Way to go F.R.E.D.!
September 2023
Let's celebrate the September winners of the prestigious F.R.E.D. Award!
Your peers have spoken, and their nominations highlight the impact you've made on our company through your genuine dedication and passion. Each of you personifies the essence of Finding Real Employee Dedication (F.R.E.D.), and we're grateful to have you as a member of our team.
Congratulations to: Mary Jane Luebke (Seating, Quality, Shipping), Erick Hung (Casegoods Assembly), Emilie Schepers (Office), Neil Betz (Casegoods Components and Maintenance), and Nathan Broshears (Plywood)
Employee Spotlight!
This quarter we are pleased to spotlight Kenneth Qualkenbush from Casegood Assembly.
Kenneth started working at Indiana Furniture in August 2021 as an Assembly Builder, and he was promoted to Assembly Team Lead in May 2022. He has been instrumental in the move from Dubois, to the temporary Kitchen Jewels building, to the company’s newly built facility on the South Campus.
Kenneth’s family includes Ashley Looney (Indiana Furniture employee since 2012), Bryce, Keegan, Corbin, and dog, Zoey. Outside of work, Kenneth enjoys being outside, shooting guns, and fishing with the boys. His favorite place to travel is Colorado, TN.
We are thankful for Kenneth’s hard work and commitment to the company and his co workers.
When asked what he enjoys about working at Indiana Furniture, Kenneth said “The people that I work with, and the opportunity to always learn something new.”
Way to go F.R.E.D.!
August 2023
Let's give a round of applause to our remarkable August F.R.E.D. award recipients!
Their colleagues have recognized and celebrated their outstanding contributions, and it's evident that each of them goes above and beyond to achieve excellence. Their passion and dedication to our mission are truly appreciated!
Congratulations: Caleb Buse (Casegoods Assembly), Eric Birk (Seating, Quality, Shipping), Jenny Himsel (Office), John Hewitt (Casegoods Components and Maintenance), and Lena Kleeman (Plywood)
Over A Century of Business.
August 2023
Receiving the Indiana Governor’s 2020 Century Business Award was a source of immense honor and inspiration for us in 2020.
After a substantial delay caused by the pandemic, we are elated to finally have the award in our possession, reigniting our sense of pride and purpose.
The Governor’s Century and Half Century Business Awards honor Indiana businesses that have remained in operation for at least 100 or 50 years and have demonstrated a history of community service.
Way to go F.R.E.D.!
July 2023
Congrats to our July F.R.E.D. winners. We recognize F.R.E.D. winners for their exceptional leadership, creative problem solving, and dedication to helping other team members. We thank each of them with a plaque, balloon, trophy, and personal parking spot for the entire month!
F.R.E.D. stands for Finding Real Employee Dedication and these winners have been nominated by their peers for this award.
July Winners: Jennifer Wagner - Office, Kasey Allen - Seating, Shipping, Quality, Tyler Hedinger - Maintenance, Clint Garland – Plywood, and Johnathan Cardoso - Casegoods Assembly + Support
Way to go F.R.E.D.!
June 2023
Congrats to our June F.R.E.D. winners. We recognize F.R.E.D. winners for their exceptional leadership, creative problem solving, and dedication to helping other team members. We thank each of them with a plaque, balloon, trophy, and personal parking spot for the entire month!
F.R.E.D. stands for Finding Real Employee Dedication and these winners have been nominated by their peers for this award.
June Winners: Joe Randolph - Office, Tim Vogt - Seating, Wayne Webb - Casegood Components, Lewis Bradshaw – Plywood, and Adam Foll - Casegoods Assembly + Support
Employee Spotlight!
This quarter we are pleased to spotlight Shari Birk from Seating.
Shari started working at Indiana Furniture in March 2021 as a cutter. Her job is to cut leather and digitize the hides for the new Pathfinder machine. In Shari’s free time, she enjoys spending time with her
family (especially Adalyn), cooking, and helping on the family farm. Shari’s favorite travel spots are Florida and Tennessee.
When asked what Shari enjoys about working at Indiana Furniture, she shared “The people are friendly. We work as a team, from start until finish, to get the product out the door. The company shows appreciation for all that we do, and that makes my workday and job even better.”
We are thankful for Shari’s positive attitude, expertise, and the opportunity to get to know her better.
Shari’s family includes her husband Scott, daughter Amber, son in law Matt, and granddaughter Adalyn. She also has a pet donkey, Maxwell.
Way to go F.R.E.D.!
May 2023
Congrats to our May F.R.E.D. winners. We recognize F.R.E.D. winners for their exceptional leadership, creative problem solving, and dedication to helping other team members. We thank each of them with a plaque, balloon, trophy, and personal parking spot for the entire month!
F.R.E.D. stands for Finding Real Employee Dedication and these winners have been nominated by their peers for this award.
May Winners: Jill Persohn - Office, Brittney Adams - Seating, Judith Lane - Casegood Components, Brian Romine – Plywood, and Skyler Gifford - Casegoods Assembly + Support
Welcome and Congratulations!
Taylor Henry recently graduated from the CAP program at VU Jasper and accepted a full-time position with our maintenance team.
Prior to graduating, Taylor was an intern for Indiana Furniture giving her the opportunity to gain valuable experience while working on her Electronics Technology degree.
Congratulations Taylor!
