Heath Thompson is a 3^rd shift press-side supervisor who leads and supports press-side crews to produce good quality products safely for our customers. He has been with Great Northern for almost twenty years. Heath has already learned enough to assist on any machine on the press side. Heath says that one of the reasons he took the promotion was to learn more. To be an effective leader, Heath needed his team to teach him. He continually asks questions and carries a notebook to learn more. He has gained mutual respect from his team due to his experience and openness to learning. He said, “I can learn and lead all at the same time.”

When asked about what he enjoys most about Great Northern, Heath replied, “I like doing what I do. I like working with my hands and seeing the finished product. It’s great to see all the parts come together. I like to think about how Great Northern can make its products and how we can retain our customers.” Heath also feels that if one fails, we all fail. He takes pride in getting things done as a team, even if he needs to pitch in. For example, when the bander is backing up, he will jump on the forklift and assist in keeping the entire line from going down.

Heath is pretty excited about the future. “From sales to our service groups to production, we have a great team.”

As a Design Assistant, Jamie Sanchez is in charge of producing all design samples and shipping them to current and potential customers. She also helps create new designs and doesn’t mind a challenge when doing so. “Creating new cartons, especially ones where there is something unusual or difficult that the carton needs to do is my favorite part of my job,” Jamie says. “I love the challenge of having to find creative and practical solutions to problems.”

Since joining Great Northern six years ago, Jamie has held several different roles within the company. “I started as a take-off on the folder gluers, then moved to the laminator as take-off, as well as the press,” said Jamie. “I then moved up to roll tender where I stayed for about four years and then I again got the chance to pursue a new adventure by joining the design department as a design assistant.”

Jamie says that her hard work has always been appreciated and rewarded. “I have always felt a great level of loyalty and respect from my co-workers and bosses,” she said. “My supervisor has shown this as well by being flexible with my work and home life, which is huge when you are trying to make time for work, school, homework and spending time with family. I don’t just have a job here, I have a second family that relies on me to be successful, but cares about me as a person as well.”

Tom Rock is a Lift Truck Driver for Great Northern and has been with the company for 33 years, while his son Taylor Rock, a Forklift Driver, has been with Great Northern for almost a year. Even though their amount of time with Great Northern is different, their reason for joining is the same. “In 1988 I was starting a family and I wanted stability,” said Tom. “I wanted to ensure a better future for myself and my son,” replied Taylor.

Tom says he enjoys finding ways to succeed in the fast-paced environment that is the shipping department and working with his coworkers. “Great Northern is a good place to work, I wouldn’t have stayed if I didn’t believe that,” said Tom. “I’m living and sharing the Great Northern vision with my youngest son, and his future with the company.”

Taylor is focused on keeping the next generation of Great Northern alive. “I’m doing this by giving my best effort every day and helping others when and where I can.” Finally, when Taylor was asked what it is like to have the opportunity to work with his father, he replied “Not many people get to have that opportunity, so it’s a great feeling knowing that I do.”

From  Assistant to  Lead: Dale’s 30 Years at Great Northern Led to Opportunity and Security

After three decades of dedication, Dale Bronstad reflects on a career filled with opportunity, teamwork, and a secure future—one that set him up for a rewarding retirement.

Dale’s journey with Great Northern began at the Chippewa Falls location when it was still Kell Container.  Starting as an assistant in several machine centers, he quickly advanced to a Die Cutter Machine operator.  From there, he became a member of the Lead Operator group and assumed the role of Trainer and Internal Auditor. His leadership skills and expertise led him to accept a key position as Quality Lead at Great Northern’s fulfillment facility, where he worked closely with the design team, customer service, and machine centers to ensure seamless communication and operations.

Through every role, Dale remained committed to excellence, and in return, Great Northern remained committed to him.

“There was no reason to look for other work because Great Northern always cared deeply for their employees. I always remembered my first 401K/profit sharing meeting when the rep said, ‘You should thank them every day for what they do for your retirement.’ After working there for many years, I found that to be 100% true. The benefit package at Great Northern was incomparable to other facilities in the region.”

Dale is grateful for his successful decades-long career with Great Northern and how the company helped support him during this time. He valued always having a safe, clean, and organized environment to work in. Prioritizing communication, accountability, adaptability, active listening, and strong leadership skills were imperative for both Dale and team to reach anticipated goals.

For those just starting their careers at Great Northern, Dale offers this advice:

“Show up on time every day, work hard, take pride in your work, and have fun working together with the entire team. It takes all team members working together to accomplish the successes that make Great Northern a great company.”

Now retired, Dale looks forward to spending more time with family and friends, traveling, and taking time to relax. His hard work and dedication to Great Northern were met with dedication back to him in the form of a robust retirement plan that will allow him to accomplish these goals in retirement.