Faces of Manufacturing Nomination Form 2025 Directory

Faces of Manufacturing Nomination Form 2025 Directory

Nominee Information:
Organization Name:		Ideal Aerosmith
Name:		Ed Urban and Teresa Vinson
Working/Site Location:		Grand Forks
Title:		Mechanical and Electrical Inspectors
Email:		Eurban@idealaero.com
Job Duties: (Please explain)		Ed inspects all our machined parts and does a final review of our final test results. Teresa inspects our electrical assemblies.
What are they a part of making? (Please explain)		We make complex electrical build to print assemblies- Wire harnesses. and Inertial rate testing tables.
How long have they been with the company?		Both started 1/2/97
How long have they been in manufacturing?		~30 years
One paragraph on why they are fantastic:		Ed and Teresa are truly exceptional, representing unwavering dedication and a deep knowledge of the Ideal Aerosmith expectations. Their long-term commitment reflects not only loyalty to the organization but also a passion for exceeding our customers expectations. Their experience makes them a trusted resource, a steadying presence, and an invaluable part of growing the future inspection team at Ideal. Ed and Teresa embody the values of Ideal and commitment to quality that inspires everyone around them.
Nominator Information:
Name:		Charles Rognerud
Organization Name: (if different than nominee)		Ideal Aerosmith
Email Address:		Crognerud@idealaero.com
Phone Number:		(218) 791-9825

Nominee Information:
Organization Name:		ConiTechUSA, LLC
Name:		Vicki Bellin
Working/Site Location:		Wahpeton, ND
Title:		Fabrication Production Supervisor
Email:		vicki.bellin@contitech.us
Job Duties: (Please explain)		As a Fabrication Production Supervisor, Vicki oversees the manufacturing fabrication processes in our fabrication department, ensuring that production goals are met safely, efficiently, and on time.
What are they a part of making? (Please explain)		We manufacture specialty agricultural and light industrial belting products that are sold globally to solve customer needs.
How long have they been with the company?		Since April 21, 1976
How long have they been in manufacturing?		Since April 21, 1976
One paragraph on why they are fantastic:		Vicki is our longest-tenure employee with over 49 years of employment at this facility. During this time, she has evolved to be a pillar of knowledge and leadership on the factory floor. Her dedication and work ethic is second to none. She is oftentimes in the factory on weekends for support, even though she is a salary employee. The employees she supervises know they can always count on her for an answer to their questions. She constantly coaches and challenges her people to stretch and grow in their capabilities and thus career potential. Responsible for scheduling work orders for dozens of employees across all 3 shifts of fabrication production, she ensures that we are completing our orders on-time to delight our customers. She is a rock that we all lean on.
Nominator Information:
Name:		Rodney Koch
Organization Name: (if different than nominee)		ContiTech USA, LLC
Email Address:		rodney.koch@contitech.us
Phone Number:		(701) 971-3141

Nominee Information:
Organization Name:		Cirrus Aircraft
Name:		Jamie Brandt
Working/Site Location:		Grand Forks
Title:		Production Manager
Email:		jbrandt@cirrusaircraft.com
Job Duties: (Please explain)		Leading Manufacturing departments. Managing department budgets. Responsible for safety, quality, and delivery of composite aircraft parts manufactured in Grand Forks.
What are they a part of making? (Please explain)		Jamie is a part of making all of the composite aircraft parts that go into Cirrus Aircraft plane. Jamie is a Production Manager, so in his role he manages the production line to ensure that all parts manufactured in Grand Forks are of the highest quality, and deliver to our customer on time.
How long have they been with the company?		23 Years
How long have they been in manufacturing?		23 Years
One paragraph on why they are fantastic:		Jamie has been in manufacturing and part of the Cirrus team for over 20 years. In that time, Jamie has performed about every role a manufacturing technician can perform and has worked his way up to the Production Manager. Jamie is an outside the box thinker and sees problems as opportunities that can be fixed. As a long tenured Cirrus employee, Jamie has been a part in the incredible growth the Cirrus has experienced over the last decade. No doubt Jamie played in major role in meeting increased delivery rates while always keeping the focus on quality and keeping his employees safe.
Nominator Information:
Name:		Steve Thomas
Organization Name: (if different than nominee)		Cirrus Aircraft
Email Address:		sthomas@cirrusaircraft.com
Phone Number:		(316) 210-6709

