03 Feb Hall of Honor

Megan Bornhorst:
“Goub, you could measure the driveway in cartwheels.”
Brian Goubeaux:
“Nah, I think Caray does that better.”

When Brian “Goub” Goubeaux almost forgot his tape measure, Megan suggested a resourceful measurement technique. Because, if you weren’t aware, the main hallway at Choice One’s Sidney office is 11 cartwheels long, according to our Controller Caray Schmiesing. Now, 11 cartwheels in a row is quite a feat for any person (Kaye can’t even do a somersault). But to add a little perspective, Caray played basketball before there was a three-point line for girls. Therefore, her 11 cartwheels in a row is feat of impressive talent and grace.

The long, runway-like hallway at Choice One is an exceptional place. It’s where Megan holds her three o’clock dance parties (more on that in Mindsets and social media posts to come). We’ve held three-legged races and indoor bowling competitions down it during company parties. And Choice One visitors under the age of six can’t help but run up and down it at top speed (as well as top “stomp” and top “scream”).

Now that the hallway has been “officially” measured, plotting distances in cartwheels might be a new standard at Choice One. Perhaps the next time we design your water main or sewer line, it will be labeled in C.W. (cartwheels) rather than L.F. (linear feet). Hopefully Caray can perform more than 11 cartwheels in a row, because we’re guessing when Goub needs to measure and design several thousand feet of pipe, he may need just a few more cartwheels.

20 Jan Time Flies

Matt Hoying:
“Starting the next succession plan.”

Last week, Tony had scheduled both a Choice One meeting and Very Important Grandpa Duties at the same time. So Matt staged the meeting with both Tony and his grandson Luke. Indeed, Luke might as well get in on the Choice One action now–heck, at three months old, he’s already in a custom-made Choice One onesie.

Comparably, our youngest full-time employee Lexy was born in 1996, two years after Choice One was founded. So, if you can imagine, she could have been an infant sitting in on a meeting with Tony, Jeff Puthoff, and the other old guys back in the “Batcave”. Kaye would have been in Junior High, getting her braces checked by her orthodontist one floor down in the same building as Choice One’s first Sidney office (and boy did she need braces). And Matt was likely nerding it up at nine-years-old, writing complicated formulas (about Nintendo games or something) on paper since he didn’t have MS Excel yet.

Luke may not choose to work at Choice One someday, but regardless of his future career, he has been born into Choice One family and is stuck with the curse of “Gang Green.” Poor kid—at least the rest of us can say we chose it!

06 Jan Second Fiddle

Nick Sanders:
“Allen, be sure that Jake understands right away that he’s the ‘Other Bertke.’”

Surely you’re all shocked to hear that we have a new employee with an old name. Allen Bertke (left), meet Jake Bertke (right). On his first day at Choice One, Jake boldly declared that he might be the most distinguished Bertke in the company. And then Nick swiftly crushed Jake’s dream by prompting Allen to defend his status as the First Bertke of Choice One.

Aside from his last name, our new engineer Jake already has a few things in common with us at Choice One. For instance, he originally hails from Maria Stein like Tyler, Mitch, and Casey. He has a twin brother like Allan Heitbrink. He enjoys horseback riding like Kaye, Lexy, and Jeff Kunk. And most importantly, he looks good in green (although really, who doesn’t around here?).

So welcome Jake, it seems like you’ll fit right in. Hope you don’t mind being relegated to the Second Bertke. At least you have a unique first name… For now.

P.S. We are trying to reach 1,000 “Likes” on Facebook. Click here to see how “Liking” Choice One can score you cool stuff.

23 Dec Merry…New Year’s?

Nick “NNS” Selhorst:
“…do a system’s view on subdivisions before New Year’s. I just realized I spelled ‘New Year’s’ wrong.”

We like to rise to the challenge of tight timelines, but when addressing the company at a recent off-site assembly, Nick realized he had overshot his amount of availability and “misspelled” his self-imposed deadline. Kind of surprising, really, because Nick is an above-average speller…

Sometimes spelling doesn’t come easy–just ask Tony. Indeed, there are a few other everyday experiences we at Choice One have a hard time with:

• Wes Goubeaux isn’t good at hugs.
• Tyler Thobe has a hard time being near breakfast cereal. (In truth, he can practically be chased with a box of Fruit Loops.)
• Jeff Kunk has a hard time buying doughnuts.
• Mike Goettemoeller refuses to try Pop-Tarts other than Cinnamon Brown Sugar. (At least you’re eating “healthy,” Mike.)
• Jeff Puthoff won’t wear a red shirt. Ever.

Yet thankfully, one thing does come easy for all of us at Choice One: we want to wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! We look forward to sharing our unique brand of Choice One cheer in 2017.

09 Dec Hidden Talent

Inquiring Mindsets want to know:
“If you were in a pageant, what would your talent be?”

	Matt Hoying, Project Manager “Rock, paper, scissors.” This is only a talent because your opinions aren’t involved, Matt.
	Mitch Thobe, Project Manager “Eating food extremely fast.” Like, faster than electricity, Mitch?
	Brian Barhorst, Designer “Playing the tuba.” Must come naturally–we don’t see any practice in your daily schedule, Brian.
	Megan Bornhorst, Administrative Assistant “Singing.” Really? We thought for sure it would be hugging.

25 Nov Have It Your Way

Loveland Burger King Cashier:
“Do the rest of your guys know you’re coming here without them?”

Our Loveland Choice One crew often hits up the local Burger King for lunch together. But once, when Brian Schmidt went alone, the cashier noticed and wanted to make sure Brian wasn’t sneaking Whoppers without his green-shirted cohorts. Not so says Brian! We’re very thankful for our Choice One family (and for Burger King, clearly), and in the spirit of Thanksgiving, we thought we could recap a couple of current Choice One blessings:

• We finally got the third bathroom in the Sidney office. It even has a little light like in an airplane cabin that lets us know if it’s occupied or not!
• Tony became a grandpa about a month ago. (Congrats Tony!) Now at least he has a good reason to not be around.
• We got a new logo! (Although somehow it came without pockets…)
• Engineers danced. And more mercifully, engineers stopped dancing.

In closing, we think it’s safe to say there’s no shortage of turkeys at Choice One. And even though it’s a day late, Happy Thanksgiving from Choice One Engineering!

P.S. If you want something else to be thankful for, here’s a new video starring Choice One in which we’re NOT dancing at all.