Lance Lyga is a Fuels Analyst II in the Fuels Management Department. Lance was most recently employed as a Pricing and Market Analyst at HTP Energy in Onalaska. | Kevin Nordt is Chief Strategy Officer. Kevin was most recently employed as Chief Resource Officer for Grant County Public Utility District in Ephrata, Wash. Click here for the Oct. 11 news release on Kevin's hire. | |
The joint Board & Dairyland Managers Association (DMA) meeting is being held today at the La Crosse Center. Dairyland's monthly Board of Directors meeting will continue Thursday morning in the Board Room.
Stay informed: Each month after the Board meeting, a summary of actions taken and educational topics addressed during the meeting is posted on the Breaker home page.
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Earlier this year, Dairyland was awarded a $14.89 million Middle Mile Infrastructure Grant through the National Telecommunications & Information Administration (NTIA). Click here to read the news announcement.
To recognize this grant and celebrate the expansion of high-speed internet in the region, Dairyland is collaborating with the U.S. Department of Commerce and White House to host a roundtable discussion and press conference with Don Graves, Deputy Secretary of Commerce, and Tom Perez, White House Director of Intergovernmental Affairs. The event will be held on Thursday, Nov. 30, at 1 p.m. at the Frank Linder Service Center Warehouse on our La Crosse Campus.
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In case you do not follow Dairyland's Facebook page - an immediately correctable issue :) -you may have missed the post about Resource Planner III Neil Canar and his remarkable pumpkin growing abilities.
Neil cultivated a giant pumpkin at home, which tips the scales to 1,020 lbs. What does it take to grow this monstrous gourd? "Lots of water, shade and a sprinkle of fertilizer magic," said Neil.
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Open communication is an important part of a People First workplace. Dairyland's Ask the CEO feature on the Breaker is an opportunity for employees to submit a comment or question to President & CEO Brent Ridge on any topic.
All submissions to Ask the CEO are anonymous. If you would
like a personal follow-up, please include your name and email.
Employees are encouraged to check the link regularly, as Ask the
CEO questions and answers are posted for transparency and employee education.
Note: There may be instances where questions are paraphrased to ensure privacy. Please keep
kindness and mutual respect top-of-mind when submitting questions in this forum. Thank you.
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The Fox 21 News (Duluth, MN) affiliate aired a feature on the Nemadji Trail Energy Center (NTEC) this week, including Superior-area support and challenges.
NTEC will be a state-of-the-art natural gas plant in Superior, Wis. It will ensure the delivery of safe, reliable and affordable energy to our members, while supporting renewable energy resources. In addition, the facility will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by displacing higher-emitting resources - decreasing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by an average of 964,000 tons per year. (Study: 1898 & Co.)
Dairyland recently submitted a Letter of Interest for funding through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s New Empowering Rural America (New ERA) grants program for an extensive portfolio of clean energy projects. The LOI proposes 1,700 MW of wind and solar generation, which would reduce Dairyland's CO2 profile by over 70 percent.
Questions about NTEC? Click here for FAQs developed by the NTEC project partners - Dairyland, Minnesota Power and Basin.
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Please find details and submit your electronic application for the following positions through Workday Career:
Contract Administrator I: Responsible for supporting the contract process by preparing, drafting and reviewing company contracts, including sales, purchases and business partnerships. Ensures compliance with legal requirements and maintains organized records.
Cost Analyst II (Internal/External): Supports the collection and organization of project related data necessary to construct performance and status reports used by project management and the finance department. Utilizes data collected to construct performance and project status reports. Supports project management team by working collaboratively to analyze reports and provide recommendations.
Lineworker, Maintenance (Thorp, Wis.): Journeyperson preferred, will consider apprentice.
Note: Successful candidates must reside/relocate within a radius of 25 air miles of Thorp, Wis. (Posting: Nov. 15 - Nov. 24.)
Systems Analyst II (Internal/External): Provide support for all internal users of the Dairyland systems, analyzing problems using available data and information, proposing and documenting solutions, participating in User Acceptance Testing and owning training content and delivery. Work with business owners, technology and business partners at all levels to understand business strategy, requirements and timelines.
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MAKING SPIRITS BRIGHTER: DAIRYLAND'S COMMUNITY GIFT PROGRAM | |
Strategic Priority: Cooperative Principles
The giving season is here, and in keeping with the Cooperative Principle, Concern for Community, Dairyland is helping area nursing home residents again this year.
Recipients for Dairyland’s Community Gift Program include residents at two neighboring nursing homes, Benedictine Living Community and Bethany St. Joseph Care Center. These facilities sent gift lists for residents to Ellie Meyer (Communications & Member Services). The residents selected are without family or family interaction and are of limited means.
