It’s great to talk to you today Brenda. Can you tell us how long you had been with Documation in Eau Claire before joining Walsworth earlier this year?

Absolutely. I’ve been at this facility here in Eau Claire for 23 years, first with Documation and now rolling into the Walsworth acquisition. I started with Documation in February of 2002.

I’ve witnessed and been part of a great deal of growth and change, and those changes have really afforded me the opportunity to grow personally and professionally.

Can you tell us about the different roles you’ve had with the company over the years?

I came on board as an account manager, and that’s really what we refer to as customer service reps today. Later, I took on the role of job planner/estimator and eventually became customer service manager. Because of all the growth (Documation) experienced, we found ourselves regularly adding positions. And those were the types of roles I had the opportunity to step into.

While I retained the Customer Service Department up until the beginning of this year, my role continued to grow, and I wore many different hats. Ultimately my role evolved to include more process-driven initiatives, not just in the customer service area, but across the whole company.

In 2022, I became Vice President of Administration and Human Resources Manager. Currently, I serve as the Human Resources business partner here at the Eau Claire facility.

You wore a lot of different hats and worked in a variety of different areas of the company with Documation. That experience had to be satisfying, but also stressful at times. What was the experience like?

Looking back, there were certainly times that felt overwhelmingly stressful. But one advantage of being in a small company was that, whether you were speaking with the owner or the team, there was a shared understanding of what could realistically be accomplished given the time and circumstances. It was about making the best possible decision in the moment and continuing to move forward.

The positive was that the variety kept the work engaging, and it pushed me to grow professionally. And I would say that being able to contribute to all those different areas of the company helped strengthen my ability to lead and support others.

Now with your role in Human Resources, what’s your schedule look like, day-to-day, week-to-week?

The short version is that I support the people here in the Eau Claire facility to help make the workplace run smoothly. Every single day is really very different.

I work closely with the managers and supervisors on hiring needs and working through performance management tasks. There’s coaching conversations, other disciplinary steps and things like that. Another big part of it, of course, is just being a resource for our employees here. That can be answering questions, walking through policies, helping to coordinate training efforts and safety initiatives.

How do you think the transition has been going so far? From January to now, I’m sure things have seemed like a bit of a whirlwind.

It has gone pretty smoothly. Any time an acquisition like this happens, the hardest part of the first few months are the unknowns or your perceived unknowns. It’s like, ‘How’s this going to be different?’ or ‘What does this mean?’ You have a lot of that.

When you get beyond that hurdle, it becomes very apparent that really it’s business as usual. Are some policies different? Yes. But the bottom line is we’re still the same group of people we used to be operating the same equipment. And the goal is the same, get the product out the door and make sure it’s correct.

Did it help with concerns that Documation was acquired by Walsworth because the company needed and wanted Documation’s specific capabilities?

Yes, and that was always presented first and foremost, from the very first time leadership was on site. I think it’s probably human nature to worry when an acquisition like this takes place, it kind of gives people pause. But Walsworth leadership was very forthcoming right from the start about embracing what Eau Claire had developed and bringing it into the fold, allowing future growth for our facility and the organization overall. And that’s been great.

You’ve been with this company 23 years. Were there any career stops before Documation?

I’m going to date myself a whole lot. (laughs) I have 35 years of print industry experience. I attended Western Technical College in La Crosse, Wisconsin, and earned a degree in commercial art. So when I entered the printing field, I started as a graphic designer.

Back then, the graphic designer still had a lot of direct contact with the client. So that afforded me the chance to easily move into some customer service roles and develop a stronger foundation in regard to client relations and production support. 

I took a couple of years away from printing to work as a trainer and lead for a manufacturer of electronic components. That time really opened my eyes to process control and efficiency, and it’s something that continues to shape my approach to work every day.

What do you see as the keys to continued success going forward for the company?

The short answer to that really is communication. Sometimes it’s the hardest thing to do effectively, but communication is the key.

And that’s easier said than done, whether you’re doing a survey at one location, or you’re talking about an organization like Walsworth that has many locations. It’s a pain point in every organization, and it’s one we need to remain focused on.

More in my scope, our employees’ lasting success comes from really understanding what they need and then having the ability to follow through on all our commitments to them. Building that lasting relationship – that’s the foundation for long-term success.

Can you tell us about your family and life outside of work? Hobbies?

Yes, my husband Scott and I have a couple nieces and a nephew who keep us busy running around to all of their events. Family is really important to me.

I love cooking and entertaining. And I have a real passion for gardening. I laugh because it depends on how much time I have. Some years my vegetable garden and my perennial gardens look like they belong in a magazine. Other years, let’s just say we probably should have hired a gardener! But no matter what, I love it.

Scott and I are also active in our local Lion’s Club. That competes for our free time. We’re busy with lots of community service projects and the fundraising efforts that support them. That’s something near and dear to us.

Did you grow up around Eau Claire?

Yes, I am from a very small rural town by the name of Elk Mound, Wisconsin. It’s about 12 miles northwest of Eau Claire.

When I was growing up, I think the population was just over 700. Now it’s like 1,100. Scott and I still live there. We enjoy living in the quiet, peaceful country. He’s originally from the Twin Cities area so he grew up in the city, and this was a new experience for him.

What’s an interesting thing about you that most people might not know?

That’s a hard question. Most people probably wouldn’t know how big a role music plays in my life. It always has. It’s the way I stay balanced. It’s how I decompress or shift gears during the day, whether I need a boost or I need to unwind, music is my go-to.

It probably started as a kid. My grandma loved music and was always playing the piano. My husband and I have a vintage 1962 jukebox loaded with 45s. You can dump nickels in there and play music.

We actually still have my grandma’s piano in a special place in our home. I definitely don’t perform for others, but I like to sit down and play just for my own enjoyment.

What’s your favorite movie or TV show?

My favorite movie would probably be A Few Good Men. I lean heavily into good dramas.

They don’t necessarily have to be legal dramas, but that’s what I get hooked into, whether it’s a TV series or movie. I love a good legal drama.

Do you have a favorite meal or type of food?

I love to cook, so my family typically lets me, right? (laughs) When we’re having a get-together, it’s like, ‘Oh well, Brenda will take care of this.’ 

But I love seafood. My husband and I like to travel and one of our favorite parts of exploring new places is being total foodies. Wherever we go, if there’s seafood on the menu, I’m all in.

Also when I’m not cooking, a favorite would be my dad’s fish fries. He’s an avid fisherman and he just knows how to fillet them and cook them. He serves up the best deep-fried fish you can get anywhere.

You mentioned travel. Do you have a favorite vacation?

Looking back, when we talk about different ones, you can always find one thing that made the trip the best one ever. So we always joke the best vacation is the last one we took.

But for me personally, we did a land tour and cruise in Alaska, which was beautiful. That’s going to be hard to beat.

If you had a personalized coffee mug, what would it say?

Mine would say, “Trust is earned. Coffee helps.” (laughs)

That almost sounds like you have that mug already.

(laughs) I need it. I’m gonna take a permanent marker and make that.

Do you have a favorite memory from your time with the company, or a career accomplishment that you’re particularly proud of?

In all honestly, this kind of leans into the wearing multiple hats and just getting the chance to be involved in so many areas of the company.

When I think of a favorite memory, I think it really comes down to… I have worked with some of the most phenomenal people. And obviously anybody that has been with a company for a long time could probably say that.

But it’s great to me that I know my path crossed with them because of my life here at Documation, and now Walsworth. I’ve met so many amazing people, and I just know they were all put into my life for a reason and I’m really grateful for that.