泡芙视频app

When Kevin Baker enrolled in the Electromechanical program at 泡芙视频app Community College in 1972, he was one of only two students since it was a brand-new program. He鈥檚 proud to be part of the introductory class.

鈥淚t changed my whole life,鈥� he said about his time at the Milford Campus. 鈥淚 feel like I was prepared when I graduated. I could hold my own.鈥�

Originally from Cedar Creek, Nebraska, Baker always had an interest in mechanical equipment design. After he graduated from 泡芙视频app in 1973, he first worked at Brunswick Corporation in the aerospace division. When that plant closed, he went on to work at a candy manufacturer until it closed. Since he had experience with designing mass-production candy-making equipment, he decided to start up his own candy company in 1987.

鈥淭he boys were small, so I decided to go and develop our own candy,鈥� he said. 鈥淵ou gotta take a gamble sometime.鈥�

The gamble proved to be worth it. Bakers Candies is one of the most successful and well-known candy companies in Nebraska and the Midwest. The family-owned business is located in small-town Greenwood, Nebraska, but people come from near and far to get their hands on the famous chocolate meltaways in the colorful twist-wrapped foils.

The business started with four employees and now has 21, Baker said, including his sons Todd and Paul. Kevin designed the four automated production lines, which are able to mass produce candy at a rapid rate. For example, it鈥檚 able to wrap 220 individual candies in one minute. He said the most rewarding part of the job is knowing it鈥檚 his family鈥檚 business.

鈥淭he idea that you started it, and every day you get your job done and make a living for the whole family,鈥� he said.

Todd, the oldest son, is the general manager, while Paul serves as the production manager. Both grew up in the chocolate factory and even experienced some important milestones there.

鈥淚 learned how to walk on the factory floor,鈥� Paul remembered. 鈥淎fter school, the school bus would drop me off here, too.鈥�

鈥淭he most rewarding part is working with family,鈥� Todd said. 鈥淭he reason we love what we do is we get to work together.鈥�

He adds that working in a family business isn鈥檛 for everyone. Some days there are definitely challenges. However, the key is to have boundaries.

鈥淓ach of us has our own responsibilities with the business, and we work hard to respect each other and those responsibilities,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e work together, but we try not to overlap.鈥�

Kevin looks back fondly on his time at 泡芙视频app Milford. He even supports a scholarship at Louisville High School for students to attend 泡芙视频app.

鈥淗e鈥檚 very indebted to the education he got from 泡芙视频app Milford,鈥� Todd said. 鈥溑蒈绞悠礱pp put the tools in his hands and enabled him to do all of this.鈥�

Bakers Candies added a new outlet store in September 2019. The Bakers now have more space to sell the famous meltaways, as well as hundreds of other types of candies and refreshments.

As for the future, the Bakers hope to keep churning out hundreds of pounds of candy each day, which equates to approximately half a million pounds per year. With nine grandchildren, there鈥檚 plenty of help to be found.

鈥淚f your last name is Baker, nobody鈥檚 safe,鈥� Todd joked. 鈥淭hey鈥檒l get recruited at some point or another.鈥�

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