Senior Project Engineer Neal Stoffel and Advanced Machine Operator Barb Holzem have recently retired from Kondex Corporation. Stoffel holds 46 years of service and Holzem has been with the Company 17 years. Both have held several roles throughout their tenure.

Stoffel joined Kondex in 1975 as a machine operator on a disc grinder machine. His career grew to include several machine operator roles, as well as technical services, manufacturing engineering, sales/marketing, and most recently product engineering. This path was guided by his drive for continued education. Stoffel began taking night classes early in his career to obtain an electrical journeyman license, and later an associate degree in electromechanical technology followed by a bachelor’s degree in business administration.

Throughout the years, Stoffel assisted Kondex in writing numerous patent applications, and is named on 15 published patents. This expertise combined with his engineering savvy provided the Company with a competitive advantage on several product lines. For more than two decades, Neal was actively involved with the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE). He became a trusted advisor in engineering advisory roles and guiding agricultural product standards.

“Neal’s contributions to the agricultural equipment industry over nearly a half century can hardly be overstated. His many patents and extensive industry standards work have changed the industry for the better in so many ways,” said Kondex President Keith Johnson. “His impact on Kondex is even more significant. So much of who we are today is the result of Neal’s work. The processes he helped develop and products he helped bring to market are all mainstays of our business today. On top of all that, Neal is just a fantastic individual. We wish him the best in his retirement.”

Holzem’s career with Kondex began in 2005. She too took on a variety of roles in her tenure. In addition to machine operation, she’s done a lot of painting, assembly, and packaging work. She enjoyed working with machines at a steady pace, and is proud to hold a perfect attendance record and to have never been late. She attributes this to her parents teaching her to work for what she wanted – a characteristic that was noticed by management.

“Anyone who has worked with Barb knows that she exhibits that old-school work ethic, where coming to work on-time and working hard all day is just the way you’re supposed to do things,” said VP of Manufacturing Brian Bloczynski. “Not only did Barb maintain consistently high production standards throughout her years, but she was also a standout contributor to both our 5S and CIP programs. She has a lot to be proud of and I thank Barb for her dedication to Kondex. She will be missed.”