MN Phone: 507-389-1094

LEADERBOARD What is your background? I grew up on my family’s corn and soybean farm in southern Minnesota. As a kid, I always had a wide range of interests and activities: I was the pitcher for my softball team, played the drums and piano, and thrived in math and science classes, as well as in art. When it came time to head to college, where I planned to play Division I softball, I chose studio art as my major, with a concentration in ceramics. I ultimately earned my bachelor’s degree in environmental science, with minors in studio art and economics from Gustavus, then went on to graduate school. I earned my MBA in finance from the Columbia Business School. My professional career started in renewable energy development and finance before shifting into technology development in the ag sector with Croptomize.

Janie Hanson Co-Founder/CEO of Hanson Lahre Entrepreneurship is to business as a spark is to a flame. It requires a combination of vision, skill, and boldness — plus a healthy dose of serendipity. To the rest of us mere mortals, the successful entrepreneur can appear almost magical, conjuring the perfect product out of thin air at just the right moment in time. Which leads me to Janie Hanson. Hanson is what used to be described as a real “go-getter.” She’s worn many hats in her life — farm girl, musician, softball player, artist, business leader, financial wiz, and most recently, serial entrepreneur. Hanson’s dreams have taken her far from the cornfields of Frost and out into the global marketplace, only to eventually bring her back full circle to Minnesota soil. Her career started with stops at Fortune 500 companies like Deere & Company and General Electric, where she built her leadership chops and filled her business toolkit with indispensable experience. Since she returned, Hanson has made 28

May | June 2021

a series of bold, entrepreneurial moves, weaving together the creative and the pragmatic to supply innovative solutions for farmers everywhere. Hanson’s first entrepreneurial endeavor was Connect the Grey, a platform for creating, developing, and investing in early-stage creative ventures, which she founded in 2014. That led to the formation of Hanson Lahre Inc. in 2019, which Hanson leads as CEO. Hanson Lahre is a technology development company dedicated to producing software, artificial intelligence, and blockchain technology solutions. Its first product, Croptomize, is an Apple iOS software application that launched in 2019. A second software product, Farm CFO, is scheduled to be released in May 2021. You can also find Hanson working behind the scenes at area nonprofits. She serves on the boards of the Minnesota Makers and Artists Guild and the Rural Renaissance Project. She is also a volunteer on GreenSeam’s branding and promotions committee. When she’s not in the office or the boardroom, Hanson pours her energy into her artistic side (she’s a photographer and a sculptor) and manages her share of her fifth-generation family farming operation. Wondering how she does it all? So am I!

How long have you been an entrepreneur? My whole life. Growing up on the farm, entrepreneurship was a natural fit … though my first attempt at a lemonade stand was unsuccessful. The gravel road location might’ve had something to do with the lack of customers. I really “cut my teeth” on managing a portfolio of projects while I was working at John Deere, leading wind farm developments across the U.S. The Renewables division was like working at a startup, but with the stability of the Deere & Co enterprise to back us up. Each project that eventually got built was its own company, so learning to balance a number of initiatives in the development pipeline was a critical skill that I continue to leverage today. I took my first steps away from the corporate world in 2013 when I became a partner in a New York City art gallery (energy finance at GE by day, gallery events on weekends). Tell us a little about why you started your business. When I moved back to Minnesota from New York, I was looking for a reliable source of intel on the grain markets like what I had access to when working in the energy markets. I struggled to find this. Luckily, I met Deanna Lahre, my Croptomize co-founder, at a conference in Chicago. We started working together, coupling her 40 years of experience in the markets as a

Jane Laskey EDITOR

“triple threat” — trader, mathematician, and coder — with the best data and analytics to build a product that delivers clear, actionable insights for farm financial decisions.

CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT GENERAL CONTRACTING DESIGN-BUILD (507) 387-1667 300 ST ANDREWS DR. SUITE 200 MANKATO, MN WEBCONMANKATO.COM

STUDIO 5

What need does Croptomize fill? Croptomize delivers market data, pricing probabilities, and tools to visualize opportunities in the markets to enhance farm revenues. These help farmers cut through the hype when it comes to selling their grain, providing access to the data and decision-making tools used by the major players in the commodity markets. When did Croptomize launch? We launched the free version of the Croptomize app in the Apple app store in October 2019 featuring local grain prices, the “BS Checker” — probabilities of different price levels, and market news updates. The subscription version, which includes hedging model results, was released in May 2020. However, we decided to make the 2020 service free for farmers given the economic uncertainty and disruptions from the pandemic. We will be kicking off 2021 crop-year subscriptions starting in May. It will include a new Farm CFO dashboard tab and a “Pros Only” package that provides a higher level of service, educational content, and market decision-making tools for farm financial management. How would you describe your leadership style? I would describe my leadership style as being a catalyst for innovation. I enjoy seeing potential and creating opportunities for others to utilize their talents and strengths. Are there others in our community that are your leadership role models? Why? Growing up in a family business, my earliest role models were my parents. They both took active leadership roles in the business and community, whether coaching youth sports, volunteering at church, or serving on the school board. They demonstrated that being part of a

