Category: Uncategorized

Meet Bryan Evenson, Sr. Development Engineer

Posted on by Lindsey Burbee

Business Unit and Job Title

I am a Senior Development Engineer in the Product Development group.

What does your job entail?

When I started at Melink, my job was highly focused on embedded software development for Intelli-Hood.  In short, planning and designing how the Intelli-Hood system should operate and writing all the code for the system.  I was also directing the contracted hardware engineer to ensure the electrical hardware met the needs of the Intelli-Hood system.

Today my job is similar, except I’m no longer purely dedicated to Intelli-Hood.  Now that we have Evan Risley as an employee, we’re doing our hardware designs in-house instead of hiring a contractor.

What did you do before coming to Melink?

I worked for about nine years as an embedded software engineer for a military contractor in the Cincinnati area.  It was a great opportunity to work on some very interesting projects.  Unfortunately, the company shut down due to an acquisition, which led me to finding an opportunity here at Melink.

What is your favorite aspect of working at Melink?

My favorite aspect is the freedom I have in my job at Melink.  This is especially apparent to me when I compare my work life at Melink to my last job.

What do you like to do in your time off?

For some reason I seem to enjoy hobbies that take a long time and has an unknown outcome.  I do a little home gardening.  I don’t yield much for vegetables from my garden, but I’d say most of the worth is in teaching my kids that vegetables come from the ground and not the supermarket.

I’ve also enjoy homebrewing, which is a fantastic hobby in which you can get as technical as you want to get.  I think I’ve learned more about water chemistry through homebrewing than I did through either my high school or college chemistry classes.

 

 

Meet Adam Householder, Intelli-Hood Sales Engineer

Posted on by Lindsey Burbee

Business Unit and Job Title

Sales Engineer with Intelli-Hood

What does your job entail?

I am part of a Melink’s Sales Engineering Team. I work to develop Intelli-Hood’s western market presence within New Construction specifications as well as, manage retro-fit opportunities across corporate dining facilities, restaurants, and amusement venues.

What is your personal philosophy?

“If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always be where you’ve always been.”

What did you do before coming to Melink?

I was a Chemical Sales Engineer for wastewater, boilers, and cooling towers working to improve operations and reduce cost through chemical solutions. I focused on wastewater minimization and reuse, energy efficiency, and regulatory compliance.

What is your favorite aspect of working at Melink?

Melink has a very open, inviting, and transparent culture. Everyone at Melink is working to better the company in their own way and grow as an owner.

What do you like to do in your time off?

I love going to the pool and watching sports. I’m very excited about a MLS team coming to Cincinnati and the 2018 World Cup.

Tell us something that might surprise us about you.

I am related to Abraham Lincoln.

What are you most proud of?

My education and my family.

What are your hopes for our industry?

I hope Melink can set the standard for demand control kitchen ventilation code across the world.

Motto or personal mantra?

Yesterday’s success is today’s expectation.

Do you collect anything?

Soccer Jerseys.

We Just Became An ESOP….But What Does That Mean?

Posted on by Lindsey Burbee

We want you to join our team. Not only is it a special place to work, Melink became an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) in 2018 and here’s what that means to you as an employee of Melink.

Melink is unique. An ESOP is a rare and valuable benefit. Melink offers this unusual opportunity for employee wealth building.

Another unique feature at Melink is that it is provided to employees with no out-of-pocket cost.  And is a qualified defined contribution retirement plan that is invested primarily in the common stock of the sponsoring company. Unlike a 401k plan, which requires an employee to contribute his or her own money, there’s no cost to employees.

Melink’s ESOP directly correlates to our company culture.  We act like a start up every day and our ESOP helps us to further build our ownership culture that rewards people both monetarily and intrinsically.  Employees are part of something bigger at Melink, because everyone is working to build his or her (and everyone else’s) successful future.  Increased company performance typically leads to a higher share price and therefore a higher balance in employee ESOP accounts. Simply put, when the company does better so will our employees. The ESOP plan provides a return on their sweat equity.

At Melink, we value our employees’ ideas, opinions and inputs to successfully serve our customers and growing the business.  Melink is building and sustaining an environment that fosters an ownership culture.

