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SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2014 UPCOMING EVENTS - PG 9 

JOURNAL OF THE MINNESOTA PRECISION MANUFACTURING ASSOCIATION 

INSIDE THIS ISSUE: 

FALLING FROM 

THE CLOUD 

Is the sky the limit for this 

new way of doing business 

FEATURE 

16 32 22 

Who Has the Key to Manufacturing 

Health in Minnesota 

INDUSTRY SPOTLIGHT 

Epicor ERP Version 10 

LEADERSHIP INSIGHTS 

Five to Get You Ten: 

Best Practices of the Top CEOs

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• Full 5-axis machining • 8100-rpm, 30 hp spindle • 40+1 SMTC 

• Wireless probing with routines for center of rotation measurement 

• Dynamic work offsets and tool center point control 

Haas. The Lowest Cost of Ownership. 

Haas Factory Outlet 

A Division of Productivity, Inc. 

430 

Minnesota: 15150 25th Ave. N., Plymouth, MN 55447 

p: 763.742.1263 I e: hfomn@productivity.com I www.Haasproductivity.com

Think You Can’t Afford Health Benefits 

Contact your local Federated representative to 

learn more about innovative health insurance 

plan options, including high deductible plans 

and health savings accounts—because quality, 

cost-effective benefit options are key to 

financial health. 

Visit www.federatedinsurance.com to find a 

representative near you. 

Federated Mutual Insurance Company • Federated Service Insurance Company* • Federated Life Insurance Company 

Owatonna, Minnesota 55060 • Phone: (507) 455-5200 • www.federatedinsurance.com 

*Not licensed in the states of NH, NJ, RI, and VT. © 2013 Federated Mutual Insurance Company

In addition to providing traditional CPA firm services, we 

help manufacturers focus on issues such as: 

• Key performance indicators 

• Financial controls 

• Project cost control 

• Succession planning 

Contact Gary Turnquist, CPA today to discuss how we can 

assist you. Gary is a Shareholder and leader of our 

Manufacturing Practice Group. 

763.253.1138 

gturnquist@bpkz.com 

Proud member and corporate sponsor of MPMA since 2004. 

BLANSKI PETER KRONLAGE & ZOCH, P.A. 

7500 Olson Memorial Highway, Suite 200 

Golden Valley, MN 55427 

www.bpkz.com 

w w w . p m - m n . c o m 

Supporting Minnesota in becoming the world leader in precision 

contract manufacturing and related technologies. 

Editor & Publications Manager 

Molly Barrett - molly@mpma.com 

Sales Manager 

Bill Remes - bill@mpma.com 

Art Director & Designer 

Severyn Skoug - severyn@mpma.com 

MINNESOTA PRECISION MANUFACTURING ASSOCIATION 

5353 Wayzata Blvd., Suite 350 • Minneapolis, MN 55416 

952.564.3041 • www.mpma.com 

MPMA OFFICERS 

President 

Daniel Meyer, International Precision Machining, Inc. 

Vice President 

Jennifer Salisbury, Mack Engineering Corp. 

Treasurer 

Benjamin Rashleger, WSI Industries, Inc. 

Secretary 

B Kyle, Saint Paul Port Authority 

Executive Director Jaime Nolan, CAE - jaime@mpma.com 

Deputy Director 

Luann Bartley - luann@mpma.com 

Associate Director Jessica Burgus - jessica@mpma.com 

EDITORIAL COMMITTEE 

Chair, Editor-in-Chief: B Kyle - blk@sppa.com 

Luke Bame - lukebam@lubetech.com 

Michelle Gates - mgates@bpkz.com 

John Madsen - jmadsen@daytonrogers.com Chuck Remillard - chuckr@kurt.com 

Ted Roberts - troberts@robertsautomatic.com Andrew Skoog - andrew@hexpedite.com 

Fred Zimmerman - zimco@visi.com 

Precision Manufacturing, (ISSN 0273-7523) is published six times per year by 

IntrinXec Management Inc., 5353 Wayzata Blvd., Suite 350, Minneapolis, MN 55416. 

Precision Manufacturing is the only authorized regular publication of the 

Minnesota Precision Manufacturing Association (MPMA). Opinions and 

conclusions expressed in the magazine are those of the individual writer and 

do not necessarily reflect the official position of the MPMA or its officers. 

Advertising rates provided on request. Correspondence regarding the 

magazine, including industry news releases, photographs and press 

releases relating to precision manufacturing should be sent to Precision 

Manufacturing, Molly Barrett, c/o IntrinXec Management, Inc., 5353 Wayzata 

Blvd., Suite 350, Minneapolis, MN 55416. Electronic correspondence, 

including attached files in Word or plain text formats, may be sent to molly@ 

mpma.com. Unsolicited materials will not be returned. 

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: Precision Manufacturing, c/o IntrinXec 

Management, Inc., 5353 Wayzata Blvd., Suite 350, Minneapolis, MN 55416. 

For editorial, advertising or membership information: 

Phone: (952) 564-3041 | Fax: (952) 252-8096 

Copyright ©2014 Minnesota Precision Manufacturing Association. 

AWARDS 

- Association TRENDS 2009, 2010 

- American Graphic Design Award 2010 

- MSAE Award of Excellence. 2008, 2010 

MEMBERS OF 

follow us 

@ twitter.com/mpmajournal

CONTENTS 

September | October 2014 

DEPARTMENTS 

DEPARTMENTS 

FALLING FROM 

THE CLOUD 

Is the sky the limit for this 

new way of doing business 

7 President’s Letter 

8 News Bytes 

9 MPMA Events 

37 MPMA Member Directory 

42 Advertisers’ Index 

FEATURES 

FEATURES 

10 

16 Feature Story: 

Who Has the Key to Manufacturing Health in Minnesota 

by MPMA Government Relations Committee 

COLUMNS 

COLUMNS 

14 Made In Minnesota 

Peerless Chain 

20 Sales and Marketing 

Reinventing 

Northstar Aerospace 

27 Who’s Who 

Dr. Adenuga Atewologun 

16 

22 Leadership Insights Series: 

Five to Get You Ten: Best Practices of the Top CEOs 

by B Kyle with contributions from Ellen Green 

30 Educator's Corner 

Riverland’s IMMR 

Instruction Evolves 

22 

28 Feature Story: Southeast Minnesota 

Seeds of Growth Sprout New Opportunities 

by Melissa DeBilzan 

E-CLUSIVES 

E-CLUSIVES 

E-clusives are online only 

@ www.pm-mn.com 

SOUTHEAST 

MINNESOTA 

28 

32 Industry Spotlight: Epicor 

Epicor ERP Version 10 


34 Feature Story: 

Influencing Manufacturing Careers 

by Keith Summers 

A Focused Program 

Recruits Veterans, and 

Benefits All 

“Let’s Be Careful Out 

There”—How Business 

Can Learn From U.S. 

Army Safety Practices 

34 

September | October 2014 PRECISION MANUFACTURING | 5

PRESIDENT’S LETTER 

Looking Back 

WHILE GOING FORWARD 

by Daniel Meyer 

T 

his letter is being written as I am coming to the end of my ninth month as 

president of the MPMA, which I find very hard to believe. I think we all know 

how fast time clicks by when a person is busy. If I could only figure out how to 

slow time down and sell it, I know I would make a ton of money! 

I thought I would take this opportunity to write about the many good things that have been 

happening this year with the MPMA. First off, our membership has been growing and now stands 

at approximately 347 members. 

DANIEL MEYER 

President 

International Precision 

Machining, Inc. 

dmeyer@ipminc.com 

The Programs Committee also has been doing an exceptional job finding interesting and pertinent 

topics for the membership meetings—all of which have had record attendance. The event with the 

best attendance this year was on the topic of 3-D printing in metals, which is as cutting edge as you 

can get in our industry! 

Throughout the year, the membership also has had the privilege to tour some very impressive 

manufacturing facilities. So much can be learned on these tours and I think it is a very valuable 

benefit for our members. I wish to express my sincere thanks to these companies for being so 

accommodating and for allowing these MPMA tours to take place at their businesses. 

The Foundation has been doing a great job with raising funds and awarding money to schools and 

programs that are centered on the advancement of precision manufacturing careers. Additionally, 

individual scholarships have been awarded to students wanting to get their certificates, diplomas, 

or degrees in our field. 

The Government Relations Committee is making great strides getting our message in front of our 

elected officials. Additionally, all of our social events like Golden Gloves and the golf outing have 

had record attendance. 

It is a terrific honor to be president of the MPMA when everything is going so well. I wish I could 

take all the credit—but I can’t. So much of what is happening now was put in place by those who 

have preceded me. I can only hope that there will be successful things happening in the future that 

I have had a hand in shaping. 

So, as I am coming to the end of my term, I wonder what else the MPMA could be doing. The 

theme of my presidency has been “Discovering Your Purpose." I am hoping we all have a good 

reason or purpose for being members of this fine association, and I hope that we are benefitting 

from it in a positive way. 

With that, I would like to give all of you the opportunity to chime in on what you like or don’t like 

about the MPMA and what you think should be considered for future initiatives. I would like to 

know about whatever ideas you may have that you think would make the MPMA better. Please 

email them to me at dmeyer@ipminc.com, and I will present those ideas at the next strategic 

planning session. 

Take care everyone! PM 


NEWSBYTES 

Check out some of the latest news and events happening around the MPMA and the manufacturing 

industry. If you have something you would like to submit for publishing to our news section, please email 

newsbytes@pm-mn.com. For more news and events be sure to check out www.pm-mn.com. 

GET INVOLVED! 

Support Manufacturing while Sharing your Time and Talents! 

The Precision Manufacturing Journal is looking for volunteer writers and article ideas! 

Are you a professional in the manufacturing industry, own your own company, or just plain knowledgeable about the world of manufacturing Would you like to 

write an article and be published in an upcoming issue Do you wish you could read about something that we haven’t covered yet Let us know! 

To submit story ideas, volunteer your time as a writer, or for more information, contact Molly Barrett, Publications Manager / Editor of the Precision Manufacturing 

Journal, at molly@mpma.com. 

SAVE THE DATES! 

Minnesota Manufacturers Week • October 20-25, 2014 

Below are some of the exciting events taking place during Manufacturers Week. 

• Statewide Tour of Manufacturing, October 23-25, 2014 

• MPMA Annual Meeting, October 23, 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. 

The Minnesota Chamber of Commerce will hold their Manufacturing Summit during October. Additional details about 

this event will be published soon. 

Please mark your calendar and plan to participate in all events! 

RECENTLY IN THE NEWS 

MnSCU Tuition Freeze Will Continue For This School Year 

Tuition throughout the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities (MnSCU) system will remain frozen during the 2014-2015 school year—with students paying the same 

tuition rate that they paid in the 2012-2013 school year. This is the second year of a 2-year promise by MnSCU to “keep tuition unchanged for more than 200,000 students.” 

This tuition freeze will apply to the entire MnSCU system, which includes 31 public colleges and universities throughout Minnesota. 

For the upcoming academic year, student fees at MnSCU schools will increase by less than 0.5 percent. 

This tuition freeze was made possible by Governor Dayton and the Minnesota Legislature, with $52.5 million in state funded tuition relief being used to help keep 

costs low for students. 

Donaldson Foundation Donates $25,000 to Dunwoody's YCAP Program 

Donaldson Company Inc. recently gave a $25,000 grant to the Dunwoody College of Technology’s Youth Center Awareness Program (YCAP). The grant is designed to 

help the college redesign the YCAP program in order to increase student diversity at Dunwoody. 

The YCAP program begins in high school and continues at the college, where students of diverse backgrounds can access academic support, mentors, and financial 

assistance so that they may pursue a technical degree. 

The redesign of the YCAP program (YCAP 2.0) "will respond to both the demographic changes and changing development needs of the region," as well as implement 

new leadership and programs for students. 

For more information about Dunwoody’s YCAP Program, visit www.dunwoody.edu/ycap 

For more information about the Donaldson Foundation, visit www.donaldson.com/en/about/community/foundation.html 

8 | PRECISION MANUFACTURING September | October 2014

MPMA EVENTS: 

SEPTEMBER 2014 

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2014 

MEMBER PROGRAM 

Topic: 

Accounting Roundtable 

Location: Minneapolis Marriott Northwest 

Look for more details online @ www.mpma.com 

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2014 

3RD ANNUAL SHOOT FOR SCHOLARSHIPS 

Location: MN Horse & Hunt Club 


OCTOBER 2014 

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2014 

MPMA ANNUAL MEETING 

Location: Minneapolis Marriott Northwest 


THURSDAY – SATURDAY, 

OCTOBER 23-25, 2014 

STATEWIDE TOUR OF MANUFACTURING 

Open your doors to the public! 


NOVEMBER 2014 

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2014 

FACILITY TOUR 

Location: RTI Remmele Engineering, 

New Brighton Facility 


FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014 


Topic: Discuss Legislative Issues 

With Representative Erik Paulsen 

Location: TBD 


DECEMBER 2014 

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2014 


Topic: Employment Practices Liability 

Location: TBD 


1 

IS THE NUMBER OF BUSINESSES WE OPERATE 

We are solely an auctioneer that does not hold 

any inventory. Our only business is turning your 

surplus machinery & equipment into cash. 

Sorry we cannot sell you a NEW Haas or Used Toyoda. 

UPCOMING MACHINERY 

EXCHANGE DATES: 

SEPTEMBER 

S M T W T F S 

1 2 3 4 5 6 

7 8 9 10 11 12 13 

14 15 16 17 18 19 20 

21 22 23 24 25 26 27 

28 29 30 

NOVEMBER 

S M T W T F S 

1 

2 3 4 5 6 7 8 

9 10 11 12 13 14 15 

16 17 18 19 20 21 22 

23 24 25 26 27 28 29 

30 

Listing Deadline 

October 23rd 

Sale Start Date 

September 4th 

November 6th 

OCTOBER 

S M T W T F S 

1 2 3 4 

5 6 7 8 9 10 11 

12 13 14 15 16 17 18 

19 20 21 22 23 24 25 

26 27 28 29 30 31 

SEPTEMBER 

MACHINERY EXCHANGE 

Open Bidding Sept. 4 to Sept. 18 

Upcoming Machinery & Equipment 

CNC & Manual Machinery 

Mills – Lathes – Grinders 

Fab – Welding – Inspection 

Tooling – Material Handling 

Much Much More! 

www.hoffonlineauctions.com 

Sale End Date 

September 18th 

November 20th 

For more information or if you 

would like a full calendar 

Contact Ryan Olson at 612.521.5500 

www.hoffonlineauctions.com 

612.521.5500 

1325 Quincy Street NE 

Minneapolis, MN 55413 


FALLING FROM THE CLOUD 

Is the sky the limit for this new way of doing business by Melissa DeBilzan 

Farid Currimbhoy travels the world for Millerbernd Laser, based in Winsted, Minnesota, but he’s 

never far from the shop. That’s because the 85-person company operates and communicates 

almost entirely through the cloud, allowing him to access any program or file as if he had never 

left the office. 

All he needs is a device and an Internet connection. 

10 | PRECISION MANUFACTURING September | October 2014 

Image Source: (U.S. Air Force photo / Master Sgt. John Nimmo)

COVER STORY 

Millerbernd Laser is among a growing 

number of shops keeping operational 

data and programs on the cloud as 

opposed to onsite. The cloud is a simple 

term to describe a network of Internet 

servers, enabling information to be 

accessible through a Web browser. 

The ability to monitor cash flow and 

shipments in real time, Currimbhoy said, 

saves a lot of extra time and phone calls 

each week. It’s not uncommon for him 

to tweak an Autocad drawing from the 

airport early in the morning, or to modify 

a job from his hotel room in the evening. 

These are just a few high-level functions 

that he can do from the cloud. 

“Since moving everything to the 

cloud, we have greatly improved 

productivity," Currimbhoy said. “We are 

able to get a lot of work done at night and 

on the weekends. Another advantage of 

using the cloud is that we don’t need to 

haul around heavy computers with all the 

software pre-loaded. We simply carry our 

iPads with us and jump online to access 

whatever information we need. We don’t 

need to worry about purchasing hardware 

or even high-end computers because all 

we need is a fast Internet connection.” 

Until recently, Millerbernd used a 

VPN connection to access data and files 

from the company’s onsite server, but the 

connection was slow and cumbersome, 

and it was nearly impossible to download 

engineering drawings. 

So, in 2010, Currimbhoy and 

others at the company began exploring 

other solutions. They put together a 

committee to investigate whether it 

made more sense to retain a full-time IT 

administrator—who was drowning in 

software upgrades, network problems, 

and hardware maintenance—or to 

outsource those issues to an experienced 

third-party cloud provider. 

