April is National Volunteer Month, and Egan is taking the time to recognize what it means to be a corporate citizen throughout Minnesota. Part of building our communities means participating in opportunities outside of the work week, through volunteering and partnering with local organizations who help make a difference in the community around us.
By regularly volunteering our time with local nonprofits and organizations, we are able to help contribute even more to our neighborhoods.
In the last year, Egan has volunteered with the following organizations:
Habitat for Humanity
Ronald McDonald House
Bikes4Kids
Fishing for Life
Second Harvest Heartland
Channel One
Flags for Fort Snelling
Walk for Animals
Memorial Blood Centers
Children’s Hospital and Mayo Clinic
Community Emergency Assistance Programs Food Drive
Toys for Tots
Egan’s purpose statement is, “with passion and pride, we build better lives and communities – together.” This goes beyond the jobsite, regularly providing volunteer opportunities for our team to give back to our communities and make a lasting impact.
Approximately 1 in 4 Minnesotans are housing cost burdened, spending more than 30% of their income on housing. Organizations such as Habitat for Humanity actively work to reduce housing disparities and support low-income families find housing throughout the Twin Cities and the United States.
Recently, Egan Company employees put their hard hats on for a good cause, helping build a duplex home for local families in St. Paul. The work included installing flooring and siding, painting, and filling in nail holes.
Egan regularly volunteers our time and skills by partnering with local organizations such as Habitat for Humanity to help make a positive impact on the communities where we live and work.
“I often look for ways to give back,” said Paul Hackbarth, Egan Company Electrician. “I can give back through opportunities like Habitat for Humanity. I have been blessed, so now I can be a blessing to others.”
A home-cooked meal can go a long way for families who are experiencing extended hospital stays. That is why Egan Company employees cooked and served up dinner at local Ronald McDonald houses in the Twin Cities and Rochester.
With five locations in Minnesota, the Ronald McDonald House offers overnight accommodations to nearly 76 families every night, and hundreds of meals, like the ones Egan served, to families each day.
During the month of November, Egan Company employees in the Twin Cities and Rochester volunteered their time at local food shelves to help families and organizations in need. Approximately 1 in 6 neighbors experience food insecurity in Minnesota, which includes 1 in 11 kids who don’t have regular access to the nutrition needed to thrive. These events sought to alleviate the stress and burden of a lack of access to food in our communities.
At Second Harvest Heartland in Brooklyn Park, 29 Egan employees volunteered to sort and pack food with members of the community. Second Harvest Heartland is an organization working to curb food insecurity and hunger in 59 counties throughout Minnesota and Wisconsin. The food bank collects donated and rescued foods in large quantities and distributes orders to individuals, families and local schools and other organizations. Second Harvest Heartland is an advocate on local, state, and federal levels to support communities and families.
The Southern Minnesota team volunteered in Rochester at Channel One Regional Food Bank on November 28. Channel One serves people experiencing hunger across 14 counties in southeastern Minnesota and western Wisconsin through food shelves, pantries, and programs. Last year, Channel One distributed 10,990,644 pounds of food to those facing food insecurity.
“I volunteered for the Second Harvest Heartland event because I believe in helping others and making a positive impact on my community,” said Jason Kellerhuis, Egan Company Senior Project Manager in the InterClad team. “It’s also a great way to learn new skills, meet new people, and make friends. Volunteering at this event or others like it is important for Egan Company and its employees because it reflects our core values and culture.”
Egan employees regularly stay involved with volunteering opportunities, including Bikes4Kids, Memorial Center blood drives, and making tie blankets. More information on our Community Involvement can be found here.
Investing in the future workforce is essential to the success of the construction industry. Industry leaders, like Egan Company, are committed to opening doors for students to learn about the industry and explore potential careers. These opportunities are available everywhere – it is up to the next generation to see the potential and take advantage.
ON THE JOB TRAINING
City Academy in St. Paul, Minn.
