Jacobson recognized by Chamber

Karla Jacobson, a busy mother of five from Sheyenne, is also the Office Manager at North American Bison, LLC (NAB) and auditor for the City of Sheyenne. This tireless, hard-working lady is the New Rockford Area Chamber of Commerce's Employee of the Month for March.

Karla began her role as office manager of the company in August 2004 when it was known as the North American Bison Cooperative. She started just months after her second child was born, and she has held that same position for nearly 14 years. Her job title may not have changed, but the role certainly has. She said more responsibilities have been added to her plate as the company evolves and aims to be more efficient. Her primary roles are payroll, accounting and human resources. She also now handles some of the purchasing.

Karla said that the flexibility offered by NAB is very important to her, and for good reason. Her children are active in many sports and activities at school, church and within the community. Karla makes managing the family's hectic calendar look effortless. No doubt it takes some expert maneuvering of her work schedule to accomplish that.

Vice President of Operations Mike Jacobson joined the company in 2013 as it transitioned from a cooperative to an LLC. He said Karla has been a key to the success of the company.

"We're a small company and we wear a lot of hats," he said. "She's the face of the company in the community."

NAB has seen a change in leadership recently, with the addition of Mike in 2013 and the transition to a new President and CEO in January 2015, when Tom Riemann 25 years in business in 2018, and the only direction to go is forward, according to Mike. "It's about making a better future," he asserted. And if the immediate past is any indication, good things are to come. "In 2017, we had the best year we've ever had in all 25 years we've been open," he noted. That's good news for the community, as NAB is one of the largest employers in Eddy County.

Karla's work isn't over when she leaves the bison plant for the day. She also utilizes her organizational skills as auditor for the City of Sheyenne. She has held that role for three or four years. When asked why she applied for the position, she joked and said, "Because I needed another job." After a laugh, she shared that she had previously been interested in the position.

"I thought it would be interesting to learn more about city government and how that works," she recalled. So, when the position came open a few years ago, she was excited to apply. In addition to handling all the financial matters of the city, she records the minutes of the city meetings and prepares utility billings.

Have you experienced exceptional service at a business in New Rockford, Sheyenne or elsewhere in Eddy County? If so, nominate the person who provided that service for this award. Nomination forms are available online at http://www.cityofnewrockford.com/chamber and in the table tents at local businesses. Or simply send an email to [email protected] with the person's name, business and reasons why that person deserves recognition.