nahan differentiators Archives

Employee Spotlight: Lisa Palm

Posted on October 8, 2021March 24, 2022 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’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.

“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 September 8, 2021September 8, 2021 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: Janelle Kolle, Senior Recruiter

Posted on May 14, 2021May 14, 2021 by Bryan.Formhals

Author: Camille Lehmann

At Nahan, we are so grateful for our talented employees. I’d like to introduce you to Janelle Kolle, one of the newest members of our Human Resources team. Janelle joined us in April as our Senior Recruiter. We are thrilled that Janelle chose Nahan to use her recruiting talents, and we cannot wait to share more about her!

Janelle’s Background in the Human Resources Field

Before joining the Nahan team, Janelle was a Human Resources Consultant with her own consulting company. During her six years of consulting, she worked with both international and local organizations. Janelle is very proud of the successes she had in her career as an independent Human Resources Consultant and being an integral part of hiring a variety of talented individuals – including a Rocket Scientist! (or Propulsion Engineering Scientist to be technical). While she is thankful for her time at her own consulting company, she is excited to be starting a new adventure at Nahan. Janelle describes her passion for recruiting as similar to being a matchmaker – being able to meet new people, getting to know them, and then helping them find their career marriage.

“I am glad to join a team of seasoned professionals to help grow the Nahan talent and work to attract local talent. I am happy to offer my experience to an organization that values a new perspective.“
Janelle Kolle, when asked what she’s most excited about in joining the Nahan team

Beyond Nahan

When Janelle is not focused on Nahan’s talent, she first enjoys being a wife and mother. Additionally, she enjoys simple moments when she gets to watch TV uninterrupted, being outside hiking, camping, swimming, and fishing, as well as just laughing alongside friends. Janelle also loves a good opportunity to travel and credits both St. Lucia and her time living in Mexico as her favorite places to date! A few of her favorite adventures she’s experienced include swimming with sharks, cliff jumping, and RV’ing across the United States.

Janelle and her family on one of their many adventures.

“Some of the best advice I’ve been given is from a few books I’ve read over my life. Do your best so when you look back there are no regrets! Grow from your mistakes and even those cannot hold you back. It will all bring you to a place you most certainly will love.”
Janelle Kolle

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.

Employee Spotlight: Elena Cunningham

Posted on March 17, 2021March 23, 2021 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’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.

Employee Spotlight: Sara Stephanie

Posted on February 10, 2021February 10, 2021 by Bryan.Formhals

Author: Camille Lehmann, Marketing

Each department at Nahan is full of team members that make our vision of exceeding customer expectations come to life. One of our amazing employees is Sara Stephanie, a dedicated member of our Direct Mail team who runs the CMC 250 inline. I had the privilege to get to know Sara better, learn about her time at Nahan, and how she enjoys her time outside of work.

15 Years of Dedication to Nahan

Sara started her career working in the retail and consumer industry, eventually leading her to the Direct Mail industry. After a few years at a mailing service company, Sara became a part of the Nahan team in the Direct Mail department and has been an integral part of her team for the last 15 years. When reflecting on her experience, Sara explains that she is proud of her constant growth in her role and the company. The knowledge she has gained over the years has been beneficial to her career and has added to the success of the Direct Mail team. Additionally, Sara credits the people she works with every day on her team as one of her favorite parts of her role.

“The best piece of advice I’ve ever been given is that you can achieve whatever you put your mind to.”
Sara Stephanie, when asked the best piece of advice she’d been given.

Life Beyond Nahan

In her daily life, Sara’s family inspires her to be the best person she can be and to try her best in everything she does. When Sara is not working hard on the Direct Mail team, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, taking her dog for walks, camping, fishing, and going to the beach. One of her biggest goals in life that she is always working towards is continuing to improve and become a better person. This is so apparent in her commitment to her Nahan team, and we are very thankful for her dedication.

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.

Top Five Nahan Blogs of 2020

Posted on January 8, 2021January 8, 2021 by Bryan.Formhals

Author: Camille Lehmann, Marketing

We so enjoyed writing our collection of Nahan blogs published in 2020! Keeping our customers up to date on industry trends and company culture is one way of our favorite ways to differentiate ourselves and be customer-focused. Thank you to everyone for reading our blogs in 2020, we look forward to sharing more content this year!

Check out our top five performing blogs below!

We are excited to publish more great and informative articles in 2021! Be sure to check out our website this year for all the latest Nahan blogs. To be the first to know about new blogs, make sure to follow us on our LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram pages. If you have content that you’d like to see from our team in the future, feel free to contact us anytime and let us know.

Employee Spotlight: Aaron Weekes

Posted on December 8, 2020December 8, 2020 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.

