The Blue Earth Chamber of Commerce announced that Kibble Equipment Inc., a John Deere dealership, is the 2016 Business of the Year, reports the Faribault County Register. 

The dealership will be honored during the chamber's annual banquet on Friday, Jan. 15. Previously, Detke-Morbac, the dealership was acquired by Kibble in May 2013 and opened a new facility in June 2015. The new facility created 18 more jobs for the community, and increased the dealership's customer base by up to a 50 mile radius. 

According to the article,

Craig Krysan, store lead/ sales manager at KEI in Blue Earth, says it is quite an honor to receive the Business of the Year award.

"It is just really impressive to me to see that the community we work in is recognizing us so early on. That only means that we have even more of an opportunity to positively impact our service area in many years to come," says Krysan.

Community is a big and important part of KEI's service Krysan says.

"Service is always number one for us. Not only do we try to be stewards and supporters of the Blue Earth area with charity events and other community-based opportunities," he says, "but our customers are very close to us, too."

One of the store's most recent, more hands-on events was just this past December. Santa came to visit the John Deere dealership, while snacks and sleigh rides were also available for members of the community.

Jim Nauman, parts manager for KEI, attested to the role community members have at the local John Deere retailer.

"When our customers have children, we get to know them and watch them grow, and get to know our customers and their families very well," says Nauman. "These people are like family to us more than they are just customers."

Krysan says there is much more to come in KEI's future.

"Not only are we hoping to expand our client base in the future, but we are ready to develop even more relationships with the people in our community. It's just nice to be recognized as a new and growing business," says Krysan.

 

You can read the complete article, here.