Kim Haase
Lucky to Work Here
Kim will retire at the end of August after 14 years with the cooperative.
She started with K&H Energy Cooperative in 2010. “My title was operations facilitator,” she states. In that role, Kim assisted the operations manager in everything concerning the cooperative’s stations and bulk plants.
A self-professed details person, Kim also analyzed the refined fuels and propane markets and assisted the cooperative’s customers in their buying decisions.
“The cooperative was just getting into automated fuel delivery (AFD) and the drivers brought profiles of their customers to me,” says Kim, who entered all this information into the computer, placed orders, tracked equipment, and billed everything for AFD.
Since the 2018 merger with NuWay Cooperative, Kim’s title has been Energy Sales Support. “I help account managers with AFD, tanks, or billing,” she states. “I also helped the energy department convert to a new software system.” In recent years, Kim and Ed Westemeier have bought and hedged fuel to cover customer purchases.
“I’m a perfectionist and I like research,” she admits. So, what Kim does for the cooperative has to be right. She works hard to arrive at pricing that is fair both for the cooperative and the customers.
Her advice to people just beginning their careers with the cooperative: “Be empathetic.” Try to walk in the other person’s shoes.” She also advises new employees to “drill down on what the customer is really asking and give them your very best answer.”
Kim’s husband, Bill, retires in July, and she will retire at the end of August. “We’re hoping to do a little traveling within the U.S.,” she says. Kim also plans to spend more time at the gym and reading, which she really enjoys.
“I’ll miss the team I work with day-to-day,” she states. “The cooperative has been very good to me, and anyone would be lucky to work here.”
Alvin Smidt
Customers Kept Him Working
Almost 50 years ago, on Sept. 24, 1974, Alvin Smidt went to work for the cooperative at Buffalo Center, IA. Now, after almost five decades of delivering first refined fuels and then LP gas to customers in the same area, Alvin is preparing to retire.
“My anniversary (in the energy business) will be in September, and I’ve said for a long time that I will retire after 50 years,” he states, noting his official retirement date will be Sept. 30, 2024.
Over his 50 years, Alvin has worked for many organizations. “I started out delivering for Co-op Oil, which was taken over by Cenex Harvest States in 1997,” he states. “Then in 1999, Cenex Supply and Marketing took us over.” In 2000, NuWay Cooperative acquired the Buffalo Center route, and in 2004 the route transferred to K&H Energy Cooperative. Finally, in 2018, K&H Energy and NuWay Cooperative merged.
Despite working for several companies—all cooperatives by the way—Alvin continues delivering energy products out of Buffalo Center. Today, his delivery area stretches 12 miles north, 10 miles east and south and 8 miles west of the city.
What’s kept Alvin delivering fuel and then LP gas out of Buffalo Center for half a century? “The customers,” he says simply. “I probably wouldn’t be here this long if it wasn’t for the good people I work with. Some I’ve delivered to for 50 years.”
Alvin also points to his co-workers. “They’ve been very good to me, too—and so has management,” he states.
Alvin and his wife Peggy have two boys, Troy and Trent and two grandchildren, Cody and Samantha. Cody plays football for NSU and Samantha is going to college this fall to be a Vet Tech. Asked what he’ll do when he retires, Alvin says plainly, “I don’t know. I’ll play it by ear and see what happens.”
Alvin advises people just starting their careers with NuWay-K&H to “do what your job description tells you to do.”
“Do that and you’ll get along fine,” he states, adding. “It’s a good place to work.”
