SERV ING EXCELLENCE

SERVING EXCELLENCE

FALL 2013

PG 8: Tioga Travel plaza

PG 18: we The people

INSIDE

PROGRESS

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Thank you for occupying a seat in our John Deere products and supporting our Gooseneck Stores over these many years!

The Gooseneck Employees

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Pinnacle Progress is Published by results unlimited marketing & advertising for farmers union of stanley & tioga. for advertising information, Please contact cassie neuharth at 800.361.3264. graPhics by results unlimited, 800.361.3264, www.results-unlimited.com

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travel plaza GrandopenInG

CONTENTS | FEATURES6 10 20 26

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travel plaza kItchen aGronomy departmentupdateMitchell Whyte,Agronomy Manager

adventures In the badlandsSelena Hamilton,Marketing Specialist

celebratInG our past- lookInG to the futureGary KoschmederGeneral Manager

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board reportKevin MellPresident, Board of Directors

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travel plaza Grand openInGlynn Petz,Credit Manager

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tIoGa travel plazaSam Fredin,Marketing Coordinator

Travel Plaza Articles & Photos by Sam Fredin

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travel plaza busIness center

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travel plaza kItchen10

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5

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travel plaza conference room

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travel plaza hardWare13

travel plaza clothInGdepartment

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travel plazaconvenIence store

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travel plaza...but WaItthere’s more!

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scenes from our 2013annual meetInGlynn Petz,Credit Manager Photo Credit: Pat Keefe

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We the peoplelynn Petz,Credit Manager

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aGronomy departmentMitchell Whyte,Agronomy Manager

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enerGy departmentupdateScott Zuger,Energy Manager

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specIal event hostedby pInnaclelynn Petz,Credit ManagerPhoto Credit: Pat Keefe

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adventures In the badlandsSelena Hamilton,Marketing Specialist

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tIoGa aGronomyGarret Groves,Agronomist, Tioga

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Cover Photo Credit: Sam Fredin

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Gary Koschmeder GENERAl MANAGER

elebrating our 70th anniversary gives us a chance to examine our history, appreciate the legacy that built our cooperative and recognize

the future that guides us forward. Over the last few months, your Board of Directors has led a strategic process to define what our promise is to our members and customers. They decided our promise is to serve our local membership plus customers by providing five-star service with unmatched hospitality. From crop nutrients applied to local fields, to propane delivered to thriving businesses and to our Cenex® branded convenience stores – our mindset is always the same, our farmers are number one. As part of the discovery process, the Board of Directors also elected to adopt a new name to better position your cooperative for future growth. I am pleased to announce “Pinnacle” as the name that was chosen. The name Pinnacle articulates that our cooperative’s people, products and services exist to elevate our members and customers to the highest level. The board also voted to adopt the tagline “Serving Excellence.”

While our legal name remains Farmers Union Oil Company, our doing business name or D.B.A. is now Pinnacle.

As part of the multi-pronged strategy, you will begin to see the new logo, like the one displayed above, on our trucks and uniforms in October. In November, we will complete the rebranding of the propane tanks, signs and buildings. We will continue to provide the local expertise, quality products and exceptional service you trust.

Four and a half years ago, when I became your general manager we had about 35 employees. Today your cooperative employs approximately 260 employees. The increase in our employee group is representative of our growth as a cooperative - servicing a growing Bakken oil region and member base.

I’m proud to be part of your cooperative, which has lasted for 70 years, and humbled to have the opportunity to lead it on the next part of the journey. Your cooperative employees and I are committed to providing next level customer service. We provide agronomic inputs, bulk propane, refined fuel and convenience stores that make our members and customers lives easier. The way we do business enables us to both grow the company and make a difference.

“WHIlE ouR lEGAl NAME REMAINS FARMERS uNIoN oIl CoMPANy, ouR DoING BuSINESS NAME oR D.B.A. IS NoW PINNAClE.”

PINNAClE PRoGRESS

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CElEBRATING ouR PAST- Looking to the Future

SERV ING EXCELLENCE

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Kevin MellPRESIDENT, BoARD

oF DIRECToRS

ate August is a horrible time to ask a farmer to sit down and write an article for the company magazine, so I will be brief and blunt.