Nursing home staff provide gift ideas for residents who are unable to purchase needed and wanted items and are not blessed with family and friends who are able to provide for them. Most tags designate specific items, but some ask for a gift certificate so a resident can enjoy dinner out or go shopping. Gifts will be delivered to the care centers on Thursday, Dec. 7. Activity coordinators from each facility then distribute the gifts at holiday parties.
Here’s how the Community Gift Program works:
1. Pick a tag!
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Gift tags are displayed in the Administrative Building's Riverside Café
- Gift tags are numbered and noted with a name and a desired item
2. Mark it off!
- To ensure all gift tags are accounted for, please indicate your name and gift tag number on the gift tag sign-up sheet
3. Wrap it and drop it off by Tuesday, Dec. 5!
- Gifts with their tags can be placed back where tags were displayed or in Ellie’s office on the second floor of the Administration Building
Wrapping Tip: Gift bags with tissue paper are preferred as they are easier for residents to open and handle
If you work at a different location and would like to participate, please contact Ellie Meyer (Communication and Member Services) to claim a gift tag.
The Community Gift Program is an annual favorite for many Dairyland employees and is greatly appreciated by residents and staff at the care facilities. Thank you for helping make “spirits brighter” this holiday season.
| LEADERSHIP ACADEMY: 2024 PREVIEW | |
As outlined in the 2024 Performance Management Calendar (Non-Union) emailed to all employees by Director, Safety & HR Elizabeth Ressie last week, Dairyland’s next Leadership Academy will be held online (details to come) on Dec. 20, on Goal Setting & Performance Management Training.
Looking ahead to Q1 2024, the following Leadership Academy training topics are planned:
- HP Tools
- Leader Experience: HP Tool Training & Train-the-Trainer
- Employee Experience: HP Tool Training
- Behavioral Interviewing (will be offered quarterly)
- NEW Series: Get to Know Dairyland from the Inside Out
What is the Leadership Academy?
Provides Dairylanders with various learning opportunities to promote and cultivate a culture of development, growth, and innovation. The Leadership Academy SharePoint site is a hub for resources and information.
All Dairyland employees are eligible and encouraged to participate in the Leadership Academy, which includes three tracks: Member Experience, Employee Experience, and Leadership Experience.
Why are we doing this?
The Dairyland Leadership Academy is intended to be more than just training; it is a learning experience with measurable outcomes throughout the program to determine impact. The purpose of the program is to assist employees in becoming knowledgeable and capable leaders within Dairyland and our community. Between courses, learners will be challenged to refresh, expand and apply learned skills. The program has a strong emphasis on personal development, teamwork and leadership.
“Dairyland is moving away from a culture of avoidance and leading with a culture of accountability to invigorate everyone in every role. Ask yourself, are you moving the Mission forward every day?” said President & CEO Brent Ridge.
To ensure Dairyland’s continued success, employees must embrace a growth mindset. The Leadership Academy provides opportunities to learn new skills and become more versatile in your role at Dairyland.
| NOW: UNITED WAY FOOD DRIVE AT DPC | |
In partnership with the Great Rivers United Way and Rotary Lights, Dairyland is one of more than 30 businesses and organizations that are hosting community food drives at out-of-park locations in the community. Boxes are placed in the Riverside Cafe from now until Dec. 13 to collect non-perishable food items. Donations will then be delivered by Rotary Lights to area food programs.
Did you know? In the seven counties Great Rivers United Way serves, up to 10% of people do not have a reliable source of food. Too many of our neighbors do not know where their next meal is coming from, but food drives like this can make a big difference.
In 2022, these community food drives collected an additional 25,000 food items. We hope you will consider contributing this year! For a complete list of locations, click here.
| ROTARY LIGHTS: VOLUNTEERS STILL NEEDED! | |
Strategic Priority: Cooperative Principles
Employees and their families and friends are asked to volunteer for a longtime favorite: Dairyland’s night at Rotary Lights. Volunteers are needed from 4:45 to around 10:15 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 29, to greet people, collect donations and direct traffic. Santa’s helpers are needed until around 8 p.m. A minimum of eight people are needed for each shift (length of shifts are 1 hour to an 1:30.). Please email Ellie Meyer (Communications & Member Services) or call ext. 1421 by Wednesday, Nov. 22, to volunteer.
About Rotary Lights
Rotary Lights is the largest holiday lighting display in the Midwest. Over 160,000 people walk, drive or take a carriage ride through the park to admire the 4 million LED lights during the holiday season. Dairyland is proud to be a major sponsor of Rotary Lights and been among the volunteer participants since the event’s first year. In addition to volunteering a night at the park, Dairyland donates equipment to help put up and take down lights.