Ultimately, Millerbernd selected an 

IT company in Minneapolis to host and 

manage all of the company's data and 

programs, including its ERP system, 

which was not yet on the cloud. Through 

a secure login, employees gain access to 

the company’s virtual server so that they 

can view or update information in real 

time over the Web. 

Because the servers are hosted on the 

cloud, Millerbernd no longer worries 

about upgrading to the latest version of 

Microsoft Office, downloading security 

patches to AutoCad, or disinfecting 

viruses that attack the company's email 

system. Millerbend's cloud provider 

manages and updates every application as 

part of a monthly service package. 

“We’re paying a lot less and receiving 

better support,” Currimbhoy said. “So 

we’ve been very happy with the switch.” 

Not all manufacturers have been as 

quick to adopt cloud-based technology, 

however. Some are concerned about data 

security and ownership, particularly if 

they have government contracts. Others 

worry about the cost and reliability of 

putting large amounts of information on 

a remote server in cyberspace. 

THE SUNNY SIDE 

On the surface, cloud-based 

technology can offer seemingly limitless 

solutions. Because it is delivered through 

the Internet, functionality isn’t bound to 

a specific network or device; any and all 

information can be made available across 

departments or time zones. 

If you’ve ever opened email in Yahoo 

or posted a video to YouTube, you’ve 

experienced the cloud to some degree. 

Other familiar programs include Flickr, 

Gmail, Google, LinkedIn, Facebook, 

and Carbonite. There’s no shortage of 

business-specific programs and solutions 

running in the cloud, either. 

A classic example is Salesforce, a 

Customer Relationship Management 

(CRM) program, that claims to turn 

any mobile device into a portable office. 

The cloud-based application allows 

salespeople to respond to leads on the fly, 

log calls, and track sales activity when 

they’re on the road. 

Webinar and video messaging services 

such as ReadyTalk and WebEx can be 

powerful tools for educating customers or 

for simply holding on-demand meetings 

that allow for presentations, file sharing, 

and “face to face” communication. A 

physical space isn’t necessary—you only 

need a device and an Internet connection. 

Data storage and file sharing tools 

such as Dropbox have become popular 

alternatives to sending large files through 

email attachments, private servers, and 

FTP. Essentially, anyone can upload a file 

to a public server and share a link to that 

document with others so that they can 

view and update it in real time. Google 

Docs, Sheets, and Slides work much the 

same way, but are universally compatible 

with any device—eliminating the need for 

Microsoft Office. Recognizing the power 

of the cloud to transform the way people 

communicate and collaborate, both 

Google and Microsoft have launched 

cloud-based email, calendar, video 

sharing, and screen sharing programs 

tailored specifically to businesses. 

continued 

SECURITY 

The security information 

on most consumerand 

business-based 

applications can be 

found on their websites. 

Dropbox, for example, 

has a 13-page whitepaper 

on its website detailing 

the encryption used, 

security policies in place, 

and other procedures 

to safeguard data. 

Microsoft Office 365 

has information on its 

website for companies 

needing to maintain ITAR 

compliance. The Google 

Apps website states that 

it can support HIPAA 

compliance and has 

authority from the federal 

government to operate at 

the FISMA-Moderate level 

— the standard level for 

federal email systems. 


COVER STORY 

Keith Schoolcraft with 

aCOUPLEofGURUS said he is in the 

process of moving several manufacturers 

to the Office 365 cloud platform, which 

goes above and beyond the desktop 

version. “Employees have the ability to 

know if someone is at their workstation, 

and communicate with them instantly, 

without being intrusive,” he said. 

Larry Sieberg, IT manager for Kato 

Engineering in North Mankato, said 

his company is just starting to dabble in 

the cloud. He wouldn’t be surprised if 

VS. 

CLOUD 

VS. 

VPN 

Both require an Internet 

connection. Both offer 

secure access to servers 

and data. The main 

difference is control. 

With a VPN, companies 

have complete control 

over the servers, but are 

responsible for buying 

them, keeping them up 

to date, and addressing 

security threats, 

viruses, and other 

issues. With the cloud, 

companies do not have 

physical servers in their 

possession. Companies 

“rent” as much space as 

they need on the server 

and pay for what they 

use. All maintenance, 

security threats, and 

software updates are 

handled for them. 

the shop adopted a cloud-based CRM 

and Office 365 in the near future. “We'd 

always have the latest customer contact 

information in addition to the latest 

versions of Word and Excel,” he said. 

Of course, an increasing number 

of manufacturing-specific software 

programs can be accessed through the 

cloud as well. Over the last 5 years, many 

ERP systems have created cloud-based 

versions, allowing companies to manage 

every aspect of the shop from anywhere 

and at any time. Detailed information 

about customers, sales orders, work 

orders, invoices, and other essential 

functions are never more than a few 

clicks away. 

Additional advantages touted 

by cloud providers include rapid 

deployment (fast installation and 

implementation), instant scalability (the 

ability to add more users or functions 

as necessary), and operational flexibility 

(which is not limited to space and time 

constraints). Cloud computing also 

frees up computing power whenever 

manufacturing operations need 

additional resources. 

MTConnect highlights the need for 

cloud-based storage at many shops. As 

machine tools start spitting out gigabytes 

of information per hour, it doesn’t 

make sense to analyze and store all of 

this information locally. Even large and 

expensive servers likely will need to be 

replaced every 2 to 4 years. 

Finally, the cloud can be less 

expensive, at least initially, because there 

are no hard costs. Some liken the expense 

to electricity—shops don’t build their 

own expensive power plants; they rely on 

large power plants that serve the masses. 

THE DARK SIDE 

The most common concerns of cloudbased 

technology revolve around security, 

reliability, and customization. Many 

manufacturers aren’t comfortable trusting 

a third party with confidential data on 

their servers—at least not yet. 

The only thing on the cloud at 

Dahlquist Machine in Ham Lake is the 

company’s website. And it’s likely to stay 

that way for a while. “We maintain our 

own server for security reasons,” said Jeff 

Dahlquist, owner. “You have no control 

[of the information] once it’s out there.” 

Other than using Dropbox to share 

engineering files, Kurt Manufacturing 

Company, Inc., doesn’t use the cloud very 

much, either. At this point, they simply 

don't need it; a private network of T1 lines 

and servers connect all locations. However, 

cloud computing is discussed continuously 

within the company’s IT department, and 

Mark Burg, Kurt’s IT manager, believes 

it’s only a matter of time before Kurt 

subscribes to a cloud-based ERP system. 

In addition, he said, cloud backups may 

make more sense as the company’s data 

footprint grows. 

“We want to make sure our data 

remains as secure as possible, which is why 

we’re slowly exploring the cloud,” Burg 

said. “If and when we do integrate cloud 

computing into our operations, we’re likely 

to keep local engineering data here.” 

A common mistake that companies 

make, according to aCOUPLEofGURUS, 

is allowing employees to use consumerbased 

cloud applications, such as 

Box.com, to share files and information. 

Without a firm understanding of a 

cloud provider’s data security measures, 

companies inadvertently may be exposing 

their intellectual property. 

Of course, data security is even more 

important for manufacturers under ITAR 

regulations. “ITAR data cannot be put in a 

public cloud environment, as you cannot 

control where the data physically resides in 

a public cloud,” Schoolcraft said. 

Before working with cloud providers, 

experts recommend taking the time to 

understand the security measures they 

have in place, beginning with two simple 

questions: “Is the data secure at rest” and 

“Is the data secure in flight” Encryption, 

they say, is critical whether data is being 

stored or is being moved from one point 

to another. It is also essential for use with 

usernames and passwords. 

Well-established cloud providers 

are likely to have rigorous data security 

policies and procedures in place. “Cloud 

organizations typically employ teams of 

security resources, ensuring [that] the 

security of the environment is current 

and robust,” said Tim Ernst with KDV, a 


COVER STORY 

technology consulting firm in Minneapolis. 

“Contrarily, most small and mid-sized 

businesses cannot afford robust information 

security, leaving them far more susceptible 

to a data breach. Large data breaches make 

for sensational news, but they are, in fact, 

statistically rare," Ernst said. 

Epicor's senior director of product 

marketing, Craig Downing, agrees. He 

said the weakest security link is actually 

ourselves. "We choose weak passwords. 

We leave our iPads at airport screening 

points. We save ‘backups’ to USB 

thumb drives, and we set mobile phone 

passwords to ‘1-1-1-1’ so we can enter 

them with one thumb," Downing said. 

"Clients who deploy cloud-based ERP 

solutions don’t have to worry any more 

about hackers pursuing payroll or credit 

card information than do those who 

deploy on premises. However, they do 

have to worry about regulating access and 

control procedures to these systems, now 

that they are so easy to share and access." 

He recommends that companies 

consider the following questions: "Do 

you have procedures to immediately 

disable employee access to critical 

systems upon their termination Are 

you taking advantage of the application 

security framework to limit access to 

only those workloads that each user 

requires Or ‘when’ and ‘from where’ 

users can access sensitive enterprise 

data Is your data encrypted end-toend 

as it moves across the Internet Do 

you have a way to remotely ‘wipe’ lost 

iPads or smart phones that have access 

to your cloud ERP systems if left in a 

coffee shop If you aren’t 100 percent sure 

on these capabilities, you’re not paying 

enough attention to the new realities and 

enterprise threats." 

Aside from security, the cloud’s 

performance and availability raise 

additional concerns for some 

manufacturing companies. There may 

be times when the cloud-based system 

or Internet connection is down. “If 

something happens to our connection 

going out of the building, we come to 

a halt,” Burg said. “But right now if we 

lose Internet connection, we can still 

get data off [of] our server.” 

Cloud deployment requires reliable 

Internet access, fast speeds, and 

adequate storage resources. In addition, 

experts recommend that companies have 

backup access to the Internet and a data 

recovery plan. 

Cost can be another downside, as the 

cloud can become more expensive over 

time. Solution Dynamics recommends 

evaluating the total cost of switching to 

cloud-based technologies over 5 years 

or more. “Cloud deployment should be 

considered carefully because you are 

essentially permanently renting your 

hardware, software, and networking 

resources,” said Solution Dynamics. 

“Select a software solution that gives 

users the option of deploying in the 

cloud, hosting locally, or deploying on 

your company server.” 

Twin City EDM and Manufacturing, 

Inc., in Fridley, used to host everything on 

the cloud, but recently moved everything 

under one roof. The reasons for the move 

had nothing to do with security, however. 

“First, we think it will be more costeffective. 

We’re expecting to save enough 

in fees to purchase a whole new server in 

6 or 7 years,” said Steve Lindell. “Second, 

some programs were running too slow on 

the cloud.” 

A CLEAR VIEW 

Regardless of whether your outlook of 

the cloud is sunny or gray, the forecast is 

in—the cloud is here to stay. In the future, 

an increasing number of companies is 

expected to rely on the cloud for just-intime 

information, greater storage capacity, 

and other purposes. 

Like many companies, WSI 

Industries, Inc., in Monticello, is taking 

baby steps toward the cloud. The 

company backs up its entire network 

offsite, uses Webex for meetings, a cloudbased 

spam filter for email, and already 

subcontracts out the majority of its IT 

needs. In addition, its multi-billion dollar 

aerospace customer recently mentioned 

that it now uses Google services for mail, 

calendar, IM, and video chat. 

“In another 1 to 2 years when we 

need to replace aging servers and 

upgrade our ERP, we will look more 

seriously at cloud-based solutions,” said 

Benjamin Rashleger, WSI's president. 

“I don’t have any security concerns; it’s 

no less secure than our VPN. And it 

THREATS 

The cloud isn’t the only 

place where lightening 

can strike—threatening 

critical data. Desktop 

operating systems need 

to be monitored carefully 

as well. As many as 1 

in 5 computers are still 

running Windows XP, 

despite the fact that 

Microsoft no longer 

provides bug fixes, 

security patches, or other 

updates and support 

to XP users -- leaving 

their PCs vulnerable to 

security threats. The 

newest upgrade is to 

Windows 8.1. 

would be nice to adapt our technology 

to mobile devices and not worry about 

purchasing hardware.” 

A recent report from IDC 

Manufacturing Insights states that 

cloud computing is “the most important 

productivity platform for the next decade.” 

It’ll be up to manufacturers to decide 

how much cloud cover they want. PM 

MELISSA DEBILZAN is a contributing writer for 

IntrinXec Management Inc. She can be reached 

at melissa@mpma.com. 


MADE IN MINNESOTA 

Peerless Chain 

MINNESOTA’S “LINK” TO THE WORLD 

by Andrew Skoog 

Peerless Chain, located in our own 

beautiful Winona, is Minnesota’s “link” to 

the world. 

In 1917, Joe Bambenek, a fruit 

salesman, purchased the rights to the 

“Diamond Link” chain patent from 

its inventor, and started Peerless 

Chain. He and his two brothers began 

manufacturing tire chains for farmers 

and for the government as a traction 

aid for muddy conditions. Initially, they 

made the chains by hand, but it wasn’t 

long before business volume increased 

and they purchased their first machines 

to form links and cross hooks. With 

this expansion, they also needed more 

space; the back half of a brewery soon 

became the company’s home for the 

next 50 years. 

In the late 1930s, Peerless began to 

manufacture and sell industrial chain. 

During World War II, they experienced 

significant growth as a result of a 

contract to produce tire chains for use 

on combat vehicles. Between supplying 

the Army with these chains and 

supplying the Navy with deck lashing 

chain (used for landing craft), Peerless 

was kept busy around the clock. One of 

the high points in the company’s history 

was receiving the War Department’s 

“E” Award for their exceptional 

contributions to the war effort. 

Peerless has developed chains for 

many new markets, and through a 

few acquisitions were able to expand 

into other competitive markets—their 

goal was to become a world leader in 

chain manufacturing. They now have 

over 350,000 square feet of space and 

employ 410 people, making them the 

largest chain manufacturer in North 

America and one of the top five chain 

manufacturers in the world. 

Tom Wynn, president and CEO of 

Peerless, said competition for employees 

to work at the company is high, as Peerless 

has created a culture as “the place” to 

work in Winona. Wynn believes strongly 

in the Golden Rule 

and has an open 

door policy with all 

of his employees. 

Additionally, he 

has developed a 

very close working 

relationship with the 

employees’ union. The 

enthusiasm that the 

employees have for 

the company and each 

other is extremely 

evident; Wynn can 

tell you the first 

name of almost every 

employee in the plant, 

which helps form a 

personal bond between the company and 

its employees. Through a partnership with 

the Winona Occupational Rehabilitation 

Center, Peerless also employs workers who 

provide janitorial, packing, and assembly 

services for the company. 

Peerless makes chain for just about 

any “chain” application possible. The 

trailers pulled by camping and fishing 

enthusiasts are more than likely the 

safety chains made by Peerless. Peerless 

also makes a “tuna chain”—specially 

developed for tuna nets—by using a 

unique coating process. The diversity in 

their products gives Peerless the edge in 

this market, where they capture about 70 

percent of the business. 

Peerless also produces chains for 

handcuffs, mower decks, playground 

equipment, poultry processing, overhead 

lifting, load binders, and a specialized 

chain for debarking logs. 

In addition to chain, Peerless also 

produces tie downs for aircraft carriers 

and cargo for use by the Department of 

Defense. The company goes through 80 

tons of steel to produce up to 40 miles 

of chain every day. 

Peerless has designed and built 

most of their own equipment for chain 

manufacturing. These machines cut, 

Peerless Chain employees at work in 1944. 

notch, form, weld, and stretch about 

2.9 million links per day—filling tote 

after tote with their products. Chains for 

different uses may go through an acid 

rinse, as well as a heat treating, plating, 

coating, or curing process. 

Most of the chain that is produced 

goes to fulfill special orders. However, 

the company also needs to keep a vast 

warehouse full of bulk product in order 

to fulfill everyday orders. Peerless’s 

storage facility has a very impressive 

automatic storage and retrieval system, 

with narrow aisles and high racking. 

Today, Peerless still produces tire 

chains in addition to their large variety of 

other product offerings. Shipping product 

to 25 different countries outside of North 

America, Peerless links Minnesotans to 

the rest of the world. PM 

ANDREW SKOOG is with 

Hexis in Minneapolis, Minn. 

He can be reached at 

Andrew@hexpedite.com. 


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Who Has the Key to 

Manufacturing Health 

in Minnesota 

An important gubernatorial election is coming up in November, with Democrat and current Governor of 

Minnesota Mark Dayton squaring off against Republican nominee Jeff Johnson. 