We recently opened the new Travel Plaza in Tioga, which is one of the new wonders for North Dakota. I used to say we can’t be all things to all people, but I think we came close this time. It’s huge and awesome; but it is still just a building. The employees and management interacting and helping our customers and members is what makes it a destination.

Although the term cooperative seems to fade out of our conversations when talking about this growth and expansion, it is the cooperative model that has brought us this far. Profits from different departments within the business finance growth elsewhere. When you thrive, we thrive.

The oil field and the traffic that goes with it are here to stay. I believe we have positioned ourselves at the pinnacle of opportunity for continued growth and success.

LBoardREPoRT

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hen you are planning the Grand Opening of a 37,000 square foot facility, you plan for a week of celebration! From July 29th through August 2nd, our Travel Plaza was buzzing with excitement as locals and out-of-towners alike came to sample free food from our vendors, sign-up for daily door prizes and explore the various departments. Quite a bit of coffee was consumed as well, as friends and neighbors found time to visit in this new locale.

There was plenty for the kids too: free ice cream, balloons and a watermelon-eating contest.

By late August 2nd afternoon, countless people had won various drawings during the week; KX News had traveled out to do a feature and our vendors made sure you were able to sample nearly every menu item we have to offer! As things wrapped up in the afternoon, Dan Anderson won the grand prize of a Polaris Ranger, and rounding out the week was the ribbon cutting. Thank you to all who joined us in this celebration!

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GRAND OPENINGW

Travel plaza

lynn PetzCREDIT MANAGER

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8 PINNAClE PRoGRESS

Sam Fredin MARKETING

CooRDINAToR

his issue of Pinnacle Progress celebrates a major accomplishment in the growth of our company, Pinnacle: bringing the largest Travel Plaza in

North Dakota to Tioga. A lot of hard work has been put into making this project come to life and now is the time to reflect on the efforts of those who made it possible.

Our cooperative has been a presence in Tioga for more than 50 years. Our own Richard Presnell has worked in the downtown store for 28 years and brings his experience and a sense of continuity to the Travel Plaza in his position as Manager of Hardware and Agriculture Supplies.

The most recent oil boom has provided us with unprecedented opportunities for growth as we seek to serve the needs of farmers, ranchers and more recently oil companies. The Board of Directors had long wanted an updated and improved store for Tioga; due to the enormous success of Bakken Central in Stanley, they made the decision to open a new store unlike anything North Dakota has ever seen. The result is this building: a monument to the hard work and foresight of the Board of Directors and General Manager Gary Koschmeder. It is our hope that this Travel Plaza is a source of pride not only for our patrons, but for the community of Tioga and the surrounding region. It’s certainly our statement that we are here to stay!

“IT IS ouR HoPE THAT THIS TRAVEl PlAZA IS A SouRCE oF PRIDE NoT oNly FoR ouR PATRoNS, BuT FoR THE CoMMuNITy oF TIoGA AND THE SuRRouNDING REGIoN.”

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on The following pages, you’ll learn whaT The six differenT deparTmenTs ThaT make up our Travel plaza have To offer.

Travel plazaTIoGA

TRAvEl PlAzA MANAGERS, JUlY 31, 2013.

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O

TRAVEl PlAZA

BusinesscenTer

ne of the most distinctive features of the Tioga Travel Plaza is its Business Center. Managed by Crissy Syverson, it is located in the northwest corner of the store and contains some of the rarest, but most needed, products and services in the Bakken area.

The idea of a Business Center was conceived during the planning and construction of the store. large blueprints were needed to be copied and faxed, and the closest possible place to do this was either Minot or Williston. Many hours and dollars were spent running to and from these places throughout construction, and that’s when Mike Becker and Kim Crawford thought, “boy, it sure would be nice to have a place around here where we could do this.” Boom! The Business Center was born.

The center can do more than sending faxes or printing and collating large jobs. MoneyGram is now up and running, and is a huge help to the many Bakken workers that are far away from their home banks. With this service, they can conduct their personal financial business much more efficiently and with less headaches. UPS shipping is another plus for the region.