The CAP Program
The Career Advancement Partnership (CAP) is a partnership between Vincennes University Jasper and local manufacturing companies allowing students to learn technical skills with a paid internship and earn a degree.
Way to go F.R.E.D.!
April 2023
Congrats to our April F.R.E.D. winners. We recognize F.R.E.D. winners for their exceptional leadership, creative problem solving, and dedication to helping other team members. We thank each of them with a plaque, balloon, trophy, and personal parking spot for the entire month!
F.R.E.D. stands for Finding Real Employee Dedication and these winners have been nominated by their peers for this award.
April Winners: Paula Schmidt - Office, Michelle Brown - Seating, Bob Smith - Casegood Components, Jeff Sillings – Plywood, and Seth Linne - Casegoods Assembly + Support
Cruise Into A Career With Indiana Furniture.
April 2023
We participated in the 2023 Career Cruise. This event gives students a hands-on engaging experience, teaches them about different career paths, and shows them how many opportunities we have locally.
A group of over 600 8th grade Dubois County students was thrilled to try our spray booth simulator. We use it to train new sprayers and offer current sprayers an opportunity to improve their techniques. The students were more than ready to learn. We were able to score each student and the highest scores won prizes. This was a great opportunity to show our future workforce how technology will shape their jobs and how we currently use technology in our facilities.
Our UV Finish Takes The Prize!
Q1 2023
We’re confident we have the best UV topcoat finish in the industry. It’s been tested time and time again in independent evaluations and offices everywhere. But now we have real validation of being the leader.
Our UV finish process and its end results placed third in a 5th grade Science Fair. So how did our finishes end up in a Science Fair? Last Summer, we had a visit from Melessa Redditt, our sales representative, with OED Marketing, covering the Mississippi region. She brought her entire family along, not only to experience our headquarters and facilities, but to also take in some of the wonderful sites and adventures within our community, including Holiday World.
During the visit her son, Samuel, took an interest in how our veneers are manufactured and finished. With a special tour guide—Dean Bromm, Director of Process Engineering & Finish—Samuel was able to get first-hand experience of our craftsmanship and quality. Samuel was inspired by everything he learned so when it came time for the annual Science Fair, there was no question what he would show. He asked the question “Are all wood finishes the same?” and then compared Polyuerathane against UV Finishes. With his newly gained knowledge and a steel wool test example, he was able to prove the greatness of our UV finish.
Congratulations Samuel for placing third at the fair and first in our hearts. We look forward to your next visit!
Way to go F.R.E.D.!
March 2023
Congrats to our March F.R.E.D. winners. We recognize F.R.E.D. winners for their exceptional leadership, creative problem solving, and dedication to helping other team members. We thank each of them with a plaque, balloon, trophy, and personal parking spot for the entire month!
F.R.E.D. stands for Finding Real Employee Dedication and these winners have been nominated by their peers for this award.
March Winners: Greg Dellinger - Office, Bob Baker - Seating, Vince Collins - Casegoods Components, Brooke Mundy – Plywood, and Stephanie Campbell - Casegoods Assembly
Employee Spotlight!
Q1 2023
This quarter we are excited to spotlight Danyal Schmitt from our Plywood facility. Danyal started working here in June 2018 and works on the Rover A2 machine. Danyal has two children, Zackary and Lilly, as well as two cats, Cloey and Footprint.
Her boyfriend is Daniel Huff, who also works at Indiana Furniture in Maintenance. In Danyal’s free time, she enjoys swimming, drawing, and crafting. Danyal likes to travel and explore new places. She also loves all things Batman.
When asked what Danyal enjoys about working at Indiana Furniture, she said “It’s a family friendly environment that continues to be a joy. I love my job and the fact I can come to work every day and learn new things. I can have fun and still be productive, which makes for a great work experience and environment.”
We are thankful for Danyal’s dedication, positive attitude, and the opportunity to get to know her better. Check out some of her outfits from costume days below.
Way to go F.R.E.D.!
February 2023
Congrats to our February F.R.E.D. winners. We recognize F.R.E.D. winners for their exceptional leadership, creative problem solving, and dedication to helping other team members. We thank each of them with a plaque, balloon, trophy, and personal parking spot for the entire month!
F.R.E.D. stands for Finding Real Employee Dedication and these winners have been nominated by their peers for this award.
February Winners: Adam Schipp - Office, Todd Orange - Seating, Steve Hendrix – Finish, Cheryl Merkley – Plywood Facility, and Becky Stafford - Assembly
Perfect? As A Matter of Fact, Yes!
February 2023
Today we celebrated those individuals who achieved PERFECT ATTENDANCE throughout the 2022 calendar year.
Punctual and present employees like these are the foundation to any successful company. Thank you for your contribution to our success.
#PerfectAttendance
Way to go F.R.E.D.!
January 2023
Congrats to our January F.R.E.D. winners. We recognize F.R.E.D. winners for their exceptional leadership, creative problem solving, and dedication to helping other team members. We thank each of them with a plaque, balloon, trophy, and personal parking spot for the entire month!
F.R.E.D. stands for Finding Real Employee Dedication and these winners have been nominated by their peers for this award.
January Winners: Tammy Wessel - Office, Angela Wininger - Mill Street Facility, Michael Seger – Finish, Stephanie Dunn – Plywood Facility, and Shawn Jones - Assembly
