Two honored for business achievements

Kristen Heck's compassionate leadership, impeccable character, focused rise from receptionist to one step away from business ownership, and devotion to business, community and family have earned respect from those near her.

Terry Kramer's commitment to building quality with integrity and instilling that ethic in his employees and subcontractors, combined with his eye-popping business growth, have earned him a name for honesty and reliability in the community.

The two earned this year's Businesswoman and Businessman of the Year awards from the Kalispell Chamber of Commerce.

They learned of the honors at Thursday night's 104th annual Chamber banquet in the Hilton Garden Inn, with a sellout crowd of 375. The theme for the night was "Glimpses of Glacier."

Heck, president and owner of LC Staffing, not only is motivated to succeed, branch manager Heidi Robison wrote in her nomination, but leads in a caring and appropriate way.

"She doesn't command respect of friends, family and business/community peers," Robison said, but "has earned that respect time and again. Kristen's depth of character is the greatest reason she should be honored this year."

Hope Pregnancy Resource Center Director Clair Beaver agreed, focusing on Heck's career growth from receptionist to a company leader.

"She isn't your ordinary person," Beaver wrote. "As much drive and focus as this accomplishment alone would take, she has also served on community boards, taken continuing education classes, been a wife and mother, and does it all with amazing grace and humility."

Her business leadership over the years that helped hire and promote good employees caught the eye of Terry Mitton.

"Kristen was a key player in creating the [Flathead] chapter for the Society of Human Resource Management which now has memberships in excess of 60," Mitton wrote.

Jeanne Ludwig spoke to Heck's understanding of the industry.

"She's highly motivated in education, mentoring and building lasting relationships," Ludwig wrote. "Her impeccable personal standards are reflected in her family, faith, community and friends."

Denise Smith lauded Heck's transition of LC Staffing away from a focus on labor contractors to a wide spectrum of employment opportunities.

"Kristen has built their Web site capabilities and expanded it to include head hunting for higher-paying jobs and getting Montana kids back to Montana to work. She designed a program to allow businesses the ability to hire employees per task rather than commit employers to longer term contracts that aren't always necessary," Smith wrote.

"Kristen embodies everything that a business owner in our community should strive to be."

Kramer, owner of the construction company Kramer Enterprises Inc., lives by his motto "Building Quality with Integrity," painting subcontractor Cynthia L. Blanc wrote in her nomination. His business acumen also drew her attention.

"In three years of business KEI has increased gross sales in excess of 425 percent," Blanc wrote, including a condominium complex that sold out before completion.

He increased employees from one to nine, raised total payroll by 500 percent, provided health insurance coverage in 2006 and initiated a matching IRA plan for employees, she said.

"In 2006 he worked with the State of Montana and started a state-registered carpenter's apprenticeship program, becoming only the second non-union company in the state to do so," she wrote.

"This shows his dedication to his employees to provide structured training and advancement opportunities."

He holds weekly safety meetings for each project and sends employees and some subcontractors for OSHA certification. "He truly cares about the health and welfare of all persons working on his projects," Blanc wrote.

She said Kramer is generous with pay raises, creative in offering job bonuses and quick to buy new tools when it makes the job easier, safer or more efficient.

"I know from speaking with his employees they all are dedicated and loyal and have confirmed that KEI is the place to work. They feel that Terry truly cares about them and is interested in their opinions, and that they are an integral part of the company," Blanc wrote.

"In an industry that currently is seeing a lot of Ôjob hopping,' KEI has never had an employee leave for another company."

He shows the same loyalty to subcontractors, Blanc said, and "has always shown his respect for our trades and businesses É He does his best to make everyone feel they are part of the team."

Client relationships are just as strong, she said, with repeat business demonstrating the respect he has built with them.

"Kramer Enterprise's quality and integrity as a company," Blanc said, "is a direct result of the quality and integrity of Terry as a businessman."

Other awards went to Ashley King of Three Rivers Bank, for Member of the Year, and Robbie Mathiason of CTA Architects Engineers, for Chairman of the Year.

Chamber officers for 2009 are Bob Schneider of First Interstate Bank, chairman; Terry Kramer of Kramer Enterprises, vice chairman; Jim Lehner, Plum Creek Timber Co., secretary/treasurer and Mark Lalum of CHS, immediate past chairman.