Crissy and her assistant, Renette lindbo, also offer a selection of office supplies, gift bags and other stationery items, as well as a section of gift items from Pride of Dakota. They continue to explore even more options for this unique department.

Teaming up with a local business, the center now has a laundry drop right outside their window. Workers can deposit their dirty laundry, and Clean Jeans laundry Service will pick it up and have it sparkling clean by 5 p.m. the next day.

TRAVEl PlAZA

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ur state-of-the-art kitchen consists of three different departments, each offering a unique and delicious selection of foods. Behind the scenes, amid gleaming stainless steel pots, pans and prep tables, is the main kitchen, flanked by our cavernous walk-in cooler and walk-in freezer. This is the area you will find our staff preparing “comfort food;” some of the highest quality foods in the region. Generous serving sizes, plus a dessert, makes one of these meals the best value in the Bakken!

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kiTchen

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he next department of our kitchen is the “Grab & Go” items. Our hard-working manager, Tess Courser, has a large selection of deep fried products including jumbo shrimp, potato wedges, popcorn chicken and a chicken strip basket. We also have Piccadilly Pizzas of all kinds. Feel free to put your order in and pick it up later that day, or stop in and grab one fresh out of the oven. If a good burger is your thing, you’ll find it here. Our huge variety of fresh-grilled burgers features everything from bacon cheeseburgers to pepper jack burgers. It’s all there!

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F inally, we have the “Food and Beverage” department. What is that, exactly? Well, on those mornings you are craving the “Breakfast of Champions” (a solid cup of Joe and a donut), Manager laura Holvogt and her staff make sure it’s there for you. Not only do they supply you with all your java needs, they are also the ones who get you soft serve ice cream and slushies on those hot summer days. Another function of this department is to keep those coolers on the floor filled with all sorts of freshly made sandwiches, burritos and wraps.

graB & Go

food & BEVERAGE

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TRAVEl PlAZA

ur state-of-the-art Conference Room is now up and running with an 80 inch smart TV and a 60 inch smart board. The podium in the front of the room has a built-in computer that is connected to each of the screens, allowing the speaker to utilize both displays for presentations. There is also a large projector screen at the back of the room that slides down from the ceiling.

The room can hold about 50 people, with tables for serving. The kitchen is close by, so we also offer the option of catering. From simple donuts and coffee to a five-star meal, we can make it happen!

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The Conference Room was put to good use on August 2, just prior to the public ribbon cutting. Staff, directors and other guests enjoyed hors d’oeuvres and short remarks from many of those assembled.

Gary Koschmeder introduced Board members, past and present, who were instrumental in the planning and building of the new Travel Plaza. A plaque with their names will hang on the wall to mark this historical moment.

Conference Room

hardwareTRAVEl PlAZA

R ichard Presnell had been with us for almost 30 years, and continues his service to Pinnacle as the Manager of Hardware and Agriculture Supplies. You’ll find everything you used to buy downtown in this gleaming new space. Richard continues to cater to our farming and ranching community, but now also helps supply truckers with items they require to “keep on truckin’”.

Richard works incredibly hard to get his customers what they need to get their job done, and does it all with a great sense of humor.

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TRAVEl PlAZA

deparTmenTcloThing

I n the northeast corner of the store you’ll find yourself in a 5,000 square foot clothing department that caters to every man, woman and child in the region! As you enter the department and directly to your left, there is a vast selection of work boots, with everything from John Deere® to Georgia Boot brand names. Farmers and oilmen alike will find quality footwear to get them through a day on the job.

Wrangler, Dickie and Carhartt are just a few of the many name brands we have available. On the north wall you will see rack upon rack of FR clothing: vests, shirts, overalls, coveralls, sweatshirts and jackets. It’s all there! That’s not all we sell though, you’ll find jeans, shirts, caps, gloves and other items for our farmers and ranchers. The south side of the store features a large selection of women’s apparel, purses and jewelry, and we even have some children’s clothing.

Duck Dynasty fans will want to come in, because we’ve got the goods that will make you “happy, happy, happy” and “that’s a fact, Jack!”

