Employee Spotlight: Kjel Mjoen
At Lakeland Engineering Equipment Company, we believe our employees are one of the key ingredients to our success. As a company, we strive to show appreciation, provide an environment with continuous learning opportunities, and place trust in the capabilities and knowledge of our employees. To show our appreciation, Lakeland Engineering is starting an employee spotlight.
This month, Lakeland’s spotlight is on Account Manager, Kjel Mjoen, who has been with Lakeland for nearly six-years. For the first two years of Kjel’s time at Lakeland, he was in Lakeland’s Management Trainee Program. Over the past three and a half years, he found his niche, working in sales as an Account Manager.
Why the Electrical Controls & Industrial Automation Industry?
“As I learned more, I gained an appreciation for the wide range of industries that the industrial automation field covers,” said Kjel. ” I have the opportunity to work with customers in every industry, including Food & Beverage, Energy, City Municipals, Construction, Machine Manufacturing, and more. I have been in account management for nearly four-years in my territory and really enjoy the variety of customers that I get to connect with on a daily basis.”
Finding the Right Customer Solution Takes a Team
When asked what problems he helps his customers solve, Kjel answered, “The most critical problems that arise are often when a customer has equipment or a machine that is down and a replacement part is needed – yesterday. I’ve recently had a couple of different situations where this has been the case. I understand the urgency this situation requires and immediately work with my inside sales staff and our vendors to source a solution.”
Lakeland works with a variety of suppliers that help us solve customer issues and provide solutions. “We are very fortunate at Lakeland to have many supplier reps locally who are able to assist with technical support and attend customer visits to help resolve issues and improve operations with new products,” said Kjel. “Recently, our Siemens Instrumentation Rep, Jeff Carlson of Jasper, has helped me switch over a large plant in Western Minnesota to Siemens Flow and Level Meters with great on-site support and training. Mark Webber, a long time ASCO rep and partner of Lakeland’s has been great help on several valve cross-over projects as well.”
Why Lakeland?
“Since I have been with Lakeland, I have a great appreciation for the level of service we have provided to our customers for many years,” said Kjel. “I’ve had the opportunity to learn from several knowledgeable sales reps who have been with the organization for decades. Seeing so many employees stay with the organization for so long shows that we have a great culture. The fun events with our customers and vendors such as our yearly golf outings are an added perk!”
Lakeland also encourages ongoing learning and works to provide those opportunities. “Lakeland has always provided me training opportunities to help me grow and learn more about the industry,” said Kjel. “Over the past few years, I’ve received vendor training in Yaskawa Drives, Schneider Drives and SoMachine , ASCO Valves, IDEC HMI’s, Lenze i500 Series Drives, and much more.”
Work-Life Balance
When he’s not on sales calls and helping his customers solve problems, Kjel enjoys several hobbies including golfing with friends and family, watching Minnesota Sports, and trying out the many different restaurants and breweries around town. “I also enjoy traveling to new places. This Summer I traveled to Europe and visited London, Amsterdam, Paris, Spain, and Portugal. Looking forward to many more travels in the years to come – New Zealand and Brazil are at the top of my bucket list,” exclaimed Kjel.
One-on-One Support
At Lakeland, we place a strong emphasis on relationships and providing our customers the one-on-one support they deserve. Whether you’re in Southern Minnesota or North Dakota, we have a local rep near you. Kjel covers Southwest Minneapolis and surrounding suburbs, including Shakopee, Bloomington, Eden Prairie, Minnetonka, Savage, and more. In addition, he also represents a stretch of Central Western Minnesota, including Glencoe, Hutchinson, Renville, and Montevideo.
“It’s been a pleasure working with the customers that I have over the past few years,” said Kjel. “I look forward to continuing to build my relationships with them and meeting many new customers in the years to come.” If you’d like to schedule a sales call with Kjel, contact him via email at kmjoen@lakelandengineering.com. To find your dedicated sales representative, email sales@lakelandengineering.com.