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Employee of the Month  previous page

December, 2009
Dennis Roy was voted December’s Employee of the Month. Dennis recently moved to Pierre in August of 2008. He moved here from the Huron area where he spent most of his life. He has worked as a Foreman for different packing plants, worked construction, worked on the maintenance team for Jack Link’s Beef Jerky, and has done a great deal of roofing with is brothers. Denny’s hobbies are playing on the computer, Darts, Bowling, fishing, AND riding his Harley Davidson. Denny was voted Employee of the Month because he does an excellent job following and enforcing all safety policies and procedures. He has been a great asset to the rewind shop, has stepped up and assumed additional duties and assists in training new employees within the department. Denny always wears a smile and has a positive attitude. He works well with both inside and outside customers. He arrives early every morning to assist in building maint/clean-up and set-up of monthly meetings. He helps ensure jobs are completed in a timely manner, tested, and checked for quality service. Denny does an excellent job of keeping fellow employees on track and on time on both internal and external projects. Even with his recent life changes (newlywed 12/26/09) Denny is still able to arrive early to work and keep his mind on task.

November, 2009
Nancy Gordon is the Dept. Manager of Dakota Classique Rock located at 4030 E Hwy 34 in Pierre. Before coming to work for Morris, Inc., she had a graphic art business for 10 years. This allowed her to stay home and take care of her four children; Rhener who is 22 and going to Wyotec in Laramie, Wy, Megan who is 20 and working at Mary House in Pierre, Mallory who is 18 and is a Sr. at Riggs, and Will who is 13 and attends Jr. high in Pierre. Besides work, Nancy spends her time going to hockey games in the winter and floating on the river in the summer. Nancy says she has always loved rocks. When she was younger, her and her brother sold rocks at the end of their driveway on a farm outside of Chamberlain- instead of lemonade. The most expensive rocks at their stand were those that were pretty when you licked them. When she got the job at the rock shop her mom said “Well, you’ve been training for that job your whole life”. Nance was voted Employee of the Month because of her dedication to Morris, Inc. and her bright personality. Nancy Gordon works tons of hours….day, night, and weekends. Her creativity is truly a tremendous asset to Dakota Classique Rock. Her work is impeccable and shows the pride and care she puts into every project. She has made the department a fixture in town, and goes above and beyond to please her customers. Her internal and external customer service skills are without a doubt exceptional! Nancy enjoys her job and it shows in her attitude, the quality of work she puts out, and in her smile. Nancy leads by example, has built a successful and accomplished team who respect her and work hard. She is mindful of the term profit, watches her budget, and refuses to accept any waste in her department. She has a keen eye for her scraps and has the ability to turn even the smallest of waste into a work of art. She is easy to work with, listens to what you want, and goes above and beyond expectations.

October, 2009
Loren grew up and went to school in Pierre. Before returning to Pierre, he worked for Hills Materials as a blaster, In Colorado at a wine distributing facility, and in many customer service roles including waiter, cook, and bartender. Loren has a passion for cooking and is well known for his Chinese food. He has developed a rather interesting skill of cooking on the grill including cakes, cookies, and pies. When you see Loren, ask him to share his recipes. I understand he has several good ones from when he cooked at the Outback. Loren has no children at this time and has remained single up until now but his family does include an older brother, a half sister, and his twin sister Leslie. He enjoys reading, family, and video games in his spare time…but not necessarily in that order. Loren was voted employee of the month because of his willingness to help out wherever needed. He keeps busy and works well with other departments. Loren is safety conscience, follows the safety rules, and keeps an eye out for his co-worker’s safety. Thank you Loren, for a job well-done!

September, 2009
Cody was born in Rapid City. He and his family moved to Ft. Pierre and then Kennebec before they settled in Presho. Cody attended school in Presho and graduated from Lyman County High School. After graduation he attended South East Technical Institute where he received his certificate for Heavy Equipment Operator. His interest and skills in construction work were inherited from his father and grandfather who both spent their lives working in the construction industry.  Cody worked for Schwiegert’s Construction in Gregory as a Rough Blade Operator and for the Lyman County Highway Dept. as a Maintenance Worker. Cody came to work for Morris, Inc. in our General Services Dept. June, 2003 as an equipment Operator. Cody enjoys hunting (including bow hunting) and fishing and spends time in the winter months snowmobiling with his wife Britney and his parents. He also enjoys getting together with his friends to target practice. Cody is a volunteer fire fighter for the City of Ft. Pierre and has been Captain for the past two years. He was voted September’s Employee of the Month because he has accepted the responsibility and challenges that come with not only operating equipment and performing work at Morris, Inc., but also supervising personnel and communicating with owners, engineers, and customers. Cody has done a very good job of making sure that all of the details get addressed and he never assumes anything. Also, he stays calm and positive in stressful situations and people enjoy working with and for Cody.