TRAVEl PlAZA

convenienceSToRE

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can pick up a gallon of milk when you stop to fill up your car after work and choose some cereal to go with it in one of our grocery aisles.

Do we have snacks for everyone’s taste buds? These pictures are worth 1,000 words! If you like to relax at home with an adult beverage after a long day’s work, you can pick up the cold stuff from our beer cooler, or liquor from our off-sale selection.

t the heart of the plaza is the convenience store. The layout and design of the floor was carefully thought out as we sought to provide the most logical and comfortable shopping experience for our customers. Assistant Manager Kathy Blackwell’s extensive background in opening stores “from the ground up” was especially beneficial to the process of making this massive area customer-friendly.

The entire back wall contains coolers with every beverage you’ve heard of, and some you haven’t! You

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TRAVEl PlAZA...

BuT WAIT!

ocated by the Clothing Department, the TNT Salon has been a real asset to customers and staff alike. Terri Bachmeier, owner/operator, offers the variety of services you would find at any salon. From cuts and color to manicures and pedicures, both men and women have taken advantage of Terri’s skills as a stylist at this handy location.

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There’s more!

TnTSAloN

f you would rather not eat our delicious food in your car or truck, we are pleased to offer you seating in our food court. It’s a place to break bread with friends, or just visit over coffee and one of our freshly made pastries. You can also hook up to free internet in this area.

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foodCouRT

ust off the food court, flanking the Conference Room door, are murals: older photos of people from the Tioga area. Come in and see if you can identify them!

JTiogaMuRAlS

fter a long day of driving, nothing feels better than a hot shower. We boast some of the nicest shower facilities for truckers in the area, just to the east of our business center. Five private rooms with shower, stool, sink and countertop await those who are looking to shake off the dust of the road.

ATiogaSHoWERS

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SCENES FRoM ouR

It was definitely a full house at the 2013 Annual Meeting, held at the Mountrail County South Complex last spring. In fact, after the dinner prepared by our own Executive Chef, Caleb Pearsall, it wasn’t only the house that was full.

The Board of Directors got lined up for their 2013 “class picture” by photographer Pat Keefe.

2013 Annual Meeting

After dinner, our patrons and staff all enjoyed an interesting slide presentation, presented by General Manager Gary Koschmeder, on the differences between our cooperative five years ago and today. From number of staff, to infrastructure additions and improvements, to total sales and profits, our growth has been staggering.

At the business meeting, Roger Harstad was voted in as a member of the Board of Directors.

Julie Mell was one of many lucky door prize winners.

The youngest little farmer in attendance was Cooper Skarsgard, who looks a bit concerned over the size of the boots he’s supposed to fill.

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avid Carson is the most recent addition to the Energy Department, transferring his talents from the Pacific Northwest to the rolling plains of North Dakota. David says most of his career has been in the propane energy business, and he is now learning more about the fuels and lubricant side of energy.

David says he is looking forward to meeting new and current customers, and providing for lubricant needs for the farm or business.

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David Carson oIl & luBRICATIoNS

SAlES REPRESENTATIVE

Gina Rice CuSToMER SERVICE

REPRESENTATIVE

ina was raised a stone’s throw from the Columbia River in the small, western Oregon town of Clatskanie. However, it was in the far northwestern corner of Montana that she met and married her husband Rex. They made their home in Libby for years, raising two boys: Conner, 25, and Nick, 24.

Like so many others touched by the economic downturn in the country, Rex and Gina looked at the boom happening in North Dakota and moved here to make a living. Rex came first, hanging up his carpenter tool belt to drive a truck for

Braun. Gina came two years later, and joined the Energy Department as a Customer Service Representative. Her friendly voice is often the one answering the phone.

Being so far from Libby, she misses her two young granddaughters, Arabella, two, and Sophia, five months. Fortunately, Gina loves to keep busy with gardening, canning and baking. She also is an avid hunter and fisherman, and has taken advantage of Lake Sakakawea being close by.

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avid Holzwart grew up on a dry bean, seed wheat, corn and soybean farm in Elkton, Michigan. By age fifteen, he had saved up enough money from the work he did on neighboring farms to start his own forage harvesting

business, catering to specialty animals, dairies and horses. He sold the business after obtaining a full scholarship in academics to Michigan State University, where he majored in Agribusiness and minored in Agronomy.