To help the MPMA membership wade through the topics that are important to our industry, the 

Government Relations Committee prepared a questionnaire that was sent out in advance of the primary 

to the prospective Republican candidates as well as Governor Dayton. Due to publication timelines, we 

were unable to publish the answers from all prospective candidates prior to the primary election. 

With the contenders having been determined, we are providing you now with the unabridged version 

of current Governor Dayton and Republican nominee Jeff Johnson’s responses. 

Governor Dayton's office provided the following response to our questionnaire: "Unfortunately we're 

unable to respond to questionnaires, but we feel the governor's record speaks for itself." 

The following are Jeff Johnson’s responses to the questionnaire. 


1. 

Do you feel the state’s role in regards to 

workforce development for the manufacturing 

industry is effective If not, what would you change 

Government talks a lot about workforce 

development, but the results don’t always 

match up with the promises. 

This is not a partisan issue at all, and 

we shouldn’t waste time pointing fingers. 

The simple fact is that too much of our 

higher education focus is put on “getting 

kids in college” instead of helping prepare 

people for success in the modern economy. 

Minnesota needs to focus more of our 

current resources on technical education 

and workforce development, and relatively 

less on promoting unnecessary degrees. 

2. 

With 1 in 3 college freshman not returning for 

a second year and with nearly half of recent 

college graduates working in jobs that do not require 

a college degree, should we continue to primarily 

support a college pathway or should we move more 

towards a career orientated pathway 1 

I strongly believe in the value of postsecondary 

education, but not just as an 

end in itself. Impressive statistics about the 

“value” of a college education have hidden 

a reality: the current higher education 

model leaves way too many students with 

a big load of debt and poor job prospects. 

Minnesota needs a highly educated 

workforce, but “highly educated” doesn’t 

mean a B.A. for everybody. I believe we 

need to focus our education investment 

in programs that prepare people for the 

jobs of today, and especially the jobs of 

the future. That doesn’t mean training 

programs, but rather technical education 

that translates into skills. 

3. 

How would you support a career pathway 

model vs. college pathway 

I am a big fan of the University of 

Minnesota, but the backbone of 

Minnesota’s post-secondary education 

system is our state colleges and 

universities. Minnesota won’t succeed 

in the coming decades if we can’t ensure 

that our state colleges work hand in 

hand with employers as partners in 

workforce development. 

It also makes sense to promote prizes 

and challenges to students, to encourage 

concrete achievements. A mandate to 

“become proficient” doesn’t compare to 

“let’s do this big thing.” If colleges and 

universities partner with businesses on 

specific projects, students are more likely 

to acquire skills they can use in their 

working life. 

Do you support the minimum wage bill, as it 

4a. was signed into law this session 

I opposed the minimum wage bill. I 

think it put the cart before the horse. 

High pay comes from high productivity, 

not the other way around. Employers 

always strive to keep highly productive 

employees with valuable skills; on the 

other hand, no employer can afford to 

pay high wages for low skill jobs. 

I want everybody to make a great living, 

and I believe the only way to get there is 

to ensure that everybody has the skills 

necessary to become invaluable to their 

employers. I believe that we can get there, 

but not through government mandates. 

Are there any portions of the bill that you 

4b. would repeal or modify 

It will be very difficult to repeal the bill, 

especially given the fact that the DFL will 

[ continued ] 


etain control of the Senate until 2017. 

However, I believe that it is possible to 

repeal the automatic increases to the 

minimum wage. 

5. 

Many of the rules and regulations can be 

confusing and difficult for businesses to abide 

by, costing them precious resources on activities that 

are void of value for the business. What measures 

would you as governor introduce/eliminate to simplify 

and streamline the requirements set on businesses by 

the various agencies to relive the burden 

The current regulatory environment treats 

businesses as if they are irresponsible unless 

proved otherwise—and that just isn’t right. 

Government doesn’t exist to 

bludgeon businesses into compliance 

with complicated rules and regulations, 

despite what some seem to think. 

Instead, clear goals and standards should 

be set based upon common sense and 

good science, and then rules should be 

enforced when they are violated. 

Government should be a partner with 

businesses to help them meet those goals 

in the most efficient manner possible— 

not an adversary. 

6. 

FEATURE STORY 

"Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is 

the courage to continue that counts." 

- Winston Churchill 

With the competition between border states 

increasing, how do you plan to level the 

playing field Encourage companies to make Minn. 

their home Reduce the likelihood of companies 

moving across borders to take advantage of a more 

business friendly regulatory climate, not to mention 

cost of living for employees 

Minnesota has a lot of competitive 

advantages—that’s why we still live here. 

But every time you turn around, the 

governor and the legislature give businesses 

a new reason to consider moving, or to 

reject expanding in Minnesota. 

The three best things Minnesota could 

do right away are: 1) lower the corporate 

tax rate; 2) make regulatory agencies 

partners—not adversaries—to businesses; 

and 3) enact the insurance waiver to 

allow businesses to purchase non ACAcompliant 

health plans. 

7. 

As for the proposed PolyMet mining project in 

northern Minn., we can all agree that it is right 

to explore all aspects of the project and its potential 

impact environmentally and economically. Given the 

amount of effort that has been put into defending on 

one side, and defeating the project on the other—as 

governor, what do you see as the proper path forward 

Minnesota has some of the most stringent 

environmental regulations in the world, and 

I have no interest in circumventing them. 

I believe that PolyMet and other mining 

projects should protect the environment. 

Minnesota’s government should be 

helping our natural resource industries 

succeed. Right now, every time a 

requirement is met, a new roadblock 

appears. The problem isn’t the regulations 

themselves—it is that the goalposts keep 

moving because the issue is politicized. 

The governor should be shepherding 

PolyMet through the process, ensuring 

that they can get up and running as soon 

as possible. That doesn’t mean changing 

or breaking the rules, or abandoning 

environmental protection. It just means 

ensuring the process is followed properly 

and expeditiously—not with foot dragging. 

8. 

Would you be in favor of repealing the 4th tier 

income tax approved by the legislature in 2013 

Yes. Without question. 

9. 

With the overwhelming majority of Minn. 

businesses being located near a neighboring 

state, and the mobility of industry today, do you see 

the 4th tier income tax as a competitive disadvantage 

for Minn. businesses If so, would you be in favor of 

a rebate of the 4th tier income tax for small business 

owners that file as Subchapter S Corporations 

I understand that a large proportion of 

the so-called “wealthy” are actually small 

business S-corporations, and that the 

increase in the income tax rate hit them 

particularly hard. Obviously I want to 

reduce that burden as quickly as possible. 

However, I think we should eliminate the 

fourth tier entirely, and not just limit the 

tax relief to any particular group. 

Minnesota doesn’t want to lose 

businesses, investors, retirees, or anybody. 

We want to welcome everyone into the 

state and create a vibrant business climate 

for all Minnesotans. 

10. 

Would you see B2B taxes as a viable option 

to increase state income If so, why If not, 

how would you avoid it 

I believe in tax reform that makes our 

entire system fairer and flatter. My biggest 

problem with B2B taxes is that they not 

only increase the cost of doing business 

here and reduce our competitiveness, but 

also that they are just a means to hide 

taxes from the average Minnesotan. 

All taxes are eventually paid by people, 

not corporations. They pay in higher prices, 

fewer jobs, lost opportunities, or foregone 

income. I am not a big fan of B2B taxes for 

these reasons. 

CONCLUSION: 

Answers from all of the candidates 

can be viewed at www.pm-mn.com. 

Remember, the general election 

is November 4. Absentee ballot 

applications, as well as information 

about voting locations and requirements, 

are available on the Minn. Secretary of 

State website at www.sos.state.mn.us/ 

index.aspxpage=4 

As you cast your vote for the highest 

office in the state, keep in mind how the 

candidates differ in their ideas about how 

to make the state's economy as robust 

as possible. Our businesses provide 

livelihoods for thousands of Minnesota 

families, and competent leadership in 

Saint Paul is needed to keep our shops 

strong. Contact the MPMA Government 

Relations Committee with any questions 

or concerns. PM 

1 

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/29/ 

underemployed-overeducated_n_2568203.html 

http://www.act.org/research/policymakers/pdf/retain_2013.pdf 

The MPMA Government Relations Committee 

provided the questionnaire to the candidates 

for this article. 


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” 

“ 

TO SUM IT UP, WE’RE RUNNING 

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IN THE COMPANY’S HISTORY. 

” 

“ 

[MAKINO] HAS GIVEN THE 

COMPANY A 200 PERCENT INCREASE 

IN SALES PER EMPLOYEE. 

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Profit. After all is said, all is done and everything has shipped, 

it’s why today’s leading manufacturers choose Makino. 

Because when you make what matters, making it with Makino is 

the surest path to profitability. Just ask the companies that are 

already there. Read their stories. Watch their videos and cutting 

demos at Makino.com/profitability. 

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W W W . P R O D U C T I V I T Y . C O M 

® 

Reinventing Northstar Aerospace 

IN THE MARKETPLACE 

by Gary Corradi 

Northstar Aerospace, located in Duluth, 

Minnesota, has a rich history in the world 

of contract manufacturing. Our company, 

like many others across the state, has 

experienced a very exciting and rigorous 

roller coaster ride over the past 10 years. We 

have experienced some very exciting and 

rapid growth, where one might reflect back 

and say, “There is no end to this boom… do 

we expand and purchase more equipment 

Where do I find more talent” 

Our story brings us back to a situation 

where we had too few customers and an 

unachievable work load. We had almost 

no marketing efforts, due to the fact 

that we could barely keep up with daily 

booked orders that we currently had. 

It was a daily concern, but also a great 

situation at the same time. 

Northstar Aerospace in Duluth, Minn. 

October 2008: 

Suddenly, our sources of revenue 

were turned almost completely off and 

we were faced with the ominous decision 

that many other companies were faced 

with: “How do we re-invent ourselves” 

Every business owner understands the 

dilemma of spending money on sales and 

marketing when your receivables are in 

the tank; however, we also understand 

what happens if we do not. Many new 

efforts have been incorporated in the past 

5 years and I will highlight what we have 

found to be successful. 

Our existing customer base, even 

though it was a small foundation, 

became our lifeline. How you treat your 

customer base, regardless of its size, 

is a very important factor. There are 

times when we are unable to provide 

additional services to our existing 

customers, but there are other times 

when we are able to help our customers 

with solutions to some of their biggest 

challenges. By solving these challenges, 

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SALES AND MARKETING 

we create a win/win situation. We have 

taken on projects today that we would 

not have considered doing 5 years ago. 

The projects have been challenging, 

have stretched our capabilities, and have 

forced us to re-invest in areas that we 

had not explored in the past. The reinvention 

of our company has allowed 

us the ability to be more flexible than we 

had ever thought was possible. We have, 

for all practical purposes, differentiated 

ourselves as a contract manufacturer 

with a much more robust portfolio than 

ever before. 

Our employees also suffered 

throughout this very difficult transition 

time. They lost some of the generosities 

that were afforded to them previously, 

when the company was strong financially. 

During that time period, there were 

opportunities for our employees to crosstrain 

into other skills that had not been an 

option for them in the past. 

We now have a workforce that is 

stronger and better equipped than it has 

ever been. The big question that always 

comes to an employer as a company 

progresses towards their transformation 

period is: “Can we train our people to 

be their best and continue to afford to 

keep them” The easy answer to that 

question is: “We can’t afford to lose 

them." This is a very delicate ground to 

walk on, as profits are slow to return. 

Most employers have a very good 

understanding of this delicate ground. 

New customer development is a very 

time consuming and expensive prospect. 

How many times have we heard the 

question, “How can I grow my company’s 

sales” Many tools are available to identify 

new customers. They can be identified 

through the Web, email, phone calls, word 

of mouth, and industry events. When all 

of the tools have been utilized, only one 

common denominator remains—people 

still buy from people. There is no substitute 

for relationships, trust, and proving to your 

customers that you are who you say you 

are. This is shown through a company’s 

price, deliveries, and quality. These basic 

principles always will be an important 

factor in any successful business. 

Reinventing a company today is a 

wonderful and exciting challenge. The 

reality is that one could feel almost 

bullet-proof after surviving in a difficult 

economy. However, the challenge lies in 

the fact that our company continues to 

have competitors. I would rather partner 

with like-minded competitors in an effort 

to win bigger opportunities, instead of 

attempting to do it all on our own. 

Utilize wisdom, consider every 

opportunity, build strong relationships, 

balance expenses and revenue carefully, and 

treat everyone within your organization as 

if they matter—because they do. PM 

“Turns out we’d been under-forecasting.” 

The Manufacturing Practice at BDO 

Accountants and Consultants 

www.bdo.com/manufacturing 

© 2014 BDO USA, LLP. All rights reserved. 

GARY CORRADI is the president & CEO of 

Northstar Aerospace. He can be reached at 

gcorradi@northstaraerospace.com. 

One of the United States’ largest industries is supported by BDO’s largest industry group. The 

Manufacturing & Distribution practice combines accounting, tax, and business advisory with 

industry prowess. Whether you’re looking to leverage international operations, grow through 

acquisition, or optimize inventory management systems, BDO stands ready with proactive 

information and guidance wherever in the world you do business. 

Mark Leitner, Assurance Partner 

952-656-2643 / mleitner@bdo.com 

Chris Link, Tax Senior Director 

952-842-9689 / clink@bdo.com 

People who know Manufacturing, know BDO. 


Leadership Insights: 

Five to Get You Ten: 

Best Practices of the Top CEOs 

by B Kyle with contributions from Ellen Green 

“When you stop asking questions, you live on yesterday’s answers.” 

- Bill Mills 

People Interviewed for this Section Include: 

Bill Mills, president, Executive Group, Inc. 

If you could do five things consistently in order to increase 

your value, would you do it What if you could develop 

some of the practices of the top CEOs Bill Mills does this with 

the team at his Minnesota-based CEO think-tank—Executive 

Group, Inc.—and is convinced that precision manufacturers 

can do it, too. 

A “recovering” civil engineer, Mills started his company to help 

CEOs and their teams align the foundation and infrastructure 

of their businesses with their goals and purposes, in order 

to achieve market leadership. As a result, they enjoy higher 

margins, more successful customer acquisition, and a simpler, 

more elegant internal process—without sacrificing their 

personal lives to do it. Mills sees small business owners as being 

uniquely positioned to lead healthy and sustainable businesses 

while enjoying happy and balanced lives. 

Steeped in the research and analysis supporting his approach, 

Mills refers to Inc. Magazine’s analysis of small to midsize 

companies. The study identifies a classic bell curve: the top 5 

percent of CEOs outperform the rest of the pack by a factor of 

10 when it comes to creating value for their companies. These 

CEOs share the pursuit of five practices “with incredible rigor, 

discipline, and frequency.” 

Mills explains that none of what these CEOs do are “new” 

practices. “It’s not something you’ve never heard of, or 

something no one’s ever done before. But how they [the CEOs] 

do it—the incredible intensity and focus they bring to these 

practices—sets them apart. Just a handful of things in no 

particular order—they just do all of it. Like you love your son 

and your wife and don’t prioritize; you just do it.” 

The sooner you start learning these practices, the better—so 

let’s jump right in. 

"Great companies with the way they work, first start with great 

leaders." 

- Steve Ballmer, CEO of Microsoft 

1 

Create a Unique Business Model 

"You don’t need to be a genius or a visionary, or even a college 

graduate for that matter, to be successful. You just need 

framework and a dream." 

- Michael Dell, CEO of Dell 


LEADERSHIP INSIGHTS SERIES

One of the first things that is obvious about the top 5 percent 

of CEOs, said Mills, is that they depend on their business 

models—not on their products or services—to provide a 

competitive advantage. These men and women have made their 

business models the primary differentiators of their companies. 

He explains: “The competition can imitate your products and 

services, but they [the competition] can almost never imitate 

your business model in a way that allows them [the competition] 

to catch up.” 

For example, “Cirque du Soleil,” said Mills, “has been around 

for 15 to 20 years. There’s no Cirque de Soleil II; not even one on 

the horizon. Its business model Get rid of the animals, get rid 

of the three rings, get rid of the popcorn and pop, and charge 

a dollar a minute. It’s really [just] gymnastics put to music, but 

nobody would buy a ticket if it were called that. They do go to 

Cirque du Soleil—a circus for adults. 

“Another example is Starbucks, which today has in excess 

of 14,000 stores. In an economic correction, it shut down 

500 [stores] in one month. Starbucks’s closest competitor, a 

Minnesota favorite, is Caribou—with 400 stores total. The 

Starbucks model has just outperformed the rest. 