While completing a job at City Academy, Egan Company Electrician Cary Jensen unexpectedly found himself at the center of teaching when a group of students expressed curiosity about the electrical equipment installation he was completing. City Academy is a local alternative school for students ages 15-21 who have previously dropped out of school or have passed their traditional graduation year. The school’s goal is to aid students in at-risk demographics. Established in 1992, City Academy was the first charter school in the country and at the time approximately 25% of the students were homeless.
Investing the time, Jensen explained the installation process, from planning and safety to execution and testing. Focusing on safety, he brought his energized work tools and clothing for the students to see up close. The students asked thoughtful questions about the different types of electrical equipment, the safety precautions that need to be taken, and the career opportunities available in the trades.
“He was AWESOME – I had two [students] who were really interested and asking him questions . . . he also did a spectacular job on the install for the dust collector. I can’t wait to finish assembly and start cleaning up the shop!”
Becky Kullman, Agricultural Education Teacher of City Academy shared.
Teachable moments often happen without much pre-planning. With an open and giving spirit, Jensen seized the opportunity which turned into a valuable learning experience for him as well. He enjoyed sharing his knowledge and passion for electrical work with the students. Jensen, re-telling the story shares, “Becky the instructor asked me if I could say a little to her class about what I was doing. I talked about series parallel circuits, which is what they’re going over in her class. Eventually I began telling them about the apprenticeship program and a variety of careers available to them. If you’re the type that likes building or making stuff then a career in electrical is like having a golden ticket to a future with purpose, health insurance, an automatic retirement plan, and fun.”
Egan’s purpose statement reads, “With passion and pride, we build better lives and communities – together.” Cary supported this with the belief that by educating and recruiting students from a variety of backgrounds, we can build a strong and diverse workforce that will help us to continue to grow and succeed.
RECRUITING AND WORKFORCE IMPACT
It’s no secret that the construction industry is facing a shortage of skilled workers. In order to meet the demand for new construction and renovations, the industry needs to recruit and train new workers. Committed to this effort, Egan has partnered with local schools, programs like Lake Street Works which set students up with a baseline of trades knowledge, and offers apprenticeship programs.
By teaching students about the construction industry and providing them with opportunities to learn from experienced workers, Egan is helping build the workforce of tomorrow. Jensen’s experience at this local alternative school is a great example of this commitment. By educating students about the different trades involved in construction, Jensen helped to plant the seeds for future careers in the industry.
Last week a group of Egan Company employees worked alongside Bikes4Kids to both build new bikes and help clean and refurbish bikes that will be gifted to children in the local Minnesota community.
Bikes4Kids (B4K) is a local organization that recycles and refurbishes used bikes to distribute them to children and adults in need. The bikes are received across the Twin Cities by individuals and businesses alike. B4K believes that providing a child with the joy of a bike is priceless. Consultants and specialists from local bike shops provided insights to volunteers to ensure bicycles are properly repaired and restored.
“I volunteer for the Bike4kids event because it is an easy way to give back to the community. I used to work at a community bike shop and got a lot of fulfillment out of helping people fix their bikes for free. I remember as a kid what it was like to learn how to bike and how much freedom came with it,” shared Cody Johnson, Egan Company Safety Coordinator and Bikes4Kids volunteer.
This is the second year Egan employees have volunteered with Bikes4Kids.
For the third consecutive year, Egan Company and Senior Project Manager Dane Grunerud have presented the Grunerud-Egan Scholarship to two deserving students for the upcoming academic year. Inspired by the long-standing commitment to higher education within the Grunerud family, this scholarship was established to assist individuals in pursuing their educational aspirations in the fields of construction, engineering, and the trades.
Employees, as well as the children and grandchildren of Egan employees, submitted applications. The recipients were selected based on criteria such as financial need, involvement in the community or extracurricular activities, academic achievements, and the quality of their essay or video response.
We extend our congratulations to the recipients of the $1,000 scholarship, Autumn Mattson, daughter of Egan employees Sue Steuernagel and Bill Mattson, and William Vagle, a coil-cleaner in Egan’s Service department. Mattson plans to attain an Associates Degree from Century College and Vagle is studying HVAC at Hennepin Technical College.
