Employee Spotlight: Lisa Palm

Posted on by Bryan.Formhals

Author: Camille Lehmann, Marketing Coordinator

Our team consists of some amazing individuals, all dedicated to the Nahan mission focused on consistently exceeding expectations. Lisa Palm, one of our Production Managers, has been dedicated to that mission throughout her Nahan career and we couldn’t be more thankful for her commitment. We’re excited to share more about Lisa and her time at Nahan.


Lisa Palm, Production Manager

Lisa’s Career in Direct Mail

After graduating college with a degree in advertising and design, Lisa’s print journey expanded into multiple roles, including Prepress Production Specialist, Electronic Prepress Technician, and Production Artist. Her time in the print industry took her to various companies, including Nahan. After a few years away from Nahan, Lisa decided that she missed the sense of values, individuality, and worth that Nahan emphasized. In 2011, she returned to Nahan as a Customer Service Representative. Over the following five years, Lisa held the roles of Technical Service Rep, Project Coordinator, and was promoted to Account Manager. At the time, Lisa was confident her role in Account Management was her forever home. She enjoyed taking a project from point-of-sale to completion, along with the knowledge of the industry she was gaining. However, it wasn’t until she took a risk and applied to be a leader in Production that she realized her true calling. In 2017, Lisa became a Finishing Shift Leader, ultimately leading to her becoming Nahan’s first woman Production Manager in 2021. Her willingness to lead and participate in many workflow teams throughout her time at Nahan prepared her well to take on challenges and serve her team. Overall, it’s not Lisa’s accomplishments that make her proudest, but the growth of her team, emphasizing that it is the job of leaders to grow more leaders.

“Michelle Motschke, one of my mentors, taught me the value of tolerance, patience, and trust in business.”


Lisa Palm, Production Manager

Fun fact – Lisa and her husband, Tim, met at Nahan in 2009

Beyond Nahan

Lisa’s other greatest passion is her family, whom she describes as very close-knit and who taught her how to be courageous and have a kind heart. She enjoys getting to use her leadership qualities to support and cheer on her loved ones, whether it’s golfing with her husband or helping her son (who she says is growing up way too fast) with school and the challenges of being a teenager. She takes every chance possible to return to her roots in Madison, Wisconsin to spend cherished time with family. Lisa also enjoys spending time outdoors exploring with her family and two dogs, Freyja and Grizzly Bear, running half marathons, and cheering on the Packers.

 


Lisa’s son and their two dogs

“The best advice I’ve ever received is to be strong and listen to yourself, your value, and your worth. Don’t let others dictate your path. Rise above and make your dreams a reality.”


-Lisa Palm, Production Manager

Careers at Nahan

If you are interested in learning more about a career at Nahan, visit our careers page or contact us to learn more.

Bio: Camille Lehmann is on the Marketing team and started with Nahan in January of 2020. Camille is responsible for assisting in Nahan’s marketing strategies and goals. She graduated with her Master’s of Science in Marketing with a specialization in Project Management in 2020. In her spare time, Camille enjoys writing, going to coffee shops, and spending time with friends and family.

Three Benefits of Working for Nahan

Posted on by Bryan.Formhals

 

Author: Nick Hammitt, Marketing Intern

Nahan is an award winning company with amazing opportunities for its current and future employees. If you are considering joining the team at Nahan, I’d like to tell you about three benefits of working here. From the first time I walked into the building to interview, I could feel the family-like atmosphere. As I walked around the facility, every single person I came in contact with said hello to me. That truly mattered to me when making the decision to work for Nahan. 

Here are three benefits that I see in working for Nahan:

1. Leadership That Values Their Employees

Nahan has over 350 employees and we are ranked as one of the top 20 largest employers in St. Cloud, MN. We are thriving and are constantly looking for new team members. One of Nahan’s most valued traits is our ability to maintain a small company feel, while being a robust and growing company. It is a priority of Nahan’s leaders to be accessible to employees and the needs of our customers, and be willing to step in at any point to make decisions and to support the team. It’s part of the reason we’ve been able to be so successful over the years.

Our leadership makes sure to acknowledge the employees and their milestones. Whenever we have anniversaries and employee events, the leadership is here celebrating with the team. That is quite a good feeling to see that Nahan employees are recognized and valued for what they do.

 2. Values

Since I’ve been here, I’ve heard a lot about Nahan Values. These values were established by our owners and our leadership team. Here at Nahan we live by these values. When we recognize our team members, we always associate the recognition with upholding at least one of these values:

N = Never Stop Being the Best

A = Always Treat Others with Dignity and Respect

H = Honesty and Integrity

A = Amaze Our Internal and External Customers

N = Now is the Time

3. Culture

The last, but most important benefit I see in working at Nahan, is our culture. Culture is important to the owners at Nahan and it’s important to the employees as well. These employees have seen each other through milestones, growing families, successes, and challenging times as well. When we asked our employees to share their favorite part about working for Nahan. The resounding majority of our team said “the people” and since I’ve been here, I’d definitely agree.