“Southwest Airlines is another example. In an industry known 

for losing money, Southwest takes plenty to the bank every 

day. [The airline is] flying planes, moving people around like 

the others, but no one can compete. It’s the Southwest business 

model—and it’s in full view. But in the 30 years the company’s 

been in business, no one has duplicated it.” 

Mills has seen that small businesses are better able to adopt and 

adapt a one-of-a-kind, dramatically more efficient model than 

can a company as big as, say, General Mills. Some precision 

manufacturers already operate on a unique model, though they 

may not even realize that it’s a cornerstone of their success. 

“Most small businesses can’t articulate their [business] model at 

all,” Mills said. “You ask, ‘How is your business model creating 

your success’ And you can tell they’re just making up an 

answer on the fly.” 

Take the time to articulate how your business model looks for 

your company. The time will be well spent. 

2 

Become Indispensable 

"In business, what’s dangerous is not to evolve.” 

- Jeff Bezos, CEO of Amazon 

The top CEOs choose not to be driven by the supply-anddemand 

swings of the world’s economy. If one were to play 

that game and there were an oversupply, then too much supply 

would be chasing too little demand. What happens next is a 

financial meltdown—demand dries up, companies shut down, 

and people get laid off—all predictable events that happen when 

everyone is chasing the same demand. 

The smartest leaders find a way to create consistent demand, 

making their businesses indispensable to their customer base. 

Even in a down economy, people have to eat—and breathe. How 

do you become the “oxygen” for your customers 

“That’s the question,” said Mills, “you must ask again and again.” 

Here’s a hint for becoming indispensable, gleaned by Mills 

from the members of Executive Group: “Our members spend 

less time worrying about their customers’ needs and more time 

identifying their customers’ goals. Become a growth partner – a 

partner helping customers achieve their goals—as opposed to 

[becoming] one supplier among many [that is] able [to] meet 

their [customers’] needs. A thousand suppliers can supply a 

widget; so, from that perspective, the customer has no needs. 

“The top CEOs," continued Mills, “have identified and segmented 

their customers by their underlying goals. A lot of people will say, 

‘Okay, we serve companies of $50 to $100 million, those with a 

geography of X.’ Well, those are external demographics. But what 

are the internal demographics, or ‘cyclographics’ 

“Instead, say, ‘We serve customers who have these similar goals 

or needs. And we’ve become extremely good at solving that 

need or meeting that goal.’ That way, you can be just as viable a 

vendor to a $100 million company as to a $1 billion company, 

and you don't have to change who you are to do it.” 

3 

Provide a Good Experience 

"Life is fragile. We’re not guaranteed a tomorrow so give it 

everything you’ve got.” 

- Tim Cook, CEO of Apple 

The top CEOs understand that for the customer—when it comes 

to consuming a product or a service—everything happens in a 

linear, time-based fashion. And they also understand that they 

can document the experience. 

“As consumers, we do the same thing,” said Mills. “When you 

go to a restaurant, for example, the first thing you register is the 

LEADERSHIP INSIGHTS SERIES 


17-year-old at the front desk who’s snapping gum and talking 

on a cellphone - or not. Then you are seated, the water comes, 

the bread is delivered, [the] server efficiently takes your order— 

or not . . . And through it all, the people [who are] engaged with 

you are creating a positive experience—or not. 

“The top CEOs understand how this works. The customer has 

an experience at every single touch point and their companies 

must manage each one of them. Too many companies are 

trapped in the transactional mode—you might as well buy from 

them on the Internet because what you experience is, ‘I don’t 

want a relationship with anybody.' 

“We’ve gone from an agricultural world to an industrial 

world, and now we’re in a technological world. What’s left is 

the experience world: ‘Entertain me, delight me. I can go to a 

million places and have a bad experience. I would just once like 

to be where I really feel cared for.'" 

Customers are people buying from people. So the best CEOs 

look at the touch points of customer-company interaction. They 

know that the human experience matters. 

4 

Make Your Business a Great Place to Work 

"Management is nothing more than motivating other people.” 

- Lee Iacocca, retired CEO of Chrysler 

The top CEOs stand out by putting aside time to spend with 

their employees. 

Few, if any, entrepreneurs go into business thinking about 

how they want to work with people—they may not even have 

employees at first—or thinking about how to develop a business 

culture that includes spending time meeting with their workers. 

“Most of the leaders I work with have a dream of making the 

world better, but have little connection to running the day-today 

business. They love people like everybody else, but there’s no 

‘juice’ there. If you asked them to write down the reasons they 

got into business—well, I can’t think who would list ‘working 

with employees.’ 

“Working with people is often delegated to Human Resources,” 

continued Mills, “but the top CEOs understand that the 

team must perform at a superior level. The organization, the 

people—the culture—must be a prime, strategic differentiator 

because, again, the consumer is a human being. And if the 

consumer interacts with a person who’s not happy, who’s not 

playing at the top of his game, who’s not professional, then it’s 

not a good experience. 

“So it’s as pragmatic as anything—but it’s critical—that the top 

CEOs devote a big chunk of time to ensuring that the culture of 

the business is healthy; [ensuring] that word gets out [that] it’s a 

best place to work and a great place to be, so they have their pick 

of the best talent. They identify ways to retain unique people. 

They keep the pipeline of talent just as full as the pipeline of 

customers, because a standout team, a standout organization, 

and a standout culture provides a better experience. 

“As an example, Google is the company you hear about—that 

they hire you and after a while you find something to do [in 

the company]. Nordstrom has that reputation, too. But there 

are small companies right around here with similar talent savvy. 

What makes them so attractive is that if you work there, you 

have a say; your voice is heard. The leader spends as much 

time ensuring a value proposition for attracting and retaining 

employees as he does for ensuring the same for his customers. 

In the top CEO minds, it’s the same deal. 

“Harvard Business Review research supporting the inherent 

brilliance of this idea indicates that the most sustainable 

companies have extremely loyal customers. The loyal customer, 

defined as one who comes back again and again and again, may 

be irritated with you, but they stick with you while you solve the 

problem—and they come back more loyal than ever. And they 

tell a lot of people about you and bring a lot of people in [to your 

company]. I think that’s exactly how Cirque de Soleil, Southwest 

Airlines, and Starbucks have done it. Their customers have an 

incredible sense of loyalty—I’d even call them fanatics. 

“Engaged employees are the number-one driver of that kind of 

loyalty. You can name the restaurants where the food is good 

but where you no longer want to eat because the employees 

don’t provide a good experience. Or hotels—you almost have to 

take out a loan to go to the Ritz-Carlton, but people keep going 

because a guy who was cleaning an ashtray personally escorted 

them to a spot that they couldn’t find. You hear all of these crazy 

stories, but in a small company you can get your arms around 

that level of commitment. 

“The research shows that enduring success comes from 

loyal, engaged customers, which comes from loyal, engaged 

employees, which comes from enlightened, engaged leadership. 

The leaders understand [that] they must manage the experience 

of the employee with the exact same tenacity [with which] they 

manage the experience of the customer. 

“The top CEOs, whether it’s in their genes or if they have come 

to it in some other way, don’t delegate responsibility for culture 

and engagement. They take care of it themselves.” 



5 

Cultivate a Passion for Improvement. . . 

"Without passion, you don’t have any energy, and without 

energy, you simply have nothing.” 

- Donald Trump, CEO of the Trump Organization 

Top CEOs, according to the Harvard research team, answer 

one question in a way that correlates with their rank among 

the best. All of them prove to be relentless in carrying through 

on the practices listed above. But the mindset related to this 

one question is pervasive, said Mills—such that you might be 

tempted to place a CEO in the top 5 percent based on their 

answer to this question alone. 

What is the question It has two parts: 

1. What are the last two or three ideas that you got from 

outside of your organization and then implemented inside 

of it 

2. What was the anticipated value or yield of each idea 

“Those who could name two or three ideas,” said Mills, “and 

who could say, ‘We acquired this capability, we changed this 

internal process because we thought it would bring X value to 

the company,’ as opposed to saying ‘Oh, we do a lot of stuff,' 

almost always turned out to be in the top 5 percent of CEOs. 

“The top CEOs have the passion to improve their own 

game,” said Mills. “And that immediately whittles away at the 

percentage of CEOs who make it—because many of us get tired 

of growing and stretching every year. 

“A professor on the East Coast comes to mind. He was in his 

early eighties, but his classes were always packed. You could 

hardly get in. One of his students asked, ‘How come everybody 

wants to get into your classes when some [of the] much younger 

professors can’t fill [the classes] up’ His answer speaks to the 

lifelong desire to grow, and it sets him apart: ‘You see those 

cherry trees out there They blossom only on new growth.’ 

“I’m also thinking of a CEO member of Executive Group 

who talks about being pleased, but not satisfied, and how he 

communicates approval without letting someone rest on their 

laurels. His attitude puts a fine point on this idea—it’s about 

being unsatisfied, not dissatisfied. You’re not the sourpuss, 

but you’re always hungry. You have an insatiable appetite for a 

better way. 

“It’s dangerous to think you know everything already. Your 

business is the result of the questions you ask yourself, and 

its continued viability depends on your ability to learn from 

others. In either case, when you stop asking questions, you live 

on yesterday’s answers, and that’s a recipe for irrelevancy. 

“If you’re the smartest guy and can’t listen to your people, if you 

won’t get out of your sandbox and learn, then at some point 

you’ve sub-optimized your business. I’m not suggesting it’s 

wrong . . . you can live on an 8 percent bottom line. But if your 

customer holds you to a profit of less than 10 percent, the world 

is telling you that you’re not a valued partner. You’re simply the 

vendor that it chooses to spend money with right now. 

“But if you have a 20 or 30 percent bottom line, which small 

businesses can do, that’s the marketplace saying, ‘We value you 

as a preferred vendor.’ And it behooves you to know why a high 

margin is allowed, so you can focus on that and do it even better. 

“Know what forces are at play; what’s allowing you to win. If the 

world never changes, you won’t have to do anything different. 

But if you live in a moving world—and you do—this is how 

you stay ahead. Cultivate a never-ending desire to improve your 

contribution, to improve your company.” 

. . . and act on what you learn 

The top CEOs are eternally curious, energized, and lifelong 

learners, said Mills, but this mindset isn’t enough. You must 

put what you learn into action, and that means getting it on 

your calendar. The top CEOs, with a business model in place, 

schedule their best practices: “You could grab their calendars 

and see when they working on customer acquisition, customer 

experience, company culture. They are rigorous. 

“It’s not rocket science. You can create anything inside the 

context of these principles. But taking your eye off being 

indispensable, off creating a human experience, will detract 

from the overall vitality of the organization. That’s another 

way to think of it: What is the cost of not doing the five 

things It’s sliding to the middle of the pack or below . . . 

becoming irrelevant." 

So there’s indispensable and there’s irrelevant, said Mills: “Gee, 

which end of that spectrum do I want to live on Let’s be 

indispensable. High margin, not low.” 

Where it Works 

Bill Mills has implemented the five practices in his own 

business—and it’s working out very well. 

LEADERSHIP INSIGHTS SERIES 


Executive Group began when fledgling business owner Ron 

Haberkorn starting meeting monthly with other business 

owners at the old Lincoln Del on Highway 12. After a few 

meetings, one of its five or six “members” made the mistake of 

saying, “These meetings are so valuable you could charge me 

and I’d still come.” Haberkorn obliged, continuing small group 

month-to-month get-togethers plus a quarterly topical round 

table of all the members—but now, it was for a fee. 

Mills had been consulting with Executive Group for about 12 

years, when he took the reins. With 35 members at that time, “I 

added a little more discipline, a little more rigor, and we started 

looking at what business owners must excel at in order to grow. 

The idea of designing a company to be indispensable to its 

customers became my driving directive.” 

You Can Do It 

“I always did something that I was a little not ready to do. I 

think that is how you grow. When there’s a moment of ‘Wow, 

I’m not so sure that I can do this,' and you push through those 

moments, it’s then that you have a breakthrough. Sometimes 

that’s a sign that something really great is about to happen. 

You’re about to grow and learn a lot more about yourself.” 

- Marissa Mayer, CEO of Yahoo 

If you create a large amount of value and charge a small 

amount of money, you can win in any economy. If you’re a $20 

million manufacturer and you’re implementing some of these 

practices, you’ve got 60 percent—or let’s go world class and say 

80 percent—of recurring revenue. It’s a bad economy, but you 

wake up on January 1st and you’ve already got $16 million "in 

the bank." The competition wakes up, looking at zero revenue, 

asking ‘Where’s it all going to come from’ Which company has 

the better chance of succeeding 

On top of that, the company with the 80 percent of recurring 

revenue has to find only $4 million more in revenue to match 

their record. They have all year do this and, with the company's 

great value proposition, they will find the revenue they need 

because the other companies are going out of business. For the 

80 percent company, the “Big Economy” conversation becomes 

irrelevant. That’s exciting. 

The vast majority of business owners will read this and set it 

aside. The Top CEOs among you will take notes and start 

implementing these best practices. Which one are you 

“If you’re changing the world, you’re working on important 

things. You’re excited to get up in the morning.” 

- Larry Page, CEO of Google 

“To the leaders of today and tomorrow—we salute you.” 

- B Kyle 

B KYLE is the vice president of strategic development at the Saint Paul 

Port Authority in Saint Paul, Minn. She can be reached at blk@sppa.com. 

Thank you to the following donors who made this series possible: 

Agrimson Tool Company, Inc. 

Dave Fiedler 

Kurt Manufacturing Company Inc. 

Production Engineering Corp. 

Tom Daggett 

American Engineering Testing 

Deborah Kalina 

CliftonLarsonAllen LLP 

Productivity Inc 

Tooling Science, Inc. 

American Machine & 

Gundrillling Co., Inc. 

Anderson Automatics, Inc. 

Benny Machine Company 

Brian Robinson 

Carlson Advisors, LLP 

Columbia Precision Machine Corp. 

Concept Machine Tool Sales, Inc. 

Dakota Electric 

Dynamic Group 

Ellison Machinery Company 

Haberman Machine, Inc. 

Hales Machine Tool, Inc. 

Hegman Machinery 

Huot Manufacturing Company 

International Precision Machining, Inc. 

John Huot 

Josh Ralph 

Liesch Associates, Inc 

Lubrication Technologies, Inc. 

Lynn Moline 

Mike Reuter 

MRG Tool and Die Corp. 

MultiSource Manufacturing LLC 

Nesstech Concrete Molds 

NTM, Inc. 

On Time Delivery Service, Inc. 

rms 

Robert Carlson Jr. 

Rod Gramse 

Scott Taylor 

Saint Paul Port Authority 

State of Minnesota 

Superior Tool & Machining 

Ted Roberts Jr. 

Tim Swanson 

Toolkraft, Inc. 

Ultra Machining 

University National Bank 

Wells Fargo Bank 

Wilson Tool International, Inc. 

Wyoming Machine, Inc. 

Xcel Energy 

Yeager Machine 



WHO’S WHO 

Dr. Nuga, President of Riverland Community College 

A MAN WITH PASSION 

by Gloria McDonnell 

Adenuga Atewologun (known as “Dr. Nuga”), 

president of Riverland Community College. 

I recently had the opportunity to 

talk with Adenuga Atewologun (known 

as “Dr. Nuga”), president of Riverland 

Community College. The college boasts 

three campuses—in Austin, Owatonna, 

and Albert Lea. Dr. Nuga lives his life 

with a passion for his career, his students, 

and the community that he serves. 

Dr. Nuga grew up in Nigeria, 

Africa, and obtained his B.S. First Class 

Honors Agricultural Engineering degree 

from the University of Ife in Nigeria. 

His outstanding performance in his 

undergraduate studies qualified him for a 

special scholarship to pursue a doctorate 

in Agricultural Engineering. This 

program brought him to Champaign, 

Illinois, 32 years ago—where he received 

his Ph.D from the University of Illinois at 

Urbana-Champaign. 

While attending college in Illinois, 

Dr. Nuga met his future wife. The 

couple welcomed their first child while 

he was still in the process of completing 

his Ph.D. To help with expenses 

for their expanding family, his wife 

suggested that Dr. Nuga try teaching 

at Parkland Community College in 

Champaign, Illinois. He had done some 

teaching in Nigeria, but he had never 

considered it for full-time employment. 

He accepted an adjunct teaching 

position at Parkland and quickly 

discovered his passion for teaching. He 

loved the positive impact he had on the 

lives of the students in his classes. 

