Q&A with Darrell

What is your favorite quote?
“Your test results are only as good as your sample.”

Do you have any kids, and if so, how many?
Anne, Siiri and Brock.

How did you end up working at QualiTru?
I got fired from Ecolab and had to make ends meet. I got laid off then became a consultant for Ecolab. I’m totally grateful for Ecolab.

What was your favorite subject in school?
Biology.

What are the top 3 places you have visited?
Bryce National Park, South Africa and my cabin.

If you could have dinner with any person (living or deceased) who would it be and where would you dine?
Lanette, and we would go to Sal’s Angus Grill.

If you could have a super power, what would it be?
I wish I could cure cancer!

Your house is on fire, all loved ones (including pets) are safe. You can safely retrieve 3 items. What do you get?
My medication, fishing tackle, and shotgun.

What is your DiSC Profile?
S.

What are the top 3 concerts you have attended?
My children’s high school concerts.

What was your first car?
1984 F150 truck.

What is something you have accomplished that few would guess?
Being a successful entrepreneur.

What are your favorite parts of your job?
Having great employees and rewarding them.

The best advice you have ever received?
Be honest.

Q&A with Calvin

What is your favorite quote?
I have a few hundred. No really, I have over 100 quotes on photos that I have posted on my web page. One of my favorite and one that defines my approach in life is: “I am not a product of my circumstances. I am a product of my decisions.” Written by Stephen Covey. So true on so many levels.

Do you have any kids, and if so, how many?
Calvin, Rachel, Joshua, and Zachary.

How did you end up working at QualiTru?
I was working with QualiTru as an Organizational Development Consultant for about two years before joining the company full time in September 2018.

Your house is on fire, all loved ones (including pets) are safe. You can safely retrieve 3 items. What do you get?
I would get my dad’s American flag and my mom’s Silver Fawn award (an award she received as a Boy Scout leader).

What was your favorite subject in school?
This might sound kind of weird – but I liked my class in differential equations. Outside of that, my favorite major topic was failure mode analysis of high voltage transmission lines. I really thought that I wanted to work at a large power company.

What was your first car?
It was a 1972 Ford Custom (purchased in 1977), 4-door, with a 351 Cleveland engine. It was a boat!

What are the top 3 places you have visited?
Number one is Glacier National Park (I would go back there every year if I could); Panmunjom (the exact place where the armistice between South Korea and North Korea was signed – I even crossed the boundary and stood in North Korea for about a minute. That was scary.); and Prague (I was just there a few months ago. What a beautiful city. I will likely return with my wife.).

What is something you have accomplished that few would guess?
I have a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering.

If you could have dinner with any person (living or deceased) who would it be and where would you dine?
This is a tossup. It would either be a famous political leader or a very accomplished businessperson. On the political side, it would be Ronald Reagan. On the business side, it would be Warren Buffet. No fancy dinner place – just a good burger and craft beer.

What is your DiSC Profile?
I am a DC – seriously, right on the DC line and nearly in the center of the circle.

What are the top 3 concerts you have attended?
John Thorogood and the Destroyers (CY Stephens Auditorium in Ames, IA during my sophomore year of college), Foreigner (Juke Box Hero tour in Des Moines, IA), and Elton John (Hilton Coliseum in Ames, IA my freshman year).

The best advice you have ever received?
Invest a little bit every month regardless of the ups and downs of the market.

Q&A with Anne

What is your favorite quote?
“At the end of the day people won’t remember what you said or did, they will remember how you made them feel.” – Maya Angelou

What was your favorite subject in school?
Didn’t have a favorite – I more enjoyed finding was to connecting different subjects. I studied International Political Economy in undergrad – so it was all about identifying overlaps. I found my work in Malaysia was an even greater time for learning – from managing a team of 10 people, speaking a new language to learning a new ‘boleh’ lifestyle.

What are the top 3 places you have visited?
Vietnam, India and Badlands South Dakota. Maybe more than anything – it’s the unknown and building a list of where to go next. I love exploring new places.

How did you end up working at QualiTru?
Summer job with too much curiosity. I was enrolled in a program in the Netherlands – but couldn’t leave an amazing opportunity. During that summer I called different Quality Managers who brought me in and taught me why they choose to us our sampling system and the impact it made on their work. That experience convinced me that there was so much more to explore and don’t see an end anytime soon. Wake up every morning excited to work with customers who show me how our system is solving a problem for them and many are willing to support others to improve the industry – it is the best thing I could ask for.