Employees come for the work but stay for the culture. I had recently pulled a statistic and 28% of Nahan’s employees have worked here for more than twenty years! It’s incredible to see statistics like that and seeing the culture first hand, I believe it.

Learn more about Nahan’s culture and current job openings.

 

Employee Spotlight: Pete Schwarzkopf

Posted on by Bryan.Formhals

Author: Camille Lehmann, Marketing Coordinator

Our employees are our greatest asset. We are so thankful for their dedication to the Nahan team and their commitment to going above and beyond for our customers. I’d like to introduce you to Pete Schwarzkopf, one of our Account Executives and someone who you can always count on to have a sense of humor. We are excited to be sharing more about Pete and his time at Nahan so far.

Pete Schwarzkopf, Account Executive

Pete’s Career in Direct Mail

Pete started at Nahan in December of 2020. Since graduating from the Western Wisconsin Technical College and University of Wisconsin – Stout, Pete has been a part of the print industry. He began his career running presses at a small print shop in Viroqua, WI, and went on to spend the next 20 years in positions ranging from Account Manager, to purchasing agent and Account Executive. Pete explains that the sense of accomplishment he feels booking a job for a new client after persevering in patience is his greatest work accomplishment.  He is passionate about exceeding customers’ expectations and says positive feedback from clients keeps that passion going. Knowing that the team knocked it out of the park on a project makes the job exciting and continually makes him committed to doing the same with every customer. Pete also enjoys the aspect of his Account Executive role that he likes to call being the “Swiss Army Knife” of the team – supporting and helping wherever he can to make each department successful.

“Knowing that we both knocked a job out of the park and that it’s a win for our company financially, that’s something that keeps me passionate about growing and retaining our customers!”

Pete Schwarzkopf, Account Executive

Life Beyond Nahan

Outside of the office, Pete first and foremost enjoys spending time with his wife and two daughters. He credits his wife as the person who inspires him the most – not only in her dedication to her career but her ability to keep the family organized and on task! He also enjoys being able to get outside and camp, fish, and play golf (although he admits golf can be a bit of a struggle sometimes). Visiting local breweries in the western suburbs of the Twin Cities and family vacations are also favorite activities. So far, a few of his favorite travel destinations have been the Rivera Maya region of Mexico and Ireland, and he hopes to visit Alaska and Hawaii sometime soon.

“The best piece of advice I’ve ever been given, as corny as it is, is that tackling something hard can always be broken down into smaller tasks so it’s not so daunting.”

-Pete Schwarzkopf, Account Executive

Careers at Nahan

If you are interested in learning more about a career at Nahan, visit our careers page or contact us to learn more.

Bio: Camille Lehmann is on the Marketing team and started with Nahan in January of 2020. Camille is responsible for assisting in Nahan’s marketing strategies and goals. She graduated with her Master’s of Science in Marketing with a specialization in Project Management in 2020. In her spare time, Camille enjoys writing, going to coffee shops, and spending time with friends and family.

Employee Spotlight: Elena Cunningham

Posted on by Bryan.Formhals

Author: Camille Lehmann, Marketing

At Nahan, we pride ourselves on the quality and talent of our team members. Each department is comprised of amazing employees whose dedication is what makes Nahan great. Elena Cunningham, our Human Resources Manager/Business Partner, is one of our newer employees who make Nahan special. I had the privilege to get to know Elena better, learn about her time at Nahan and how she enjoys her time outside of work.

Elena Cunningham

Elena’s Career in Human Resources

Elena joined the Nahan team at the beginning of February and has proved to be a vital part of the Human Resources team in a short time. In coming aboard the Nahan team, she brought five years of experience as an HR Business Partner at a technology solutions company. One of Elena’s impressive career accomplishments includes creating and running the Human Resources department at her previous employer. The ability to build a needed and significant piece of that company and turn it into an effective and trusted department is an example of the talent Elena possesses. Bringing that skill and experience to Nahan has made her a great addition to the team. When asked what she enjoys most about her role at Nahan, Elena explained that she enjoys being able to work with people every day and the ability to be a helpful resource to them.

“My favorite part about Nahan so far is getting to know the staff and the excitement of continually meeting more of the team!”

Elena Cunningham

Life Beyond Nahan

In her daily life, Elena’s parents are two people who inspire her. She describes them as strong-willed people who never give up and always stay humble, despite the challenges in life. When Elena is not working hard on the Human Resources team, she enjoys spending time with friends and family, traveling, running, painting, and going to brunch. She hopes to travel to Asia, South America, and Europe someday soon, as well as complete a half marathon.

