It’s never too late to embark on a career in the manufacturing industry. Recently promoted Quality Coordinator, Quaid Fetkenheuer, joined L&M Radiator with no prior experience in the field after more than a decade as a chef and entrepreneur. Now, he sets a leading example for his L&M team with his relentless ambition and dedication.
Hibbing, Minnesota – When life presents a fork in the road, which path would you take?
For Quaid Fetkenheuer, Quality Coordinator at L&M Radiator, joining the L&M team was a leap of faith into a world both new and somewhat familiar.
The thing about L&M, is it’s always looking for hardworking people who are ready and willing to learn. While Fetkenheuer had no prior experience in manufacturing and welding when he joined the team, he was ready for a challenge after seeing the sheer size of the work L&M was producing. It was the fuel that sparked the ambition within him to transition from a renowned chef to a welding apprentice.
“I knew coming out of the restaurant business that whatever I was going to do next was going to be a challenge, but I was definitely up for it,” said Fetkenheuer.
Fetkenheuer initially gravitated toward the restaurant industry because of chef Anthony Bourdain’s book Kitchen Confidential. With a personal passion for music, Fetkenheuer was drawn to the rock-and-roll lifestyle of cooking, leading him to embark on a culinary journey that spanned more than a decade. He moved his way up from a regular line cook, to sous chef, to executive chef at the Wilderness Golf Course in Tower, Minnesota, serving record-breaking numbers that recognized the Wilderness Grill as the best nineteenth-hole restaurant in Minnesota.
A few years later, Fetkenheuer started a program at the Minnesota Discovery Center called Bands, Brews, and Barbecues. He served signature entrees that changed every single week, rotating along with different bands, crafts, and cocktails. This program laid the foundation for his own restaurant, The Rustic Pig, that became a destination eating spot just outside Chisholm, Minnesota. With a bimonthly rotating menu, new entrees every week, gourmet sandwiches, and the “Amped Brownie” that received public recognition from PBS North’s The Slice, The Rustic Pig was a smash hit for locals and traveling fans across the nation.
Heard, Chef: From the Kitchen to the Workshop
After dedicating long hours to The Rustic Pig, Fetkenheuer found himself hungry for a better work-life balance. So, he made the decision to hang up his hat and explore new ventures. In 2020, his wife Samantha Fetkenheuer, who works in L&M’s maintenance department, recommended him for L&M’s apprenticeship program. The two-year program involved attending classes at Hibbing Community College for half of the week and working in the shop at L&M for the other half. Despite starting with no prior experience, Fetkenheuer relied on mentor Gary Diede and the L&M team for support and guidance as he transitioned from perfecting eight-ounce steaks to five-ton radiators.
“Welding is probably one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. Thankfully, L&M has a really good welding program and great trainers who got me up to speed,” said Fetkenheuer. “I think the welding culture is kind of the same as kitchen culture. We’re a bunch of rock and rollers and we get to build cool stuff. We take pride in our work and it’s very detail oriented.”
At the end of his training, Fetkenheuer was promoted to Program Training Manager, an opportunity that aligned with his passion for teaching and training others. With a strong program already in place, Fetkenheuer had the freedom to implement his own tactics and ideas into his training sessions. True to form, he put the focus on fostering a fun atmosphere that reflected his personable charm and dedication to seeing others thrive off their ambition.
“I’m a huge movie and TV show buff, so I created what I call The Supervisor Zone. Everything was Twilight Zone themed, and all the training sessions were considered episodes. At the beginning of the training, I’d do a little monologue, just to keep it fun and keep the crew interested. I think they really gravitated towards that,” said Fetkenheuer.
Driving Success Through Employee Empowerment
At the core of L&M’s values is a profound respect for its employees. That means each person has equal opportunity to advance their careers. This culture not only acknowledges hard work but also nurtures internal promotion and fosters strong relationships that inspire employees to continually progress within the company.
At the start of 2024, Fetkenheuer advanced to the role of Quality Coordinator. Much like a chef overseeing meals to satisfy hungry customers, Fetkenheuer meticulously ensures that every product and service that leaves the L&M shop not only meets, but exceeds, quality standards. Well-trained and with an aptitude for customer relations, Fetkenheuer excels at working closely with others to ensure their needs are met and that everything runs smoothly.
“If you were to walk up to my 16-year-old self and say, ‘You’re going to become a welder and build radiators and join the quality department at L&M Radiator,’ I would have called you crazy,” said Fetkenheuer. “Life has definitely taken a turn, but I love it. Out of all of the opportunities that I’ve had over my lifetime, including my passions for music and cooking, I’d say training and teaching people is one of those things that I love the most. I’ve been able to incorporate all of my passions into my life, and where I’m at right now is only going to get better.”
During his free time, Fetkenheuer indulges in his passion for cooking, utilizing fresh vegetables such as hot peppers, lettuce, and nasturtiums (edible flowers) from his home garden and foraging wild mushrooms to prepare meals for him and his wife. He’s currently working on writing a cookbook, Good Food Made Sexy, so that the rest of us can learn to cook half as well as him. Beyond the kitchen, Fetkenheuer enjoys hunting and fishing with his three-year-old basset hound named Lurch (who sometimes requires a bribe to let go of birds) and spending time at his lake house with his wife.
L&M Radiator: Do What You Love
Interested in a career at L&M Radiator? Visit our Careers page for more information.
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