August, 2009
Jon Reiff was voted August, 2009 Employee of the Month. Jon grew up and went to school in Dell Rapids, SD. He worked construction during high school and while he attended South East Technical Institute for Turf Management. After graduation, he worked for a landscaping company for a couple of years. He found the winters to be too slow without enough work to keep him busy and moved back into the construction industry. Jon eventually moved to Pierre where he worked for a building contractor before coming to work for Morris, Inc. in October of 2007.  Jon likes to keep busy (which is apparent at work) and enjoys fishing & hunting and would like to some day take a mountain lion. Jon also likes hanging out with his three year old son Dalton; riding bicycles, swimming, or anything else that catches their attention. The employees of Morris, Inc. voted Jon Employee of the Month because he is knowledgeable in many areas and doesn’t understand the meaning of “I can’t”. Jon keeps a positive attitude no matter what he is doing and does not complain no matter what task he is asked to do. He is willing to work late and work weekends whenever needed. Jon uses his common sense when doing tasks and catches on to new jobs very quickly. He is always looking for something to do when at work and is never standing around. He has worked with numerous crews and has completed many types of projects while working at Morris, Inc. and everyone is happy to have him on their crew. His ability to keep a smile on his and everyone else’s face helps to make Morris, Inc. a great place to work! Thank you Jon, and congratulations!

July, 2009
Joey grew up in Timberlake, SD but eventually moved to Rapid City where he worked at a gun manufacturing facility and attended machine school. Before coming to work at the Morris, Inc. Rewind Shop, he worked in Gillette, WY in an electric motor shop. Joey likes to fish and to hunt pheasant, deer, and antelope. He and Karisa (significant other) also enjoy taking their four year old son Garrett to different places for excursions such as the rib fest in Sioux Falls. Joey has outstanding job knowledge, is a meticulous worker, and is not satisfied until the job is complete and correct. He always has a positive attitude, works with a smile, and is pleasant to work around. Joey is willing to come to work early or stay late; whatever it takes to get the job done right. He steps up to all challenges in a professional manner. He offers input at morning safety meetings and looks out for his fellow co-workers. Joey has been an outstanding asset to the Rewind Shop and to Morris, Inc. !

June, 2009
Lawrence Stroppel was voted June’s Employee of the Month. Lawrence grew up and attended school in Midland, SD. His parents owned and operated the Stroppel Motel in Midland. He has lived in Colorado and California where he worked primarily in the roofing business. He also spent 11 years working in Sioux Falls, SD building and repairing bridges before moving back to Midland. Lawrence began working at Morris, Inc. at our asphalt plant in April of last year. Lawrence enjoys pheasant hunting, watching NASCAR and the NFL and admits to being a T.V. junkie. He also enjoys camping with his stepson Gary from Mitchell. If you see Lawrence around you might ask him about his experience with organizing cooler races. It’s a story only he can tell. Lawrence was voted employee of the month because of his great work and team ethics. He will climb out of a loader and help his co-workers and/or customers without being asked. He sees what needs to be done and does it. Lawrence takes the time to get involved with others and ensures that everybody gets loaded safely. He is always busy whether it is doing maintenance on equipment or repairs on the plant. Lawrence is liked by all who have worked with and around him. His attitude is fabulous and he never says “no”. He says he really enjoys all of the people he works with and enjoys his job. Lawrence is a great asset to Morris, Inc. and is an individual that anybody can model themselves after.

May, 2009
Congratulations to Dean Schreiber! He was voted Employee of the Month for May, 2009. Dean was born in a house in Gettysburg, SD and grew up in Agar. He and his brother ran the family farm after his father passed away when he was still very young. He took his first job when he was six years old and was the same age when he learned to drive! Dean has worked in many capacities including hauling coal for the railroad to the school house he attended. He has many years experience as a truck driver and has traveled all over the United States and into Canada & Mexico. He has even received commendations for his driving ability from the United States Post Office and from his employers. Dean came to work for Morris, Inc. more than 20 years ago as a truck driver. He would work at the Mechanic Shop during the winter months and now works there full-time. Dean comes in early or stays late to repair what needs to be done so trucks and trailers can run the next day. He always wears his PPE and makes sure anyone entering his work area has theirs on. His experience with Morris’ equipment is phenomenal and he stays up on the DOT rules and regulations to keep Morris, Inc. trucks legal. Dean is dedicated to putting out quality work and takes pride in what he does. Dean looks out for the “other guy” and will bring parts as a “show and tell” to safety meetings so we can all learn what happened and the course we need to take to prevent it from happening again. Thanks Dean, for all your hard work- all of us at Morris, Inc. really appreciates it!