David interned at two different cooperatives, and obtained a job at a campus research facility called ADREC, working on

“...HElPED THE uNIVERSITy oBTAIN GoVERNMENT FuNDING To BuIlD A lARGER DIGESTER FACIlITy”

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David Holwart AGRoNoMIST,

STANlEy

“HER FRIENDly VoICE IS oFTEN THE oNE ANSWERING THE PHoNES”

WE THEPeople

a variety of projects. In 2012, he obtained his own grant to write an operations procedure and safety manual for the campus anaerobic digester. This work helped the university obtain government funding to build a larger digester facility, which went online this July. This new anaerobic digester currently provides electricity to 80% of the south campus at MSU.

In his free time, David enjoys spending time with his girlfriend, traveling, hiking and various other activities. However, he spends most of his free time reading business trends and articles as he tries to find a way to earn enough money to fulfill his addiction to farming!

“...lEARNING MoRE ABouT THE FuElS & luBRICANT SIDE oF ENERGy”

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Suzy Hawkins AGRoNoMy

CuSToMER SERVICE

f anyone knows how to “go with the flow” when moving to a new city or state, it would be our own Suzy Hawkins. Her father was in road

construction, so from the first grade through her senior year of high school, Suzy attended 13 different schools throughout Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana and Minnesota! Now, Suzy says, “I get to see North Dakota.”

Suzy’s skill set is as varied as the places she’s lived. She started college in Nursing, but

ended up with a degree in Forestry. After working in that industry for years, the mill closed and she was retrained. Back in 2008, obtaining an Associate in

Accounting Technology and a Certificate in Payroll Accounting, these latest skills are being put to good use in our Agronomy Department.

After 35 years in Eureka, Montana, with her husband Mike, they find themselves far away from their children and 14 grandchildren. Mike has been here for four and a half years, working for J.M. lynn Dirtworks. In their spare time, they ride motorcycles, camp, fish and hunt, just as they did in the mountains of Montana. However, with that Forestry degree, Suzy says she is missing her trees! She also says she really can’t complain too much about this latest move, as the people she’s met have been warm, friendly and welcoming.

“BACK IN 2008, oBTAINING AN ASSoCIATE IN TECHNoloGyAND A CERTIFICATE IN PAyRoll ACCouNTING...”

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Rory GjestvangC-SToRES oPERATIoNS

MANAGER

ory Gjestvang has been a familiar figure in our cooperative offices and Tioga Travel Plaza worksite for over a year now. Serving as a Retail Specialist for CHS, Inc., Rory worked with Kim Crawford and Mike Becker for months before and after the groundbreaking of

the Plaza, to help this cooperative realize our dream. We liked him so we kept him!

Rory is a North Dakota native, born and raised in Devils Lake. He and his wife, Larayne Haakenson, have a home in

Bismarck, which they share with “the kids”…three Labrador retrievers. As the owner of three labs, you might have guessed that Rory enjoys hunting, fishing and the great outdoors!

Rory says he has enjoyed the people of Stanley, and that helped his decision to join “a great organization.” His 30 years of experience in the convenience store and travel center business will serve Pinnacle well, and Rory says he is looking forward to the challenges of running high volume business locations in this area. We’re delighted he plans to make Stanley a long-term home.

“HIS 30 yEARS oF ExPERIENCE IN THE CoNVENIENCE SToRE AND TRAVEl CENTER BuSINESS WIll SERVE uS WEll”

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Sam Fredin MARKETING

CooRDINAToR

am Fredin says he’s “here by accident.” After graduating from college, he needed money, so thought a summer working in the oil patch would be a good start. Sam’s summer internship so impressed

the management at the Tioga Travel Plaza that, as Sam says, “it turned into a full-time gig with Pinnacle.”

Sam grew up in the western suburbs in Minneapolis, so he’s been quite taken with our countryside, and as he

calls it, “this concept of zero foliage.” He has spent a good deal of his spare time lovingly recording the beauty of this area through his photography. Sam’s talent in this department is featured throughout our magazine.