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: John Depa

Posted on August 17, 2020August 17, 2020 by Bryan.Formhals

Author: Camille Lehmann, Marketing

Nahan’s vision of making eye-catching marketing materials come to life in print is only possible because of our amazing team. One of those amazing team members is John Depa, our Press Shift Leader (2nd shift). I had the privilege to get to know John, learn about his time at Nahan, and how he enjoys his time outside of work.

“Gary Primus once told me that if you’re never making any wrong decisions, you are not making enough of them.”
John, when asked to share the greatest advice he’s been told

Over Two Decades of Commitment to Nahan

Immediately after high school, John dove into the printing industry, working for a small family-run printer by the name of May Printing, alongside one of his friends. Later on, his friend applied to work at Nahan and encouraged John to do the same. John joined the Nahan in 1990, starting by working in the warehouse of the old Nahan location, spending 7 years on the team. After some time away, John rejoined the Nahan team again in the late 1990s and has been with us ever since. Over his years at Nahan, John credits his greatest accomplishment to having been a part of a team to install three presses and the knowledge he gained from those experiences.

“I really enjoy working with all the people at Nahan and the customers that come in for press checks. It’s amazing to see the products we produce – the quality is second to none.”

Life Beyond Nahan

When he is not leading his hard-working team, John enjoys spending time with his family. John lists his wife, Laurie, as his greatest inspiration, describing her as always keeping a positive attitude no matter the situation. He also spends as much time with his children and grandchildren as possible. In his spare time, John enjoys spending time outdoors playing a round of golf or adventuring by camping and boating.

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.

Employee Spotlight: Dan Peterka

Posted on July 28, 2020August 4, 2020 by Bryan.Formhals

Author: Camille Lehmann, Marketing

For thirty-two years, Dan Peterka has been an employee of Nahan. After over three decades of spending his time in both the Customer Service and Sales departments, Dan will be retiring as of early August. Dan has been such a pleasure for the entire team to work with and we are excited to share more about his time at Nahan and what his future plans hold.

Dan accepting his Newbie Award in 2013 for having the most new accounts in a month.

Looking Back on His Nahan Career

Dan began his career at Nahan in the Customer Service department where he spent approximately twenty-two years. He credits this time for helping him grow in the field and eventually helped him move into Sales, where he has spent the past nine years.

What Did Dan Enjoy the Most?

When asked this question, he responded that working with and getting to know clients on a variety of projects. One of the benefits of working in the print industry is the ability to meet so many interesting people and help bring their vision to life through print. Dan says that relationships have been key to his success and joy at Nahan, not only with clients but with his Nahan team. Having the opportunity to work with a group of dedicated people is something he will always be thankful for and will cherish as he moves into retirement. One of Dan’s fondest Nahan memories is “Quality Days” where everyone in the company would come together in an auditorium to do department report-outs. He enjoyed how everyone was together and how great of a time it was.

“To any of our new employees or those considering starting a career at Nahan, Nahan is a great organization – and if you want to grow and develop, you will get the chance here.”
Dan Peterka

Dan (left) and other Nahan team members accepting an award at our 2018 Sales Recognition Event.

Plans for the Future

On his first day of retirement, Dan plans on creating a master list of everything he wants to do before Thanksgiving. He also plans on cooking a special dinner for his family with the help of his granddaughter. Overall, Dan is looking forward to being able to have more time to be present in the moment and available for family and friends. He is excited to start checking off things on his list to get done, and also to be able to volunteer and give back to the community in new ways.

“I had the opportunity to work with many outstanding customers, and to them I want to say ‘thank you for the opportunity.’”
Dan Peterka

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.

Top Five Nahan Blogs of 2019

Posted on January 7, 2020February 23, 2021 by DigitalTeam

Author: Melissa Fransen, Marketing Manager

It’s been another great year for Nahan and we have been thrilled at the performance, likes, and shares of our new blog articles that were added to our revamped website launched in October. Thank you for all of your comments and the great feedback! We appreciate you!

In case you’ve missed it, here were our top five performing blog articles of 2019 so you can check them out:

Nahan Differentiators that Drive Results
Three Benefits of Working for a Family-Owned Business
Metallic Inks Add Fun and Interesting Effects
Build a Dynamic Plan for Direct Mail
What is Information Security?

We have a ton of great articles in store for 2020, so be sure to check back to our site for the latest and greatest articles. Plus, we also share these articles on our LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter pages. If you have content that you’d like to see from our team in the future, feel free to contact us anytime and let us know. We are just getting started and 2020 is going to be a fantastic year!

Bio: Melissa Fransen is our Marketing Manager. She started with Nahan in May of 2017. Melissa is responsible for Nahan’s marketing initiatives, which includes everything from conference planning to social media initiatives. In her spare time, Melissa enjoys spending time with her husband and enjoying time in the outdoors with family and friends.