Nora Schwartz: “Messages come in many forms, including mint-flavored.”

In Choice One’s Sidney office, there is a highly sophisticated communication system operating behind the scenes—and by that, we mean Nora Schwartz and Jeff Puthoff leaving peppermints on each other’s desks. This cutting‑edge, sugar‑powered system works like this: when one stops by the other’s workstation and misses them, they leave a mint as a tiny calling card that says, “I was here; come see me when you’re available.” Since neither has a dedicated waiting room, the mint stands in as their own tiny queue-management system.

While this communication method may be delicious, it does bring into question what would happen if our stock of mints ever ran out. Widespread panic? Mass confusion? Jeff going through sugar withdrawal?

Jokes aside, it’s funny how this tiny peppermint ritual ends up reflecting something real about how we work at Choice One. Responsiveness doesn’t always look like a rapid email or perfectly timed call—sometimes it’s just a mint on a keyboard saying, “Hey, I stopped by.” Candy just happens to be a very tasty form of follow‑up that won’t get buried in a swarm of notifications.

Craig Frilling: “Feel the burn!”

Last week, the Winter Olympics returned to Sidney and Loveland via Choice One’s own Office Olympics. Fifteen teams battled through tabletop curling, a typing speed skate, a breakroom luge, and a snow shovel relay involving a spoon that somehow became our second cutlery‑related scandal of the year—all building toward the unforgettable finale: the Office Chair Slalom.

For this event, one brave teammate climbed onto a rolling chair while another sprinted them through an obstacle course as fast as better judgment allowed. In Loveland, Landscape Designer Na Lin and co‑op Caileen Gibbons set the gold‑medal standard, carving turns at speeds deserving of the slogan penned by Craig Frilling: “Feel the burn!” Whether pushing, riding, or cheering, everyone felt the pulse-spiking excitement.

No Choice Oners were harmed in the making of these Olympics. The only casualty was Max Scherch’s le

ft shoe, which bravely gave its life somewhere between the third turn and finish line for the good of the team. If that isn’t dedication to the sport, we don’t know what is.

Isaiah Winhoven: “I just want to use the microwave.”

In the new Sidney office, the silverware has been almost as busy as the staff, having been moved three times in a single week as Choice Oners search for its perfect home. So, when Kyle Siegrist examined the drawer, sighed, and launched yet another reorganization, lunchtime lit up with a discussion the likes of which Choice One has not seen since the Loveland pond debate.

Soon the lunchroom was abuzz with theories on efficient utensil placement, left- versus right-handed drawer access optimization, and the alarming number of redesigns to date. Opinions flew freely, while Jeff Kunk expertly avoided getting involved—just as he does when doughnuts are involved—by choosing not to pick a side (or a drawer) in the debate at all.

Meanwhile, unnoticed by the drawer-design committee, Isaiah stood patiently off to the side, waiting for the debate (and reconfiguration) to end so he could reach the microwave now blocked by the silverware’s new home. At Choice One, it seems that the only challenge we have with organization is deciding the best way to do it.

Ryan Lefeld: “Next!”

Not long after we settled into our new Sidney office, Funding Specialist Kaye Borchers noticed a steady stream of “patrons” gathering around the pod where Project Manager Ryan Lefeld had somehow become the unofficial main attraction.

To bring order to the chaos, Kaye—no stranger to creative solutions for celebrity coworkers—built an official “I Need to Talk to Ryan Lefeld” Waiting Room to serve Ryan’s many visitors. Within hours of the waiting room’s opening, Choice Oners were inside, engaging in spirited disagreements about who was actually next—despite the literal numbered slips designed to prevent exactly that.

And Ryan? He fully embraced the bit. Whenever someone approached, he delivered a confident “Next!” as though this system had always been part of office protocol. In classic Choice One fashion, what started as a simple observation turned into a fully operational and surprisingly competitive queuing experience. One thing is certain: when the need arises, our team is always ready to find a solution—sometimes even before we realize we need one.

Nick Selhorst: “Do you think it’s bad luck to step on the carpet logo?”

Superstition may be nothing new to Choice One, but the logo on our Sidney office carpet is. Installed just a couple of weeks ago, it was one of the finishing touches on our move to Campbell Road—and another clever, eye-catching design executed by master mover Brian ‘Barney’ Barhorst.

Megan Bornhorst’s answer to Nick’s question was a resounding “no.” She even stepped squarely on the C to dismiss any lingering superstitions and demonstrate that no hopping, skipping, or jumping would be required to reach the adjoining coffee bar.

Moments later, Megan dropped the empty coffee pot after refilling her cup and then spilled creamer all over the floor. Since coffee is no joke around here, the mishap felt like a bad omen. Thankfully, the spill didn’t reach the carpet, sparing her from both the carpet curse AND Barney’s wrath!

Since the incident, Megan has revised her answer to Nick: “Maybe there was a little bad luck, but it’s gone now!”

Come see us at our new space!
2633 Campbell Road
Sidney, OH 45365

Lilly Barhorst: “If I sounded bossy, it’s because I was channeling my inner Barney.”

If you missed it, our Sidney office moved locations last Friday. Lilly, who is Brian “Barney” Barhorst’s super awesome daughter, oversaw moving day with the precision execution of her dad, no matter what the peanut gallery had to say.

After moving both our Loveland and Sidney offices this year, we’ve learned a few things:

1. Engineers can move offices without drafting a 47-page maintenance of traffic plan. It was just 12 pages, for the record.
2. Loveland now has a pond, which is great for engineers to casually calculate storage over lunch.
3. Sidney now has a second floor. It’s currently empty but is echoing with possibilities to grow.
4. Bathrooms. So many bathrooms! No more waiting in line after meetings.
5. More parking, and plenty of space for the occasional foot race.
6. More green and purple. Our brand colors are now even more everywhere—walls, chairs, maybe even your subconscious.
7. Moving twice in one year builds character. And proved that teamwork can move mountains—especially if Lilly’s in charge.

2025 sure kept us busy. Here’s to 2026: fewer boxes, more great projects to design, and maybe a koi fish for that pond. Or a second-floor trampoline. We’re flexible.

Happy New Year from Choice One Engineering!