Sam says he loves all the opportunities Pinnacle has given him and is looking forward to a great future working with us. We here at Pinnacle are looking forward to it too.

“...HIS SPARE TIME loVINGly RECoRDING THE BEAuTy oF THIS AREA THRouGH HIS PHoToGRAPHy”

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Mitchell Whyte AGRoNoMy MANAGER

ello from the Agronomy Department! As always, I hope this article finds you and your family in good health and spirit. This year, once

again was an interesting year for all of us with the condensed spring and wet and cool conditions. In all I think it was a great year for everyone. So far the early harvest has shown great results. let’s hope that continues throughout this year’s harvest season.

We once again had a great year in the Agronomy department and we owe it all to the continued support of our patrons. I am very happy with the growth we had this past season at our Tioga location and hope to see it grow even more. From

the growth in Tioga Agronomy we hope to see some improvements in the near future to the office and warehouse. We will keep you updated on that project as it moves forward. We also had a great year with our aerial operation and hope that those of you that took advantage of that service are seeing a great response. Our goal this year was 37,500 acres and we ended with 42,500 by the end of season. Once again thanks for your support! Hope to see the aerial service grow even larger in the years to come.

We had some new changes in Stanley this year as well. David Holzwart joined our team in June as a Sales Agronomist. I’m very glad to have him on board and look forward to what he can bring to our Stanley customers.

“I KNoW you juST GoT THIS yEAR’S CRoP oFF oR ARE IN THE PRoCESS oF DoING, BuT IN oRDER FoR you To GET THE BEST DISCouNTS I NEED To SIT DoWN WITH you AS SooN AS PoSSIBlE. ”

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don’T forgeT To Bring any lefTover crop proTecTion producTs inside for The winTer!! if you have any unopened conTainers Bring Them in and we well keep Them over winTer.

agronomy

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We’ve learned what farmers want – affordable,simple, straight-forward designs withdependable and long lasting performance.

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deparTmenT Dave came to us from Michigan as a college graduate of Michigan State University, in East lansing, Michigan. If you have not met him yet you can call him at 701-629-5657 and I’m sure he would be more than happy to come meet you! We have also moved Mike Ellenbolt up to a salesperson in training; he will still be attending to his role in the warehouse and fertilizer plant. With theses additions we hope to continue to provide an expert and timely service to our growers.

As you are reading this article I would like to encourage you to start thinking about seeding plans for next year. I know you just got this year’s crop off or are in the process of doing, but in order for you to get the best discounts I need to sit down with you as soon as possible. The canola seed industry definitely has an exciting future ahead. With the launch of TruFlex™ by Monsanto, higher yielding canola with a wider window of application at higher rates will benefit canola growers. The double stacked option of Roundup Ready® and libertylink® herbicide tolerance is also slated to be released by 2015. I will keep you posted on any changes!

As the winter season approaches, your sales team in the Agronomy Department will be attending a variety of meetings and seminars to learn about all the products slated for release next spring. There will be many opportunities for you as a grower to attend seminars with us, as these events approach I will be letting you know when they are. As always, it’s been a pleasure working with you and thanks for the continued support.

TiogaAGRoNoMy

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reetings to our growers! I hope you all had, and perhaps are still having, a safe and prosperous harvest season.

I would like to take this time to thank the growers who utilized our aerial application service. The entire month of July the skies in the area were filled with yellow airplanes, and I can tell you at times the runways for both Stanley and Tioga airports were busier than some North Dakota commercial runways!

Seed season is right around the corner. There are a few new varieties on the market this year for canola, soybeans and corn. If there is a variety that catches your eye, or something that your neighbor planted that he may have mentioned over coffee, let Mitch or myself know and we can get you the package size that best suits your farm. It seems year in and

“THERE ARE A FEW NEW VARIETIES oN THE MARKET THIS yEAR FoR CANolA, SoyBEANS AND CoRN. ”

G

Garret GrovesAGRoNoMIST,

TIoGA

year out there are shortages of certain varieties, so it goes without saying if you speak for seed early you will get what and how much you need.