Fast forward to today. With his 

background in science, engineering, and 

agriculture, Dr. Nuga is happy to be in 

southern Minnesota where agriculture 

is a major industry. His role as president 

allows him to impact thousands of 

students—through the policies and 

programs implemented at Riverland. 

Outside of work, Dr. Nuga loves 

running and participates in local races. 

He is a member of the Chamber of 

Commerce in each of the communities 

where Riverland has a campus, and is also 

a member of the Rotary Club in Austin. 

Now that their children are grown, he and 

his wife are "empty nesters." They love to 

travel and have a passion for collecting art. 

Dr. Nuga's passions for agriculture, 

science, teaching, and his desire to 

positively impact the lives of students 

have made him a great addition to 

Riverland. During his first year working 

at the college, he has worked to finalize 

a strategic plan which has solidified 

Riverland's mission, vision, and long term 

goals. The college’s mission is to inspire 

success through education; their vision 

is to achieve a “best in class” status for 

their programs—through excellence in 

teaching, scholarship, and service. 

Riverland has excellent academic 

programs—the industrial and construction 

electrician program is highly reputable 

and one of the oldest programs of its 

kind in the state. Additionally, Riverland 

offers programs suited to manufacturing 

to cater to the community’s strong 

manufacturing base. The college offers an 

Industrial Maintenance and Mechanics 

Repair degree, as well as degrees in Diesel 

Mechanics, Welding, and Robotics. 

Dr. Nuga is passionate about the 

manufacturing industry and sees many 

opportunities for students to succeed. 

However, he knows the challenge 

of getting students interested in the 

manufacturing industry. He believes that 

both colleges and manufacturers must join 

together to solve this challenge—to change 

the image and perception of the industry 

while also educating the next generation. 

To do this, Riverland has entered 

into apprenticeship programs with 

some large employers; additionally, 

Riverland representatives regularly 

meet with high school counselors and 

parents of students in order to educate 

them about job opportunities in the 

manufacturing industry. 

As Riverland celebrates its 75th 

anniversary this year, Dr. Nuga has three 

main goals for the college over the next 5 

to 10 years. First, he wants Riverland to 

have a presence in the modern precision 

agriculture field. His second goal is for 

each of the three Riverland campuses to 

establish its own individual identity. His 

third goal is to increase the support of the 

Riverland Foundation and to build strong 

relationships within each of the three 

learning communities. 

The passion Dr. Nuga has for 

impacting the lives of students is evident 

to anyone who speaks with him. Dr. 

Nuga’s words of advice "Work hard, 

try your hands at things, so that you 

can find out exactly what's best for you. 

Dream big—don’t underestimate your 

capabilities. If you never try, you will not 

know if you could do it or not." 

PM 

GLORIA MCDONNELL is 

a Tax Operations Director 

at RedPath and Company. 

She can be reached at 

gmcdonnell@ 

redpathcpas.com. 


Part 5 of 6 

Southeast Minnesota 

Seeds of Growth Sprout New Opportunities 


People from all over the world travel 

to Southeast Minnesota to visit the Mayo 

Clinic each year, but healthcare is not the 

only dominant industry in the region. 

According to the Minnesota 

Department of Employment and Economic 

Development (DEED), manufacturing is 

the second-largest employment sector in 

Southeast Minnesota, which is comprised 

of Steele, Rice, Dodge, Freeborn, Mower, 

Fillmore, Houston, Olmsted, Winona, and 

Wabasha counties. 

The area's 40,000 manufacturing 

workers make everything from shoes to 

high-tech medical devices. However, the 

industry's recovery here has been slower 

than in other parts of the state. While 

Minnesota as a whole has added several 

thousand manufacturing jobs since 2009, 

Southeast Minnesota has added very few. 

From 2011 to 2012, manufacturing 

employment increased by .5 percent 

across the state, with Northwest 

Minnesota leading the way. However, 

employment managed to drop by .2 

percent in Southeast Minnesota. 

This decrease could be attributed 

to more manufacturing companies 

using temp agencies, according to Mark 

Schultz, DEED's regional labor market 

analyst for Southeast Minnesota. Another 

reason for the decrease could be because 

employers are having a difficult time 

filling skilled worker positions. 

DEED's 2011 Skills Gap Survey 

shows that nearly half of all companies 

in the region have jobs that are currently 

unfilled due to a lack of qualified workers. 

Additionally, 45 percent of manufacturers 

characterize the current worker shortage 

of qualified workers as "moderate" or 

"severe." Demand for some types of 

production workers and managerial 

positions is higher in Southeast 

Minnesota than in other parts of the state. 

Workers in High Demand, Short Supply 

At K&G Manufacturing in Faribault, 

which employs 60 people, complex 

aerospace and high-performance marine 

work make up the majority of the 

company's business. Yet recruitment—not 

regulations or foreign competition—is the 

company's biggest challenge. In an effort to 

attract the best and brightest workers in the 

area, Bob Basiago, the company's sales and 

marketing manager, has launched a fullfledged 

campaign to let the public know 

about opportunities within the company. 

He's especially interested in finding 

machinists, engineers, and managers. 

"If you like living in rural area, that's 

a benefit," said Basiago, who commutes 

to the shop from the Twin Cities each 

day. "It's a small town area. Everyone 

knows everyone. And there's lots of 

hunting and fishing. But our growth 

is somewhat hindered because of our 

Southeast Minnesota Manufacturing Employment by Sector, 2012 

Industry 

Employment 

Location 

Quotient* 

Prominent Firms 

Grain and Oilseed Milling 1,511 14.19 ADM, Malt-O-Meal 

Glass and Glass Product 

Manufacturing 

1,455 10.27 Viracon, Cardinal 

Animal Slaughtering and 

Hormel, Cargill, 

4,685 5.55 

Processing 

Jennie-O 

Other Textile Product Mills 606 5.32 Miller Waste Mills 

Dairy Product 

Faribault Dairy, Pace 

1,205 5.11 

Manufacturing 

Dairy Foods 

Fruit and Vegetable 

Preserving and Specialty 

Food Manufacturing 

HVAC and Commercial 

Refrigeration Equipment 

Manufacturing 

Agriculture, Construction, 

and Mining Machinery 

Manufacturing 

Other Miscellaneous 

Manufacturing 

Other Chemical Product 

and Preparation 

Manufacturing 

Semiconductor and Other 

Electronic Component 

Manufacturing 

1,518 5.00 

Seneca Foods, 

Sno-Pac 

957 4.23 Daikin McQuay, SPX 

1,737 3.96 

Hydratight, Badger 

Equipment, Akkerman 

Manufacturing 

1,743 3.64 Fastenal, Josten’s 

504 3.42 Cytec, RTP, Arkema 

1,554 2.29 

All Flex, Bergquist, 

Benchmark Electronics, 

Riverbend Electronics 

Source: MN DEED, Quarterly Census of Employment & Wages, 2012, *A location quotient greater than one indicates 

relative sector employment in Southeast Minnesota greater than the national average for that sector. 


FEATURE STORY 

location. Even though we're only an 

hour from downtown Minneapolis, 

getting people from the cities to work 

down here is difficult." 

In early 2014, K&G inserted fliers 

promoting current job openings into 

160,000 newspapers delivered to Lakeville, 

Faribault, Mankato, and Owatonna homes. 

Over the next three months, the company 

heard from more than 75 applicants and 

ended up hiring seven of them. 

Still, the company needs more 

workers. It plans to continue to advertise 

job listings on the MPMA website, and to 

maintain connections with local colleges. 

"We're working at 65 percent capacity 

right now just because we don't have 

enough qualified workers," Basiago said. 

It is interesting to point out that over 

28 percent of the population in Southeast 

Minnesota has a bachelor's degree or 

higher, but the median wages in the area 

are lower than the national median by a 

factor of more than 9 percent. 

The problem isn't necessarily that 

workers are uneducated; it's that many are 

unskilled. Still, the demand for these skills 

hasn't translated into higher wages. The 

wages for workers in the semiconductor 

and electronics sectors, for example, are 

about half of the national average. 

Seeds of Growth 

Southeast Minnesota is an 

agricultural powerhouse, accounting 

for 90 percent of spring wheat and 40 

percent of fruit orchards maintained 

in the state. As such, it is home to 

prominent food companies such as 

Hormel in Austin, Jennie-O in Faribault, 

and ADM in Winona and Red Wing. 

But advanced manufacturing— 

especially machinery, chemicals, 

electronics, and glass manufacturing— 

make up a considerable share of total 

industry employment in the region. 

And despite the skilled worker shortage, 

a number of them are growing with 

assistance from the state. 

 

Architectural glass manufacturer 

Viracon recently embarked on a 

100,000-square-foot expansion of its 

manufacturing facility in Owatonna. 

 

Capital Safety, which makes 

body harnesses, hoists, and other 

equipment to protect workers 

from falls, is adding 100 new jobs 

at its Red Wing facility with a 

60,000-square-foot expansion. 

 

TRW Automotive Holdings Corp., 

a leading worldwide automotive 

supplier, is adding up to 150 new 

workers to its Winona facility. 

 

Cytec Engineered Materials is adding 

60 new jobs and a $12 million 

expansion to its Winona facility. 

 

Harmony Enterprises, which makes 

waste compactors and recycling 

balers, is adding 14 jobs to its facility 

in Harmony. 

 

Behrens, a manufacturer of steel 

containers, is adding 15 new jobs 

and 23,000 square feet to its facility 

in Winona. 

 

E-Z Fabricating, a custom steel 

fabricator, is planning an expansion 

to a new site in Chatfield. The 14,000 

square foot project is expected to 

add 10-15 new jobs at the company. 

 

Agri-Steel is building a 

19,000-square-foot facility in Lyle. 

At least 34 manufacturing-related 

occupations are projected to be in high 

demand through 2020 in Southeast 

Minnesota. For some, the pay is high and 

the education requirements are 2 years 

or less. Between 2010 and 2020, there 

will be approximately 360 job openings 

for industrial machinery mechanics, who 

earn a median salary of $44,110 per year. 

There also will be 1,350 job openings for 

MINNESOTA PLANNING REGIONS 

Northwest 

Northeast 

West Central 

Metro 

Southwest 

Southeast 

OCCUPATION REPLACEMENT HIRES TOTAL HIRES 

Assemblers and Fabricators 670 1,110 

Team Assemblers 310 550 

Assemblers and Fabricators (all other) 240 420 

Food Processing Workers 1,010 1,230 

Metal/Plastic Workers 820 1,500 

material movers, and 200 job openings 

for large engine mechanics. It's worth 

noting that the region is well connected 

through the Rochester International 

Airport, four regional airports, and 

several freight rail lines. 

The question will be whether employers 

can fill these and other positions. The region 

is home to 15 higher education campuses, 

including the University of Minnesota 

in Rochester, Winona State University, 

Rochester Community & Technical College, 

South Central College in Faribault and 

North Mankato, and Southeast Technical 

College in Winona and Red Wing. A 

number of manufacturing programs and 

degrees are available to students. 

Competition for skilled workers 

is only getting tighter as the state's 

unemployment rate drops. Most of the 

students enrolled in Southeast Technical 

College's CNC Machining, Industrial 

Technology, and Welding programs are 

offered jobs soon after graduation. 

Manufacturing growth may be slower 

in Southeast Minnesota, but with a 

favorable business climate and employees 

to feed growth, manufacturers are 

confident they'll keep producing. PM 

MELISSA DEBILZAN is a contributing writer for 

IntrinXec Management, Inc. She can be reached 

at melissa@mpma.com. 


Riverland’s IMMR Instruction Evolves 

TO TRAIN STUDENTS IN CHANGING INDUSTRY 

by Peggy Young 

There is no denying it—the face of 

manufacturing is changing. Systems have 

advanced from manual to automated, 

from human to robotic. What has not 

changed is the need for skilled labor in 

manufacturing and engineering—at both 

entry and advanced levels. 

Machines are more technologically 

advanced, more costly to maintain, 

and astronomically more expensive to 

obtain. Skilled maintenance workers 

play a significant role in cost control. 

Riverland Community College’s 

Industrial Maintenance and Mechanics 

(IMMR) program positions its students 

to fill this need as both an entry-level 

maintenance and mechanical repair 

technician or as an advanced degreeseeking 

student looking to fill various 

engineering positions in the industry. 

Riverland’s IMMR program, located at 

the Albert Lea campus, is one-of-a-kind 

in Minnesota. Students receive training in 

the maintenance and repair of industrial 

equipment, as well as hands-on training 

focusing on hydraulics, pneumatics, 

piping, sheet metal, electrical components, 

bearings and seals, blueprint reading, 

preventative/predictive maintenance, 

safety, welding, and a variety of additional 

industry-driven topics. Students earn an 

OSHA 10 certification and are prepared to 

take a series of boiler exams. 

An offshoot of the IMMR program— 

the Machining Certificate—resulted 

directly from listening and responding to 

industry needs. The demand for entry-level 

and advanced machinists is expected to 

grow as retirements increase in this field— 

not only in Minnesota, but also throughout 

the nation. Through an apprenticeship pilot, 

graduates of the Machining program will 

have an opportunity for real-time, handson 

experience gained in the classroom, in 

the lab, and at the job site. 

Just as the manufacturing industry 

is changing, so too is the delivery of 

manufacturing education. Riverland’s 

partnership with the 360° Manufacturing 

& Applied Engineering ATE Regional 

Center of Excellence, housed at Bemidji 

State University (BSU), allows Riverland 

to offer an online platform for students 

to complete a variety of manufacturing 

and engineering related programs. 

These courses—designed for learners 

who want to continue work in their 

current profession—allow students 

to build a career pathway, thereby 

allowing incumbent workers to maintain 

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• Sinker EDM (Micro) holes as small as 10um 

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• Metrology – SEM, FIB, AFM/MFM 

• Hybridization of electronic chip devices and test 

• Assembly of mechanical, electro-mechanical and electronic devices 

arcnano.com 

ARC TECHNOLOGIES 

4459 WHITE BEAR PARKWAY 

WHITE BEAR LAKE, MN 55110 

651-789-9000 

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EDUCATOR'S CORNER 

employment, use their lessons in a “realtime” 

setting, and encourage continued 

industry growth. With certificates in 

Production Technologies, Machine 

Technologist, Automation Technologist, 

and Welding Technology, students 

have a variety of options for training, 

and employers have an opportunity to 

advance their workforce in the areas that 

best serve their needs. 

In addition, an articulation 

agreement with BSU allows students 

to transfer seamlessly into one of two 

Bachelor of Applied Science degrees 

focusing on Manufacturing and Applied 

Engineering—both of which are offered 

entirely online. These become win/win 

situations for both the employer and the 

employee. 

Riverland, recognizing the future of 

robotics in manufacturing, became one 

of three sanctioned VEX Competition 

hosts in Minnesota. Riverland partners 

with the 360° Manufacturing & Applied 

Engineering ATE Regional Center of 

Excellence to provide robotics kits to 

regional high schools. These students 

compete in each of the three statewide 

events with hopes to qualify for the 

annual VEX Worlds Competition. 

The VEX Robotics Design System 

offers students an exciting platform 

to explore vast career opportunities 

that span the science, technology, 

engineering, and math (STEM) 

areas as they create and use VEX 

Robotics technology. Beyond science 

and engineering principles, VEX 

Robotics projects encourage teamwork, 

leadership, and problem solving. 

Through this program students 

gain knowledge of the robotics field, an 

understanding of the role robotics plays 

in manufacturing and engineering, and 

insight as to how robotics may fit into 

their college aspirations. Employers 

who take advantage of VEX team 

sponsorship opportunities see firsthand 

the talent that may someday become an 

integral part of their workforce. 

Riverland’s manufacturing programs 

and the relationships built with area 

industry partners who advise our 

faculty about program content and 

goals lead to a strong customized 

training presence within the industry. By 

developing programs that meet specific 

industry needs, Riverland Training and 

Development can develop curriculum, 

train, re-train, and advise partners on a 

variety of topics—ranging from safety 

and OSHA regulations to trade-specific 

subjects and innovations. 

The manufacturing industry is 

changing, and Riverland Community 

College is striving to be the “best in 

class” in manufacturing education. For 

more information about Riverland’s 

IMMR program, or related training 

opportunities, contact Bob Bender at 

bob.bender@riverland.edu. Information 

about Riverland’s IMMR program can be 

found at www.riverland.edu/IMMR. PM 

PEGGY YOUNG is a Training 

and Development Business 

Consultant for Riverland 

Community College. She can 

be reached at Peggy.Young@ 

riverland.edu. 