Sustaining A Great Place To Work

Posted on by Lindsey Burbee

During almost every interview or conversation I have with a non-Melinker, I am asked why I love Melink. My response is always the same, the employees!I am grateful for the “Good Mornings” as employees pass my office, to hear Lorie’s laughter, the conversations at the coffee pot, and sharing thoughts and ideas with my teams.  If you know Melink, you know that we are a leader in energy-efficiency and sustainability practices, but our biggest asset and greatest advantage is our employees.

Every year, one of our top strategic objectives is to ensure our organization is considered a Great Place to Work.  I am proud to say that for the last 2 years we have accomplished that goal! It’s very gratifying to know that 93% of our employees told the institute they feel management is honest and ethical in its business practices. What’s more, 96% indicated they have great pride in who we are and what we do!

So, how do we sustain and keep that momentum?

We have to be transparent about our goals and actions, and very intentional about making sure we are meeting the needs of our employees and providing a satisfying work life, which can certainly be tricky with half of our employees being remotely located across the world. That is why I love Springtime at Melink as we approach our Annual Company Meeting.  This is our own version of a big Family Reunion! We get the chance to be together in one and ensure all voices are heard. All employees gather at our headquarters in Milford, Ohio to reconnect (or meet for the first time!), catch up, and learn more about each other.  We share thoughts, conduct training, share our hopes and concerns for the coming year, and of course have fun!  We will beat up new processes, challenge each other to meet our customer needs, and focus on delivering the best results to achieve our annual and strategic goals. It is an all-hands-on-deck, no holding anything back type of week!

Our 2018 meeting is right around the corner and the planning is almost finished. Food has been ordered, hotels confirmed, flights are scheduled, and agendas finalized. Our remote employees will start to arrive tomorrow. Our days may be packed with educational sessions, brainstorming meetings, internal presentations, and forecasting, but we have plenty of fun planned too!  This year we are excited to have Scott Tallman share his BBQing talents for a cookout, and enjoy a dinner cruise down the Ohio River (thanks Lorie!).

The energy is building and we will soon conduct our survey again. How did we measure up? How do we impact our employees? How do we continue to keep them engaged? While I have a good pulse on where we stand, I can’t wait to show the world once again how Melink stacks up as a Great Place To Work!

Meet Eric Tanner, Melink Sales Engineer

Posted on by Lindsey Burbee

Business Unit and Job Title

Sales Engineer with Intelli-Hood

What does your job entail?

As a member of a highly focused sales team I am responsible for identifying, tracking, quoting, and closing all New Construction opportunities across all Eastern U.S. Intelli-Hood® markets. I strive to stay as technically focused as possible so as to educate potential clients and specifiers to the benefits of our Demand Control Kitchen Ventilation system and technology, Intelli-Hood®.

What is your personal philosophy?

We only get one shot at life. We are all on this earth together at this very moment, for a reason.  Respect everyone.  Be kind to everyone.

What did you do before coming to Melink?

I was an IT Recruiter for just shy of 6 years.  Essentially, I “networked” for a living.

What is your favorite aspect of working at Melink?

Leadership listens.  People listen.  Everyone wants to help as everyone wants to succeed especially on the fringe of going to an ESOP.  It’s all about working hard and enjoying the ride while remaining laser line focused on proving insanely great service while changing the world one building at a time.

What do you like to do in your time off?

I’m a disciplined workout nut.  I truly enjoy running and, while I’m not super excited when going to the gym, I love the feeling once I am done.  Ultimately, I need to keep moving.  Anything outside like hiking, camping, exploring new state parks, traveling with my fiancé Kelly.  I’m truly up for any adventure and challenge.

Tell us something that might surprise us about you.

Despite always having to stay busy, waking up early, running, etc…I also love to sleep.  I’m definitely not the type who says, “I’ll sleep when I’m dead”.

What are you most proud of?

I try to count my blessings and appreciate everything in my life. I’d say I am proud of my ability to stay mindful, thankful and levelheaded in times of stress and doubt.

What are your hopes for our industry?

It would be my hope that cerebral influencers and leaders overcome the selfish, greed-driven minds that influence our governments, economy and ultimately their own pocket books. Until this happens, we may never see true full adoption of sustainable practices that ultimately may disrupt the powerhouse fuel-giants of the 20th and 21st century.  As we only have one life, we only have one earth that life calls home.  I hope we can all protect it together.

