Manufacturing: Breaking the Gender Stereotype South Dakota native Kristi Palecek enjoys the variety that her job as TruXedo General Manager offers her. “I like change and that’s why I like manufacturing, because there are no two days that are the same,” she explains. With constant opportunities and challenges, it’s as though she is always trying to put a puzzle together. Born in Brookings and raised in Elkton, SD she spent a semester of college in Crete, NE after graduating from Elkton High School. She then transferred to South Dakota State University in Brookings and there she obtained her degree in Consumer Affairs Business. Her husband’s horticulture degree brought them to Gurney’s in Yankton in 1994 and their family has been blessed with three children, now 16, 12 and 6 years old. Upon coming to Yankton, Palecek first started off as a counselor for Lutheran Social Services before taking a position at Gurney’s as a night shift foreman. She moved her way up to shipping manager when the facility closed. Palecek and her husband wanted to stay in Yankton, rather than move with Gurney’s, because it was a central location to their aging parents. After Gurney’s closure she worked at M-Tron for three years as a supervisor and supply chain manager and was able to train with lean concepts and learn techniques for eliminating waste within a manufacturing system. It was the lean concept training on Palecek’s resume that stuck out to Kelly Kneifl, incorporating Palecek into his vision to expand an automotive division within Shur-Co. Palecek was hired on at Shur-Co as a supervisor on the automotive side. TruXedo has been in Yankton’s market since 2000 and Palecek began her journey with the company in May 2003. Starting as a Production Supervisor for the assembly part, she oversaw the line where everything was put together. As TruXedo grew and began incorporating metal cutting, fabrication and sewing to the assembly area, Palecek oversaw those additions as well. Palecek moved up to become an Operations Manager and then General Manager. As the company expanded, she also took on additional responsibilities to oversee Purchasing, Engineering and Human Resources. Aside from the Vice President of Sales who is vMANUFACTURING continued on page 19 Insuring your life helps protect their future. Rhonda L Wesseln, Agent 1023 W 9th Street Yankton, SD 57078 Bus: 605-665-4411 rhonda@rhondainsuresyou.com 1311023 It can also provide for today. I’ll show you how a life insurance policy with living benefits can help your family with both long-term and short-term needs. We put the life back in life insurance. CALL ME TODAY. ™ State Farm Life Insurance Company (Not licensed in MA, NY or WI), State Farm Life and Accident Assurance Company (Licensed in NY and WI), Bloomington, IL HERVOICEvNOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2016v9