INDUSTRY SPOTLIGHT 

Moving at the Speed of Business: 

EPICOR ERP VERSION 10 

Until recently, most Enterprise 

Resource Planning (ERP) systems served 

only one purpose: to reduce costs by 

managing processes and materials. They 

were built for narrowly defined business 

needs, such as order management, 

account payables, and inventory control— 

neglecting other key aspects of a business. 

Today's manufacturers are interested 

in far more than simply cutting costs. 

Customers are demanding shorter lead 

times, more flexible scheduling, leaner 

processes, and continuous innovations. 

Companies are forced to do more with less. 

To compete effectively, many companies 

have turned to dynamic ERPs that can 

help them plan for and react to a variety 

of customer needs—from quote to cash. 

Service and quality are at the core. 

In April of 2014, Epicor Software 

Corporation unveiled its latest offering to 

help manufacturers maintain their edge 

in a rapidly changing marketplace. It's 

called Epicor ERP version 10. 

Social and Mobile 

Epicor ERP version 10 has the 

potential to drive twice the performance 

and four times the scalability of previous 

ERP releases, along with reduced IT cost 

and complexity. 

One new feature is a social collaboration 

tool for employees, customers, and 

suppliers—enabling instant communication 

among key contacts for each job. Another 

is a touch-enabled user interface that's 

more intuitive than previous versions and is 

compatible with multiple tablets. 

As a result, shops can make lastminute 

changes to sales orders and 

translate that information to the shop 

floor even faster. Real time information 

on key-metrics, such as daily profit 

margins, job scheduling, and on-time 

delivery, is easier than ever to extract. 

Boers & Co Fine Metalworking 

Group, a 100 year old mechanical parts 

manufacturer, was the first company to 

“go live” with Epicor ERP version 10. The 

company implemented Epicor ERP for 

complete management of every job, from 

accounting to shipping. Migrating to the 

new version took less than an hour. 

“With Epicor ERP version 10, we 

can see the advantages of the new user 

interface—it makes everything simpler 

and easier to use,” said Jos Greeve, ICT 

manager at Boers. 

“Epicor ERP version 10 will change 

the way we work and the computers we 

use—touch enabled, touch friendly—the 

new menus allow employees to adapt the 

solution to the way they want to work.” 

E-commerce 

Epicor ERP version 10 provides 

Epicor Commerce Connect, a new 

e-commerce solution, to facilitate 

customer and supplier collaboration. 

Epicor Commerce Connect is built 

upon Magento, the leading open source 

e-commerce framework, and supports 

both iOS and Android mobile devices. 

Visitors can place orders, track order 

progress, tag and review products, and 

update contact or billing information. 

Customers and registered users access 

order history, invoices, shipments, and 

payment information. Suppliers can log 

in to see parts, update purchase orders, 

revise quotes, and perform other tasks 

necessary for smooth transactions. 

For customers with highly engineered 

and configured products, Epicor 

Commerce Connect also provides 

seamless integration to the Epicor ERP 

Configurator. This allows customers to 

configure, price, and purchase products 

using the Configurator functionality, and 

dramatically simplify the ordering process. 

Critical Data within Reach 

D&S Manufacturing, a local contract 

manufacturer based in Wisconsin, is 

also using Epicor ERP version 10. John 

Barkley, vice president and general 

manager, said the new version makes it 

easier than ever to extract and analyze 

data for important business decisions. 

"If a customer comes to us with a 

large project, we're able to enter that 

information into Epicor and do a what-if 

analysis," he said. "We can run the ERP 

overnight and it'll tell us which work 

centers are available, how long they'll 

take, and other factors." 

In addition to capacity planning, Epicor 

helps the company with cash flow planning. 

"One of the biggest surprises I've had 

since we started using Epicor is our ability 

to close [out] a month from a financial [and 

accounting] standpoint. Previously, I had 

to wait six to eight weeks after that month 

closed [to get information]. Now we're able 

to close a month [out] in one or two days." 

Ultra Machining Company, Inc. (UMC) 

in Monticello, has been using Epicor for 

several years and relies on data from the 

system in order to drive continued growth. 

"We're ISO and ASO certified," said 

President Eric Gibson. "Those governing 

bodies require us to keep a very solid 

database so we can manage our business 

effectively and efficiently. Epicor helps us 

do that." 

The training offered through Epicor 

University has helped UMC understand 

how it can meet the needs of specific 

customers and specific cycles within each 

customer. Training courses can be selfpaced 

or delivered live with an instructor 

and are available for all experience levels 

and job roles. 

"The training has been excellent and 

has allowed us to customize data to meet 

our exact needs," Gibson said. "With the 

right data, I can make better decisions 

and run the business more efficiently 

and effectively." 

About Epicor 

Epicor is one of the largest providers 

of ERP software in the world and has 

created a niche in manufacturing. With 

over 40 years of experience serving small, 

midmarket, and large companies, Epicor 

has more than 20,000 customers in over 

150 countries. The company also has an 

office in Minneapolis that serves many 

local manufacturing companies. PM 

For more information about 

Epicor, visit www.epicor.com or 

call 1-800-999-6995. 


PAID SUPPLEMENT

What’s your 

relationship with ERP 

Single 

Engaged 

Still Looking 

It’s Inspiring 

In a Relationship 

It’s Complicated 

Married 

ERP should inspire your business, 

not complicate it. 

Update your status. Epicor ERP is built to bring out the 

best in you and your business. epicor.com/inspired 

Have questions about our ERP System 

Please call us at 1-800-999-6995 

epicor.com 

Copyright © 2014. Epicor Software Corporation. Epicor, the Epicor logo, and Business Inspired are registered 

trademarks of Epicor Software Corporation.

FEATURE STORY 

Influencing Manufacturing Careers 

AT ALEXANDRIA AREA HIGH SCHOOL 

by Keith Summers 

In 2011, the voters of Alexandria, 

Minnesota, passed a 65 million dollar 

referendum to build a new high school. 

As the floor plan was being developed, 

local manufacturing leaders learned 

that the space allocated to industrial 

technology labs and classrooms was 

limited. A meeting was set up by these 

manufacturing leaders with the school’s 

administration. From that meeting, it 

was decided that a closer look at the 

role of industrial technology classes 

at the new high school needed to be 

completed. A group of teachers, school 

administrators, and local manufacturing 

leaders were assembled for the task. 

One central theme emerged from 

the initial meetings: a better job must be 

done to introduce high school students 

to manufacturing careers. This required 

building a manufacturing lab that would 

enable students to learn about current 

manufacturing careers, as well as to see 

what these careers involved in a handson 

setting. The impact of the new lab 

could be enhanced by involving other 

teaching areas, like math and science, in 

order to utilize the lab’s capabilities. 

As the planning process progressed, the 

school staff and community leaders decided 

that the school would be built around small 

learning communities—with project based 

learning, flexible learning spaces, a focus on 

real life application, and programs rich in 

technology. 

Members of the planning group visited 

schools across the country, among the 

most influential being the Academies 

of Nashville, a partnership between 

Nashville Tennessee public schools, local 

businesses, and post-secondary schools. 

With several high schools in its system, 

the Academies of Nashville built a unique 

academy at each school. These academies 

include programs for Engineering 

Technology, Health and Human Services, 

Communication, Information Technology, 

Arts and Entertainment, and many others. 

A glass wall allows students and visitors to see inside the new engineering and technology lab. 

The most impressive aspect of 

the Academies of Nashville is their 

sustainable partnership with the 

community—something the planning 

group wished to include at Alexandria 

Area High School—by involving the 

community and local businesses in the 

future of the new high school. 

Ground was broken for the new 

high school in 2012, and it will open in 

September of 2014. The impact of the 

partnership between the local business 

community and the school district is 

very apparent. 

Off of the central commons area 

of the school is the engineering and 

technology lab. A glass wall allows 

students and visitors to see inside 

the lab. The focus of the lab is an 

automation cell that includes a HAAS 

vertical machining center, a Brown & 

Sharpe automatic coordinate measuring 

machine, and a FANUC robot. 

The funds for the automation cell 

were provided outside of the tax payer 

referendum—through the participation 

of local manufacturing companies, the 

equipment’s manufacturers, and local 

sales representatives. The primary lab 

instructor, Tom Ellison, is working part 

of the summer at Alexandria Industries 

in order to familiarize himself with 

the equipment—simultaneous to its 

installation at the high school. 

Four learning academies are being 

developed at the new school. The first is 

a Freshman Academy, where 9th graders 

can learn about educational and career 

opportunities and plan a high school 

experience that fits their goals. From the 

Freshman Academy, students can elect to 

participate in 1 of 3 academies: 

 

Engineering, Manufacturing 

Technologies, and Natural Resources 

 

Health Sciences and Human Services 

 

Business, Communication, and 

Entrepreneurship 

The engineering and technology 

lab will be ready when the school 

opens for the new school year. The 

four new academies—to be known as 

The Academies of Alexandria—will be 

implemented at the high school over the 

next 4 years. 

Al Sholts, chief operating officer at 

Alexandria Industries, commented that 

both he and his employer always have 

continued 


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FEATURE STORY 

Inside the new engineering and technology 

lab at Alexandria Area High School. 

been closely involved with the Alexandria 

Technical and Community College, but 

less involved with the high school—until 

this project. 

When he stopped in at the 

construction site to see the machine 

tool, CMM, and robot being installed 

in the engineering and technology lab, 

Sholts felt confident that all of the efforts 

from the manufacturing community to 

influence and assist the new high school 

will have a lasting impact on students, 

jobs, and the Alexandria community. 

The new high school also includes 

great facilities for athletics, the 

performing arts, and for other academic 

areas. The intent to provide an equal 

footing for industrial technology in the 

high school is evident. 

Each year, a few students will advance 

on to post-secondary education in 

manufacturing technology, and many of 

those students will be able to find wellpaying 

and fulfilling careers in the local 

Alexandria area. A few of those students 

may even start their own businesses and 

hire additional employees. Maybe one or 

two students will build their businesses 

to become significant local employers. 

This would create new jobs and add 

substantially to the local tax base. Not 

many high school programs can offer this 

option: to stay in the town’s community 

for a lifetime and to create new jobs for 

the next generation. 

Those working in manufacturing 

know that this is a practical possibility— 

almost a likelihood—over a long period 

of time. Most school administrators, 

school board members, and citizens in 

the community do not know the impact 

that industrial technology classes could 

have. These members of the community 

often see industrial technology classes as 

expensive remnants of a 1960s shop class, 

and must be convinced that these classes 

are important to the students’ success. 

Anyone who passes through the 

central commons at the new Alexandria 

Area High School—on their way to 

a performing arts presentation at the 

new auditorium or an athletic event in 

the new gyms—will get a little of that 

convincing as they walk by the glass wall 

of the engineering and technology lab. PM 

KEITH SUMMERS is president at Productivity 

Quality Inc. He can be reached at 

keith.summers@pqi.net. 

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Bemidji State University 

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zimco@visi.com 

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A. Finkl & Sons Co. 

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A-1 Engineering 

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ABA Water Systems, Inc. 

Tim Weaver 

(800) 257-1271 

tim@abawatersystems.com 

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Scott Hoffmann 

(763) 783-1020 X16 

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Ace Cutter Grinding, Inc. 

Kyle Anderson 

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AeroSystems Engineering 

Datona Lo 

(651) 220-1320 

datona.lo@aseholdings.com 

Aerotek 

Dylan Ballantine 

(651) 252-3349 

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Aggressive Hydraulics, Inc. 

Wes Maack 

(763) 792-4000 

wmaack@aggressivehydraulics.com 

Agility Machine Tool, Inc. 

Brian Holcomb 

(763) 792-8502 

brian@agilitymachine.com 

Agrimson Tool Company, Inc. 

Gary Agrimson 

(763) 566-3446 

mailroom@agrimsontool.com 

Air Engineering & Supply, Inc. 

David Maurer 

(612) 332-4181 

david@airengr.com 

Aitkin Iron Works, Inc. 

Jeffrey Chatelle 

(218) 927-2400 

jwc@aiw.com 

Alerus Financial 

Lisa Moncrief 

(952) 417-3768 

lisa.moncrief@alerus.com 

Alexandria Industries 

Tom Jensen 

(800) 568-6601 

tjensen@alexandriaindustries.com 

All Tech Machinery & Supply 

Jeff Johnson 

(763) 370-4670 

johnson9499@comcast.net 

Alliance Metrology, Inc. 

Bryn Hartwig 

(763) 493-0026 

brynhart@comcast.net 

American Machine & 

Gundrilling Co., Inc. 

Chuck Berg, Jr. 

(763) 425-3830 

chucksr@amgundrilling.com 

AmeriStar Manufacturing Inc 

Alesha Sacco 

(507) 625-1515 

fab@ameristarmfg.com 

Anderson Automatics, Inc. 

Doug Anderson 

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Anderson Dahlen, Inc. 

David Knoll 

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Andrew Tool & 

Machining Company 

Bruce Hanson 

(763) 559-0402 

brucehanson@andrewtool.com 

Anoka Technical College 

Nick Graff 

(763) 576-4700 X4105 

ngraff@anokatech.edu 

Anoka-Ramsey 

Community College 

Jon Olson 

(763) 433-1201 

jon.olson@anokaramsey.edu 

Applied Vacuum Technology, Inc. 

Dan Korolchuk 

(952) 442-7005 

dkorolchuk@appliedvacuum.com 

APT CNC Inc. 

Brian Mayo 

(507) 931-5425 

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ARC (Advanced Research Corp.) 

Matthew Dugas 

(651) 789-9000 

mdugas@arcnano.com 

Arrow Cryogenics, Inc. 

Curt Salo 

(763) 780-3367 

curt@arrowcryogenics.com 

Associated Bank 

Mike Atherley 

(651) 306-1625 

michael.atherley@associatedbank.com 

Atscott Manufacturing 

Company, Inc. 

John Norris 

(320) 629-2501 

info@atscott.com 

Aurora Micro Machine 

Eric Nelson 

(763) 452-2942 

eric.nelson@auroramicromachine.com 

Automated 

Randy Squier 

(763) 576-6946 

rsquier@automatedextrusion.com 

Baillie Sales & Engineering, Inc. 

Mark Baillie 

(952) 546-2960 

mark@bailliesales.com 

BankCherokee 

Roger Hamilton 

(651) 291-6263 

rhamilton@bankcherokee.com 

Barry & Sewall Industrial Supply 

Steve Olson 

(612) 331-6170 

steveo@barrysewall.com 

Batten Tool & Machine, Inc. 

Dan Batten 

(952) 942-9198 

dan@battentool.com 

BDO USA, LLP 

Chris Link 

(952) 842-9689 

clink@bdo.com 

Beaver Machine & Tool Inc. 

Jay Groth 

(763) 535-2204 

beavshack@beavermachine.com 

Bemis Healthcare Packaging, Inc. 

Leigh Asleson 

(507) 625-1131 

lcasleson@bemis.com 

Bermo Inc. 

Nancy Hartman 

(763) 786-7676 

nancy.hartman@bermo.com 

besTech 

Dave Steele 

(952) 808-4208 

dsteele@bankersequipment.com 

Bizal Manufacturing Co. 

Mike Bizal, Jr. 

(763) 571-4030 

bizalmfg@bizalmfg.com 

Black Line Group 

Scott Schmidt 

(763) 550-0111 

scott@blacklinegrp.com 

BlackHawk Industrial, 

St. Cloud Division 

Bob Miller 

(320) 257-1012 

bob.miller@blackhawkid.com 

Blanski Peter Kronlage & Zoch, P.A. 

Gary Turnquist, CPA 

(763) 546-6211 

gturnquist@bpkz.com 

Bodycote Thermal Processing 

Mike Cornelius 

(952) 944-5500 

michael.cornelius@bodycote.com 

Boring Machine Corporation 

Tom Chacon 

(763) 786-0100 

tomchacon@bormac.com 

Bowman Tool & Machining 

Angela Bowman 

(507) 286-1400 X103 

arb@btmcnc.com 

Braas Company 

Matt Gallagher 

(952) 937-8902 

matt.gallagher@braasco.com 

Branch Manufacturing 

Company, Inc. 

Tim Fairbanks 

(651) 674-4441 

timf@branchmfg.com 

Brenk Brothers, Inc. 

Jeff Brenk 

(763) 784-5621 

jeff@brenkbrothers.com 

Briggs and Morgan, P.A. 

Chuck Johnson 

(612) 977-8680 

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BTD Tooling Division 

Craig Rix 

(952) 469-2423 

craig.rix@btdmfg.com 

CAB Construction 

Karla Hansen 

(507) 625-2233 

karla@cabconstruction.com 

Carley Foundry, Inc. 

