Chippewa Valley Times

Greenheck Group has been recognized as the University of Wisconsin-Stout’s 2024 Employer of the Year. The Wisconsin-based manufacturing company, which employs over 5,000 people globally, has established a dynamic and collaborative relationship with UW-Stout. This includes employing more than 100 alumni and numerous interns annually while engaging with students year-round.

“We truly value the depth and breadth of Greenheck Group’s relationship with UW-Stout,” said Bryan Barts, Career Services director. “Our continued partnership spotlights the polytechnic approach of UW-Stout, and this award bookmarks the success by Greenheck Group in doing so.”

Tom Zompolas, a product development engineer at Greenheck Group and a 2013 graduate of UW-Stout, accepted the award on behalf of the company. He manages co-op students, represents Greenheck at career events, and oversaw a senior capstone engineering project.

Carrie Strobel, Chief Human Resources Officer at Greenheck Group, expressed gratitude for the recognition. “With more than 100 UW-Stout alumni who contribute their talents to our Greenheck Group team, our partnership with the university runs deep. We look forward to continuing this critical collaboration to empower the next generation of alumni who choose to pursue their career with us.”

During the 2023-24 academic year at UW-Stout, Greenheck Group actively recruited at biannual Career Conferences, hired nine students for co-ops and internships, sponsored a senior capstone engineering project, employed two student ambassadors to communicate employment opportunities and brand awareness, and participated on advisory committees for academic programs.

Greenheck Group's co-op program has been in place for over 30 years. Through UW-Stout’s Cooperative Education and Internship Program, students are paid competitive wages while earning academic credit. More than 1,000 students participate in this program annually.

A cybersecurity student intern was also hired this year as part of UW-Stout’s grant through the state Department of Workforce Development.

“Due to the nature of our industry – manufacturing – a strong majority of these students will work hands-on in our facilities or at our corporate headquarters for the most integrated experience. Many return for another term and eventually come on full time,” Strobel said.

One such intern is Sophia Moen, a 2023 business administration graduate who worked in human resources before returning as a talent development specialist. “I was able to network with a variety of individuals, expand my knowledge in human resources and complete projects that challenged me. Greenheck Group has a phenomenal culture,” Moen stated.

Interns participate in company-wide orientation sessions where they engage in problem-solving tasks such as constructing "buddy benches" for community partners. They also take on significant roles including product testing and launches and have contributed to facility expansion designs and new automated machinery implementations.

They also partake in Fundamental Fridays during summer to learn more about the company and industry. At term-end presentations provide an opportunity for feedback aimed at helping them grow professionally.

Previous recipients of UW-Stout's Employer of the Year award include Menards (2021), Fastenal (2022), and Heartland Business Systems (2023).

Applied learning collaborations like those between Greenheck Group and UW-Stout are central to Wisconsin's Polytechnic University's mission. The co-op program collaborates with around 750 companies annually contributing significantly to student success rates; recent data shows an overall employment rate for graduates at 99% with an average starting salary of $58,000—both best-in-region figures according to Career Services’ First Destination report.

UW-Stout's Career Conferences further drive student success by hosting over 300 companies from across the United States each fall and spring aiming primarily at recruiting students into full-time positions or internships; these events rank among Upper Midwest's largest such gatherings.

###