Mankato | Amboy | Vernon Center

CELEBRATING 45 YEARS OF SERVING OUR AREA COMMUNITIES

cimankato.com

(507) 385-4485

We’re Here to Help Your Business NO-COST SERVICES INCLUDE: Start-Up Assistance COVID-19 Resources Business Plans Bookkeeping/QuickBooks

Cash Flow Management and Financial Analysis Marketing, Social Media, eCommerce Buying or Selling a Business Turn-Around for Distressed Businesses

Contact the Small Business Development Center to develop a personalized plan. myminnesotabusiness.com or call 507-389-8875 MSU Strategic Partnerships Center, 424 North Riverfront Drive, Suite 200, Mankato, MN POWERED BY

Funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration, Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development and regional support partners. All opinions, conclusions or recommendations expressed are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the program sponsors. Programs are open to the public on a nondiscriminatory basis. Reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities will be made if requested at least two weeks in advance. Contact the SBDC at 507-389-8875.

CONNECT Business Magazine

LEADERBOARD healthy community was just as important for success as having a healthy balance sheet. How do you hone your leadership skills? By constantly learning and evolving, seeking out different perspectives, and being around other creative leaders. But mostly through lots of practice and patience … though patience is a constant challenge for me! What has contributed to your growth and success? I’m not afraid to step out of my comfort zones and try new things. Understanding finance and how to utilize that language to get innovative projects off the ground was also important. What are the joys of running your own business? I love being able to take something from idea to reality and working with an incredible group of creatives. Please share your top tips for other entrepreneurs. Don’t be afraid to be yourself or take on a bold new role. One of my early mentors gave me the advice to always choose roles where I could learn the most. That focus on continuous learning and improvement is crucial in entrepreneurship, too. The world is constantly changing, so you’ve gotta stay on your toes and trust your ability to adapt. What do you do outside of work to stay balanced? I enjoy making art, playing music, and enjoying good food and conversation with family and friends. Do you have any routines that you do each day? I usually start my day catching up on news with a cup of coffee in front of the fireplace or on the porch, depending on the season, before the workday begins. I’m also mindful about making time for some form of exercise, whether a walk or run, yoga, or any outdoor activity. What are you passionate about? Some of the things I am passionate about are art, education, creating opportunities, and helping others. What’s next in your business journey? Next up in my business journey is the launch of Farm CFO, which moves beyond the grain marketing intel of Croptomize to helping farm families plan, protect, and build their assets across generations. We’ve also got something big brewing in Blue Earth with the Rural Renaissance Project, connecting art, tech, and agriculture. This effort is bringing together a great group of local entrepreneurs and creatives, such as Connect the Grey, MankatoLIFE, SelfMadeGlory, Triple Falls Productions, and others. Stay tuned! THE ESSENTIALS

Croptimize 120 South Main Street, Suite C Blue Earth, MN 56013 Phone: (612) 355-1599 Web: croptimize.com 30

May | June 2021

CONNECTING BACK

POWER!

5 YEARS AGO

MAY/JUNE 2016 Sisters Keri Solheid and Colleen Van Blarcom, daughters of former local McDonald’s franchise owner, Jerry Bambery, graced our cover 5 years ago. Also featured were Rich Draheim of Weichert Realtors, Community Group in Mankato and Drive A Tank in Kasota.

10 YEARS AGO

MAY/JUNE 2011 Ten years ago, Doug Anderson, Minnesota Hospitality Hall of Fame inductee and successful hotelier, was a cover character. Also profiled were Jones Metal Products and Russell Associates in Le Sueur.

Stop in and check out our full line of Stihl Battery or Gas Power Equipment HOME • FARM • COMMERCIAL 1951 Riverfront Drive, Mankato 507-387-1171 candssupply.com An Employee-Owned Local Business Since 1957

15 YEARS AGO

MAY/JUNE 2006 Bob Christensen, of Sleepy Eye’s then $500 million Christensen Farms, was our cover story. Also featured were JB Lures of Winthrop, and Nu-Chek Prep of Elysian.

20 YEARS AGO

MAY/JUNE 2001 Twenty years ago, Z Sam Gault, of Nicollet County Bank in St. Peter, was on the cover. Also featured were Y Barbers of Mankato, and Fairmont Sentinel of Fairmont.

CONNECT Business Magazine

By Lisa Cownie Photos by Jonathan Smith

WORLD’S LARGEST INDOOR LETTUCE PRODUCER FOUND IN SOUTHERN MINNESOTA Sustainable agriculture, farm-to-table movements — the future of farming practices are all beginning right here in southern Minnesota. One company leading the way is Revol Greens, a company doing extraordinary things from its home base near Owatonna. Extraordinary like growing lettuce year-round. Now, growing anything year-round in Minnesota is no small feat. But lettuce? Armed with an innovative, high-tech greenhouse, Revol Greens is changing the way lettuce and other greens are grown and revolutionizing the farm-to-table concept. This translates to less waste, fresher food, and better flavor.