Nominee Information:
Organization Name:		Tri W-G
Name:		Aaron McConnaughey
Working/Site Location:		Valley City
Title:		Production Manager/Tech Support
Email:		aaron@triwg.com
Job Duties: (Please explain)		He does a bit of everything. Mostly makes sure the shop floor is running smoothly and is answering all questions related to how to make the parts/assemblies. He also answers customer tech support calls and ensures the customers have an enjoyable experience with our products.
What are they a part of making? (Please explain)		Physical therapy rehab equipment
How long have they been with the company?		6
How long have they been in manufacturing?		7
One paragraph on why they are fantastic:		Our Production Manager exemplifies what it means to be a true manufacturing hero. Through a combination of unwavering dedication, strategic leadership, and a deep understanding of our processes, he has consistently driven performance to new heights. Whether it’s optimizing production flow, mentoring team members, or solving problems before they even arise, he leads by example every single day. His ability to adapt under pressure while maintaining quality and morale is nothing short of exceptional. Thanks to his leadership, we’ve not only met but exceeded our production goals—and more importantly, built a stronger, more resilient team along the way.
Nominator Information:
Name:		Erik Milender
Organization Name: (if different than nominee)		Tri W-G
Email Address:		erik@triwg.com
Phone Number:		(701) 840-1925

Nominee Information:
Organization Name:		Dakota Cabins
Name:		Stephanie Olson
Working/Site Location:		Jamestown, ND
Title:		COO
Email:		stephanie@dakcab.com
Job Duties: (Please explain)		Stephanie is co-owner and CFO and handles everything from sales to operations and much more!
What are they a part of making? (Please explain)		Custom homes, tiny homes and park model RVs
How long have they been with the company?		5 years
How long have they been in manufacturing?		5 years
One paragraph on why they are fantastic:		Stephanie is an outstanding leader. She keeps everything on track and is great with customers and employees. She’s bright, articulate and brings a sunshine to our manufacturing facility with her helpful attitude and business acumen.
Nominator Information:
Name:		Darren Olson
Organization Name: (if different than nominee)		Same / Dakota Cabins
Email Address:		darren@dakcab.com
Phone Number:		(612) 860-8683

Nominee Information:
Organization Name:		MidMach
Name:		Jacob Roberts
Working/Site Location:		Jamestown ND
Title:		Machinist
Email:		Jacob@midmach.com
Job Duties: (Please explain)		Lead machinist is his primary functional responsibility, along with precision inspection and robotic welding programmer. Also performs operation duties for laser cut, forming, and welding.
What are they a part of making? (Please explain)		MidMach provides steel fabricated products for the agricultural and oil field industries. Individual detail parts and welded assemblies are manufactured, inspected, and coated according to internal and OE customer requirements.
How long have they been with the company?		2 years
How long have they been in manufacturing?		2 years
One paragraph on why they are fantastic:		Jacob graduated from NDSCS with an associate's degree in precision machining. He competed in the regional and national Skills USA competition and won a silver medal in CNC machining at the national event in Atlanta, GA. He was hired to fulfil the lead machinist role and has since engaged in all aspects of the metal fabrication industry while embracing the elements of lean manufacturing. Additionally, he is involved in the community and was recently certified as a volunteer firefighter with the Jamestown Rural Fire Department.
Nominator Information:
Name:		MidMach
Organization Name: (if different than nominee)		MidMach
Email Address:		aaron@midmach.com
Phone Number:		(701) 252-4275

Nominee Information:
Organization Name:		MidMach
Name:		Jacob Roberts
Working/Site Location:		Jamestown
Title:		Machinist
Email:		jacob@midmach.com
Job Duties: (Please explain)		Machinist, Inspection expert, Robot programmer
What are they a part of making? (Please explain)		Agricultural and oil and gas products
How long have they been with the company?		3 years
How long have they been in manufacturing?		3 years
One paragraph on why they are fantastic:		Jacob excels at everything he takes on. He placed 2nd in the nation at the national skills competition.
Nominator Information:
Name:		Casey Veil
Organization Name: (if different than nominee)		MidMach
Email Address:		casey@midmach.com
Phone Number:		(701) 354-2085

Nominee Information:
Organization Name:		Baker Boy
Name:		Gabriella (Gabby) Hipolito
Working/Site Location:		Dickinson
Title:		Team Leader
Email:
Job Duties: (Please explain)		Gabby is the team leader on our baked goods side, overseeing the front process. Gabby manages a team and assists with mixing and operating.
What are they a part of making? (Please explain)		Gabby is a part of the team that makes garlic toast, breadsticks, croissants, premium hamburger buns, and hoagie rolls.
How long have they been with the company?		1.5 years
How long have they been in manufacturing?		1.5 years
One paragraph on why they are fantastic:		Gabby has been a great asset to Baker Boy! She has the kindest heart, positive attitude, and is a real go getter. She is always available to help her team and leading a team comes naturally to her.
Nominator Information:
Name:		Tiffany Benner
Organization Name: (if different than nominee)		Baker Boy
Email Address:		TiffanyB@bakerboy.com
Phone Number:		(701) 456-1506