Kevin Stensrud 

(763) 205-8933 

kevin.stensrud@carleyfoundry.com 

Carlson Advisors, LLP 

Melvin Enger 

(763) 535-8150 

menger@carlson-advisors.com 

Cass Screw Machine 

Products Company 

Steve Wise 

(763) 535-0501 

steve@csmp.com 

Cassidy Turley 

Tim Olsen 

(612) 347-9344 

timothy.olsen@cassidyturley.com 

Castle Metals 

Dave Brown 

(763) 795-1537 

drbrown@amcastle.com 

Castrol Industrial NA 

Jim Walker 

(612) 212-9783 

james.walker8@bp.com 

C-Axis Inc. 

Jeff Haley 

(763) 478-8982 

jeff@c-axis.com 

CBIZ MHM, LLC 

Eric Hawkinson 

(612) 376-1264 

ehawkinson@cbiz.com 

Central McGowan, Inc. 

Brian Semroska 

(320) 252-5292 

brians@centralmcgowan.com 

Challenge Machine 

& Manufacturing Inc. 

Carrie Betland 

(763) 231-8400 

carrieb@challengemachine.com 

Checker Machine, Inc. 

Steve Lipinski 

(763) 544-5000 

slipinski@checkermachine.com 

Cheetah Precision, Inc. 

Manfred Niedernhoefer 

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cheetah@cheetahprecision.com 

Chuck's Grinding, Inc. 

Mike Reuter 

(952) 361-4308 

mike@chucksgrinding.com 

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Harry Youtsos 

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harry@cam-cnc.com 

Columbia Gear Corp. 

Dave Petron 

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dpetron@columbiagear.com 

Columbia Precision Machine Corp. 

Gilbert Baldwin 

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gbaldwin@columbiapmc.com 

Comet Tool, Inc. 

Jim Freitag 

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jim.freitag@comettoolinc.com 

Command Tooling Systems LLC 

Bahti Hanedar 

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bhanedar@commandtool.com 

Concept Machine Tool Sales, Inc. 

Craig Conlon 

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Condux International 

Doug Mulder 

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dougm@condux.com 

Construction Results Corporation 

Mark Snyder 

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mark.snyder@constructionresults.com 



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Eric Andersen 

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Anthony Cremers 

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CRTechnical 

Tom Wolden 

(763) 560-6015 

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Custom Mold & Design LLC 

Bruce Cerepak 

(763) 535-2334 

bcerepak@custommold.net 

D & B Plating Company 

Vince Wheeler 

(763) 784-8038 

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D/F Machine Specialties, Inc. 

Steve Moerke 

(507) 625-6200 

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Dahlquist Machine Inc. 

Jeff Dahlquist 

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Dakota County Technical College 

Larry Lewis 

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Tooling Technology 

David Olson Sales Co., Inc. 

Clinton Olson 

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John Madsen 

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Deco Tool Supply Co. 

Kevin Corrigan 

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Kent Smith 

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Jean Bye 

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Dunwoody College of Technology 

E. J. Daigle 

(612) 381-8172 

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Dale Hanken 

(763) 425-5005 

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Dynamic Group 

Peter McGillivray 

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pmcgill@dynamicgroup.com 

Eagle Tool & Design Co. 

Julie Ulrich 

(763) 784-7400 

julrich@eagletoolinc.com 

Elk River Machine Company 

Todd McChesney 

(763) 441-1581 

tmcchesney@ermc.com 

Ellison Technologies 

Craig St. John 

(763) 545-9699 

cstjohn@ellisontechnologies.com 

Emerson Network Power 

Connectivity Solution 

Jeff Norell 

(507) 833-6515 

jeff.norell@emerson.com 

Engineered Finishing Corp. 

Danforth Messerly 

(763) 785-9278 

dmesserly@engfinish.com 

Enterprise Minnesota, Inc. 

John Connelly 

(612) 373-2900 

john.connelly@enterpriseminnesota.org 

Epicor Software Corporation 

Christine Hansen 

(952) 417-5161 

chansen@epicor.com 

Balancing Technology 

Measuring Instruments 

Haimer USA, LLC | 134 E. Hill Street | Villa Park, IL 60181 | Phone: +1-630-833-1500 | Email: haimer@haimer-usa.com | www.haimer-usa.com 

Erickson Metals of MN, Inc. 

Luke Harned 

(763) 785-2340 

lharned@ericksonmetalsmn.com 

Exact JobBOSS 

Michael Stadelman 

(952) 837-1513 

mike.stadelman@exact.com 

Excelsior Tool Company, Inc. 

Gary Lostetter 

(763) 479-3355 

etc1gl@frontiernet.net 

Fab Pipe, Inc. 

Ted Muntz 

(763) 428-2259 

tmuntz@fabpipe.com 

Falls Fabricating LLC 

Mike Rott 

(320) 632-2322 

mrott@fallsfab.com 

Fastenal Manufacturing 

Tim Borkowski 

(507) 453-8000 

tborkows@fastenal.com 

Federated Insurance 

Brock Martinez 

(507) 455-5200 

bgmartinez@fedins.com 

Fluid Management Incorporated 

Roger Novitzki 

(612) 378-2580 

roger@coolantrecycle.com 

Fox Valley Metrology 

Julie Moravec 

(651) 600-2992 

julie.moravec@foxvalleymetrology.com 

Fraisa USA, Inc. 

Mathieu Tapp 

(651) 636-8488 

mtapp@fraisausa.com 

Froehling Anderson 

Gary Dosdall 

(952) 979-3100 

gdosdall@fa-cpa.com 

Glenn Metalcraft, Inc. 

Joseph Glenn 

(763) 389-5355 

jglenn@glennmetalcraft.com 

Graco Inc. 

Heather Bittle 

(612) 623-6431 

hbittle@graco.com 

Granger Machine, Inc. 

Mike Parker 

(763) 444-3725 

mike@grangermachine.com 

H & F Manufacturing, Inc. 

Steve Farniok 

(763) 493-5606 

stevef@hfmfg.com 

Haberman Machine, Inc. 

Scott Ness 

(651) 777-4511 

scottn@habermanmachine.com 

Hales Machine Tool, Inc. 

Dan Hales 

(763) 553-1711 

dhales@halesmachinetool.com 

Hamre Designs LLC 

Paul Hamre 

(651) 261-4673 

paul@hamredesigns.com 

Hard Chrome, Inc. 

Dick Walters 

(612) 788-9451 

sales@hardchromeplating.net 

Hegman Machinery, LLC - 

A Div. of Morris Group, Inc. 

Jerry Rex 

(763) 315-7309 

jrex@hegmanmachinery.com 

Hennepin Technical College 

Mike McGee 

(763) 488-2648 

mike.mcgee@hennepintech.edu 

HEXIS 

Andrew Skoog 

(612) 804-1143 

andrew@hexpedite.com 

HG&K Ltd. 

Greg Uphoff 

(952) 979-1146 

guphoff@hgkcpa.com 

Hibbing Fabricators, Inc. 

Wayne Larson 

(218) 262-5575 

waynel@hibfab.com 

Hoff Online Auctions 

Dennis Hoff 

(612) 234-8006 

dennis.hoff@hoffonlineauctions.com 

Houck Machine Company 

Steve Kingdon 

(763) 566-3792 

skingdon@houckmachine.com 

Huot Manufacturing Company 

John Huot 

(651) 646-1869 

j.huot@huot.com 

Hutchinson Manufacturing, Inc. 

Tom Daggett 

(320) 587-4653 

tdaggett@hutchmfg.com 

ICA Corporation 

Steve Hoaglund 

(763) 428-2800 

steveh@icacorp.com 



IFS-Industrial Fabrication 

Services, Inc. 

Matt Doherty 

(507) 726-6000 

mattifs@hickorytech.net 

IKONICS Corporation 

Michael Sullivan 

(218) 628-2217 

msullivan@ikonics.com 

ImaGineering Machine Inc. 

Jesse Schelitzche 

(952) 922-9311 

js@imagineeringmachine.com 

INCERTEC 

Rob Clark 

(763) 717-7016 X 1119 

rob.clark@incertec.com 

Industrial Tool Solutions 

Brett Wharton 

(952) 334-5507 

brett@itsmn.onmicrosoft.com 

Industrial Waste Services, Inc. 

Mike Antolik 

(952) 474-2628 

mike@industrialwasteservices.biz 

International Precision 

Machining, Inc. 

Daniel Meyer 

(320) 656-1241 

dmeyer@ipminc.com 

ISC Companies Inc. 

Lou Cowart 

(763) 519-1527 

l.cowart@isccompanies.com 

J. & J. Machine, Inc. 

John Lenz 

(763) 421-0114 

sales@jandjmachine.com 

J. B. Testing, Inc. 

Jeff Boisvert 

(763) 795-9690 

jbtesting@jbtesting.com 

Jet Edge, Inc. 

Nancy Lauseng 

(763) 497-8700 

sales@jetedge.com 

JIT Manufacturing, Inc. 

Gene Wehner 

(763) 425-7995 

gwehner@jitmfgmn.com 

Jonaco Machine LLC 

Bill Russell 

(952) 448-5544 

sales@jonaco.com 

Jones Metal Products Inc 

Toby Begnaud 

(507) 625-4436 

tbegnaud@jonesmetalproducts. 

K & G Manufacturing Co. 

Bob Basiago 

(507) 334-5501 

bbasiago@kgmfg.com 

Kaeser Compressors, Inc. 

Matt McCorkle 

(855) 523-7373 

matt.mccorkle@kaeser.com 

Kato Engineering Inc. 

Thomas Novak 

(507) 345-2750 

tom.novak@emerson.com 

KayHarris Real Estate Consultants 

Kay Harris, CCIM, M.Ed. 

(952) 915-4444 

kay@kayharrisre.com 

KDV 

Gary Voggesser 

(952) 563-6800 

gvoggesser@kdv.com 

KLC Financial, Inc. 

Spencer Thomas 

(952) 224-4303 

spencer@klcfinancial.com 

KleinBank 

Jane Campe 

(763) 427-5005 

j.campe@kleinbank.com 

Korin Electronics Repair 

& Assembly 

Tom Korin 

(612) 889-6435 

tomkorin@gmail.com 

Kurt Manufacturing Company Inc. 

Steve Carlsen 

(763) 572-4550 

stevec@kurt.com 

La Machine Shop, Inc. 

Joe LaBonne 

(763) 434-6108 

joe@lamachineshop.com 

Lake Air Metal Stamping LLC 

Brad Severson 

(763) 546-0994 

bseverson@lakeairmetals.com 

Lake Engineering, Inc. 

Steve Magnuson 

(952) 473-5485 

stevem@lakeengineering.com 

Lake Superior College 

Max Udovich 

(218) 733-7631 

m.udovich@lsc.edu 

Lakeland Tool & Engineering, Inc. 

Marty Sweerin 

(763) 422-8866 

betty@lte.biz 

LaMott Enterprises, Inc. 

Steve LaMott 

(763) 781-0001 

steve@lamottenterprises.com 

Lane Company 

Dan Tall 

(612) 379-2018 

dantall@laneplastics.com 

Larkin Hoffman Daly 

& Lindgren Ltd. 

Mark Geier 

(952) 835-3800 

mgeier@larkinhoffman.com 

Lindquist + Vennum LLP 

Karla Vehrs 

(612) 371-2449 

kvehrs@lindquist.com 

Lingate Financial Group 

Tom Kaul 

(952) 688-2280 

tkaul@lingate.com 

Lion Engineering Plastics, Inc. 

Scott King 

(952) 641-6300 

sking@lionep.com 

Lion Precision 

Don Martin 

(651) 484-6544 

don@lionprecision.com 

Litin Paper Company 

John Hanson 

(612) 607-5735 

jhanson@litin.com 

Lou-Rich, Inc. 

Randy Eggum 

(507) 377-5330 

reggum@lou-rich.com 

Lubrication Technologies, Inc. 

Luke Bame 

(651) 636-7990 

lukebam@lubetech.com 

Lyndex Nikken 

Craig Schepers 

(847) 367-4800 

craigs@lyndexnikken.com 

M. Vincent & Associates, Ltd. 

David Hannah 

(952) 884-7733 

dhannah@vincentmetals.com 

Machine Tool Supply Corp. 

Troy Kerin 

(651) 452-4400 

troyk@machtool.com 

Machining Technology 

Laurent Deconinck 

(763) 571-1772 

ldeconinck@machining-technology.com 

Mack Engineering Corp. 

Jennifer Salisbury 

(612) 721-2471 

jennifer.s@mackengineering.com 

Maintecx Machine Tool LLC 

Rolf Biekert 

(612) 886-3386 

biekertro@maintecx.com 

Manufacturing Solutions 

of MN Inc. 

Jim Lemons 

(651) 294-7790 

jim.lemons@msmni.com 

Marr Valve Company, 

a Div. of Specialty Mfg. 

Chad Gregoire 

(320) 564-4279 

chad@marrvalve.com 

Martin Calibration Inc. 

Rick Brion 

(952) 882-1528 

rbrion@martincalibration.com 

Massman Automation Designs, LLC 

Jeff Bigger 

(320) 554-3611 

sales@massmanllc.com 

Master Tool & Die, Inc. 

Tony Trabant 

(651) 454-2536 

tonyt@mastertoolinc.com 

Mate Precision Tooling 

Joe Schneider 

(763) 421-0230 

joe.schneider@mate.com 

Matsuura Machinery USA 

John Schwartz 

(651) 289-9700 

john.schwartz@matsuurausa.com 

Med-Tek, Inc. 

Randy Duffy 

(612) 789-3527 

randy@med-tekinc.com 

Meier Tool & Engineering, Inc. 

Tom Murphy 

(763) 427-6275 

tmurphy@meiertool.com 

Metal Craft Machine 

& Engineering, Inc. 

Trisha Mowry 

(763) 441-1855 

trisha@metal-craft.com 

Metal Services 

of Blooming Prairie, Inc. 

Dennis Heimerman 

(507) 583-2144 

dennyh@metal-services.com 

Metal Supermarkets 

Doug Knepper 

(763) 315-4042 

dknepper@metalsupermarkets.com 

MHTA-Minnesota 

High Tech Association 

Andrew Wittenborg 

(952) 230-4555 

awittenborg@mhta.org 

MICO, Inc. 

John (Sonny) Suserud 

(507) 625-6426 

sonnys@mico.com 



Micro Parts Inc. 

Robert Nichols 

(651) 452-1017 

robert@mpi-dms.com 

Micro-Matics Inc. 

Rick Paulson 

(763) 780-2700 

rick@micro-matics.com 

Midland Technologies, Inc. 

Susan Dubay 

(763) 428-4229 

midland@midlandtechnologies.com 

Midwest CAM Solutions, Inc. 

Richard Lord 

(763) 560-6567 

rlord@midwestcamsolutions.com 

Midwest Industrial Tool 

Grinding, Inc. 

Eric Lipke 

(320) 455-0535 

info@mitgi.us 

Midwest Machine Tool Supply 

Doug Eliason 

(763) 571-3550 X29 

doug@midwestmachinetool.com 

Midwest Steel Supply Company 

Brandon Walton 

(612) 333-6868 

bw@midweststeelsupply.com 

Millerbernd Laser 

Farid Currimbhoy 

(612) 805-2474 

fcurrimbhoy@millerberndlaser.com 

Milltronics CNC Machines 

Sara Dvorak 

(952) 442-1410 

sdvorak@milltronics.net 

MINNCOR Industries 

Brenda Chandler 

(651) 361-7500 

bchandler@minncor.com 

Minneapolis Community 

& Tech. College 

Kim Munson 

(612) 659-6093 

kim.munson@minneapolis.edu 

Minnesota Business Magazine 

Tamara Prato 

(612) 548-3240 

tamara.prato@tigeroak.com 

Minnesota Grinding, Inc. 

David Schranck 

(763) 535-4445 

david.schranck@minnesotagrinding.com 

Minnesota Waterjet, Inc. 

Doug Leaser 

(763) 427-9200 X204 

dougl@mnwaterjet.com 

Minnwest Bank Metro 

Jean Nelson 

(651) 259-6963 

jeann@minnwestbankgroup.com 

MN State College, 

Southeast Technical 

Joanne Thompson 

(507) 453-2725 

jthompson@southeastmn.edu 

MN Technical Assistance 

Program, U of M 

Karl DeWahl 

(612) 624-4645 

dewah001@umn.edu 

Modified Tool, Inc. 

