East Central/Select Sires, based in Waupun, Wis., held their annual employee awards banquet on Saturday, June 25, 2016, at the Crowne Plaza, Madison. Eric Gudex, Oakfield, was named member service representative (MSR) of the year, with Mohammed Touir, Madison, as runner-up. Jay Ludeman, Lake Mills, was awarded area sales manager (ASM) of the year, with Brad Fossum, Lodi, recognized as runner-up.
The honorable outstanding-effort awards were presented to Norm Bradley, Fort Atkinson, MSR; Aaron McMillan, Oshkosh, relief MSR; Duey Vande Zande, Waupun, inventory and warehouse manager; and Bill Langel, McFarland, Select Mating Service evaluator.
“It is enjoyable to work with such an outstanding group of employees at East Central/Select Sires,” commented Al Deming, East Central/Select Sires general manager. “Our dedicated staff has never been stronger than it is today.”
Outstanding achievement awards were presented to MSRs as follows. Eric Gudex, Oakfield, was honored for area total service volume, area direct-herd and insemination/direct-herd unit volume, area total unit volume, SMS volume, and area contribution; Katherin Parsons, Portage, personal total service volume; Nick Fischer, Germantown, personal total service percent increase; and Mohammed Touir, Madison, area total service percent increase and area direct-herd and insemination/direct-herd unit percent increase. Gary Fredrick, Mayville, was honored for area total unit percent increase and Howie Minnema, Fond du Lac, for accounts receivable. Rod Alton, Monroe, was recognized for personal diversified product dollar volume; Nick Fischer and Gene Hetebrueg, for personal diversified product dollar percent increase; Kevin Farnsworth, Deerfield, for semen blend, and Norm Bradley for semen blend percent increase.
One MSR/MSR team in each region was recognized for top honors: Eric Gudex, region A; Dave Hahn, Fond du Lac, and Casey Degnitz, Fredonia, region B; Mohammed Touir, Madison, region C; Jeremy Konen, Mazomanie, region D; Matt Staner, Potosi, region E; Joel Franke, Hillsboro, region F; and Katherin Parsons, large herd specialist.
Individual ASM awards were bestowed upon four employees. Kevin Cox, Sparta, was honored for area diversified product dollar percent increase. Eric Westphal, Byron, was recognized for personal total unit volume, Select Mating Service volume, and area diversified product dollar volume. Brad Fossum took home awards for personal total unit percent increase, area direct-herd unit volume, area total unit volume, and accounts receivable. The final awards in this category went to Jay Ludeman for area direct-herd unit percent increase and area total unit percent increase.
East Central/Select Sires has consistent longevity among our employee staff, and several were honored for their years of service at the banquet: Duey Vande Zande and Al Deming, Waupun, 40 years; Tom Wendt, Beaver Dam, 35 years; Dale Griebenow, Watertown, 20 years; Deb Hoekstra, Waupun, Jenny Hintz, Sparta, and Roger Belling, Fond du Lac, 15 years; Casey Degnitz, Aaron McMillan, Don Bahr, Platteville, and Dennis Meyer, Waupun, 10 years; and Scott Nelson, South Wayne, Matt Staner, and Jonathan Westphal, Eldorado, five years.
In addition to Frank Blahnik, Cuba City, being recognized for exceeding 100,000 first services, 28 MSR employees were awarded for achieving additional milestones in lifetime first services. Winners included: Eric Gudex, 90,000 first services; Aaron McMillan, 90,000; Jeremy Konen, 80,000; Roger Belling, 70,000; Dan Potterton, Mineral Point, 70,000; Sandy Hoppmann, Wilton, 60,000; Joel Franke, 60,000; Casey Degnitz, 60,000; Katherin Parsons, 40,000; Matt Staner, 40,000; Jonathan Westphal, 40,000; Bill Daentl, Portage, 35,000; Eric Bierman, Livingston, 35,000; Ken Nehls, Horicon, 35,000; and John Hulbert, Monticello, 35,000. The list went on to include Mohammed Touir, 30,000; Shannon Sauer, Berlin, 30,000; Gary Fredrick, 30,000; Wayne Dieter, Platteville, 30,000; Travis Hartman, Ripon, 20,000; Cory Gabor, Westfield, 20,000; Dennis Gunst, Hartford, 20,000; Julie Retzlaff, Elroy, 20,000; Chris Danielewicz, Fond du Lac, 20,000; Gary DeJager, Waupun, 10,000; Nick Fischer, 10,000; Gary Genz, Waupun, 10,000; and Gene Hetebrueg, 10,000.