Nominee Information:
Organization Name:		Baker Boy
Name:		Samuel Staudinger
Working/Site Location:		Dickinson
Title:		Production Tech
Email:
Job Duties: (Please explain)		Measuring ingredients out to specific specifications, operating mixing system and bowls, making sure dough is the right temperature, consistency, and color.
What are they a part of making? (Please explain)		Sam is a part of the team that makes garlic toast, breadsticks, croissants, premium hamburger buns, and hoagie rolls.
How long have they been with the company?		9.5 years
How long have they been in manufacturing?		9.5 years
One paragraph on why they are fantastic:		Sam is one of the hardest working individuals I know. Sam is a staple for training and mentoring our new hire employees who will be mixing. His patience and teaching abilities make him an outstanding employee.
Nominator Information:
Name:		Tiffany Benner
Organization Name: (if different than nominee)		Baker Boy
Email Address:		TiffanyB@bakerboy.com
Phone Number:		(701) 456-1506

Nominee Information:
Organization Name:		Baker Boy
Name:		Rock Kovash
Working/Site Location:		Dickinson
Title:		Production Tech
Email:
Job Duties: (Please explain)		Rock oversees our tunnel oven. He ensures that products are not sticking to pans, maintains the temperature of the oven, and does product samples to make sure our product is meeting our company/customer specifications.
What are they a part of making? (Please explain)		Rock is on the baked goods side that does garlic toast, breadsticks, croissants, premium hamburger buns, and hoagie rolls.
How long have they been with the company?		31 years
How long have they been in manufacturing?		31 years
One paragraph on why they are fantastic:		Rock has an extensive amount of knowledge and experience that is hard to capture but he is great at training new hires and sharing his experiences to help the younger generation grow and learn. Rock is the kindest guy you could meet, always has a smile on his face, and would do anything for everyone. Everyone looks up to Rock and loves working with him.
Nominator Information:
Name:		Tiffany Benner
Organization Name: (if different than nominee)		Baker Boy
Email Address:		TiffanyB@bakerboy.com
Phone Number:		(701) 456-1506

Nominee Information:
Organization Name:		PTx Fargo / Appareo Systems
Name:		Alejandra Delgado
Working/Site Location:		1830 NSDU Research Circle North, Fargo ND 58102
Title:		Team Lead
Email:		adelgado@appareo.com
Job Duties: (Please explain)		Assembly/Warehouse Team Lead. She is the heartbeat our our manufacturing team. Everything we do starts with her. She controls all the material coming into our warehouse, distributes raw materials to the shop floor to build product for our customers, and is our inventory control specialist.
What are they a part of making? (Please explain)		Manufacturing of Agriculture and Aviations electronics. We build from the ground up. Stating with a bare printed circuit board, to a full functional piece of equipment to make our agriculture and aviations customers jobs more efficient and safe.
How long have they been with the company?		3.5 years
How long have they been in manufacturing?		3.5 years
One paragraph on why they are fantastic:		During the past year Alejandra transitioned from the assembly team lead position to her current position of running our day to day operations of our warehouse. She took on this change head first and has excelled in every way possible. With a very short turnover time Alejandra was able to no only learn all the processes, she has excelled in every aspect of this area. She has made our team more efficient with creating new ideas and ways to complete tasks. With her creative thinking and mindset, some tasks could take up to a month to complete, now it only takes just 1 week. During the time she took over we had 3 people working in the warehouse now she is my only full time team member. She has been able to with the help of another department keep up with all her duties and and responsibilities that in the past took 3 people to complete. So if I was to sum up Alejandra with a few words. ROCK STAR in every aspect of her job.
Nominator Information:
Name:		David Bellefeuille
Organization Name: (if different than nominee)		PTx Fargo / Appareo Systems
Email Address:		dbellefeuille@ptxag.com
Phone Number:		(701) 551-3412

