John Weidenhammer

Launched in February of 1978, from a spare room in his house, and a $100 in his pocket,  John Weidenhammer became founder and president of Weidenhammer, one of the first regional technology companies. Forty years later, the company is a $42 million technology and consulting company with seven offices in the United States, including one in Western Michigan's Business Technology and Research Park. 

"Much of the company's sustained growth can be attributed to John's strategy of occupying multiple lines of business concurrently, while remaining relevant across a number of strategy, marketing and technology touchpoints," said Chuck Zwicker, senior vice president of Weidenhammer. 

The firm is planning a number of activities to mark the 40 year celebration, including allowing employees to volunteer eight hours of paid-time to a non-profit agency of their choice.  Read more.

Tekna was recognized with multiple 2017 GOOD DESIGN Awards for products they developed, including the Timberline Grill for Traeger. The Nara Bassinet for Stryker and the Bark Bath for BISSELL also received awards, which were noted in a previous newsletter.

 

The Timberline Grill for Traeger is one of more than a dozen products Tekna has helped the company launch, improving the breadth of their portfolio, brand recognition, and financial performance.

 

Timberline grills are fueled with wood pellets that deliver exceptional performance and cooking versatility, delivering on a 6-in-1 strategy. Timberline can grill, braise, BBQ, roast, bake, and, most importantly, smoke foods. It delivers on a new-to-market experience of "Smoke Science," combining true convection, downdraft exhaust, and super smoke not found on any other product in this category. Timberline also incorporates state-of-the-art technology with traditional grilling to enhance the cooking experience by allowing the user to cook/monitor remotely through mobile applications, control algorithms, and custom cook cycles.