Fresh and Fast

Founded in the GreenSeam in 2018, Revol Greens chose southern Minnesota as its headquarters by design. Its Owatonna greenhouse is strategically located as part of Revol Green’s business plan, which is to get produce into consumers’ hands fast. They harvest daily, which allows them to deliver their greens to retail and restaurant partners as fresh as possible. Continues

Tom Thompson, Revol Greens’ Chief Revenue Officer

CONNECT Business Magazine

Produce Possible!

...and so much more.

Pursuing a higher level of excellence every day.

sschwickerts@tectaamerica.com | 507-387-3101 Mankato | Savage | Rochester, MN | Lawrence, KS

www.schwickerts.com 34

May | June 2021

“It is estimated that over 30 percent of fresh produce goes to waste at some point throughout the food chain. This could be in a field in Salinas, California, where most lettuce comes from; on the journey from California to Minnesota; in a warehouse; on a store shelf; or even in our refrigerators at home,” Tom Thompson, Revol Greens’ chief revenue officer, said. “We hope we can get a product that is up to five days fresher to Minnesotans, shortening the food chain and waste before it gets to their homes. Hopefully giving them more time to enjoy our products.” Revol Greens accomplishes this by using a sprawling greenhouse that spreads over a 10-acre swath of southern Minnesota. Their greenhouse merges natural growing with modern technology to provide optimal growing conditions 24/7, 365 days a year. “We grow and package lettuces and salads in a completely controlled environment in greenhouses,” Thompson said. “Whether it’s zero degrees or 100 degrees, by growing in controlled environments we are creating balance by optimizing climate and eliminating the use of harmful chemicals. That includes no use of pesticides, fungicides, or herbicides. The net result is a fresher, healthier product for you that is better for the environment and that is grown 365 days a year right here in southern Minnesota.” Food safety is another key aspect of Revol’s mission. Its products are free of pesticides, herbicides, and types of fertilizers that have been linked to food safety problems at some farms. In addition, no human touches the product from seed through harvest. “Food safety is our top priority,” Thompson said. “We grow inside a secure and protected greenhouse, keeping animals, pests, and contaminants out. Our product moves through the greenhouse on water flumes to an automated harvest and packing process. From seed to packaging, no human hands touch our baby lettuces and greens. All our lettuce and greens are grown on site in our greenhouse, meaning no co-mingling of product from outside growers. We are certified by Primus Labs meeting Global Food Safety Initiative standards, recognized as one of the highest standards for produce food safety.” Striving for perfection in taste is also part of the recipe. Revol trials hundreds of seed varieties to find what they believe to be the best-tasting greens. These premium lettuces and greens are then grown with care in the greenhouse. Finally, greens are harvested and chilled within 10 minutes for next-day delivery, locking in the quality and crispness. Revol’s products have appeared at the perfect time as the demand for delicious, healthy foods continues to increase. “I think the primary impact is that we are at the center of a changing U.S. consumer diet that is shifting more toward a plantbased diet as the center of the plate. While a good steak and processed foods are not going anywhere anytime soon, we are excited about the role we play in bringing healthier food to Minnesotans’ plates as we all try to eat more local and fresh. We can do this while also creating excitement around how we grow and pride in being locally grown,” Thompson said. Sustainable Practices Revol’s Minnesota greenhouse boasts sustainability features like a glass roof to maximize natural light, meaning LED lights are only used when needed during short winter days. Other sustainability features include cutting down fuel usage and costs by shipping within

Revol Greens | Owatonna a roughly 200-mile radius of Owatonna. Rainwater and snowmelt supply the facility’s closed-loop hydration system. “We use what nature has to offer us where possible. All of our water usage is collected from the rooftop and our retention pond at a rate that is 95 percent less than field-grown lettuces from the West Coast,” Thompson said. “Over 80 percent of our plants’ light needs come from the sun. We supplement this through energy-efficient lighting. We also have energy-efficient curtains that keep the heat in in the winter or the extreme heat out in the summer. Our goal is to create that perfect climate recipe and environment that each plant needs.” Revol Greens’ system uses hybrid hydroponics, with soil boards floating atop ponds of nutrient-rich water. Modeled after a Dutch system, this highly automated system can produce more than 10,000 pounds of greens per day. “We produce over 5 million pounds per year,” Thompson said. “One acre in our system is equal to about 30 acres of production in an outdoor environment.” Rapid Growth The company’s growth has been fast and furious, a trend they expect will continue. Over the last three years, the company has expanded beyond Minnesota’s borders and now spans the country. “We have our hands full in continuing to grow our Minnesota

Year-Round in Minnesota? You Betcha. Here’s How • Filtered Rainwater: The rainwater and snowmelt from our greenhouse roof is the source for our irrigation water. It is stored and UV sterilized when we need it. • Natural Sunlight: Our glass greenhouse allows us to use natural sunlight to give our greens the light needed to grow. We supplement with high-efficiency LED lighting only when needed. • Growing More With Less: Our greenhouse lettuces use 90 percent less water than outdoor-grown lettuce. • Residual and Chemical Free: No pesticides or herbicides are ever used in our greenhouse. As a matter of fact, no chemicals whatsoever are sprayed on the product. • No Chemical Cleaning or Chlorine: Unlike “triple washed” outdoor-grown salads, no chemical cleaning or chlorine is used in our packing process. Since we grow indoors without the use of chemical sprays, there’s nothing to wash off. We want our greens to taste like greens, not a swimming pool.