John Kruse 

(218) 763-6030 

modifiedtool@emily.net 

Mold-Tech, Inc. 

Jon Lee 

(763) 497-7500 

jlee@mold-techinc.com 

Morrissey, Inc. 

Steve Mealman 

(952) 698-2310 

smealman@morrisseyinc.com 

MPS Technical 

Sara Dado 

(651) 275-4222 

sarad@mpstechnical.com 

MRG Tool and Die Corp. 

Mike Gramse 

(507) 334-1847 

mgramse@mrgtoolanddie.com 

MultiSource Mfg LLC 

Gary Hadley 

(952) 456-5500 

ghadley@multisourcemfg.com 

Mutual of America 

Justin Grimm 

(952) 820-0089 

justin.grimm@mutualofamerica.com 

Nanotech Machinery 

Solutions, Inc. 

Kevin Manion 

(763) 425-6266 

kevin@nanomach.us 

National Quality Assurance, USA 

Kirsten Smith 

(603) 818-9258 

ksmith@nqa-usa.com 

NETTwork Mfg. Inc. 

Aaron Netter 

(320) 654-8352 

aaron@nettworkmfg.com 

Network Medics, Inc. 

Kevin Calgren 

(612) 643-3539 

kevin@networkmedics.com 

New Ulm Precision Tool, Inc. 

Howard Blume 

(507) 233-2900 

hblume@nuprecisiontool.com 

Nordic Components, Inc. 

Jarmo Kumpula 

(320) 234-0330 

jarmo@nordiccomp.com 

Northern Iron & Machine 

Ray Van Allen 

(651) 778-3374 

rvanallen@northernim.com 

Northland Screw Products, Inc. 

James Martinson 

(763) 753-3628 

james@northlandscrewproducts.com 

Northstar Aerospace 

Gary Corradi 

(218) 966-2229 

gcorradi@northstaraerospace.com 

Northwest Machine Technologies 

Tony Bailey 

(763) 493-3660 

tbailey@nwmtec.com 

Northwest Swiss-Matic, LLC 

Wade Halseth 

(763) 544-4222 

whalseth@nwswissmatic.com 

Northwest Technical 

College - Bemidji 

Daniel Larson 

(218) 333-6604 

daniel.larson@ntcmn.edu 

NTI School of Technology / 

Globe University 

Dan Podzimek 

(952) 944-0080 

dpodzimek@globeuniversity.edu 

NTM, Inc. 

Pat Mullins 

(763) 780-1420 

patm@ntminc.com 

Olympic Steel, Inc. 

Tom Ehlers 

(763) 544-7100 

tehlers@olysteel.com 

Omnitool, Inc. 

Walter Waffensmith 

(763) 535-4240 

walter@omnitool.com 

On Time Delivery Service, Inc. 

Tim Holtan 

(952) 884-4060 

tholtan@bontime.com 

Orca Machine Tools, Inc. 

Theron Horn 

(763) 494-9825 

thorn@orca-inc.com 

Otto Packaging 

Midwest-Pallet Recycling Div. 

Drew Engleman 

(651) 488-0474 

Drew.Engleman@opmpallet.com 

Panther Precision Machine, Inc. 

Tom Olson 

(763) 586-9651 

tolson@pantherprecision.com 

Park Precision Machining Inc. 

Bob Tummel 

(763) 754-8273 

bob@parkprecision.com 

Parker Hannifin 

Carsa Spaude 

(507) 233-2305 

cspaude@parker.com 

Pequot Tool & Manufacturing, Inc. 

Michael Goerges 

(218) 568-8069 

mgoerges@pequottool.com 

Perfection Grinding, Inc. 

Darell Stern 

(763) 571-1052 

perfgrin@aol.com 

Permac Industries 

Darlene Miller 

(952) 894-7231 

dmiller@permacindustries.com 

Pine Technical College 

Julie Dillenburg 

(320) 629-5112 

dillenburgj@pinetech.edu 

Plastics International 

Paul Carter 

(952) 934-2303 

paulc@plasticsintl.com 

Powder Coating Technologies, Inc. 

Kent Krenitz 

(763) 559-4779 

kent@powdercoatingtech.com 

Precise Products Corporation 

Darrell Freitag 

(612) 522-2141 

dfreitag@preciseproducts.com 

Precision 

Jamie Durand 

(763) 784-1704 

jamie@precisionmn.com 

Precision Coatings, Inc. 

Linda Grundtner 

(651) 641-0878 

sales@precisioncoatings.com 

Precision Machine Tool 

Phil Harry 

(651) 717-8048 

phil@mnprecision.com 

Precision Punch & Plastic, Co. Inc. 

Kevin Ryan 

(952) 933-0993 

kevinr@precisionpunch.com 

Precision Tool Technologies, Inc. 

Jim Goerges 

(218) 454-0434 X1709 

jim@precisiontooltech.com 

PRI Robotics 

Scott Nelson 

(763) 450-4381 

snelson@prirobotics.com 

Principal Financial Group 

Alyssa Kreutzfeldt 

(651) 287-5469 

kreutzfeldt.alyssa@principal.com 

Pro Fabrication, Inc. 

Letetia Klebel 

(507) 243-3441 

letetia.klebel@pro-fabrication.com 

Production Engineering Corp. 

Mike Albers 

(612) 788-9123 

mhalbers@pecorp.net 

Production Tool & Mfg, Inc. 

Mark Boesch 

(763) 559-5746 

markb@protoolus.com 

Productive Machine LLC 

Wade Haider 

(651) 213-6536 

productivemachine@gmail.com 

Productivity Inc 

Greg Buck 

(763) 476-8600 

gbuck@productivity.com 

Productivity Quality Inc/ 

Advanced Inspection Services LLC 

Keith Summers 

(763) 249-8130 

keith.summers@pqi.net 

Professional Instruments 

Company, Inc. 

Paul Arneson 

(952) 933-1222 

parneson@airbearings.com 

Progressive Engineering 

Technology 

Grieg Griese 

(651) 784-4240 

griegg@progressiveet.com 

ProtoTek Engineering, Inc. 

Brian Pascoe 

(952) 361-5598 

bpascoe@prototek-engineering.com 

QDP Technologies, Inc. 

Troy Holien 

(763) 712-1626 

troy.holien@qdptech.com 

Qualitek Engineering 

& Manufacturing Inc. 

Michael Nepsund 

(763) 544-9507 

miken@qualitek-eng.com 

Quality & Service 

Machine Tool Company 

Bill Lidfors 

(952) 935-8616 

bill@qandsmachinetool.com 

Quality Contour 

Bryan Bernloehr 

(952) 985-5050 

bryan@qualitycontour.com 

Quality Machine of IA, Inc. MN Div. 

Tim Greene 

(763) 560-3955 

timg@qualitymachine.com 

Quality Metals, Inc. 

Jason King 

(651) 645-5875 

jason.king@qualitymetalsinc.com 

Quazar Capital Corporation 

Bruce Behm 

(763) 550-9000 

bruceb@quazarcapital.com 

R & M Manufacturing Co. LLC 

Todd Dyste 

(763) 574-9225 

tdyste@rmmco.com 

Radan - Vero Software 

Doug Wood 

(651) 982-0100 X5502 

doug.wood@radan.com 

Redpath and Company 

Gloria McDonnell 

(651) 407-5829 

gmcdonnell@redpathspas.com 

Replenex, Inc. 

Tom Folska 

(952) 943-4715 

tom.folska@replenex.com 

Ridgewater College 

Dale Bomstad 

(320) 234-8568 

dale.bomstad@ridgewater.edu 

Riverland Community 

College-Austin 

Peggy Young 

(507) 433-0602 

peggy.young@riverland.edu 

Riverside Manufacturing, Inc. 

Scott Robertson 

(763) 274-2193 

srob@riversidemnf.com 

rms 

Lee Zachman 

(763) 786-1520 

lzachman@machine.com 

Roberts Automatic Products, Inc. 

Ted Roberts 

(612) 384-3999 

troberts@robertsautomatic.com 



RTI Remmele Medical 

Al Germscheid 

(763) 263-2636 

al.germscheid@remmele.com 

Saint Paul Port Authority 

B. Kyle 

(651) 204-6241 

blk@sppa.com 

Sandvik Coromant 

John Depies 

(715) 410-1521 

john.depies@sandvik.com 

Schreifels & Associates, Inc. 

Bob Schmitz 

(763) 569-4304 

bob@schreifels.com 

SCHUNK, Inc. 

Matt Steele 

(800) 772-4865 

matt.steele@us.schunk.com 

Schwing America, Inc. 

Arne King 

(651) 653-5433 

aking@schwing.com 

SCT - Scientific Cutting Tools 

Todd White 

(800) 383-2244 X 101 

twhite@sct-usa.com 

Setco 

Jim Broz 

(612) 719-3440 

jimb@setco.com 

Silvertip Associates, Inc. 

Dale Peterson 

(763) 717-0773 

silvertipassoc@aol.com 

Smith Foundry Company 

Jim Pint 

(612) 729-9395 

pint_jim@smithfoundry.com 

Sodick, Inc. 

Joel Manns 

(651) 319-7259 

jmanns@sodick.com 

Solution Dynamics, Inc. 

Russ Bengtson 

(952) 854-1415 

russb@solutiondynamics.net 

South Central College 

Tom Kammer 

(507) 389-7336 

tom.kammer@southcentral.edu 

S-T Industries, Inc. 

Melanie Johnson 

(800) 326-2039 

mjohnson@stindustries.com 

St. Cloud Tech & Comm College 

Bruce Peterson 

(320) 308-6639 

bpeterson@sctcc.edu 

St. Paul College - 

A Comm. & Tech. College 

Heather McGannon 

(651) 403-4118 

heather.mcgannon@saintpaul.edu 

Stone Machinery, Inc. 

Tom Drazkowski 

(651) 778-8887 

info@stonemachinery.com 

SYNCHRONO 

Pam Bednar 

(651) 783-6145 

pbednar@synchrono.com 

T. Bryce & Associates, Inc. 

Terry Bryce 

(763) 449-9900 

terryb@tbryce.com 

T.D. Wright, Inc. 

David McEachern 

(651) 227-1302 

sales@tdwinc.com 

Taylor Machine, Inc. 

Rick Taylor 

(763) 786-5949 

rtaylor@tmicnc.com 

TBEI / Crysteel Mfg 

Joe Paulsen 

(507) 726-2728 

jpaulsen@tbei.com 

TC Clipper Company 

Mike Clipper 

(952) 829-0545 

mikec@tcclipper.com 

TEAM Industries 

Jim Russ 

(218) 694-3550 

jimruss@team-ind.com 

Teamvantage Molding LLC 

Tom Caron 

(651) 464-3900 

sales@teamvantage.com 

Technical Die-Casting, Inc. 

Randy Walters 

(800) 525-3168 

randyw@tech-die-casting.com 

Technology Reps 

Mike Neeley 

(651) 636-6966 

mikeneeley@comcast.net 

The Specialty 

Manufacturing Company 

Ed Greene 

(651) 762-4491 

egreene@specialtymfg.com 

The Whittemore Co. 

Kurt Wasieleski 

(651) 331-8984 

kurt@whittemore-inc.com 

ThePurchasingDept LLC 

Tom McGovern 

(612) 306-9586 

tmcgovern@tpdus.com 

Thomas Engineering Company 

Tim Aberwald 

(763) 533-1501 

taberwald@thomasengineering.com 

ThomasNet of Minnesota 

Daniel Quattrini 

(952) 210-5533 

dan@tinmn.com 

Tooling Science, Inc. 

Brian Burley 

(763) 425-6001 

brian@tlscience.com 

Top Tool Company 

Duane Kari 

(763) 786-0030 

dakari@toptool.com 

Toyoda Machinery USA, 

Upper Midwest Tech Center 

Laura Leet 

(847) 404-8828 

lleet@toyoda.com 

TSI Plastics, Inc. 

Pat McCready 

(763) 452-3635 

pat@tsiplastics.com 

Tuv Sud America Inc. 

Lisa Van Dorpe 

(651) 631-2487 

info@tuvam.com 

Twin City EDM 

& Manufacturing, Inc. 

Steve 

Lindell 

(763) 783-7808 

slindell@twincityedm.com 

Twin City Gear Company 

Max Fenna 

(763) 780-9780 

tcgear@goldengate.net 

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Twin City Honing, Inc. 

Larry Bopp 

(952) 894-1730 

boppld@yahoo.com 

Twin City Plating Company 

Ben Minger 

(612) 331-8895 

ben@twincityplating.com 

UMC, Inc. 

Nicole Ellos 

(763) 271-5218 

nicolee@ultramc.com 

United Standards Lab, Inc. 

James Dolezal 

(612) 823-2616 

jim@unitedstandardslab.com 

Ursa Major 

Dennis Stoffels 

(651) 462-4721 

dennis@ursamajor.net 

Used Machinery Sales LLC 

Jack Mendenhall 

(763) 441-5152 

jack@cnctool.com 

Venture Bank 

Kriss Griebenow 

(763) 398-5822 

kgriebenow@venturebankonline.com 

Ver-tech 

Mark Wernimont 

(763) 509-7913 

mwernimont@ver-tech.com 

Victory Tool, Inc. 

Frederick Simonson 

(763) 323-8877 

fsimonson@victorytool.com 

VistaTek, LLC 

Allen Mishek 

(651) 653-0400 

al@vistatek.com 

Von Ruden Manufacturing, Inc. 

Brandon Anderson 

(763) 682-3122 

brandon@vonruden.com 

V-TEK, International 

Christina James 

(507) 345-0154 

c.james@vtekusa.com 

W.P. & R.S. Mars Company 

Bob Mars 

(952) 884-9388 

rmars3@marssupply.com 

Western Spring Manufacturing 

Alex Altstatt 

(651) 224-1721 

alex@westernspring.com 

Wilson Tool International 

Brian Robinson 

(651) 286-6000 

brian.robinson@wilsontool.com 

Winegar, Inc. 

Tim Wenzel 

(507) 835-3495 

tim.wenzel@winegarinc.com 

Wolkerstorfer Co., Inc. 

Kurt Weamer 

(651) 636-0720 

kweamer.wci@gmail.com 

WSI Industries, Inc. 

Benjamin Rashleger 

(763) 295-9202 

brashleger@wsci.com 

Wyoming 

Machine, Inc. 

Lori Tapani 

(651) 462-4156 

ltapani@ 

wyomingmachine.com 

Yeager Machine, Inc. 

Mike Yeager 

(952) 467-2800 

mike@ 

yeagermachine.com 

ZTECH Precision 

Don Zoubek 

(763) 635-0033 

don@ztechprecision.com 

ADVERTISERS’ | INDEX 

A B A Water Systems, Inc. | www.abawatersystems.com ................................... 4 

Abrasive Specialists Inc | www.asimn.com ........................................................ 6 

Arc Technologies | www.arcnano.com ............................................................... 30 

Arrow Cryogenics, Inc. | www.arrowcryogenics.com ........................................ 41 

BDO Minneapolis | www.bdo.com ..................................................................... 21 

Blanski Peter Kronlage & Zoch, P.A. | www.bpkz.com ...................................... 4 

Carley Foundry, Inc. | www.carleyfoundry.com ................................................ 36 

Epicor | www.epicor.com .............................................................................. 32 - 33 

Federated Insurance | www.federatedinsurance.com .................................. 3, 42 

Haimer, USA | www.haimer-usa.com ................................................................. 38 

Hegman Machinery | www.hegmanmachinery.com ........................................ 15 

Hoff Online Auctions | www.hoffonlineauctions.com ......................................... 9 

Industrial Distribution Group | www.idgsupply.com ...................................... 42 

Lake Community Bank | www.lcbankmn.com .................................................. 36 

Lubrication Technologies, Inc. | www.lubetech.com ....................................... 31 

Midwest CAM Solutions, Inc. | www.midwestcamsolutions.com .................... 20 

MRG Tool and Die | www.mrgtoolanddie.com .................................................... 39 

Plastics International | www.plasticsintl.com .................................................. 44 

Productivity Inc | www.productivity.com ................................................ 2, 19, 20 

Productivity Quality | www.pqi.net ..................................................................35 

ProtoTek Engineering, Inc. | www.prototek-engineering.com ........................ 43 

Smith Foundry Company | www.smithfoundry.com ........................................ 41 

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Minnesota Precision Manufacturing Journal 

5353 Wayzata Blvd. 

Suite 350 

Minneapolis, MN 55416 

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Toll-free: 800.776.7769 

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SHEET, ROD, TUBE, FILM…CUT TO SIZE

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