Author Archive

Safety Training Saves a Life

Wednesday, July 31st, 2019

Being prepared when opportunity strikes can yield powerful results. When it comes to safety at Egan Company, the same notion rings true – we prepare our employees for any safety situation. Recently at a customer jobsite, the preparation and heroics of Tanner Knutson, Egan Electrical Field Leader, and Ray Turner, Egan Electrical Journeyman, led to the ultimate result – a saved life.

A Quick and Selfless Response

An average Monday took an unexpected turn when another contractor onsite went into cardiac arrest on the job of Knutson, Turner, and the Egan crew. Reacting immediately to their safety training, Knutson and Turner initiated CPR along with an employee from the other contractor within moments of the collapse. Conrad King, Egan Electrical Field Leader, called 911 while the remainder of the Egan crew assisted EMS arrival and clearing the area.

It has been confirmed that undoubtedly the CPR onsite is what saved our employee’s life. We would like to give a special thanks to Egan’s crew for their selfless assistance in performing CPR,” said a representative of the contractor. “It was truly amazing to see the training these employees have been through come to light and be performed just like textbook. Our employee is now recovering at home and is extremely thankful to the crew who saved his life.

Training for Life

Safety is a core value we believe in and invest resources to continue building on its success. As a company, we encourage both office and field employees to further their safety education through online training programs and classes (like CPR and First-Aid), and onsite trainings because, just like Knutson and Turner, we need to always be prepared. Whether it’s at work or at the family cabin, our goal is for all employees to have the confidence to take action.

Consistency and Customer Service Awarded by Hormel

Thursday, July 25th, 2019

New or existing, big projects or service calls, serving our customers is what drives us. And, occasionally, we’re fortunate enough to be recognized for our work at some of the state’s most identifiable companies like Hormel Foods in Austin, Minn.

This June, Hormel awarded Egan Company and a few other contractors with its Spirit of Excellence Award for 2018. Honorees are qualified for the Spirit of Excellence Award based on various criteria including meeting performance requirements, making on-time deliveries, and providing high-level customer service.

This award marks the third time in four years that Egan’s team has taken home the Spirit of Excellence Award since acquiring Kestner Electric in 2015. Kestner’s long-standing relationship with Hormel prior to acquisition was also well-decorated.

In the press release announcing this year’s award winners, Curtis Southard, Director of Purchasing for Hormel Foods said, “We are proud to partner with these suppliers. They play a key role in helping us deliver inspired food to people around the world and in achieving our key results.”

Fun Fact: Kestner’s first project at Hormel Foods was in 1983!

Over the River and Through Winona

Thursday, July 25th, 2019

This summer Egan’s Southern Minnesota team capped off its two-year project on Winona’s historic bridge.


The city of Winona is nestled along the Mississippi River Valley roughly 100 miles southeast of the Twin Cities. Known for its picturesque bluffs and small town charm, a few of Winona’s most recognizable landmarks are highlighted by Sugar Loaf, a rock pinnacle created by quarrying in the 19th century, and a symbolic pair of bridges that connect Minnesota to Packer Country.

Though its formal name is the Main Channel Bridge, these two bridges are more commonly known as the historic bridge (opened during WWII in 1942) and the new bridge (opened in 2016 – located slightly upstream from its counterpart). Following the opening of the new bridge, the historic bridge closed for necessary rehabilitation. Now, after more than six years of construction, both bridges are finally complete.

Egan’s Southern Minnesota team got the opportunity to provide its electrical expertise on the city’s historic bridge during portions of the rehabilitation process. Much of the team’s work was completed by tying-off to the barrier walls of the bridge making it more challenging.

The scope included all power and communication on the bridge for roadway and aircraft lighting, and navigational beacons. In addition, Egan installed 150+ aesthetic lights that illuminate the infrastructure at night.

As always, staying safe throughout such a high-risk project was top-priority. Significant safety planning and extra patience from the crew was necessary. With no approach stands to access the work or flat surface on the bridge, Egan’s team worked on barges, flew a boom lift up to the bridge deck, and installed lighting utilizing a reach all from underneath the bridge.

“A heavy focus on in-house prefabrication played a key role in this project’s success,” said Nick Schneider, Egan Company Project Manager. “With no flat surface to set-up a bender on the bridge, we prefabricated miles of conduit, all of the off-sets and bends, and over 70 junction boxes to increase efficiency on the jobsite. It worked out extremely well.”

Overall, the bridge was completed on-time and within a compressed schedule. Egan worked approximately 3,500 hours without a recordable injury or dropping/losing anything into the river – which was another team win!

This past July, a ribbon cutting ceremony with the Governor of Minnesota, Winona Mayor, and various U.S. and State Representatives was held to officially mark the re-opening of the historic bridge.


We Are Egan – Rob Moretto

Monday, July 22nd, 2019

“The depth of knowledge at Egan is bar none. There is such a large group of people who are always willing to lend a hand or their expertise – if you tap into that, the challenges of the job greatly shrink.”

Meet Rob Moretto, an Electrical Field Leader at Egan for nine years.

Outside of work, Rob stays busy by juggling oodles of his kids’ activities (soccer, cheerleading, ice skating, etc.). He and his wife also enjoy going to concerts and spending family time at their cabin. Rob also likes taking motorcycle rides, as well as customizing/working on motorcycles.

Rob’s Favorite Words to Live By: “Do or do not. There is no try.” – Yoda. (We agree!)

Our company is shaped by who we are, not just what we do. Together, we are Egan. 

