WSCEO

10/08/2026

Great communication is at the heart of a successful business. The WSCEO class learned how that lesson applies to two very different businesses: Tani Division and the Albany Chrysler Center. Our conversation with Bryan Schiffler covered customer service, business ownership, and finding opportunities. A few lessons stood out:

🗣️ Great communication starts with your team. Keeping employees informed, involved, and valued helps them serve customers well.
💯 Passion matters, but it takes effort and commitment to turn a dream into a business. Know where you want to go and what you want to achieve!
🔎 Look for a small niche or a problem you can help solve. A bottleneck for someone else could be a business opportunity for you!

Thank you for supporting WSCEO and sharing your time with our class!

09/24/2026

Learning. Leading. Growing.

Earlier this week, our class had an incredible opportunity to visit Prairie Woods Environmental Learning Center for a day of learning, teamwork, and pushing ourselves outside our comfort zones!

Throughout the day, students took on challenges that required leadership, communication, trust, and problem-solving. One of the highlights was the Flying Squirrel, where students had the chance to literally take a leap outside their comfort zone, with their classmates working together to support them!

There were plenty of laughs, a few nerves, and a lot of encouragement along the way. Experiences like this remind us that growth often happens when we are willing to challenge ourselves and try something new.

A huge THANK YOU to the staff at PWELC for an awesome experience. We left better than we arrived!

09/23/2026

📊 There’s a lot more to accounting than numbers!

The WSCEO class had the opportunity to visit with Tim Borgmann at Christianson Accounting, where we learned about the many career paths within accounting and how accountants help businesses identify trends, solve problems, and make better decisions. From Tim, we learned...

🧠 Problem-solving is at the heart of accounting. Being good at math helps, but the ability to analyze information and find solutions is even more important.
🤝 How you communicate matters. Texts and emails may be convenient, but a phone call or face-to-face conversation can go a long way toward building trust and stronger relationships.
📈 There are many paths in accounting. Careers can include public accounting, private/industry accounting, financial planning, banking, government, nonprofits, and more.

A big THANK YOU to Tim and Christianson Accounting for giving our students a firsthand look at accounting and your perspective on running a business! 👏

09/17/2026

At our tour of Nutrien Ag Solutions, Todd Dirkes gave us a look at the seed and fertilizer industry and the role their operation plays in agriculture. Todd shared some great lessons about sales, relationships, and earning the trust of your customers. From Todd, we learned...

🌱 That tower you see when you drive by has a 150-ton capacity, and approximately 20,000 tons of fertilizer will run through it each year!!!
🤝 Trust takes time. You probably won’t make the sale the first time you meet someone. It may take several visits before a customer is comfortable doing business with you.
🚗 Get up the driveway! Face-to-face interaction still matters. Don’t be afraid to talk to people, don’t be afraid to hear “no,” and keep showing up.

Thank you, Todd and Nutrien Ag Solutions, for your time and your continued support of WSCEO!

09/16/2026

Our latest WSCEO tour took us to Carsten’s Industries, where we got a behind-the-scenes look at fiberglass manufacturing. With 52 employees and currently hiring, the company continues to focus on growth while taking care of the customers they already serve.

We also learned about growing a business, finding great employees, and the skills that matter in almost any career. From Carsten’s Industries, we learned...

🔍 Details matter. In manufacturing, being precise and detail-oriented is incredibly important.
🤝 Hiring is a two-way street. It’s not just “What can this employee offer us?” It's “What can we offer them?”
🧠 Critical thinking is always in demand. No matter the industry or career, the ability to think, adapt, and solve problems has value.

Thank you to Carsten’s Industries for opening your doors to WSCEO!

09/10/2026

WSCEO is off to a great start! The first few days have been all about getting to know one another, building our team, and jumping into our first class project. Today, we took our learning outside the classroom with our first business tour of the year!

Chad at the Black Oak Wind Farm gave us a behind-the-scenes look at wind energy, its role in power production, and the work that goes into keeping a wind farm running. Just as importantly, he shared some great advice about finding work you enjoy and taking pride in what you do. From Chad, we learned...

👷‍♂️ Safety is job #1. Always.
💨 With 39 wind turbines, Black Oak is actually considered a relatively small wind operation.
🤔 Be eager. Be curious. Work hard. People are watching, and they notice the effort and attitude you bring every day.

A great first tour and a great way to kick off another year of learning from the people and businesses in our community. Thank you, Chad and Black Oak Wind Farm!

06/12/2026

05/21/2026

Russ Cherne of PCG Law makes it sound simple. It's about helping people resolve their issues. Working heavily in mediation makes Russ an expert at helping people move forward. From Russ, we learned...
- Mediation helps the system and all parties involved. With an overwhelmed legal system, it benefits everyone!
- Market yourself through unique ways. Have you considered simply taking someone out to lunch?
Thanks for a truly awesome conversation. We loved your enthusiasm and appreciate your dedication to the WSCEO Program!

05/20/2026

Destination unknown! Pallets from Centre Pallet are certified to ship to any country in the world! From Alan, we learned how the US tracks every pallet that leaves the US. Each one gets a stamp with all the information needed. From Alan and his staff, we learned...
- Opportunities come unexpectedly. A door can open through a simple conversation. Be ready.
- Not only do they build them, but they fix them too at their facility in Clarissa.
- They are a log to pallet operation. The pallets they build today were trees just a few short days ago.
We enjoyed our tour of the pallet shop and the conversation with the staff at Centre Pallet. We are grateful for your support of WSCEO and your dedication to the program!

05/19/2026

Our tour of the Melrose Feed Mill gave us a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at a 5th-generation turkey operation. From barn design to workforce retention, it was impressive to see how much strategy and planning are involved in modern agriculture. From Pete and Peyton we learned...
- ¾ of a turkey’s feed is corn, so closely watching corn prices is critical.
- Barns with east and west layouts hold heat better against the wind.
- Hiring and retaining a long-term workforce helps reduce the high costs of retraining employees.
Thank you for sharing your time and expertise with us. We appreciate all your time and everything you do for WSCEO!