St. Paul's Lutheran School FEATURED PROJECT

TOGETHER WE MAKE DREAMS REAL To us, it’s more than just a project, it’s a partnership. We collaborate with clients, design partners and the local community to ensure we can bring your dreams to reality. All before the first shovel hits the ground.

Knutson Mankato Office | 507.344.5900

CONNECT Business Magazine

Produce Possible!

Team member Kameron Holmes harvesting greens.

location, as well as expanding in California later in 2021. We are also building a site near Austin, Texas, where we hope to be growing product in 2022.” In addition to its Owatonna headquarters, Revol Greens opened a California location last year and is in the process of building a

May | June 2021

16-acre greenhouse in Tehachapi, California. A recent injection of $68 million from Equilibrium Capital helped them launch a third site near Austin, Texas, that is in early stages of development. From these three strategic locations, Revol Greens will be able to reach one-third of the U.S. population

within 24 hours of harvest. “We started out with 2.5 acres over three years ago and we have grown to 10 acres,” Thompson said. “We started with only conventionally grown products, meaning with the use of some mineral-based fertilizer products. Only recently have we added an organic lineup that includes a fertilizer source that is completely plant based. No animal byproducts whatsoever are used in our organic products — a first for any indoor or outdoor organic lettuce farmer.” Revol Greens’ growth has created jobs in all its locations. It has more than 50 employees in Minnesota. In California, it is up to 50 employees and the team continues to grow, with plans to hire an additional 50 in the next year. Its new Texas facility will bring jobs to that region, as well. But locations and number of employees are only partial indicators of how far the company has come as it enters its fourth year. Revol Greens’ product offerings have also expanded. “We started with only six items in our

Revol Greens | Owatonna portfolio, but now deliver over 13 different options to restaurant and grocery customers throughout the Midwest,” Thompson said. Revol’s products are distributed by Sysco Minnesota, Reinhart, U.S. Foods, and Bix Produce. Their greens can be found in the produce sections at Target, Walmart, Hy-Vee, Cub Foods, Coburns, Lunds & Byerly’s, Kowalski’s Market, and Fresh Thyme. A package of greens is typically priced between $2.99 and $3.99. According to Thompson, Revol’s pricing, quality, and product availability are consistent throughout the year, as opposed to traditional growers in outdoor settings that sometimes experience larger pricing swings, shortages, and quality issues. Minnesota Roots The concept of growing produce yearround is nothing new for Revol Greens’ co-founder Jay Johnson. If that name sounds familiar, it’s because Johnson is not new to the whole revolutionizing agriculture game. In fact, he’s been at the forefront of

greenhouse growing in Minnesota for 30 years. Johnson founded Bushel Boy Farms in 1989 in Owatonna. Bushel Boy was one of the first U.S. greenhouses to grow tomatoes year-round. Like Johnson, many on the experienced leadership team at Revol Greens have strong Minnesota roots. “The ownership and founders are primarily those with roots in southern Minnesota, with the exception of a financial partner, Equilibrium Capital,” Thompson said. “Our owners are a mix of those who have spent their careers in produce at companies such as C.H. Robinson in Eden Prairie and Target Corporation. Other founders also helped grow Bushel Boy Tomato to what it is today before selling in 2011. Our CEO, Mark Schulze, spent his career at Cargill.” Aside from southern Minnesota being strategically located to get their products to consumers efficiently, there are also very personal reasons the team started and remains here.

“We love the agriculture roots of people in southern Minnesota. Many of our team members grew up on farms or have ties to agriculture, so it’s exciting for those of us to see the revolution that’s happening in fresh produce. Where we are located, in Owatonna, is also at a crossroads for a lot of primary grocery and food service distribution channels. With easy access to the Twin Cities, where there are many distribution hubs, as well as south on I-35, we also have easy access to customers,” Thompson said. A prime location that is giving all who live and work in the GreenSeam, a front-row seat to the future of agriculture.

THE ESSENTIALS Revol Greens 2781 Northwest 50th Street Owatonna, MN 55049 Phone: (507) 200-2220 Web: revolgreens.com

Injured?

We’re here to help.

