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Choice Mindsets

Choice Mindsets

Michael Kunzi:
“Didn’t you do any research for this part?

Watch your Happy Meals—we have a thief in the Loveland office! The sore thumb not in green is the legendary McDonald’s Hamburglar, with engineer Kristi Moorman behind the mask. Kristi wasn’t overly familiar with the Hamburglar’s vocabulary (which consists mainly of “CHEESEBURGER!” and “robble robble!”), so the Choice Oners old enough to remember the 1980s commercials featuring the McDonaldland crew educated Kristi on her temporary role.

This year we ran an impromptu campaign to collect donations for the Dayton Children’s and Cincinnati Children’s Ronald McDonald Houses. If we met our goal, Kristi promised to dress as the Hamburglar for an entire day at the office. We made good on reaching the goal, so Kristi made good on dressing up. During her day as the infamous fast food thief, she ate lots of smuggled cookies, politely posed for photos, and secretly insulted Skyline Chili, which the Hamburglar knows is inferior to McDonald’s tasty cheeseburgers.

Thanks, Kristi, for wearing the itchy costume to provide extra motivation to donate to a great cause. We certainly had a few laughs with you and were able to help stock up the kitchens at both hospitals’ Ronald McDonald Houses. And that’s worth a rousing “robble robble!”

Adam Gill:
“Schmidty made sure the whole world (Google Maps) knows we’re hiring.

 

It’s a touch blurry, but that is indeed engineer Brian Schmidt holding a Choice One “We’re Hiring” sign specifically because he saw a Google Maps car going by. And, clearly, he was successful at getting himself and the sign on the world wide web for the whole wide world to see. Go ahead—search for “Choice One Engineering Loveland Ohio” and check out the Google Maps Streetview to get several angles of Brian (with Troy Niese and Jesse Waggoner) as shown in the screenshot above.

We are hiring, so Brian’s efforts are greatly appreciated. But it’s a tough gig, working at Choice One. In Loveland we have to worry about daily flying objects. In Sidney? Really bright lights. Sure, there is sporadic tomfoolery and even doughnuts from Jeff Kunk sometimes, but the rest of the time? We’re dealing with coworkers like Ryan Francis, who is hogging all the monitors, and Nick Selhorst, who is throwing all of our stuff away.

Maybe you know someone who’s got what it takes. No, love for red tractors nor love for green tractors is required (but anyone who applies may want to love green regardless). There is occasional free food, impractical “sports” and, yes, fulfilling work, too, but we’re not for everyone. Think someone you know is brave enough? Check out our Join Us page… or at least check Brian, Troy, and Jesse on Google Maps.

Overheard at the Loveland Charity Cup:
“We should get points for style.

It was the Wild West in Loveland this past Wednesday for the 2022 Choice One Loveland Charity Cup. Shootouts were held. Horseshoes (and tennis balls) were pitched… and stuck in chandeliers. Ridiculous photos were taken (that’s John Bear, with Fischer Homes, showing off his handiwork.)

While there was a rodeo of a bucketball tournament throughout the evening, the real attention goes to our amazing clients and friends who raised $21,600.00 for Sweet Cheeks Diaper Bank and the Down Syndrome Association of Greater Cincinnati! We can’t say “thank you” enough to those who attended. Not only did you contribute generously to two amazing causes, but you agreed to follow our silly bucketball throwing rules, posed willingly in our photo booth, and dealt with all the wild west clichés that can fit into one rootin’-tootin’ evening.

Extra points for style weren’t needed for our tournament winners, MI Homes Yellow (below, l-r Spencer Kerivan, Zach Toebben, Brad Austing and Choice One’s Jacqueline Huelskamp).

We hope you’ll all saddle up and return in 2023 to challenge the aim of the MI Homes posse, and most importantly, help us continue supporting the little buckaroos of the greater Cincinnati area so positively impacted by Sweet Cheeks and DSAGC!

Kristi Moorman:
“Our Afternoon Walks are getting more dangerous. We now have FOUR flying objects.

 

Most afternoons, a good portion of the Loveland office takes an official Walk down the road to the mailbox to gather the day’s mail, get some fresh air, and… throw things.

The Afternoon Walk originated as a stationary “recess” in a detention basin, and has grown to a moving cloud of footballs and frisbees, all buzzing about as the group travels on foot along the low-traffic road. As they walk, you might hear “What project are you working on today?” followed by “GO DEEP ADAM!” Another 30 yards and it’s “How are the kids doing?” paired with “HEAD’S UP JACQUI!” And before they head back in the door, it might be “What’s up for the weekend?” before an “OOPS! SORRY SCHMIDTY!” as a few last second tosses finish the outing.

Although Choice One was founded in 1994, our Loveland office has been adding “ballers” since 2011, and 22 of our current 69 employees call the Loveland office home. So if everyone in Loveland takes the Afternoon Walk, that’s about five people per “flying object.” So Kristi, hope that makes you feel like you’re in less danger. To keep safe, just don’t let the Afternoon Walk get crossed with Sledgehammer Putt-Putt

Nick Selhorst:
“Zach, you left your UD Flyers cup here in Loveland. I took care of it for you.”

Nick, an Ohio State grad, sure was kind to help Sidney-based Zach when he [gasp!forgot something at the Loveland office last week. Nick’s offer to “take care of” the cup wasn’t too alarming to Zach—he keeps a few* spares around the office.

We keep spares of lots of things around Choice One (sledgehammersglassesCarays, etc.). And really, can one have too much of a good thing (despite Nick’s opinion of UD)? We’re pretty sure there can never be too many roundaboutsbright lights, or Choice One green pens. And no way can we ever have too much Skyline Chilihugging, or fun.

All that said, we could use a couple of extra engineers and surveyors these days (apply!). And although Jeff Kunk finally bought, we will always accept spare doughnuts, pizza, or cookies. So Zach, if you don’t mind, please stop amassing UD Flyer cups and instead stock up on a few more Jeffs and a perhaps some tasty snacks to share.

*Despite leaving a cup
in Loveland, Zach still
had this many UD Flyer
cups to take home at once.

 

Nick Selhorst:
“Ryan, will you still be using the same lunchbox 10 years from now?”


As the saying goes: “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” So yes, engineer Ryan Lefeld has had his little purple and green lunchbox for the past 10 years, (and likely before he ever started at Choice One). And unless there is some kind of future, unknown mini-cooler catastrophe, he’ll still have 10 years from now.

Like Ryan, we are all pretty stereotypical engineering-types: practical, consistent, and frugal. From Megan wearing bags on her shoes to Caray using an old box as a briefcase, we like sensible, simple reliability. We do get out of our comfort zones, like wearing shirts without pockets or making coffee in the morning AND afternoon. But getting a new lunchbox after 10 years? Probably a little too progressive for our typical engineer.

Assuming he doesn’t resort to grabbing his daughter’s lunchbag, we’d bet that Ryan still has the same lunchbox in 10 years. Make note, Nick, to check back in 2032—by that time, it’s sure to be stylish again. As the saying goes: “What’s old is new again!