Photo by Sarah Stultz/Graphic by Stacey Bahr
From left in the back row are Larry Irvine, Jerry Hickman and Marty Little. Front row from left are Deb Steinfeldt and Jeanne Huggins. These were five of dozens of AgStar employees who volunteered after the June 17 tornadoes.
By Sarah Stultz
Whirlwind Warriors
sarah.stultz@albertleatribune.com
BLUE EARTH — Just hours after multiple tornadoes touched down in Freeborn County on June 17, 2010, AgStar Financial Services employees sprung into action. Deb Steinfeldt, AgStar financial services officer, said staff received calls right away that evening from loan officers who had heard that some of
the company’s clients had been hit. They wanted to help. AgStar, a financial cooperative that operates in Minnesota and Wisconsin with a location in Blue Earth, serves many clients in rural Freeborn County. “They’re clients, but they’re friends, too,” said Larry Irvine, team leader at the Blue Earth office. “We’ve worked with some of these people for at
least 30 years.” Little did they know at that time that they had at least 70 clients who were affected to varying degrees. There were homes flattened, buildings destroyed and fields that were ravaged. With corn a little over a foot tall, they also recognized it was important to pick up any and all debris from the fields as soon as possible, or it might be too late to replant, said
financial services officer Jerry Hickman. Employees went to work helping anyone and everyone they could — client or not. On Friday, June 18, the staff ordered 40 to 50 pizzas and drove around, delivering food to people in need and the volunteers who were helping them. Steinfeldt said the company called everyone who worked at the Blue Earth
office and asked them to help. Nearly everyone who was not on vacation or on leave participated. The Blue Earth office even closed Monday, June 21, to give employees the chance to help. Then it mushroomed to the rest of the company. “People came in droves,” Hickman said. AgStar employees from all over the state and even in Wisconsin drove to Freeborn County to vol-
Hero: Larry Irvine
Hero: Marty Little
Hero: Jeanne Huggins Hero: Jerry Hickman
Secret identity: team leader Base of operations: AgStar, Blue Earth office Superpowers: has a passion for doing what’s right Kryptonite: has a soft heart for his grandchildren Affiliations: wife, Janice, four children, four grandchildren Origin: worked for AgStar for 32 years
Secret identity: financial services officer Base of operations: AgStar, Blue Earth office Superpowers: putting clients first Kryptonite: has a passion for raising high-quality cattle Affiliations: wife, Arlene, two children Origin: Worked for AgStar for 25 years
Secret identity: crop insurance specialist Base of operations: AgStar, Blue Earth office Superpowers: a passion for her clients Kryptonite: chocolate Affiliations: husband, Tony, four children Origin: Worked in crop insurance with AgStar for 11 years
Secret identity: financial services officer Base of operations: AgStar, Blue Earth office Superpowers: feels good to help other people Kryptonite: his love for his family Affiliations: wife, Jan, four children, three grandchildren Origin: worked for AgStar for 33 years
unteer picking up debris or with other duties that needed to be completed. Some days there were between 70 and 100 employees who volunteered. This continued for a few weeks. The crews would meet at an Alden gas station off of Interstate 90 each morning before venturing out. Steinfeldt coordinated 4Warriors, Page 5
Hero: Deb Steinfeldt Secret identity: financial services officer Base of operations: AgStar, Blue Earth office Superpowers: organizational and people-person skills Kryptonite: sometimes is too passionate in her job, gives too much of herself, loves chocolate Affiliations: husband, Monte, two children Origin: worked for AgStar for 15 years
Inside Past business heroes
Meet the line workers
Four men were quite instrumental in business in Albert Lea during the late 1800s and early 1900s. The four men prospered in their various businesses in Albert Lea.
Alliant Energy and Freeborn-Mower Co-op line workers fixed downed power lines across Freeborn County after the June 17 tornado outbreak.