507.625.6600

Mankato, MN I mrr-law.com Pictured left to right: Nick Frentz, Jerry Maschka, Renee Rubish, Nick Maxwell, Jed Chronic, & Eric Iverson

CONNECT Business Magazine

By Lisa Cownie Photos by Adam Hester

CHS Starts With Connections Made Right Here in the GreenSeam Nestled along the Blue Earth River off the Jim Graham, plant manager, beaten path near Sibley Park and situated along CHS Mankato processing facility. the railroad tracks is a key reason Mankato is considered one of the largest soybean oil processing centers in the world. CHS is a Fortune 100 business owned by U.S. agricultural cooperatives, farmers, ranchers, and thousands of preferred stockholders. Based in Inver Grove Heights, Test weight of sample as Minnesota, it owns and operates various food processing part of quality grading. operations, wholesale farm supply markets, Cenex brand fuel, financial services, and retail businesses. It’s also a co-owner of Ventura Foods, a vegetable oil processor. CHS has had a presence in Mankato since 1960. As a farmer-owned cooperative, CHS connects growers to consumers all around the world. Two facilities located in southern Minnesota are key pieces in that global framework: one in Mankato and one in Fairmont. “Mankato’s unique location allows us to connect with local soybean growers, tap into Mankato’s dynamic workforce, and access strong transportation hubs to help us move food and animal food ingredients around the world. CHS is committed to serving farmers and the communities in which our farmer-owners, customers, and employees live and work,” explains Jim Graham, plant manager at CHS Mankato. Continues 38

May | June 2021

Monitoring jet dryer to ensure even heating.

CHS Mankato facility.

Loading of finished product.

Oil sample for quality assurance.

Connecting Growers to Consumers

Catch the Hometown Business Connection on KEYC News Now! • First Wednesday of the month on KEYC News Now at 6

• Repeats Thursday on KEYC News Now at noon • See all previous episodes on keyc.com

May | June 2021

Collectively, the CHS Mankato and Fairmont plants maintain a workforce of more than 270 employees, which doesn’t fully illustrate the impact they have on our region. “A 2016 study conducted by Ernst and Young estimated three indirect related operation jobs for every one CHS employee. Beyond employment, there are induced economic impacts to CHS suppliers, local cooperatives from patronage dividends, and customers supporting local communities,” Graham said. CHS moved into southwestern Minnesota because it is at the heart of soybean production. The CHS Mankato soybean processing plant has a deep and rich heritage of adding value to soybean growers’ crops by transforming them into key ingredients for human and animal food. The company has long been known for quality, consistency, and dependability. Its Mankato plant is a key cog in that, producing refined soybean oil, high oleic soybean oil, crude soybean oil, lecithin, soybean meal, soybean hulls, defatted soy white flake, defatted Honeysoy®, soy flour, and PlastiSoy® epoxidized soybean oil. From Mankato, CHS supplies soybean oil around the country and soy flour around the world. Much of the soybean meal is used regionally, although some is marketed nationally or exported, particularly to Latin America. With 225 employees in Mankato, CHS is continually upgrading its practices and facilities. “The CHS Mankato plant is committed to continuous improvement, efficiency, food safety, and quality. Areas of growth include the purchase of the Poplar Street rail yard, providing space for additional car storage, the addition of a CHS-owned process wastewater treatment plant, and building of a 24/7 railcar/truck wash facility,” Graham said. “CHS requires food-grade washes of all tank cars and trucks hauling finished oil products to ensure food safety and foodgrade requirements.” The Mankato plant has increased efficiency as a result of higher throughput, new product offerings, and a strong focus on energy reduction. In 2010, CHS Mankato began production of PlastiSoy, an epoxidized soy oil that is used in food wrap and medical

CHS | Mankato/Fairmont

applications. This allowed the facility to use existing manpower and repurposed equipment, along with a competitive advantage of already using specialized soybean oil feedstock in the refinery, to bring a high-quality, value-add product to market. “Safety has been a continued area of focus and improvement at the Mankato facility, in terms of employees, community compliance, and food safety. Many of our products are manufactured to standards that require many third-party audits and accreditations. For example, kosher, halal, and Safe Quality Food (Institute standards),” Graham said.

DIGITAL PRODUCTS GEOFENCING

TARGETED DISPLAY

CONNECTED TV

WHAT MAKES US DIFFERENT LOCALLY OWNED

HTML 5 CREATIVE

DASHBOARD

COMSCORE MOST VISTIED WEBSITES

TRANSPARENCY

Entertaining, informing, and connecting the community every day. THE VOICE OF MANKATO

We drive the same roads, drink the same water, AND LIVE IN THE SAME COMMUNITIES AS YOU. Brandon Nordstrom, plant manager at CHS Fairmont Finding the southern Minnesota region prime for expansion, CHS increased its presence here, starting production at a Fairmont facility in 2003. “With the growth of hog and turkey production in southern Minnesota and northern Iowa, CHS was seeing strong demand for soybean meal and oil from our customer bases. The CHS Mankato facility was at full production and was seeing a demand increase each week for extra product,” explains Brandon Nordstrom, plant manager at CHS Fairmont. “The

Bolton-Menk.com CONNECT Business Magazine

Connecting Growers to Consumers

CHS Fairmont soybean processing facility.