Autumn is here, so please contact us for your fall fertilizer needs. We will have our soil test pickup running full-time so for any fields you question, let us know and we can address the needs those fields may have. We have a full-time dry fertilizer spreader in the Tioga location with the ability to spread your urea and ammonium sulfate requirements. We also have a sprayer in Tioga for your burn down needs.

Please call and discuss any additional questions or concerns you may have about fall field management in order to clean up your fields for next season. Anything we can do now in order to make things easier and more productive in the spring is a plus. Contact me at (701)621-1477, or Mitch at (701)629-1113.

AVAILABLE AT PINNACLE

AGRONOMY

updaTeenergy depT.

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Scott Zuger ENERGy MANAGER

’m glad we have this opportunity to simply say “thank you” for your business and trust this year. A lot of great things have happened since our last magazine article. The completion of our Cenex® FieldMaster Prepay Fuel

Program helped over 40 of our member owners lock in a lower price of fuel for the season, and not have to worry about that piece of their operation. As of mid-September 100% of pre-bought gallons were delivered to the farm by our farm and ranch customers. Remember to check in with us mid winter for next year’s program! Also, our Propane Summer Fill Program was a ‘hit’ again this summer, allowing us to deliver your propane at a price that hopefully made your heart warmer now and your home warmer this winter.

This summer we received the newly purchased and much needed additional fuel trucks. They have been a real blessing!

Thanks to our Board of Directors and member owners for this reinvestment in your cooperative and specifically the Energy Department. We do appreciate your help! With these additional delivery trucks and the work of past and new employees we have been able to meet the continued demand of Mountrail and Williams Counties.

For the oil and lubricants area of our department, we recently hired David Carson as our Lubricants Salesman. He will be out and about meeting you and checking on your oil needs. If he misses you on the farm feel free to stop by and say hello to him at the office or set up an appointment for him to come by your farm, his cell phone is (701)629-5619.

We know that in the past there have been times when our member owners felt like they were lost in the shuffle and bustle of the influx of oil field demand. Our current staff has been working on delivery and demand problems for the last two years and we feel that we have made significant headway in providing our member owners the quality of goods and services that they truly deserve. We know that we will hit some bumps in the road as we move forward and we will never be “perfect”, however we know that the test of a good company isn’t whether or not we will make mistakes, but that we learn and implement procedures to fix them on your behalf to better serve your needs!

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“SAFETy & TRAINING ARE REFRESHED oVER AND oVER AT ouR CooPERATIVE. HERE ARE A FEW EMPloyEES AT ouR

lAST HAZMAT TRAINING.”

24 PINNAClE PRoGRESS

lynn PetzCREDIT MANAGER

olene Brown is a farmer, author, professional speaker and champion for the people of agriculture. General

Manager Gary Koschmeder had met Jolene and heard her speak several years ago, and never forgot her ability to communicate with a mixture of humor, common sense and take-home ideas for improving one’s life. From this long-ago connection came the idea to bring Jolene to Stanley to inspire and uplift those connected to our cooperative.

The evening of April 15th, employees and their spouses or guests gathered in the Community Room of the new Mountrail County South Complex for a dinner prepared by our own Executive Chef, Caleb Pearsall. Jolene’s topic was “The

Balancing Act: 10 Ideas to Relieve Stress and Bring Renewal to Our Work and Family life.” Once this lively, interactive session was over, participants left with ideas to renew, refresh and reward themselves, as well as their families.

The event that created the most excitement happened the next day, in the form of a luncheon or evening meal. Our Board of Directors were eager to use this opportunity to recognize an integral part of our cooperative that is often over-looked: the farm wife. Female employees, along with the spouses of our male employees, were also included in this special evening, “Celebrating Women.” A bus was chartered to transport women from the Tioga area.

“oNCE THIS lIVEly, INTERACTIVE SESSIoN WAS oVER, PARTICIPANTS lEFT WITH IDEAS To RENEW, REFRESH AND REWARD THEMSElVES, AS WEll AS THEIR FAMIlIES.”

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PHOTO CREDITS: PAT KEEFE

HoSTED By PINNAClE

special evenT

25FAll 2013

Invitations were sent out early, requesting an RSvP for either the luncheon or dinner and choice of meal. Appropriate dress was “business casual to your Cinderella ballgown.” Much shopping ensued among our employees, whose normal “business casual” consists of jeans and a company tee shirt.

