CHS is at the core of where I am today as a leader, team member, and business owner—though if you’d asked me back then, I might have said something different.

Growing up in Canby, I was convinced that after high school, I’d head straight for a corporate job in the Twin Cities. Moving back to a rural community? No way. If you’d told 18-year-old me I’d be building a business in a small town, I’d have laughed. Rural areas didn’t seem to have much to offer, or so I thought.

Fast forward 16 years, and let me just say—I was very wrong. I was brought back to Canby by a “career detour”. On my 25th birthday, I learned the company I worked for went bankrupt and I was unemployed. Some people have mid-life crises; I had a quarter-life crisis! I packed up and moved home. With bills to pay and no income, I began freelancing for ag cooperatives in the surrounding areas. What began as a temporary side gig turned into a full-service marketing agency, serving agri-businesses, community banks, and rural businesses across the region.

That time was stressful, but the values I learned at CHS and from growing up in our rural corner of the world—sense of community, integrity, resilience, hard work, and a healthy dose of grit—helped me turn a challenging situation into something great. These were values I saw every day from my parents, teachers, coaches, and community members, and I still draw on them today as a leader, business partner, and teammate.