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March 2019 Service Anniversary Luncheon

March 13, 2019 we joyfully honored 16 Kalas associates who reached service anniversaries ranging from 5 – 40 years with Kalas. Collectively we celebrated 270 of service! It was a touching luncheon full of stories from years past, laughter and much congratulations. The luncheon reminded everyone present of how unique the heart of Kalas continues to be expressing how each individual felt like family. No matter the length of time each associate honored had worked at Kalas, they each shared a similar sentiment of feeling like they belonged, are valued and a vital part of our community. 

With honoring associates who spanned 20, 30 and even 40 years with Kalas, always delightful stories that arose from several family members who have seen Kalas grow over several decades. There were memories of antiquated manufacturing processes jokingly similar cavemen crafts, Kalas plants & buildings being built or shifted, jobs moving locations, and even comical nicknames of associates starting as “kids” only to now be referred to as the “old man”. 

Each luncheon honoring a unique group of associates proves to be special and this was no exception. Beyond the joy of years celebrated and memories shared at this luncheon, we honored our entire Human Resources department who’s anniversaries of 5, 20 & 30 years happen to coincide!

Join us in thanking each and every individual for their hard work, their character and their commitment to Kalas for so long. You are celebrated! 

Spring Service Anniversary Honorees

JAY H MILLER 40

BARRY L

STOLTZ

 40
DAVID N SHOWALTER 35
PENNY S HEMSLEY 30
DANIEL J STEFFY 30
KELLY A FASNACHT 20
CHRISTOPHER M WAGNER 20
MIRCEA GRIJINCU 15
CHERYL LYNN WEEPLE 15
LIBIA E TIBOCHA 15
ELIZABETH AUSTIN 5
CESAR SALAZAR 5
JARED KISCADDEN 5
BARRY WANNER SR 5
BARRY WANNER JR 5
MARK ELL 5

 Enjoy this collection of photos from our Spring anniversary luncheon. 

Kalas Family Breakfast Supporting Forgotten Friend

This past Saturday, Kalas hosted a Forgotten Friend Reptile event co sponsored by the Kalas Foundation. The event was a breakfast for all associates and their families in conjunction with a Forgotten Friend reptile show. The event was a hit for all ages from start to finish! Kalas associates enjoyed a hot breakfast and time together while Mr. Jesse, founder and president of Forgotten Friend Reptile Sanctuary performed a fun and educational reptile show.

Mr. Jesse brought reptiles of all varieties. There were iguanas, snakes large and small, lizards and more all open to interact with and even hold around the necks of some brave volunteers! Mr. Jesse’s mission when performing reptile shows is to educate viewers in order to trade fears around the animals for fun and a desire to care for reptiles in need. Outside of events like the one Kalas hosted, Forgotten Friend is a nonprofit reptile rescue and educational outreach in our community working towards the prevention of cruelty to animals. Since 2004, Mr. Jesse has be saving reptiles in need of homes. Once rescued, reptiles at Forgotten Friend are cared for, strengthened and helped to find new homes.

Shows just like Kalas’ event are offered by Mr. Jesse in schools, libraries, media outlets and more educating people of all ages and helping them exchange fears for laughs and wonder. All attendees to our event would be proud to say Mr. Jesse did just that! If you are interested in learning more about this fun event, the work of Forgotten Friend, or in adopting an a rescued animal, visit https://forgottenfriend.org/ to learn more and see where Mr. Jesse will be performing next.

Take a moment and enjoy the delightful photos from Saturday’s event below!

Celebrating Dave Johns

We are pleased to introduce our February featured associate: Dave Johns. Dave was hired in 2003 as a Financial Analyst by then Chief Financial Officer, Den Melnyk. Two years later, Dave was promoted to Controller, a position and set of responsibilities he maintains today. 

Dave said he has loved his career with Kalas from the very beginning and his appreciation for the company has only increased with time. “Since day one, I felt like I was working with family and friends,” he shared. And the feeling is mutual among Dave’s co-workers. “Dave is a knowledgeable professional who is well respected and just a really good guy – everybody loves Dave,” added Jeff Trees, Director of Engineering.

Throughout his storied career, Dave spent decades working for Fortune 500 companies. Over time, he began to feel those organizations were too large with too many layers and too much infra-structure to foster a personal connection between him and his co-workers or even the work itself. Growing regulations and lengthy job requirements generated a bureaucratic environment that felt less and less like a fit for him over time: which is ultimately what brought him to Kalas.

At Kalas, Dave said he felt like people were working together for a common purpose. It was the first place he had that experience. He said there were many times he wished he would have found Kalas immediately after college and said he can see why so many associates choose to spend their entire career at Kalas.

Upon reflection, Dave said there are countless aspects of working at Kalas he has valued throughout his tenure, but the people themselves are what has meant the most to him.

He has loved his role at Kalas too. As Controller, Dave has been able to work with a wide variety of functional areas. He has had the opportunity to work on bank agreements, refinancing endeavors, development, design and implementation of new systems, part profitability analysis, through-put accounting, our ERP project and countless other initiatives. What he has loved most, however, was the overall feeling that no matter what project he was supporting, his contributions were instrumental in helping the company evolve, improve and expand. Dave shared this sentiment with a spirit of gratitude and quickly added, “Kalas affords that opportunity to everyone.”

