Inquiring Mindsets: “Caption this photo of Andy Shuman.”

“Is this the coffee shop?”

-Craig Eley, Traffic Engineer

“It’s a bird! It’s a plane! No, it’s just a Choice One survey drone*.”

-Troy Niese, Project manager

“Why do cats land on their feet but toast always lands butter-side down?”

-Holly Fannon Accountant

“He looks like someone dropped him in a Call of Duty map.”

-Becca Getts, Project Engineer

“When you dress for a casual stroll but accidentally end up supervising a construction site…”

-Brian Goubeaux, Designer

“I’m here to reinforce the vibe, not the concrete.”

-Brittany Clinehens, Recruiting/HR

*Yes! Choice One offers licensed drone surveying capabilities!

Dane Sommer: “First pitch scheduled for 3:34pm.”
Allen Bertke: “Stealth bomber flyover at 3:33pm?”

Another Friday afternoon, another random Choice One contest. This time? Engineering co-op and Trine University pitcher Tyler Stueve was challenged by engineer Dane Sommer to a little bit of baseball. Naturally, we all paused to enjoy the sunshine and witness the showdown.

From the batting helmets to the catcher’s gear, this wasn’t just a casual contest in the parking lot. This was a full-blown, semi-professional, borderline-MLB event. There were warm-ups. There were stretches. Dane prepped with four chicken sandwiches, one protein muffin, and some chocolate milk. Was there a flyover? Probably, but obviously we couldn’t see a plane with “stealth” in its title.

In the end, Dane got a questionable hit that may or may not have gotten past the second baseman—if there had been a second baseman in the field. It’s unclear who won the contest, but one thing’s for sure: it was a spectacle. Best of luck back at Trine this fall, Tyler—if you can survive a Choice One “official” baseball challenge, college ball should be a breeze.

Kendra Peterson: “I haven’t even been here for a month, and the spammers are using my email?!”

Kendra, our new Loveland-area Business Development and Municipal Relations Specialist, hasn’t even hit her one-month mark at Choice One, and already she’s made it “big”—as in, big enough for scammers to target a brand-new Choice One email account.

It didn’t take long for a bad actor to impersonate Kendra in a spam email to our HR administrator Brittany. Thankfully, the scam didn’t fool anyone. Adam Gill stepped in quickly to let Kendra know about our very real and definitely binding HR policy: “Anytime someone pretends to be you in a spam email, you have to bring in doughnuts. It’s a recent update we made in the employee handbook.” (Not sure if that clause was also spammed to HR, but we’re looking into it.)

No pressure Kendra, but in case you were wondering, most of us like sprinkles. And cream filled. And also the ones with frosting and little crumbles on top. So welcome to Choice One. You know you’re officially part of the team when you’re brought into the doughnut economy.

Connor Sperdute: “How deep is the pond?”

If you missed it, our Loveland office recently moved to a new building—complete with a scenic pond just outside the windows. The pond offers peaceful views, the sound of trickling water, and, most importantly, a perfect excuse for a wager.

As frequent designers of similar retention ponds, we couldn’t help but wonder: how deep is it? What started as casual curiosity quickly escalated into a full-blown competition. Guesses were collected, doughnuts were promised, and the stakes were set. With a tape measure in hand, Troy Niese led the official measurement, while Rob Pressel provided moral support (and a flotation device). After some careful maneuvering and minor splashing, the official depth at the edge of the pond was revealed: 2.8 feet.

The farthest off? Brian Schmidt at 11 feet, as he unfortunately guessed the depth at the middle of the pond. A bold strategy—but not the right one. The result? Brian bought doughnuts for the office, and the rest of us got to enjoy the sweetly glazed taste of victory. Turns out, the pond isn’t that deep. But our competitive spirit? Bottomless.

Troy Niese: “I wish we had gotten a picture of how much water Michael Seeger got on himself while trying to hook up the coffeemaker.”

A couple of weeks back was moving day for our Loveland office. After six years on Glendale-Milford Road, the Loveland crew packed up and moved four miles up the road to Tri-Ridge Boulevard. Our new digs include more space, a cool water feature in front of the building, and, thanks to a thoroughly soaked Michael Seeger, a coffee station that now leaks only caffeine, not embarrassment.

Now, we at Choice One have a long and storied history of overcomplicating the simple act of connecting a coffee machine. Past attempts have included six trips to the hardware store and at least one incident involving duct tape. This time, we skipped the hardware store—but not the waterworks. Michael’s pants stayed wet for at least six hours, which is either a testament to his dedication to drinking coffee or a bold new take on business casual.

Despite the splash zone, the move was a success. The team is settling in, the coffee is flowing, and the floors are [currently] dry. We knew that the new location came with a water feature, but Michael’s contribution made it interactive. Thanks, Michael. You brewed it beautifully.

Brian Barhorst: “200 donations just kinda started as a friendly competition to reach 10 gallons.”

Long-time Choice One designer Brian “Barney” Barhorst recently hit his 200th lifetime blood donation. That’s right—two hundred. For context, that’s enough blood to fill a small kiddie pool, or, more practically, to help save an estimated 600 lives. No big deal, right? 

What began as a casual challenge among peers has turned into a decades-long commitment to giving back. While most of us are still trying to remember our blood type, Barney has been quietly and quite literally rolling up his sleeve every chance he gets, reminding us that not all heroes make headlines—some just show up in a Choice One polo and make saving lives look like part of the daily routine.

 Of course, Barney’s not in it for the glory. He’s in it for the granola bars, the occasional t-shirt, and the knowledge that he’s made a difference—600 times over. Thank you, Barney, for your dedication, your generous spirit, and your iron-rich veins. You’ve set the bar high—and the blood pressure just right.

 Read about Barney’s generosity in the Sidney Daily News here: https://www.sidneydailynews.com/2025/06/20/minster-man-makes-200th-blood-donation/