Becker Middle School held their first-ever Career Day Tuesday afternoon and invited 24 businessmen and women, owners of businesses, farmers and military people, to name a few, to present their careers to sixth, seventh and eighth graders.
The presenters were given 20-25 minutes to present who they are and what they do, then field questions from the students and even the teachers. Some presenters used PowerPoint visuals while others used props and equipment to color their presentations.
The presenters and their bios appear below:
Frank Kasowski Jr. - Farming
Kasowski and his family have been farming in the Becker area for over 30 years and they currently also have farms in North Dakota. Kasowski is also a Becker graduate.
Pete Ewing - Farming
Ewing and his family have been farming in this area for many years. His grandfather and dad started farming in Big Lake in 1950. Pete’s wife, Brenda, is a Becker graduate and they have children who attend Becker schools.
Chad Rhoads - LSS
Rhoads has an extensive background working with Becker schools on many mental health initiatives. He is currently the regional operation director for Lutheran Social Services in St. Cloud.
Andy Norgaard - Military
Norgaard is a Becker graduate who also served his country on overseas deployments in the military. He is currently the rental equipment manager at General Rental in Monticello.
Norgaard currently lives in Becker.
Jeremy Pederson - Military
Pederson is a Becker graduate who was also a state championship wrestler for the Bulldogs in 2003. After high school, he was a US Marine for 10 years where he also wrestled. Also, Pederson participated as a wrestler in two Olympic trials and was a member of the world games team.
Pederson currently serves as a regional sales manager for Red Bull where he is responsible for accounts in a five state region.
Jeff Knutson - Construction
Knutson is a Becker graduate who attended Dunwoody Institute in the Twin Cities for his drafting and construction estimating degree. He started working for Country Lumber over 30 years ago and has worked himself up to now be the president of the company.
Todd Schuster - Law Enforcement
Schuster has worked for the Sherburne County Sheriff’s Dept. for 16 years.He went to Alexandria for a two-year college degree and is originally from Owatonna.
Brent Baloun - Law Enforcement
Baloun has been a law enforcement officer for 27 years. Currently he serves as the Becker Chief of Police. Baloun has been the chief since 2006.
Baloun has had several different roles in law enforcement over his years.
Brandon Buesgens -Chiropractor
Dr. Buesgens is the owner and clinical director for Becker Spine. He is an alumnus of Gustavus Adolphus College and Northwestern Chiropractic College. Dr. Brandon works with his wife here in Becker in an office next to Becker Furniture World.
Brent Scheideman - Chiroprator
Dr. Scheideman, has been a chiropractor since 2000. He worked as an associate doctor for five years before venturing out to begin Scheideman Chiropractic and Body Shop in 2006.
Dr. Scheideman loves working with student/athletes and helping them prepare for competitions.
Jason Kindred - Engineering
Kindred is an engineer who works for Xcel Energy. He is a general manager at the nuclear power plant in Monticello. Kindred is also a member of the Becker School Board.
Ryan Hubbard - Electrician
Hubbard attended Anoka Technical College and furthered his education after that to become a master electrician. He is a Becker graduate who now owns Hubbard electric in Becker.
Lonnie Spear - Electrician
Spear attended the North Dakota School of Science and Technology in Wahpeton. He currently lives in Becker and serves as a project foreman for Hubbard electric.
Senthan Rajalingam “Raj” - Engineering
Rajalingam attended school at the University of Minnesota and earned a degree is Biosystems and Bioproducts Engineering. He is currently working for Liberty Paper as a process engineer.
Amy Stanger - Realtor
Stanger studied real estate and took several courses related to this field. She then took and passed two different tests to become a licensed real estate agent, a career she has enjoyed for 17 years. She works for Edina Realty and is a member of both the masters and presidents circle, which place her among the best of the best elite agents within her entire company. She and her husband live in Becker.
Matt & Lindsay Marquette - Realtors
Matt & Lindsay are entrepreneurs working in both real estate as well as general contractors. They currently reside in Becker and have children who attend Becker High School.
Nate Bucher - Ministry
Bucher previously was a second grade primary teacher at Becker Primary School. This year, Bucher followed his dream of becoming a pastor and is now serving as the associate pastor at Becker Baptist Church.
Ian Holmes - Service
Holmes is the golf service manager at Pebble Creek Golf Course. Holmes runs the pro shop and works with Josh Kuha, who is general manager for parks & recreation and the Becker Community Center.
Morgan Molitor - Interior Design
Morgan owns a remodeling, interior styling, and small media company, called Construction 2 Style that was started in 2012. Construction 2 Style started off as a DIY blog and has since evolved into a full service design and building interior residential and small media company.
Jeremy Pudlick -Sherco
Pudlick graduated from Becker high school In 1996. He has worked for Xcel Energy at the Monticello Nuclear generating plant for 11 years. He started in the facilities department as a plant helper.
Jeremy has worked in operations for 10 years and now is a control room supervisor.
Luke Fox - Social Work
Fox is a graduate from Becker High School and currently works in the Avon School District as a school social worker at Avon Elementary School.
Victoria Johannes - Social Work
Johannes is a Becker resident. She currently works for Sherburne County Health and Human Services.
Johannes also serves on the Becker TRAK committee that works closely with the community on helping the youth.
Gerry Bass - Ministry
No info available.
