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Gerry Nelson retires from StoneL
Published 12:00 p.m., July 6, 2009
Ask Gerry Nelson what he’ll miss most about StoneL and his answer is simple: his co-workers.
“We have terrific people,” said Nelson, who spent his last day with the Fergus Falls company last week. “People around here still have a work ethic. If you treat them right, they’ll treat you right.”
Nelson’s retirement comes 20 years after he founded StoneL with Wally Stommes, the company’s president. A lot has changed since then, Nelson said, but what’s remained is a commitment to quality, technology-forward products.
A self-described farm boy, Nelson grew up on 80 acres near Barrett. In school he liked science and math, and after attending North Dakota State College of Science, Nelson earned a degree in mechanical engineering at North Dakota State University. He went to work for DuPont in Clinton, Iowa, and later a chemical company near Chicago before returning to lakes country to work for Proximity Controls. There Nelson and Stommes were co-workers before founding StoneL in 1989.
Changes in valve technology over the past 20 years have meant the company has had to evolve, too. StoneL manufactures switches and sensors that monitor valves for different kinds of processing plants. These products send electronic messages to the plant’s control room about the status of the valves, which are controlled remotely. Initially StoneL produced only individual switches, Nelson said, but emerging technology in the early 1990s allowed manufacturers to connect a series of switches to one network. Wireless technology has also changed the capabilities of individual switches.
StoneL’s product development got a boost after the company was acquired by Finland-based Metso Corporation in 2000. StoneL put out 60 new products in the year after its purchase by Metso, Nelson said, and the Finnish company also helped develop the StoneL brand and a new building. The new facility, located across from the old building off of U.S. Highway 59 and County Road 88, opened last fall.
In his retirement, Nelson says he would like to find a way to help students learn more about careers in engineering and manufacturing.
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The Daily Journal is happy to host community conversations about news and life in Fergus Falls and the surrounding area. As hosts, we expect guests will show respect for each other. That means we don't threaten or defame each other, and we keep conversations free of personal attacks. Those who persist with racist, defamatory or abusive postings risk losing the privilege to post. To post a comment you will need to register. Or, if you're already registered but have not included your true, verifiable identity with your registration, you will need to update your account to include your identity. Effective Dec. 1, 2009, all posts appear with the commenter's true identity, which must be verified by site staff. Those who registered prior to Dec. 1, 2009, should be aware that once you update your information with your true identity, all prior posts under your user name will also indicate your true identity. If you do not wish to link yourself to prior comments, you should register again with a different user name.Posted by rodentboy (anonymous) on July 6, 2009 at 1:15 p.m. (Suggest removal)
gary and stonel always tries to keep all it's work local if possible and i thank them for that.
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