MEMBER SPOTLIGHT
Mid-County Coop is vital to the success of Payton Claire Express
Mid-County Coop offers services integral to the operations of many who utilize them . That is certainly the case for Payton Claire Express , an over-the-road trucking company based in Plato .
The family-owned trucking company , owned by Jeff and Jill Kohls , gets its name from the middle names of the couple ’ s two daughters , Payton and Claire . The business delivers pop , beer , cheese , and rice throughout Minnesota , Tennessee , and Louisiana .
With all that hauling , Payton Claire ’ s 15 trucks and approximately 45 trailers constantly need maintenance and repairs . This is where Mid-County comes in .
Payton Claire Express has been a member of the Mid-County Coop for the past 13 years , and Jeff Kohls said that Mid-County had become a valuable asset to his business .
Mid-County provides a wide variety of maintenance services to both its trucks and trailers .
“ We ’ re there every day , and they are working on at least one piece of our equipment almost on a daily basis ,” Kohls said . “ Whether it be tires , mud flaps , brakes , airbags , all of the maintenance stuff .”
Kohls also said that any time he has Mid- County perform work on his equipment , he knows it will be a quality job done in a timely turnaround , which helps to keep his trucks and trailers on the road at all times .
Kohls trusts the work of Mid-County so much so that he said he does not even call for a price when in need of maintenance or repairs , as he always trusts that it will be good work done for a fair price .
According to Kohls , his trust in the coop comes from his belief that Mid-County prioritizes customer loyalty . This trust has allowed him to form a good relationship with the coop and its employees , such as Mid-County Shop Foreman Corey Eischens .
“ They ’ re very enjoyable to work with , and Eischens is one of the best . If I had to go and find another service company that does what they do , this would take a dramatic amount of enjoyment out of this job ,” he said . “ I get to park a couple of trailers on their lot , and I just make a phone call to Corey or walk in the building and ask them to take a look at it , and they take care of me . It ’ s priceless . Where else can you find that ?”
Kohls also noted that he appreciates the good work that the coop does for him because he understands how much work it does for its many other members .
“ I can ’ t tell you how many trailers and trucks they do during the spring and summer . They do a vast amount of MNDOT work , and it ’ s not just local . They have people coming from all over because they have that nice big shop , and they are good at it ,” he said .
Kohls said he loves his relationship with Mid-County and never wants it to end .
“ I hope they are helping me until I no longer need them , and that will be because I am no longer in the business .”
Introducing New Staff Members
Tobby Schauer - Custom Applicator
Toby was born and raised in Lincoln , NB .
After graduating from high school , he found himself traveling the US working as a heavy equipment operator . A relationship brought him to Minnesota , along with his
love of hunting and fishing .
He said right now , at Mid-County , he is a jack of all trades but is officially part of the Mid-County agronomy staff .
He said he loves what he is doing and looks forward to moving up and doing more for the company in the future .
Becky Wetzel - Admin Assistant
Becky is an Administrative Assistant at Mid County Coop .
Rich Ritter - Agronomy Support
Rich is originally from Oakdale but now resides in Watertown .
After retiring from the St . Paul Fire Department , he was looking for something to keep himself busy part-time that was flexible , and that ’ s when he found Mid-County Coop .
He was hired as part-time agronomy support . Rich said he loves working at Mid- County and enjoys his fellow employees .
In his spare time , Rich likes to hunt and fish .
She graduated from North Dakota State University , in Fargo , with a degree in Animal Science .
When not at work , she enjoys farming with her parents , spending time with friends , caring for her animals , and being outdoors .
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