Your house is on fire, all loved ones (including pets) are safe. You can safely retrieve 3 items. What do you get?
Passport, microplane grater (for zesting) and eye mask.

What is your DiSC Profile?
Pretty solid “I” with D and S depending on the time of year I take the questions…

What was your first car?
Honda CRV.

What are your favorite parts of your job?
I love connecting passionate people with the right tools. Working in dairy, I get to feed my endless curiosity to learn from the hardest working and driven people behind some of my favorite foods. Extremely grateful to work such passionate people who are shaping food safety and supporting farmers.

If you could have a super power, what would it be?
Ability to travel anywhere in no time – cut out travel time.

If you could have dinner with any person (living or deceased) who would it be and where would you dine?
I would make breakfast with my Grandma (now passed). I have so many great memories waking up too early in the morning, listening to the radio and baking/eating cinnamon rolls together.

What is something you have accomplished that few would guess?
My nickname was Annie Oakley – I have a good shot.

The best advice you have ever received?
My dad taught me to always look for the win-win ending for business and personal life. He didn’t even need to say it – he acts on that attitude every day.

Q&A with Dan

What is your favorite quote?
“Your life is made of two dates and a dash. Make the most of the dash.”

Do you have any kids, and if so, how many?
Yes – I have three kids – a daughter and two sons.

How did you end up working at QualiTru?
QualiTru reached out to me via LinkedIn to discuss an opportunity they had available.

What was your favorite subject in school?
Welding and woodworking in high school. Business and economics in college.

What are the top 3 places you have visited?
Lambeau Field in Green Bay WI, Porto Rico, Mexico.

If you could have dinner with any person (living or deceased) who would it be and where would you dine?
I would have a pot roast dinner while sitting around the kitchen table at the family farm with my parents and younger brother (all deceased). It would be just like old times.

If you could have a superpower, what would it be?
If I had a superpower I wouldn’t tell anyone about it. Doing good deeds cloaked in anonymity sounds like a good time to me.

Your house is on fire, all loved ones (including pets) are safe. You can safely retrieve 3 items. What do you get?
Probably nothing else. If my loved ones and pets are safe that’s all I need. The rest can be replaced.

What is your DiSC Profile?
Off the chart C.

What are the top 3 concerts you have attended?
KISS, Guns N’ Roses, Rascal Flatts.

What was your first car?
The first car I was allowed to drive was a 1977 Buick LeSabre – a mint green 4 door. The first car I owned was a 1988 Pontiac Grand Prix – a cherry red 2 door.

What is something you have accomplished that few would guess?
My wife and I were Foster Parents for a few years.

What are your favorite parts of your job?
Working with customers to help them solve problems.

The best advice you have ever received.
It’s never wrong to do the right thing – Mark Twain.

Q&A with Lori

Do you have any kids, and if so, how many?
Yes two, Tim and Jamie.

What are the top 3 concerts you have attended?
Rod Stewart, Shania Twain, the Moody Blues.

What are your favorite parts of your job?
I love the excitement behind the products that we sell. QualiTru produces quality products and I enjoy the challenge of putting the pieces and systems in place to assure our stakeholders that we have a quality managed system.

What are the top 3 places you have visited?
Fiji, Italy, St. Kitts.

If you could have dinner with any person (living or deceased) who would it be and where would you dine?
My husband, Mike at the Porterhouse restaurant.

What was your favorite subject in school?
Creative writing.

What is your favorite quote?
“When God closes a door, He opens a window.”

What was your first car?
1980 Chevy Monza.

What is your DiSC Profile?
I am an i.

What is something you have accomplished that few would guess?
Completed SCUBA certification.

Your house is on fire, all loved ones (including pets) are safe. You can safely retrieve 3 items. What do you get?
Family photos, great grandmother’s rocking chair, great, great uncle’s banjo clock.

The best advice you have ever received?
Don’t create a problem where one does not exist.

Q&A with Mara

What is your favorite quote?
“Drop the Mind”
This is a Buddhist expression I learned when stranded in Amsterdam due to the Volcanic ash in April 2010. It roughly means the mind is the source of all our problems and if we can step outside the mind (let things go) then we can enjoy life. So, if you are reading this, I challenge you to “drop your mind” and enjoy the moment…

Do you have any kids, and if so, how many?
I have two kids, both grown young men now. Both named after something to do with movies: Dalton Wade (Road House) and Lucas (Cool Hand Luke).

How did you end up working at QualiTru?
Job posting on LinkedIn.