In 2019, Dave began his transition to a part-time schedule as he prepares for his retirement at the end of the year. He is excited for the increased schedule flexibility the new phase of life will afford him and looks forward to spending time with family & friends and traveling to new places. He is also eager to have more time for the many activities he enjoys – biking, swimming, walking, golfing and hiking – to name a few.

Dave has been an institution at Kalas. He is a beloved team member and his contributions are too great to list. We are grateful for the sixteen years he has shared with us and also that his time at Kalas is not quite over yet. We aren’t ready to say good-bye, but we are always willing to say THANK YOU to Dave!

Celebrating Associate Glenn Moyer Living Our Values

Our Kalas Core Values of caring, integrity, honest, respect, rewarding and giving are at the heart of our company. So, when we see associates who clearly take them on and live them out as their own, we celebrate them. This month, we’d like to introduce you to one of these special Kalas family members seeming to effortlessly live out all of our values… meet Glenn Moyer!

Glenn has been with Kalas for 40 years now! That’s a long time. Yet, when talking to him you can see why. There’s as much delight in his life around here today as perhaps 4 decades ago. Simply take a short walk with Glenn around the Lancaster manufacturing floor toward his work station and you’d likely hear positive stories from his life in the community, sense genuine humility, witness some smiling and laughing while he helps associates on the floor and all with an observable joy.

Glenn’s 40 year presence at Kalas has been a win for everyone. He is the perfect fit for his role in our family at the same time as his extraordinary character infuses the lives he touches here with every passing day. 

Glenn works out of our Lancaster plant as our Engineered Cable Products Division Maintenance Mechanic. Every day he arrives at the ready to fix and serve any associate or workstation in need of assistance. Glenn really enjoys working in our Lancaster location where he is at today. Every day is different. He never knows what tomorrow will bring. His work is full of surprise and challenges. And despite most of his work being unexpected, he loves the feeling that whatever arises he knows what to do to solve the puzzle and will “make it happen”. If ever a challenge or goal he sets for his day isn’t accomplished before he heads home, he even looks forward to coming in and working on it again the following day. His entire attitude toward his work and his 40 year career is one of serving the needs that arise and a willingness to always help as needed.

His attitude of joy, serving and living with integrity goes beyond our walls as well. Glenn actively serves in the Patriot Order Sons of America and is soon to become President of Camp 211 based out of Mohnton. He discovered this community after learning his grandfather served as well. It’s been almost a couple years now of him serving with this community devoted to upholding the Constitution, benefitting school systems and spreading brotherly well-being in the area they serve. He is also a member of various other organizations and local communities that are focused on improving the lives they touch, just like Kalas. 

There’s not one Kalas Core Value he doesn’t exhibit on a regular basis. Read through our values defined below and you can see why Glenn is a very special associate here.

Please thank Glenn Moyer the next time you see him for all of his life-giving energy he brings and has done so for over 40 years. Glenn, we are thankful for you and celebrate you!  

2018 Holiday Card Winners!

Thank you to all the children who participated in the Kalas annual Holiday Card contest. This year we had a handful of festive designs drawn by children of all ages representing associates from Lancaster and Denver locations.

And the winners are…! 

First prize went to Gabrielle, daughter of Jared Gamby, Bulk Wire Shipping Supervisor, Denver PA. 

Runners up were Elanor, daughter of Amanda Fleck, ECPD Account Manager, and Aubriana, daughter of Tina Dissinger, ECPD Master Cable Assembler.  

Thank you for sharing your talent and spreading the holiday cheer to Kalas associates, customers and friends!

Happy Holidays!

 

Celebrating Our Employees – December Honoree

To finish this year of celebrating our 60 year history as a company, we have one more special honoree we want to introduce you to… meet Gregory Fox! Greg works in Kalas’ Plant 2 operating Extruder #1. This year marks his 32nd year at Kalas. Starting in May 1987, Greg was hired to operate the very machine he gets to run today. Throughout his years he’s operated various machines at Kalas, but primarily Greg has been our sole Extruder #1 operator. His level of skill and experiential knowledge he brings to Extruder #1 after his 3 decade long history is unmatched.

In the past 32 years Greg has seen a lot of Kalas history. He started on his machine when Kalas was located all out of what is our current day Plant 1. He’s seen buildings acquired, additions constructed, machines moved including his own workspace and more. Another unique aspect of his long history is his having been able to see the changes in leadership as our three-generation company unfolded. Some of his favorite memories are when a past president Paul Witwer would regularly come around and shake every associate’s hand to personally thank them for their work at Kalas. He also remembered a funny moment when another Kalas company founder, Walter, scolded him for parking in Walter’s personal space! With 32 years of time, Greg would be full of memories like this. 

Through all of Greg’s years and considering every aspect of his career, the most meaningful thing about his longevity at Kalas are the men he gets to work with. When you consider 32 years of life, Greg has literally grown up with the men he works with on day shift. Most of the men he works with are his same age and have been with our company for almost as many years or more than Greg has. Not many people in any field of work can share that same depth of connection with their co-workers. Greg has enjoyed the longtime relationships with his coworkers and the security of his job for now over 30 years.

At Kalas we are incredibly grateful for men like Greg who display loyalty, hard work and appreciation for their time here. Join us in thanking Greg for his 32 years of hard work and for what he has brought to the Kalas family each and every day of his time here. We are thankful for you Greg!