May | June 2021

CHS | Mankato/Fairmont

Like Mankato, Fairmont’s soybean meal and hull products are primarily used for animal feed in the region, although some of the meal is marketed nationally or exported. The crude oil is transported to the CHS soybean processing facility in Mankato for further refining to produce refined edible soybean oils. Fairmont facility allowed CHS to meet that demand and create additional market access for local farmers who grow soybeans.” The Fairmont plant produces crude soybean oil, soybean meal, and soybean hulls. Like Mankato, Fairmont’s soybean meal and hull products are primarily used for animal feed in the region, although some of the meal is marketed nationally or exported. The crude oil is transported to the CHS soybean processing facility in Mankato for further refining to produce refined edible soybean oils. “The CHS Fairmont soybean processing plant adds value to farmers’ crops by processing them into animal feed products and ingredients

for human food products. As a farmer-owned business, CHS is unique in its close connections to growers and cooperatives that deliver soybeans to the plant 24 hours a day, seven days a week,” Nordstrom said. CHS expanded the Fairmont plant in 2015 to include 5.5 million bushels of flat storage. The facility is undergoing another $105 million expansion and renovation which will be completed by fall 2021. “The renovation project will increase the plant’s soybean crush and soybean oil production capacity, expanding regional soybean grower market access and returning value to owners through increased production of high-demand, soy-based food and feed ingredients,” Nordstrom said. Currently, the Fairmont plant has 52 employees, but as the expansion nears completion that number is likely to rise. Depending on food ingredient market trends, CHS anticipates possible expansion of high-oleic soybean oil contracts with area growers. “CHS has a strong connection with the surrounding and local Fairmont community. Martin County is the largest producer of pork and one of the largest producers of soybeans in Minnesota,” Nordstrom said. “CHS takes pride in being able to provide market access to area farmers and in processing soybeans into soy meal which is sold to local livestock producers.” CHS has also committed to securing the future of farming in southern Minnesota. It invests in programs that develop new generations of ag leaders, promote ag safety and strengthen hometown communities.

Call: 507-345-SOLD or visit

www.MassadRealEstate.com BruceTanhoff

GeorgeMassad

| REALTOR®

BROKER | OWNER |REALTOR®

Connecting Growers to Consumers

A Rich History The history of CHS began in 1931 with the founding of the Farmers Union Central Exchange in St. Paul. Later, the core cooperative company became Cenex, from the combination of the last two words in its previous name. In 1998, Cenex merged with Harvest States Cooperatives to form Cenex Harvest States. In 2003, the cooperative changed its legal name to CHS Inc. Today CHS is a diversified global agribusiness cooperative owned by farmers and local cooperatives across the United States. CHS employs about 11,000 dedicated people around the globe who provide the owners with a strong, efficient supply chain, global market access, and inputs.

Key Facts • Net income for fiscal year ending Aug. 31, 2020: $422.4 million • Revenues for fiscal year ending Aug. 31, 2020: $28.4 billion • Owners: 900 cooperatives, 75,000 producers, 20,000 preferred stockholders • Originates more than 765 million bushels of grain • Distributes 2 million tons of crop nutrients • Supplies more than 300 million gallons of energy products • One of the largest U.S. marketers of ethanol products, a leading marketer of biodiesel blended fuels, and a growing participant in global renewable fuels imports and exports.

CHS Leadership CHS is a cooperative that is governed by the farmers and local cooperatives that own it. Seventeen full-time farmers or ranchers serve on the CHS board of directors. They represent eight regions from across the country. The number of directors representing each region is determined by business volume and the number of farmers, ranchers, and cooperatives in an area.

May | June 2021

CHS | Mankato/Fairmont

CITY OF WINNEBAGO, MN REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP) Located eight miles north of Blue Earth in Faribault County. Property located directly on Highway 169.

DETAILS • Address: 34 Main St. South, Winnebago MN • Request for Proposals for development due June 1st 2021 • Building in disrepair and needing of demolition and redevelopment • 1/4 acre lot, facade facing Highway 169 • Zoned B-2 • Land owned by City of Winnebago • Details for EDA grants and redevelopment loans are available • See City of Winnebago website for more information: www.cityofwinnebago.com TIMELINE