Motto or personal mantra?

There is but one cause of human failure and that is man’s lack of faith in his true self.

Do you collect anything?

Running/Race Medals – So far, I am over 20!

Meet Melissa Gruesser, Account Manager for Melink T&B

Posted on by Lindsey Burbee

Business Unit and Job Title

Account Manager for Test and Balance

What does your job entail?

My job is to maintain and develop, existing and new customer relationships within the test and balance industry.

What is your personal philosophy?

My personal philosophy is to take responsibility for your own actions, and to be respectful of others.

What did you do before coming to Melink?

Before working at Melink, I was an Account Specialist for Sweco, a manufacturing company located in Florence, KY.

What is your favorite aspect of working at Melink?

Honestly, my co-workers. I work with an amazing team of people that are not only supportive, but fun and energetic. We always have a blast and get the job done.

 What do you like to do in your time off?

On my off time I enjoy spending time with my family. During the summer we love to go swimming and grill by the pool.

Tell us something that might surprise us about you.

I love video games; I have ever since I was a little kid. During college I worked at Gamestop for several years before moving on to my “grownup” job. I still remember playing NES Mario with my dad in the living room floor on Christmas morning.

What are you most proud of?

I’m most proud of my daughter, Hailey. She just turned 9 this past weekend. She’s one of the most caring people I’ve ever met; she has a huge heart. She’s extremely smart and she loves math and science. I know one day she’ll go on to do tremendous things.

What are your hopes for our industry?

I hope one day that all organizations see the value that Melink brings to the world of sustainability.

Motto or personal mantra?

If you haven’t tried, you haven’t lived.

Do you collect anything?

I collect movies. I used to collect a lot more when I was younger, but I still pick up a new on every now and then. Scary movies have always been my favorite.

Melink to become an ESOP!

Posted on by Lindsey Burbee

In the next few weeks, Melink Corporation will become an employee-owned company. As the founder, owner, and CEO, I have decided to sell my shares to an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) which will then distribute shares to our full-time employees over time. The reason is, I want our employees to feel ever more invested in Melink and its vision, mission, and values. And I want them to become beneficiaries of their investment of time, passion, and sacrifice when they retire.

After 31 years of building Melink Corporation into a national sustainability and clean energy leader, I will continue serving as CEO but increasingly focus on strategic and long-term opportunities. For example, after implementing the ESOP, I will focus on designing and constructing our second net-zero energy headquarters for future growth and expansion. I will also continue innovating new products and services, with our most recent ones being Positiv and Manifest. And I will serve as CEO of Melink Solar & Geo, a sister company of Melink Corporation, with the goal of mainstreaming the two most promising building technologies (solar PV and geothermal HVAC) from an energy and carbon reduction standpoint.

As many know, Melink Corporation could have been sold to a public company or private equity firm. The market is ripe for mergers and acquisitions in this new low-tax environment. But I did not want to make my legacy about selling out to the highest bidder and then losing everything I spent my life creating. My vision is that Melink Corporation should become a billion-dollar company by helping lead the clean energy revolution and solving one of the world’s most serious challenges: climate change. And I want to ensure that our family and high-performance culture thrives … and inspires other companies on how to achieve organizational excellence.

Moreover, the ESOP will allow Melink to attract and retain the best possible talent. Rather than our employees only buying stocks and mutual funds of other companies through their 401K plans, they will own the very company in which they spend the majority of their time and invest their hearts, minds, and souls. They will be even more proud to sell our awesome solutions and provide great customer service. They will respect and honor, but also hold accountable, their fellow workers all the more with their best efforts and intentions. Success will beget success.

This is not a get-rich quick scheme. It is a build wealth slowly plan. And it is a commitment and investment in our employees that will empower everyone to think and act like owners. And serve as true leaders to the world at large, our country, and our communities.

Love What You Do

Posted on by Lindsey Burbee

Not long
before Christmas I was out to dinner with some friends and family.  At one
point during the night, the topic shifted toward the Sunday night anxiety
that comes in anticipation of the work week.  Folks went around the table
describing why they get grouchy on Sunday and dread the upcoming week.
Eventually my turn came and I couldn’t help but chuckle and, somewhat
sheepishly, say, “I feel sorry for you guys… I love what I do!”. 