April, 2009
Shawn Klemann was voted April’s Employee of the Month. Shawn grew up in the Ft. Pierre area and graduated from Stanley County High School. After high school he attended Western Dakota Vocational Technical School for Electronics Technology. Before coming to Morris, Inc., Shawn worked as an Assistant Pressman at Capitol Journal. Shawn enjoys doing yard-work and landscaping in his spare time. He also enjoys riding his motorcycle but admits he prefers to stay close to home where he can enjoy hanging out with his three daughters (Taryn- 19, Bailey- 10, and Alivia- 3) and his better half, Allison. Shawn began working for Morris, Inc. in 1993 as a laborer but after two years accepted the position of Department Manager for our Aggregate Dept. Shawn has a very good attitude towards safety and always looks for safety issues at the mines and ways to solve them. Shawn is always willing to do what ever it takes to get the job done in an expedient and safe manner. He leads by example with suggestions of ways to make the Aggregate dept. daily operations run more efficiently, while continuously multi-tasking different issues. He is a valuable asset to the Aggregate dept. and to Morris, Inc. Thank you Shawn, for all that you do and congratulations on being voted Employee of the Month!

March, 2009
Congratulations to James W. Doll for being voted March, 2009 Morris, Inc. Employee of the Month. Jim grew up and went to school in the Pierre area. He ventured out and experienced other places such as Colorado, Florida, and the Black Hills (served 2 years in the Army on the East Coast) but returned home to Pierre in 1975. Jim began working for Morris, Inc in our Transportation dept nearly 16 years ago and continues to work there today. He enjoys “tinkering” on his collection of 1970’s Dodge pickups in his spare time and says he is the man to see for hard to find Mopar parts. He also enjoys visiting friends and family with his wife Dee. Jim is a dedicated employee who is willing to work when he is needed no matter the day of the week. Jim moves a lot of equipment every week and does it with a smile. He understands the importance of getting it there so the crew can get the job done. He takes pride in getting the mobilizations done and in his job as the lowboy operator. He enjoys his job and all of the people he works with. Morris, Inc. is proud to have Jim as a part of our team and enjoys working with him! Thank you for your years of dedication and outstanding service to Morris, Inc.

February, 2009 - Mike Lee
Mike grew up in the Rapid City area and worked in the logging industry as well as working as an operator/supervisor for Rushmore Excavating.  He came to Morris, Inc. in 1998 as an operator but soon moved into a supervisor role.  Mike says his priorities are work, hunting, and fishing and in that order.  Mike has been working out of town supervising our out of town rural waterline projects for the past year and a half, and he always maintains a positive and upbeat attitude.   He not only oversees these large projects and handles the day-to day scheduling with personnel, equipment, and subcontractors, but he is also responsible for communicating with the Engineer and Owner’s representatives on a daily basis as well.   Mike understands the importance of keeping the Engineer and Owner involved  throughout the project along with making sure that the job is being done safely and within budget.   Mike’s willingness to manage and supervise these large rural waterline projects outside of the Pierre area are one of the main reasons why Morris, Inc. has grown significantly the past several years, and this has had a positive affect on everyone within the Morris, Inc. team.   Thanks Mike (and everyone else on your crew who has been working out of town for the past year and a half) for all of your hard work and dedication.

January, 2009 - Louis Still Smoking
Louis Still Smoking is January’s Employee of the Month.  Louis moved to South Dakota from Montana.  He began working at Morris, Inc. in 1999 in our General Services Department.  After six months, Louis’ artistic talent found him a spot at Morris, Inc. Dakota Classique Rock.  You can also view work created by Louis at the Painter’s Palette Gallery located at 102 S Pierre in Pierre, South Dakota.  You may have seen some of his work around town such as the Alter at St. Peter and Paul church where the Last Supper is depicted in a stone carving or the Tree of Life mural at the same location.  Louis spends time fighting wild land fires primarily during the summer months, but he occasionally gets called out during winter months.  Louis is married to wife Regina and has four sons (Ezekiel, Isaac, Seth, and Adam).  He spends his spare time with his family working on art projects, building model airplanes, and playing baseball.  Louis has a great attitude at work and is willing to help out in all areas of the shop.   He wants to try new things and strives to give customers something above what anyone else can do.  He has an amazing artistic ability which he applies to stone - turning granite into a personal work of art.  Whether it’s a memorial, a church alter, or a carved relief for a lodge, he puts himself into every project.  We feel very lucky to have Louis here at Morris, Inc. !

Employee of the Month Winners for 2008