Careers at Nahan

If you are interested in learning more about a career at Nahan, visit our careers page or contact us to learn more.

Bio: Camille Lehmann is on the Marketing team and started with Nahan in January of 2020. Camille is responsible for assisting in Nahan’s marketing strategies and goals. She graduated with her Master’s of Science in Marketing with a specialization in Project Management in 2020. In her spare time, Camille enjoys writing, going to coffee shops, and spending time with friends and family.

Employee Spotlight: Aaron Weekes

Posted on by Bryan.Formhals

Author: Camille Lehmann, Marketing

At Nahan, we’re thankful for our amazing team that makes our mission possible. One of those dedicated team members is Aaron Weekes, our Director of Business Support Services. I had the privilege to get to know Aaron more, learn about his time at Nahan, and how he enjoys his time outside of work.

Aaron Weekes, Director of Business Support Services

Two Decades of Experience in Information Technology

Aaron has been a Nahan employee for the past four years. When he began his role at Nahan, he brought sixteen years of experience in Informational Technology from his previous role in a growth-oriented manufacturing organization. Starting as a helpdesk intern at his prior organization that led him to become their Director of IT, he is now the Director of Business Support Services at Nahan. He is grateful for the opportunities he has had to grow professionally and work with great teams. As the Director of Business Services, Aaron serves as the leader of all our business support service teams. This includes a variety of amazing people focused on internal and external customer service in the areas of technology, pricing, project planning, graphic arts, and data service.

“At my core, I just love helping people, and I get to do that every day. It brings me great joy. The people I get to work with day in and day out are great. It’s an amazing, diverse, dedicated, and fun group of people.”

Aaron Weekes, when asked to share what he enjoys most about his role at Nahan.
Aaron and his family.

Life Beyond Nahan

One of the accomplishments Aaron is proud of is his ability to maintain a work and life balance. His time with his family means the world to him. In his spare time, he enjoys playing basketball and claims he could fish for days without ever getting bored. He also tries to find time to volunteer with youth and travel to new places with his family. Glacier National Park is his favorite place he has had the opportunity to travel to, and he is excited to hike more trails in state and national parks with his family in the future.

Careers at Nahan

If you are interested in learning more about a career at Nahan, visit our careers page or contact us to learn more.

Bio: Camille Lehmann is on the Marketing team and started with Nahan in January of 2020. Camille is responsible for assisting in Nahan’s marketing strategies and goals. She is currently pursuing her master’s degree in Marketing with a specialization in Project Management. In her spare time, Camille enjoys writing, going to coffee shops, and spending time with friends and family.

Employee Spotlight: Jenny Chirhart

Posted on by Bryan.Formhals

At Nahan, we pride ourselves on our amazing team that makes our mission possible. One of those amazing team members is Jenny Chirhart, our Fulfillment Department Leader.

Jenny Chirhart, Fulfillment Department Leader

“The part that I enjoy the most about being on the Nahan team is how everyone works together to get the job done.”

Jenny Chirhart, Fulfillment Department Leader

Nearly Two and a Half Decades of Commitment to Nahan

Jenny has been a Nahan employee for the past twenty-four years. She began her Nahan career following her high school graduation as a Direct Mail Helper. During the years following, she worked as a Quality Checker, Laser Operator, and Inserter Operator. Jenny worked in the Customer Service Department for nine years and then in Prep and Outside Purchasing for another three years. In the spring of 2018, she became a Lead in our Fulfillment Department, and then was promoted to a Shift Leader in the summer of 2019. When I asked Jenny what made her the proudest of her time at Nahan, she responded with the fact that she has worked hard over the years and it earned her a leadership role. She also credits the people she gets to work with every day, as a reason she enjoys working at Nahan.

Jenny and her children

“The people who inspire me the most in my life are my children.”

Jenny Chirhart, Fulfillment Department Leader

Life Beyond Nahan

When she is not leading the Fulfillment Department, Jenny enjoys spending time with her family. She added that the best advice she’s ever received is to enjoy time with her children and family because time goes by too fast. Other than spending time with family and friends, Jenny’s hobbies include four-wheeling, going on walks, and playing games. She also enjoys traveling, citing Hawaii as her favorite trip, and she hopes to do more traveling in the future.

Careers at Nahan

If you are interested in learning more about a career at Nahan, visit our careers page or contact us to learn more.

Bio: Camille Lehmann is on the Marketing team and started with Nahan in January of 2020. Camille is responsible for assisting in Nahan’s marketing strategies and goals. She is currently pursuing her master’s degree in Marketing with a specialization in Project Management. In her spare time, Camille enjoys writing, going to coffee shops, and spending time with friends and family.