 

As a
business leader, this conversation really stuck with me. I’m really
disheartened to know that so many people don’t enjoy their work.  Let’s
face it, most of us spend more time working than with our own families, and spending
that much time unhappy is nothing short of tragic.  So, why do so many
people struggle to enjoy their work? 

 

I’m sure
there are plenty of books and articles out there on this topic.  It
may be easy for me to say that I love what I do, but what about the rest of the
Melink Team Family?  One of our top strategic
objectives every year is to ensure our organization is considered a Great Place
to Work. While I try to keep an active pulse on this year-round, I am always proud
when I see the results of the annual Great Place to Work survey. Here’s what
people have to say about why they love coming to work at Melink.

 

 As
for me… I’m certainly no expert, but I believe life is what you make of
it.  I don’t view my work as “work” and my personal life as “personal life”…
to me, it’s all just life.   Every day will come at us with an
astounding number of challenges.  We can choose to view these as problems
or opportunities.  Personally, I prefer to view each day as a gift, and
each problem an opportunity.  It also helps to know that I have the
pleasure of working with a world class team of professionals.  This Melink
Family is working to change the world, one building at a time, to
improve our global economy, security, and environment – for our children and
future generations.  As a father of three, how can I not be absolutely in
love with what I do?   

 

 

Meet Angela Bradley, Director of HR

Posted on by Lindsey Burbee

What does your job entail? 

Support and guidance for management on strategic staffing plans, compensation, benefits, training and development, budget, and employee relations.

What is your personal philosophy?

“never, never, never give up”

What did you do before coming to Melink? 

HR Manager with Effox-Flextor, Division of CECO Environmental

What is your favorite aspect of working at Melink?

The Employees

What do you like to do in your time off? 

Spend time with my family and friends.  We like to boat, ride our motorcycle and travel as much as we can.

What are you most proud of? 

I did not complete college in 4 years but 14 years.  I never gave up on the importance of my education. During those 14 years, I married, had 2 kids, continued to work part time and attend school part time.  I finished in May of 1999 after having my daughter at spring break. 

What are your hopes for our industry company?   

Achieving our annual goals, development of our employees, and recruit and retain top talent

Motto or personal mantra? 

A former boss and mentor printed this quote for me.  She said, “When you feel challenged or overwhelmed, read and repeat every day” . . .

 “I plead with you – never, ever give up on hope, never doubt, never tire, and never become discouraged.  Be not afraid.”     ­-St. John Paul II”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Do you collect
anything? 

I love antiques and hunting
for antique furniture

Happy Holidays from Melink

Posted on by Lindsey Burbee

As CEO of one of the greenest companies on Earth, I want to take this opportunity to thank our many customers!  Together, we are changing the world one building at a time … by saving energy and reducing the carbon footprint of millions of square feet every year.

Since the spirit of the Holidays is about giving, let me share some ideas about how you can accelerate your journey to a clean energy future at your business and home:

  • Replace your high-usage lights with LEDs.
  • Improve your building envelope with additional attic insulation and triple-pane windows.
  • Upgrade to a geothermal HVAC system when it is time to replace your existing system.
  • Install a heat-pump water heater – and connect to your geothermal system after it is upgraded.
  • Purchase only high-efficiency appliances.
  • Install a solar PV array on your roof, ground, or parking lot to offset your remaining electrical loads.
  • Select the green power option from your local utility for any power you buy form the grid.
  • Purchase or lease only hybrid and preferably electric cars, vans, and trucks.
  • Install EV charging stations at work to educate and inspire your employees and visitors.
  • Install a battery storage system to reduce peak demand charges and ensure against power outages.

Every homeowner and business can reduce its energy/carbon use by 50% or more.  In fact, many of the largest and most successful businesses, universities, and governments across the U.S. and world have already achieved carbon neutrality.

This is about our economy, security, environment, and health!  We can be part of the problem or part of the solution.  Be a leader, do the right things, and your brand and business will benefit.

Thanks again for the privilege and honor of working with all of you. We’re humbled by your passion and trust to make the world a better place for us and future generations.

Cheers!

Steve Melink

CEO

Melink Corporation