Coming off the tails of a challenging pandemic year, a successful 2021 is meaning more than ever to local business professionals Robb & Jodi Peterson. In turn, the couple thinks sharing that success with employees and the community makes perfect sense.
Glacial Lakes Rubber & Plastics opened in 2014 with one employee. The company has grown to 65 employees and has received accolades along the way, including representing South Dakota in the Made In America recognition event at the White House in 2018.
The company expanded in more ways than one and a new building was built. The factory was able to move into the new building in 2020 but postponed the Grand Opening due to COVID. 2021 has brought more reason to celebrate as they can finally conduct the grand opening, set for August 19, and invite the public to share in that.
“It has been an unexpectedly good year and we wanted to give back,” said Peterson. Giving back has meant bonuses to the employees and matching that with $15,000 to the Beacon Center and $15,000 to the Watertown Area Community Foundation to establish a fund which will continue to give back. The Glacial Lakes Rubber & Plastics Fund will be “unrestricted” meaning that the Foundation will make the decisions on what causes and organizations the fund will support and that may change from year to year.
“We wanted to touch as many people as we could and the Foundation does that,” Peterson said, crediting his wife with the idea. “The Foundation is in touch with community needs and the resources at the Foundation are well managed.”
This isn’t a one-time thing, Peterson added. We plan to continue to build the fund so it can do even more.
“We know you touch a lot of different things,” Jodi said. “We just want the community to grow and prosper and attract more people.”
Peterson echoed that the fund is about present and ever-changing needs as well as growth. “We want to take care of the ones we have here,” he said. “But we also want to attract others and enhance our community.”