Each facility — Mankato and Fairmont — has a local stewardship committee and funds to help create a stronger connection between employees, their plants, and the communities where they operate. Giving examples include local 4-H and FFA programs, supporting local fire departments, and providing funding for grain bin safety training and lifesaving equipment to conduct grain bin rescues. In 2019, the Fairmont plant donated $100,000 to the Construction Trades Academy at Fairmont High School. The school aims to train the next generation of Minnesota’s workforce, which needs to replace more than 200,000 skilled tradespeople over the next 48 months due to baby boomer retirements. To help create more ag educators in greater Minnesota, the CHS Foundation donated nearly $3.5 million to the University of Minnesota to transform agriculture education from kindergarten through higher education. By updating curriculum, creating active learning classrooms for teachers in training, and connecting students with rural communities, this program brings the next generation of top-notch agriculture teachers to greater Minnesota. In the past five years, CHS has also donated over 160 scholarships to students studying agriculture in Minnesota. CHS’ impact on the Mankato and Fairmont communities goes far beyond its number of employees or the amount of product going out its doors. Its commitment to serve the communities in other ways is evident, as well. Since 2008, the Mankato plant has donated nearly $300,000 to local organizations to fund area food relief programs and legacy community projects, such as the CHS Pergola and CHS Rock Garden at Sibley Park in Mankato and the Mankato Kiwanis Holiday Lights. Local stewardship dollars in 2021 will provide continued support for the Feeding Our Communities Partners’ Backpack Food Program, which provides local children with supplemental meals, and a $5,000 donation to Mankato Area Public Schools to help build a greenhouse and provide curriculum on agriculture and the food supply chain. Long-standing community involvement from the Fairmont soybean processing facility includes donating wheelchair-accessible playground equipment to local parks and providing resources to youth leadership programs, community safety, and the Fairmont Area Schools Food Service Angel Fund, which wipes out school lunch debt for local families. Connecting with its consumers and its communities, CHS continues to make a difference in the global ag economy from right here in the GreenSeam.

STREET VIEW

ZONING

MARCH 2021

JUNE 2021

J U LY 2021

J U LY 2022

RFP RELEASE

RFP DEADLINE

RFP AWA R D E D

CONSTRUCTION BEGINS

ANGIE STIER

Economic Development Specialist angie.stier@cedausa.com 612-799-8129

JACOB SKLUZACEK

City Administrator jskluzacek@cityofwinnebago.com 507-525-3263

THE ESSENTIALS CHS Inc. 1833 130th Street Fairmont, MN 56031 2020 South Riverfront Drive Mankato, MN 56001 Phone: (800) 642-0046 Web: chsag.com CONNECT Business Magazine

FEATURE Collaboration Connection

Agribusiness Educational Programming Experiencing Rapid Growth AFNR Curriculum On the Rise in Minnesota Schools $1,190,000,000,000. That’s over 1 trillion with a T. It’s also the amount agriculture, food, and related industries contributed to the U.S. gross domestic product in 2019: $1.19 trillion. Not too shabby! That number will only continue to grow, which explains why agribusiness professionals are in demand and ag education is hot, hot, hot. If you’re picturing a lot of empty tractor seats as you read this, you couldn’t be more wrong. Farmers will always be the backbone of the industry, but there is also demand for employees in biotech, engineering, software, automation, natural resources, finance, marketing, and communications. The list of related careers goes on and on. 46

May | June 2021

“One of the challenges we face is encouraging students and families to see the demand and potential in the agriculture, food, and natural resource industry. It offers high wage, high status, and high quality of life careers that will provide financial flexibility and a balanced future,” Ethan Dado said. Dado is an agriculture, food, and natural resource, or AFNR, instructor and FFA adviser for Mankato Area Public Schools. To meet the demands of the industry, area schools and colleges are adding courses, hiring faculty, and building labs and greenhouse at a rapid pace. To learn more, I spoke with three area educators who are busy creating new learning opportunities at Mankato public schools and colleges.

Mankato Area Public Schools (MAPS) Independent School District 77 introduced its AFNR program at Mankato East and Mankato West high schools during the 2019-20 school year. “The demand for talent in AFNR careers is why our program was established two years ago,” Dado said. “The community saw the need and advocated with the district to play their part in preparing for the future of the industry.” The high school program has proven wildly popular, growing exponentially in a truly short time. “The first year we only had 40 students enrolled in our program. For the 2020-21 academic year, we added two more AFNR

South Creek HR is a proud recipient of the 2020 Everything DiSC ® and The Five Behaviors ® Opal Award for an achievement and commitment to optimizing organizational culture and teamwork.

Jane Laskey EDITOR

courses: introduction to plant science and intro to animal science,” Dado said. “As a result, we grew from 40 students to just short of 300 students, an increase of over 700 percent.” ISD 77 will continue to grow its AFNR programs, hiring a second instructor and adding four more courses next year. The new courses explore a wide range of AFNR subjects: natural resources; introduction to agricultural mech and tech; plant production; and veterinary science. MAPS is also building a large, technology-enriched greenhouse to provide handson learning opportunities and to train students in problem-solving techniques. The greenhouse will be located at Mankato East High School. “This greenhouse will increase authentic learning opportunities and prepare 21st century students for 22nd century careers,” Dado said. “We have an incredible opportunity to train the next generation.”

2020

Let’s explore how we can help your team too!