It truly was a Cinderella event for all the women who attended. Dressed in matching tuxedos, the men of the cooperative, including several board members, met women at the door, took their coats or wraps and presented them with a long-stemmed yellow rose as they signed in and received their table assignment and place card. More tuxedo-clad gents poured champagne or sparkling cider into long-stemmed flutes etched with “Celebrate Women”; a gift to take home to remember the event.After a stop at the artfully presented hors d’oeuvres table, women found their seating in the dining room, greeted old friends and met new friends. Once again Chef Caleb and his crew created a feast for the palate, as well as the eyes, with the new table linens, china, glassware and flatware that will be used for future catering events out of our kitchens. Centerpieces of yellow roses, sunflowers and purple annual salvia graced each table and our tuxedoed wait staff served each course and made sure the flutes did not go dry.

With people relaxed, full and many with to-go boxes containing the next day’s lunch due to the chef’s generous portions, it was time to be entertained and educated by Jolene’s keynote address, “It’s a Jungle Out There!” Standing a full 5’12” in stocking feet, Jolene did not hide behind a podium, but delivered her message while walking among the many tables in the room. Those who heard her message were definitely celebrating Jolene’s passion, fun-filled spirit, real-life stories and valuable take-home information.

When the evening drew to a close, it was apparent that attendees had enjoyed the event immensely, as the most prevalent comment was, “you should do this EvERY year!”

26 PINNAClE PRoGRESS

Selena HamiltonMARKETING SPECIAlIST

n early August, Pinnacle offered employees a chance to get away and relax by sponsoring a trip to Medora for fondue and the musical. It was a great opportunity for employees to get a chance to meet those who work in a different department or store and for friends to get together outside of work.

Hotel rooms were provided for Saturday night and most people went down early to enjoy the town and all the shops and activities it has to offer. Several employees took a horseback trail ride through Theodore Roosevelt National Park, while others went shopping in the wide variety of little shops that line the streets or enjoyed a driving tour through the National Park.

As evening rolled around, everyone met up at the Pitchfork Steak Fondue at the top of a bluff outside of town for dinner. The views were stunning as we waited in line and watched one of those famous prairie thunderstorms roll in over us. It wasn’t long before everyone was running for cover from the rain. luckily most of us were already seated under the shelter. A little rain didn’t stop us from enjoying our meal, even if we were a little wet at the end of it. As the storm passed and serving resumed we all chipped in to help wipe off tables for others to enjoy their dinners as well.

Even the rain couldn’t stop the show from going on and the Medora Musical went on as planned. This year’s musical pays tribute to American patriotism and the Old West. Everyone enjoyed the show, with its entertaining songs, history of the area and with the variety act by comedian Kermit Apio that kept everyone laughing.

This was an excellent offering by Pinnacle to its employees to show appreciation for all their hard work. All who attended greatly enjoyed all that Medora has to offer its visitors.

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ADVENTuRESIN THE Badlands

27FAll 2013

refined fuels juSTIN WRIGHT – (701)621-1767

• FARM FuEl• oN-oFF RoAD FuEl• BulK DElIVERIES• oN SITE DEDICATED FRAC FuEl DElIVERy• oIlFIElD FuEl DElIVERy• SToRAGE FuEl TANKS FoR SAlE oR RENT

for all your Bulk fuel, propane, oil & luBricaTion needs:

luBricaTion & oils DAVID CARSoN - (701)629-5619

• BulK oIlS AND luBRICANTS• ToTES AND DRuMS• PAIlS, 2.5 GAl. quART CASES• BulK luBE DElIVERy• BulK TANKS FoR SAlE oR RENT

propaneTIM CoRNETT – (701)621-1765

• CoMMERCIAl, FARM, & RESIDENTIAl DElIVERIES• HoT WATER FRAC SITE DElIVERy• lPG PARTS AND SERVICE• TANKS FoR SAlE oR RENT

PINNAClEBox 459 214 12TH AvENUE SESTANlEY, ND 58784

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