Nominee Information:
Organization Name:		Spectrum Aeromed
Name:		Justin Mahler
Working/Site Location:		Fargo, ND
Title:		Chief Engineer
Email:		justin@spectrum-aeromed.com
Job Duties: (Please explain)		As Chief Engineer at Spectrum Aeromed, Justin leads all aspects of product design and airworthiness certification for our custom air medical interiors. His role bridges technical innovation with regulatory compliance, ensuring that each solution meets FAA and global certification standards. Justin works closely with our sales team to evaluate design feasibility and cost-effectiveness of new projects. He then guides the engineering team from concept design through production build and into field service of the equipment. He drafts 3D models, reviews structural analysis, authors technical reports, and communicates directly with the FAA and other authorities. Beyond his technical work, Justin is a trusted mentor to other engineers, promotes collaboration across departments, and upholds the high standards of professionalism that define Spectrum Aeromed’s success in manufacturing.
What are they a part of making? (Please explain)		Justin is a part of designing and supporting the manufacturing of the lifesaving equipment here at Spectrum Aeromed, where we are a leader in designing and manufacturing advanced medical interiors for air ambulances. Spectrum Aeromed provides solutions from basic transport setups to complex critical care systems for helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft, that ensure safe and efficient transport for critically ill or injured patients worldwide. Spectrum Aeromed’s mission is to save lives, and Justin is a part of doing that every day right from Fargo!
How long have they been with the company?		20 Years this year
How long have they been in manufacturing?		20 Years this year
One paragraph on why they are fantastic:		Justin has a deep technical knowledge, willingness to mentor, and a genuine passion for aviation that makes him an invaluable asset to Spectrum Aeromed and our high-quality manufacturing operations. He brings a calm, solutions-focused approach to the most complex engineering challenges, earning the respect and trust of colleagues across all departments. Justin is not only a talented engineer but also a natural mentor, always willing to share his knowledge and support the growth of others on the team. His commitment to safety, quality, and innovation ensures Spectrum Aeromed’s products meet the highest standards. Between all that he still finds time for conversations about great BBQ!
Nominator Information:
Name:		Tammy Enright
Organization Name: (if different than nominee)		Spectrum Aeromed
Email Address:		tammy@spectrum-aeromed.com
Phone Number:		(701) 551-3202

Nominee Information:
Organization Name:		Baker Boy
Name:		Tyler Hlibichuk
Working/Site Location:		Dickinson
Title:		Transportation & Shipping Manager
Email:
Job Duties: (Please explain)		Tyler oversees all the receiving inventory, outbound shipments of product, as well as our transportation crew. He makes sure that inventory counts are correct, product gets shipped out on a timely basis. Tyler is responsible for 3 different teams here at Baker Boy.
What are they a part of making? (Please explain)		Tyler's role is essential to our customers satisfaction, which is a key factor for our business.
How long have they been with the company?		13 Years
How long have they been in manufacturing?		18 years
One paragraph on why they are fantastic:		Tyler started at Baker Boy as a truck driver and eventually became our Transportation Coordinator. With that, Tyler was responsible at scheduling all of our truck stops at customers locations and coordinating drop off and pick up. The Tyler got promoted to Transportation & Shipping Manager! Tyler has jumped in with both feet to the new challenges in his new position and has excelled with his leadership skills!
Nominator Information:
Name:		Tiffany Benner
Organization Name: (if different than nominee)		Baker Boy
Email Address:		TiffanyB@bakerboy.com
Phone Number:		(701) 456-1506

Nominee Information:
Organization Name:		Baker Boy
Name:		Melissa Stevens
Working/Site Location:		Dickinson
Title:		Team Leader
Email:
Job Duties: (Please explain)		Melissa oversees the donut packaging team. She also assists with other areas of the donut line when coverage is needed.
What are they a part of making? (Please explain)		Melissa and her team make the individual wrapped donuts as well as making sure other donut products are packaged correctly.
How long have they been with the company?		3 Years
How long have they been in manufacturing?		3 Years
One paragraph on why they are fantastic:		Melissa's calm demeanor and problem solving skills, during what seems as stressful times, makes her an excellent leader! Melissa and her team package donuts individually, and it is not always a smooth process. Melissa is a dedicated employee and a role model to many teammates.
Nominator Information:
Name:		Tiffany Benner
Organization Name: (if different than nominee)		Baker Boy
Email Address:		TiffanyB@bakerboy.com
Phone Number:		(701) 456-1506

Nominee Information:
Organization Name:		Baker Boy
Name:		Julian Bunderman
Working/Site Location:		Dickinson
Title:		Team Leader
Email:
Job Duties: (Please explain)		Julie runs a small team and is in charge of overseeing the whole Gemini line for mixing, operating, and packaging.
What are they a part of making? (Please explain)		Julie is a part of making our frozen dough products like pizza dough, hamburger and hotdog buns, cookie dough, and french bread.
How long have they been with the company?		3.5 years
How long have they been in manufacturing?		3.5 years
One paragraph on why they are fantastic:		Julie has continued to persevere through challenges with a small team of new hires, as well as new business coming in that has kept them extremely busy. Julie is a go with the flow individual and makes the best with every situation she and her team faces.
Nominator Information:
Name:		Tiffany Benner
Organization Name: (if different than nominee)		Baker Boy
Email Address:		TiffanyB@bakerboy.com
Phone Number:		(701) 456-1506

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