Opal Award Winner

southcreekhr.com | 507-246-2950 | Fairmont

South Central College (SCC) South Central College is a seasoned player in AFNR, celebrating 50 years in agricultural education in 2020. Its current offerings are robust and constantly evolving to meet the growing needs of the industry. Brad Schloesser is the dean of agriculture at SCC. He’s also the director of the Southern Agricultural Center of Excellence. “At SCC, our agribusiness programming provides opportunities to augment the food, fuel, feed, and fiber chain,” Schloesser said. “Think supply chain. The protein, meat, milk, and plant products that are produced on farms require processing prior to arrival at the store and eventually on our plate. So, at SCC we prepare people for many roles in the agribusiness spectrum, from farm gate to the dinner plate. SCC divides its AFNR programming into two distinct categories: agribusiness and farm management. The agribusiness curriculum gives students a broad understanding of current ag concepts, CONNECT Business Magazine

FEATURE Collaboration Connection innovations, and trends. It includes five associate degree programs and four certificate programs. SCC’s newest program is a sustainable micro farming certificate. More agribusiness offerings are in the works. A $500,000 Agriculture and Food Research Initiative grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture will be used to create an advanced ag technology certificate program. This program, which combines agribusiness with mechatronics, launches in August 2021. Schloesser said 91 students are currently enrolled in agribusiness programs. Typically, these programs attract recent high school graduates and transfer students. But there is also demand by nontraditional students, such as military veterans. “Veterans have opportunities in agriculture,” Schloesser said. “That was the motivation for our AgSPARK program. It is designed to transfer, retool and apply their military skills and talents to the agriculture fields.”

May | June 2021

Farm business management is designed for agricultural producers who are already actively farming. Its goal is to help them make the most out of their operations through one-on-one educational services that lead to certificates and degrees. This popular program’s enrollment has been consistently over 600 students for each of the last three years. SCC is also investing in its facilities. In 2019, the Hi-Tunnel Greenhouse was built on campus. In 2020, it expanded its Agribusiness Experiential Learning Lab, quadrupling its size, through a partnership with the Crystal Valley farmers cooperative. The rising demand for AFNR graduates has led to several positive trends. Schloesser is seeing increasing diversity in agriculture, a greater emphasis on handson education, and more high schools committing to offering AFNR education. “There’s a rejuvenated interest and a commitment to ag education where agriculture

awareness and career exploration has been absent,” Schloesser said. “Currently there are 202 secondary AFNR programs in Minnesota high schools, with seven more pending, and additional schools seeking the opportunity. You see the same excitement in Mankato, St. Peter, Janesville-Waldorf-Pemberton, Cleveland, and Faribault high schools.” Minnesota State University, Mankato (MSU) Minnesota State University, Mankato is seeing growth in several AFNR-related areas, including one that may surprise you: business. “As business students graduate, many take agribusiness positions in accounting, finance, human resources, sales, and other management-related positions,” Shane Bowyer said. “The jobs are across the board when it comes to the size of organizations, as graduates are taking positions with large, multinational companies, smaller regional firms, and even

starting their own businesses.” Bowyer is MSU’s Agribusiness & Food Innovation director and an assistant professor of management. He noted that the College of Business currently offers a minor in agribusiness and food innovation, which can be coupled with any major on campus. It will launch its first agribusiness major in the fall of 2021. “We are excited about this program as it has various tracks within agribusiness the students can choose to focus on,” Bowyer said. “This is developing rather quickly, especially for higher education.” While the university has always had related courses and graduates that went on to work in AFNR-related industries, it has only recently added majors and minors dedicated to AFNR careers. More are on the way. “Starting this fall of 2021, MSU will have nine undergraduate majors related to AFNR, as well as an environmental sciences master’s program and certificate

degrees in environmental geology, renewable energy, geographic information sciences, and global solutions in engineering,” Bowyer said. Those programs can’t come soon enough. Bowyer cites a recent USDA report that projects annual job opportunities for AFNR graduates with bachelor’s degrees or higher will average almost 60,000 openings for each of the next five years; 42 percent of those jobs will be in management and business. At this pace, employer demand will far exceed available graduates. This trend is reflected in the increasing number of AFNR companies that come to MSU to recruit qualified candidates. “In the past few years, there have been more than 160 AFNR-related companies recruiting both on campus and through our career development center,” Bowyer said. “Because our institution is located in the heart of an agricultural region, there will be abundant opportunities for our graduates right out our back door.”

To meet growing demand, MSU will continue to up its ante in the AFNR game. Plans for developing a new College of Applied Agriculture and Food are in the works. “This will be the front door, attracting students and developing partnerships within the region to bring big ideas to the growing agriculture and food industry,” Bowyer said. THE ESSENTIALS

Mankato Area Public Schools Phone: (507) 387-1868 Web: isd77.org

South Central College

Mankato Campus: (507) 389-7200 Faribault Campus: (507) 332-5800 Web: southcentral.edu

Minnesota State University, Mankato Phone: (507) 389-1866 Web: mankato.mnsu.edu

CONNECT Business Magazine

INDUSTRY INSIGHT

Bountiful Harvest Growing up in Wayzata, Minnesota, Kristin Duncanson always knew that giving back would be an important part of her future. What she did not anticipate is that sometimes her philanthropy would look less like cash and more like cash crops.

DREAMING

DOING YOU KNOW WHAT YOUR GOALS ARE. WE’RE HERE TO MAKE THEM HAPPEN.

What inspires you, inspires us. 507.387.6031 | eidebailly.com

May | June 2021