The Rotary Lights display begins on Friday, Nov. 24, at Riverside Park and continues through New Year’s Eve. It is open from 5 to 10 p.m. daily, except for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day when it runs from 5 to 9 p.m., and New Year’s Eve when it is open until 1 a.m. Santa is in the park every night through Dec. 23 from 5 to 8 p.m. See www.rotarylights.org and the Rotary Lights Facebook page for all the details.
The Rotary Lights mission is to “feed the hungry of the Coulee Region.” Although the display is free, collection boxes at the park encourage visitors to give nonperishable food items or a monetary donation to local food pantries.
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President & CEO Brent Ridge will meet with Gov. Tony Evers at the Wisconsin State Capitol on Friday, Nov. 17, to provide an overview about Dairyland and our role as a critical services provider in rural communities. Brent will also discuss reliability, diversification, growth and key projects. Government Relations Manager Jennifer Shilling and WECA VP, Government Relations & External Affairs Rob Richards will also participate in the meeting.
| YOU'RE INVITED: HOLIDAY PARTIES! | |
Dairyland's employee and recent retiree holiday party is Friday, Dec. 8 from 6 to 10 p.m. at the
La Crosse Center Riverside Ballroom. See the invitation at left for all the merry details!
Employees and recent retirees, along with a guest, are invited to attend. We will be recognizing retirees from the past year and milestone service awards! Join us for food, fellowship and great entertainment by local band, SELLOUT.
RSVP here by Dec. 1 or by scanning the QR code in the Oct. 30 email from Abby Ocello.
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Our Children's Holiday Party is on Friday, Dec. 1, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Children's Museum of
La Crosse. Attendance is open to all Dairyland employees' children/grandchildren ages 10 and under. Invites were emailed on Oct. 26 and Nov. 6 with more information. Please RSVP here by Nov. 20.
Raffle tickets are available for purchase. Ticket sales are used to offset the cost of this annual event. Advance purchasing will be available in the Riverside Café on Wednesday, Nov. 29, between 1:30-3:30 p.m. Tickets will also be available for sale at the event until 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $1, $5 for 7, $10 for 15 or $20 for your arm span.
| ERP PHASE 2 EXFLOW PROJECT LAUNCH | The D365 ExFlow AP Automation was successfully launched on Monday, Nov. 13. The addition of ExFlow provides a better user interface and optimization of workflows. Online training was held last week for this new process. Please review recordings and Quick Reference Guides (QRGs) here and here. The AP team is hosting in-person office hours in Administration Building Conference Room 1-1 today to help any invoice approvers who would like in-person, hands-on assistance. If you have questions on the ExFlow project, please reach out to Lyndsey Finley or Rebecca Thompson. | VOLUNTEER & VTO OPPORTUNITY | |
North Woods Elementary School's International Gift of Giving is an annual event during which students can shop at school for their loved ones. All items for purchase are donated and only cost $.25 each.
Volunteers are needed to help the children shop the donated items and gift wrap them to take home. Sign up slots in hour increments are available and qualify to be used for Dairyland's Volunteer Paid Time Off (VTO) policy. Daytime shifts are available on Dec. 15. All volunteers need to fill out a volunteer background check ahead of time with the school district. The background check can be found here. If interested, please reach out to Danielle Deml (RIM).
About Volunteer Time Off (VTO): Effective Oct. 1 of this year, Dairyland's VTO policy applies to non-union employees with the flexibility to use 16 hours annually of VTO for non profit community programs that are of personal interest or are corporate-sponsored initiatives. Thank you for utilizing this great new benefit!
| LAST DAY TO ORDER! DPC APPAREL STORE | |
It's the last day to order from Dairyland's Apparel Store for fall purchases! Gear up for the cold weather now with a variety of high quality clothing options. Our virtual store is on the Breaker under Employee Services>Total Rewards>DPC Apparel Store.
All items are created specifically for Dairyland and therefore, all sales are final and not eligible for return or exchange. Orders will be delivered to Patty Fetting (Communications & Member Services) within three to four weeks of the deadline and distributed.
| YOU FIRST: WEEKLY WELLNESS NEWS | |
November Focus: Make the Most of your Benefits
Benefit Spotlight of the Month: Allstate Identity Protection
This is International Fraud Awareness Week. Did you know that Dairyland offers a benefit to you that will help keep you protected? Allstate Identity Protection helps millions of workers and their families protect themselves against fraud and identity theft.
By enrolling in Identity Protection coverage, you will receive the following services: monitoring of your information (dark web, identity, high-risk transaction, financial, account activity, IP address, credit, and social media), lost wallet protection, solicitation reduction, digital exposure reports, data breach notifications, credit assistance and sex offender notifications. You can take coverage out on yourself or your family. Allstate has a generous definition of family, covering those who live in the participant’s household and those they take care of financially – everyone that’s “under roof and wallet.”
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