Odego Leadership Class Attends Business and Industry Session

Odegeo Leadership Class Attends Business and Industry Session

FILLMORE COUNTY - The Odegeo…Leadership for Fillmore County class attended a Business and Industry session on April 21th, 2015.

    The first stop of the day was Metal Tech Partners in Geneva where plant manager Sam Scott took the group on a tour of the plant. The group was shown how metal is powder coated, packing and shipping and the part this plant does for Claas Lexicon combines.

     The second stop of the day was Geneva Floral and A Little Inspiration where owners Karen and Harold Janda told about the shops.  Mr. Janda also told about the history of the building and Charlie Thorpe the famous jockey from Fillmore County who owned the building at one time. The Janda’s provided a coffee and snack as we heard more of the story about Charlie Thorpe, the honest jockey. 

     Kevin Bonin was the guide when the group visited All American Book Bindery.  He showed the group the step by step process of binding a book.  The company has been in business for a little over one year.    

      The last stop in Geneva in the morning was at the Diesel Pick-up Shop where Melissa Knight told the history of their business and why they wanted to locate in Geneva. 

    Traveling to Exeter the group first stopped and learned about Ekeler Repair.  Greg Ekeler talked about the growth of his business and customer service.

    Lunch was served at the Exeter Senior Center and the group joined the seniors who congregate for lunch at the center on Tuesday.  Flint Hills Resources sponsored the lunch that was delivered by the Geneva Senior Center.

 Kenton and Lori Moore greeted the group at Horizontal Boring and Tunneling.  Kenton Moore explained the process of boring and tunneling and the variety of methods to get pipe under roads, rivers, rail, etc.  The highlight was actually getting to see a boring machine in mot

     Before leaving Exeter the class stopped at Pulliam Plumbing a very recent addition to the Exeter business community.  Brady Pulliam had worked as a plumber for 10+ years before he ventured into starting his own company.

    The next stop was CPS-Crop Production Services just west of Fairmont.  The manager, Marty Ostrander, explained the services and products they offer. 

    A panel of four business managers or owners met with the leadership class at the end of the day at the Geneva Public Library.  Those panelists were Jason Rippe, Bioiberica Nebraska and Bio-Tee USA, Dale Byrkit, The Andersons, Tim Lichti, Lichti Oil, and Patt Lentfer, Lentfer Irrigation & Mfg. Inc.  Each explained the workings of the businesses they represented and changes that have occurred in the past few years. Bioiberica funded the afternoon refreshments.

     The May session of the Odegeo. . . Leadership for Fillmore County will focus on Legal and Law Enforcement.

    Persons interested in learning more about Odegeo…Leadership for Fillmore County may contact the Fillmore County Development Corporation at 759-4910 or email lentfer.fcdc@genevamail.com or go to www.fillmorecountydevelopment.org.

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