This past Memorial Day weekend, a group of Egan Company employees volunteered with Flags for Fort Snelling to place American flags at the headstones of fallen soldiers at Fort Snelling National Cemetery.
Flags for Fort Snelling is a local organization that amplifies the remembrance of our fallen soldiers. Since 2015, volunteers have placed flags at the headstones to honor the American Heroes laid to rest at Fort Snelling on Memorial Day. In 2015, it started with 15 volunteers and 2,7000 American flags; it has since grown to hundreds of volunteers who ensure that every headstone has a flag (over 200,000 flags placed).
“As a veteran myself, it is a simple act that I can do to honor the previous generations’ accomplishments and sacrifices and to keep the memory of them from fading into lost history,” shared Ron Hillberg, Egan Company Limited Energy Technician and Flags for Fort Snelling volunteer.
Rob Steffens, Egan Company Pipefitter who also volunteered stated, “As a 30+ year retired veteran, my family and I believe it is important to remember and not forget the approximately 1% of Americans that proudly gave of themselves for the freedoms we all enjoy every day.”
This is the second year Egan employees have supported Flags for Fort Snelling.
Opportunities to give back locally with our community partners throughout the year are boundless. This month, Egan Company has supported the Animal Humane Society through its Walk for Animals fundraising event.
According to its website, the Animal Humane Society provides care and services to nearly 100,000 animals every year. There are three local adoption centers in the Twin Cities.
On May 6, 2023, members of the Egan team volunteered with the Animal Humane Society to take part in its Walk for Animals at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds. Many employees gave financial support as well, with a company match from Egan resulting in a $2,944 donation.
I’m passionate about giving back to the Animal Humane Society because I’m an avid animal lover and they are an important part of our community. They aren’t only an adoption center; they provide support by offering training classes, camps and low cost veterinary care through a strong community outreach program. AHS is the first place people with animals think of in a crisis and often on a large scale. This could be supporting displaced pets due to natural disasters or providing no-cost services to local law enforcement in cases related to or involving animals. The Animal Humane Society helps make our community a better place and provides a much needed second chance for animals in need.
Rachel Welt, Egan Company Corporate Accounting Controller
For more information about the Animal Humane Society, visit its website.
Who we are as a company is far more than just what we do at the jobsite. One unique part of Egan Company’s mission is our commitment to enhancing the communities that we live and work in. By volunteering with a variety of organizations that our team members are passionate about, we’ve been able to cultivate rewarding volunteer opportunities for our employees and community.
In honor of National Volunteer Month, we’ve asked a few of our people why they volunteer and here’s what we heard:
Tony Lawrence, Electrician: “I volunteer to pay it forward to show people that kindness is still around, for people that are in need of something I can help with.”
Jason Leeds, Plumber: “I volunteer because it is my way of giving back to my trade and the younger generation.”
Ross Noak, Senior Vice President: “I volunteer as a way to give back to groups and communities that may need a little extra help. It brings me joy knowing these gestures may make all the difference in someone’s life at the time they need it the most.”
Chad Reickard, Senior Controls Engineer: “I volunteer because I know what it’s like to struggle through trials in life and how it feels when no one understands what you are going through. I hope that my small act of kindness can somewhat reduce the pain or struggle that someone else is going through and make their day brighter.”
Megan Ring, HR Generalist: “The biggest reason I volunteer is I find purpose in being able to help and give back to others in need & hopefully make a positive impact on their day or life. Being able to volunteer and make a difference in someone’s life not only helps them, but brings joy and a sense of meaning to my own life.”
Jason Rosati, Vice President: “I have had so many great opportunities in my life because someone took the time to volunteer, it is my way of paying back.”
Brett Schaber, Support Operations Manager: “I volunteer because I love being able to give back to the communities that we live and work in. Many people’s personal lives may not allow them the time to volunteer after hours. It’s a great feeling being a part of a company that sees value in the time and effort it takes to volunteer.”
A few of the organizations we’ve volunteered within the last year include: Fishing for Life, Second Harvest Heartland, Bikes4Kids, and Flags for Fort Snelling.
Working together, we can make an impact on our community and beyond!