We Are Egan – Darrell Blazevic

Tuesday, July 9th, 2019

“One of my favorite projects I’ve been a part of at Egan was the Westonka School power failure in the summer of 2016. The Egan crew was able to get the school back online in a short time period which allowed for the school to re-open quickly.”

Meet Darrell Blazevic, an Account Manager with Egan for over 14 years.

Outside of work, Darrell and his family’s “crazy” schedule mostly revolves around their kids’ activities. From snowmobile racing and baseball to deer hunting and more racing, their weekends stay busy. The Blazevic’s also enjoy going camping during the Summertime.

Our company is shaped by who we are, not just what we do. Together, we are Egan.

Egan Company Announces Launch Of New Batching Product

Monday, July 1st, 2019

MINNEAPOLIS, MN (July 1, 2019) – Egan Company, a Brooklyn Park system integrator and specialty contractor, announced the launch of a newly engineered product, IntelliBatch™. Identifying a need in the concrete industry for a more intelligent and powerful product, IntelliBatch was developed as a user-friendly and customizable control solution that enhances Egan’s previous and current products for production facilities.

“As a result of always looking for ways to help customers improve their operations, we engineered IntelliBatch to produce the highest quality products and optimize production with the latest technology,” said Mike Tengwall, Egan Company Vice President. “Enhancing our product offerings ensures our customers become industry leaders in their markets, which is important to us.”

For over 25 years, Egan has offered batching products and engineering services for local and national plants.

About Egan Company:
Egan Company is a system integrator and specialty contractor that delivers attention, commitment, and craftsmanship to every project. IntelliBatch products were developed in-house as a result of experience working within hundreds of concrete facilities. For more information about Egan Company and IntelliBatch, visit www.eganco.com/intellibatch.

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Media Contact:  
Jessica Johnson
jkjohnson@eganco.com
763-595-4310

2019 June Safety Month: Accountability

Thursday, June 27th, 2019

It’s National Safety Month and we’re focusing on three key areas that help us work safe at Egan: Awareness, Action, and Accountability.

This week our attention is on Accountability. Two Egan team members share their insight on holding each other accountable when it comes to working safely.


Q: How can we better hold each other accountable to achieve zero injuries?

“Always say something if you see a co-worker performing a task unsafe. We can learn from each other by speaking up and demonstrating the correct, safe way to do things. This way we keep each other accountable and get to go home injury-free.” – Tony Klema, Egan Project Manager

Q: What would achieving zero injuries mean to Egan?

“Achieving zero injuries means Egan could approach all of our projects with even more confidence. A high emphasis on safety speaks volumes to new and existing customers and being able to demonstrate stability and trust with them is important. Also, zero injuries keeps my coworkers and I coming home at the end of the day to our families.” – Terry Fredericks, Egan Panel Shop Field Leader

We Are Egan – Peter Blegen

Wednesday, June 26th, 2019

Meet Peter Blegen, a Pipefitter Field Leader within the Service team and has been with Egan for almost five years.

Fun Fact: Peter is a Navy veteran who was stationed in San Diego. He was fortunate enough to get to sail across the western Pacific two times, and officially become a “Shellback” while crossing the equator enroute to Western Australia.

His love for the water also translates to his favorite Minnesota activities – put simply, they include spending time on the many lakes and rivers across the state. Peter and his wife, Jill, also have four children and four grandchildren that keep them busy.

Peter’s favorite part about his work at Egan is that, “Every day is different. I enjoy meeting customers, diagnosing issues, and solving problems to make buildings smarter and more comfortable.”

Our company is shaped by who we are, not just what we do. Together, we are Egan.

2019 June Safety Month: Action

Thursday, June 20th, 2019

It’s National Safety Month and we’re focusing on three key areas that help us work safe at Egan: Awareness, Action, and Accountability.

This week our attention is on Action. Two Egan team members share their insight on taking action in order to stay safe.


Q: As a Field Leader, how do you continuously maintain safety on the jobsite?

We maintain safety on the job by emphasizing that the crew speaks up. Whether they see something they feel is unsafe or see another trade working unsafe, they should always make the superintendent or myself aware so immediate action can be taken. – Mark Hoffman, Egan Glazier Field Leader

Q: How do you empower your crew to speak up if they see unsafe work happening?

“Having open discussions every day gives the crew an opportunity to voice their safety concerns and builds trust among the group. I try to reiterate that any safety issue that arises should be brought to my attention and I make sure to address or act on their concerns immediately, regardless of its severity, so they always feel comfortable speaking up.” – Ben Tronson, Egan Pipefitter Field Leader

2019 June Safety Month: Awareness

Thursday, June 13th, 2019

It’s National Safety Month and we’re focusing on three key areas that help us work safe at Egan: Awareness, Action, and Accountability.

This week our attention is on Awareness. Two Egan team members share their insight on workplace awareness and safety culture.


Q: How do you make sure all employees on your jobsite are aware of the importance of our safety culture?

Understanding the importance of our safety culture starts in the morning as we go through our Daily Safety Plan and morning stretching. Additionally, we always stress the importance of wearing full PPE. I also constantly try to encourage the crew to not be afraid to speak up if there is a tool or equipment that could make the job easier or safer.” – Anthony Sailer, Egan Electrical Field Leader

Q: What is one way every Egan employee can contribute toward achieving zero injuries?

Staying aware of everything happening around the jobsite should always be top priority. Conditions on any site can change rapidly, both on inside or outside jobs, constant awareness will help us be alert to identify potential hazards and prevent injuries. – Todd Hemstock, Egan Limited Energy Technician