But whenever possible, young Brenke hightailed outside to hike in the woods or hunt with one of his cousins. Family time often meant plunking down at a relative’s house for good cheer, food, and a few hands of Buck Euchre. “I’ve shot many deer with bow and arrow,” Brenke says. He spent his free time listening to the whir of arrows as he hunted squirrel, rabbit and pheasant. With woods skirting the farm, Brenke put to use his favorite childhood possession, a long bow, which he still has. Brenke became surrounded by ducks and geese flying about, tail-wagging dogs, a few squealing pigs, sheep, and chickens. They had one pet, a parakeet, until Brenke hit 12 years old and they moved to a farm. Peter, Minnesota, 66-year-old Brenke grew up in Le Sueur with his parents and younger sister. For 21 years running, Qualified Remodeler, another home improvement magazine, has listed them in the top 200 largest remodeling companies in the country.īorn in St. Named in the Big 50 of Remodeling Magazine for quality work on a national level, Schmidt Siding & Window has an aim to satisfy every customer. The company’s commitment shines in the trophies gracing the shop. Everyone who works there, salesperson or installer, has this slogan instilled in their minds from day one on the job, he says. “Our motto is, ‘Exceed expectations, create customers for life,’” Brenke says. It’s become a quote as customary as the fixtures around the workplace: we’re not out to close a sale, but to open a relationship. Today, owning a half stake in Schmidt Siding & Window, CFO and Marketing Manager Brenke and the rest of the company still live and breathe teamwork and customer relations. He brought that lifestyle with him, pumping gas at Bernie’s One Stop service station in Mankato in 1971, and that same year to the Fireplace Shop, an affiliate of Schmidt Awning & Siding Company (now Schmidt Siding & Window Company), where Brenke’s career took off. Brenke says, “I used to watch my superiors and see how they related to people, how they treated others and interacted with fellow employees.”īrenke knew then the approach wasn’t just a concept, but a way of life for any good business. It’s been a long time since Dale Brenke counted the precise number of leaves on each stalk of corn as he did for the research and development staff of Green Giant in Le Sueur, Minnesota but he seized something almost magical from that summer job in the ‘60s, something hard to beat. Photo: Kris Kathmann 2 nd Place: Business Person of the year 2015 Co-owner’s enthusiasm, high standards, and genuine kindness take him the distance in a home improvement business that’s gained national recognition.
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