What was your favorite subject in school?
Floral Design, Photoshop, Video Editing.

What are the top 3 places you have visited?
Germany, North Shore, Disneyland.

If you could have dinner with any person (living or deceased) who would it be and where would you dine?
My husband and anywhere – even in a car driving down the road. He is my favorite person to spend time with, anytime/anywhere.

If you could have a superpower, what would it be?
Teleport. Sometimes you just want to get there and I hate wasting time trying to get there.

Your house is on fire, all loved ones (including pets) are safe. You can safely retrieve 3 items. What do you get?
My 222 Featherweight sewing machine, photo albums, firesafe with important papers.

What is your DiSC Profile?
S (Support).

What are the top 3 concerts you have attended?
Garth Brooks, Meatloaf, Clint Black.

What was your first car?
1977 Ford Fastback Mustang, Teal with white leather interior.

What is something you have accomplished that few would guess?
College algebra with an A-!! Math is not my superpower…

What are your favorite parts of your job?
So far, I really like the people. Looking forward to meeting more customers and visiting more farms/plants in the future.

The best advice you have ever received?
If you make a mistake, own it, fix it, learn from it, and move on.

Q&A with Gwen

What is your favorite quote?
“The greatest source of happiness is the ability to be grateful at all times.” – Zig Zigler

How did you end up working at QualiTru?
I started working for QualiTru (then called QMI) as a product assembler in 1987 while in high school. I became a full-time office employee in 1991.

If you could have dinner with any person (living or deceased) who would it be and where would you dine?
Robin Williams at Spoon & Stable in Minneapolis.

Do you have any kids, and if so, how many?
Two kids, Brent and Taylor.

What was your favorite subject in school?
Science.

What’s one of the favorite parts of your job?
I love working with our customers on a daily basis – identifying and anticipating their needs and delivering on our promise of great products and great customer service. Every time!

What are the top 3 places you have visited?
England, Hawaii, Belgium.

Q&A with Mai

Do you have any kids, and if so, how many?
Yes, Nathaniel Yang and Nolin Yang.

What’s one of the favorite parts of your job?
Being able to meet the needs of our customers.

What was your first car?
A Toyota Camry.

Your house is on fire, all loved ones (including pets) are safe. You can safely retrieve 3 items. What do you get?
My important documents and photos.

Q&A with Brock

Your house is on fire, all loved ones (including pets) are safe. You can safely retrieve 3 items. What do you get?
My computer, bike, and skis.

What was your favorite subject in school?
Biology.

What is something you have accomplished that few would guess?
I won every baseball tournament my team competed in – in third AND fourth grade.

What are the top 3 concerts you have attended?
Shaky Graves, Dawes and the Jay Hawks at the MN state fair.

What’s one of the favorite parts of your job?
Customer satisfaction!

What was your first car?
A 2007 Buick Terraza.

What are the top 3 places you have visited?
Israel, Alaska, Maine.

What is your DiSC Profile?
I am a CD.

If you could have a super power, what would it be?
To make every customer have a great experience using QualiTru products! Just kidding, probably flying.

The best advice you have ever received?
K.I.S.S. – Keep It Simple Stupid.

Q&A with Lanette

What are the top 3 places you have visited?
A girls’ vacation to London, and trips to Wales and South Korea.

What was your favorite subject in school?
English and U.S. History.

If you could have dinner with any person (living or deceased) who would it be and where would you dine?
I would love to have dinner with Michelle Obama in one of my favorite cities, Chicago.

Do you have any kids, and if so, how many?
One daughter, named Aly.

What are your favorite parts of your job?
Working with such a great creative team and the staff outings.

What is your favorite quote?
“Open your eyes and see what you can with them before they close forever.” from All the Light We Cannot See by Andrew Doerr. I love that book and the quote serves as a reminder to continue to grow, explore, and not miss out on opportunities, no matter our age.

Your house is on fire, all loved ones (including pets) are safe. You can safely retrieve 3 items. What do you get?
Family pictures. That’s it.

What is your DiSC Profile?
Conscientiousness… it’s all about accuracy.

What is something you have accomplished that few would guess?
I raised money and trained for the Susan G. Komen 3-Day Walk for Breast Cancer with a group of ten colleagues during the summer of 2006. We walked 20 miles a day for three consecutive days and tent camped two nights. Great experience!

What are the top 3 concerts you have attended?
Neil Diamond and Elton John/Billy Joel.

The best advice you have ever received?
Remember it’s just stuff. Let it go.