Janet has been with Red Wing Software for almost ten years, helping customers with their Customer Care Membership renewals. If you are a Red Wing Software customer, you’ve probably spoken with Janet! She has worked in the customer service field for years, including working at The Toro Company and Polaris Industries, both Minnesota grown companies. I asked Janet to put together something, so the many customers she speaks with every day can get to know her better. Here’s what she had to say!

“You may have noticed by my Minnesota accent, I was born and raised in Minnesota. Living in Minnesota is truly interesting and the climate is always changing, from 13 inches of snow on May 2nd to almost 99 degrees on September 9th, all in 2013. In my spare time, I like to garden, and that sometimes includes removing buckthorn off my property in Red Wing….which isn’t easy. I have two daughters, with the oldest one getting married next year. As you all know, wedding planning isn’t easy and getting everyone on the same idea is next to impossible. Hopefully, the weather will cooperate for a May 2014 wedding with no snow.”

“I am an avid outdoor enthusiast and animal lover. Arabian horses are my first passion with Bon Jovie being born on my farm 27 years ago. He is still as full of life as the day he was born. Bon Jovie was a top ribbon winner in Arabian halter for years, and he’s now a loving pasture pet. Last year my husband Tom and I purchased a Border Collie named ‘Boots’. What a smarty he has turned out to be. It is true they are a very smart breed of dog, never a dull moment at our house with Boots! I also love to kayak and fish on the Flambeau River in Wisconsin and eat fresh walleye. At our cabin on the Flambeau River, there are always family and friends stopping in. The biggest problem is catching enough walleye to feed everyone. ”

Many Red Wing Customers have spoken with Chad Glover. He helps customers move (”migrate”) to newer Red Wing Software programs. Chad has been with Red Wing Software for eight years. I caught up with Chad to see what he has to say about helping Red Wing Software customers. Do you have any tips for Red Wing Software customers thinking about upgrading to a newer program? Do your homework by attending an online software demonstration. Keep an open mind and stay positive through the process. The new software is going to be different, but different is not a bad thing. Call and ask questions - that’s what we’re here for.

What’s your favorite part of your job?

My favorite part of my job is the people I work with, both my coworkers and customers. I especially enjoy traveling and being able to meet our customers face-to-face.

What is the biggest obstacle customers face when upgrading, and how can they avoid it?

The biggest obstacle in upgrading is the fear of the unknown. This can be avoided by asking questions, viewing our training videos, and following the steps we have in place to make the transition as smooth as possible.

On a more personal note, you and your wife recently became first-time parents. How are you enjoying parenthood?

Yes, my wife Rachel and I have a wonderful six-month-old boy, named Brik. He is growing up fast and things have changed a lot in our house. I love every minute of it, especially that first smile he gives me every morning. I could not think of a more perfect way to start my day.

My name is Tim Bergeson and I have been with Red Wing Software for 20 years. I’ve been in the Technical Support department the entire time, and since April of 2013 I have taken over in the position of Support Manager.

My previous accounting experience working with businesses and farms helped tremendously when I came to work for Red Wing Software, and combining that with the great accounting software Red Wing Software offers has made this a great position for me.

I’m married and have two children. My wife is Nicole, son Justin (27), and daughter Britney (13).

In my time off I enjoy hunting, fishing, ATVs and anything dealing with classic cars.

My name is Larry Kirkpatrick, and I work in the Technical Support department at Red Wing Software. I have worked for Red Wing Software two different times: from 1981-1985, and then I came back in 1997 and have been here since then. The quality of the people I work with and service at Red Wing Software is incredible and I think it shows to our customers. I still talk to customers today who I talked to back in the 1980s. I am married and have two kids. My son Ian is 30, and my daughter Keli is 27.

When I am not working, I love to spend time with family and friends and my two dogs Kiska, a yellow lab, and Will, my boxer who has been a challenge since he was born deaf. One of them has to go everywhere with me. I also have a passion for rebuilding old cars and motorcycles, or as my wife says, ‘anything with a motor’. My wife and I have had an exciting past year. In June, my daughter was married, and two weeks later we decided to sell our larger family home and downsize to a smaller one with more property. We are finally settling in and enjoying our new home.

By Stephanie Elsen

Carole Thuringer joined Red Wing Software’s support team 16 years ago. Carole has been an asset to Red Wing Software in a variety of ways over the years. After several years of working on the support team, she managed a network of reselling partners. She then went on to start and develop the ‘How2’ documentation system and videos, and then also created and launched Red Wing Software University (RWSU) which customers still use every single day. Most recently, Carole has taken on the role of Staff Accountant, though she continues to work on the RWSU, the testing of new products, and helping with migration processes.

Carole has a 13-year-old daughter named Zoe, who is a straight A student, excels in track, and loves to participate in plays. Carole also just celebrated her fourth wedding anniversary with her husband John. In their spare time, the three of them enjoy family activities. Carole says, “The three of us love trail riding with our ATVs and our Arabian horses. We used to compete at horse shows almost every weekend each summer, but have switched gears in the past couple of years to Competitive Mounted Orienteering. Never heard of it? Think of a timed scavenger hunt through the woods on horseback using an old-fashioned map reading compass! This year, we are also expanding our horizons and will be competing in 25 and 50-mile endurance rides with our horses.”