Class of 2023 • Women In Leadership

Posted by Kayla Ostenson  – General
March 16, 2023

Nelson-Jameson is full of motivated, knowledgeable team members and leaders. Among those, we have many women in leadership roles that have greatly influenced their teams and provided a road map for future female leaders. We are honored to introduce you to the Class of 2023 Women In Leadership.

women in leadership

Meet Jessica Dolinsky

Department Manager – Laboratory Products

Educational Background: UW-La Crosse, Bachelor of Science – Biology

Professional Background: After college, I worked at Covance in Madison, WI (now Eurofins) in the Nutritional Chemistry and Food Safety department as an Analytical Chemist. I was also part of their process support program, where I would travel to various customer sights in the US, to assist with material/product testing for new product line start-ups. I took an opportunity with Nelson-Jameson in 2014 as a Technical Sales Manager for the lab team. Since then I have worked in the Product Management/Assistant Department Manager role, and most recently have been promoted to the Department Manager of the Lab Department.

What brought you me Nelson-Jameson: I learned of Nelson-Jameson through a lifelong acquaintance and friend, Cathy Laube. The opportunity as Technical Sales Manager was very appealing to me and aligned well with my background. After witnessing the family culture of the company I was sold and have been with NJ for almost 9 years!

Career Milestone: In 2022, I was recognized as the Joseph Mityas Laboratorian of the Year, by the Wisconsin Laboratory Association. Many of my industry role models received this award before me and receiving the award myself was a very humbling experience.

My motivation to be a leader:
For me, there is a mix of excitement and challenge that comes with leadership. I love being part of a team, where I can help people grow, have fun, and ultimately accomplish our goals together. “Leadership is diving for a loose ball, getting the crowd involved, getting other players involved. It’s being able to take it as well as dish it out. That’s the only way you’re going to get respect from the players.” ~ Larry Bird

My role model: I feel very blessed to say that I have had some of the best role models that have motivated me through my personal life and professional career. Great managers and best-in-class coaches have impacted my life in such a positive way. Of everyone though, my mom is my biggest role model and motivator. She is hardworking, supportive, selfless, strong, sacrificial, beautiful, and full of unconditional love!

My advice for future women in leadership: First, work hard. Second, set your leadership values and goals and strive to stay true to those. Third, talk less and listen more.

Next, Meet Amanda Hill…

Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Keeping Employee Safety Front of Mind

Posted by Marketing Dept.  – General, Safety & Personnel
September 29, 2022

In April of this year, OSHA – Region V – WI published a Local Emphasis Program (LEP) established for the purpose of scheduling and conducting inspections within the Food Manufacturing Industry (click here for full details.)

The launch of the LEP allows for greater “outreach, education, training, and enforcement activities.” For many reading this, this specific LEP may not pertain to your facility. However, the rationale behind this special program is something that we can appreciate across the food industry. Reminders like this in our busy, hectic schedules can do a lot “to encourage employers to take steps to identify, reduce, and eliminate hazards associated with exposure to machine hazards during production activities, and off-shift sanitation, service, and maintenance tasks.”

Let’s face it, a food processing environment is a tough environment! Between assuring the quality and safety of products, keeping the pumps pumping, the conveyors conveying, and every other facet of running a food plant, another topic centrally unites everything we do—employee safety! This perpetual concern is one that doesn’t take any time off, doesn’t care if we’re having good or bad days, or if turnover has been tough. It’s there, it’s absolutely central, and it’s about actively protecting our people.

When it comes to manufacturing, the US Department of Labor/OSHA cites: “…that food manufacturing injury rates were consistently elevated when compared to the averages for all private Wisconsin companies engaged in manufacturing, with NAICS codes between 311xxx-339xxx.”

Though Wisconsin focused, familiarizing yourself with this LEP is a great opportunity to pause and think about safety in your own facility. What have you seen? Where can you apply more proactive solutions? Do your records reveal gaps that can be filled?

As you negotiate this persistent and central demand, know that we’re here to help.  We understand the challenges food manufacturers face, and have a selection of products and services to specifically address those needs. Worker safety is an area that we know well—From Lockout/Tagout products to dust mitigation, and PPE we’re here to be your partner in ensuring worker safety and well-being.

Whirl-Pak® Bags vs Rigid Plastic Containers

Posted by Marketing Dept.  – General, Laboratory & QA/QC
September 2, 2022

Benefits of Converting to Whirl-Pak® Bags

Incorporating sample bags into your sample collecting and storage process has many advantages that benefit not just your bottom line but the environment as well. Sustainably and effectively collecting and storing samples across many applications has been shown to be attainable. Below are the main reasons why you should consider implementing these changes today.

Top benefits include:

  • Reduce plastic media waste by 95%.*
  • Reduce GHG emissions.*
  • Reduce water in the manufacturing process.*
  • Reduce overall hands-on-time by 76%.*
  • Reduce storage space.
  • Lower shipping costs.
  • Save on disposal cost.
  • Puncture-proof, leak-proof closure tabs.
  • Guaranteed sterility.
  • Easy identification.

*Case study: April 2022 – Nasco Sampling LLC.

Implementing the Switch to Whirl-Pak® Bags:

Not sure where to begin with implementing this whole new system into your daily process? Proper installation and implementation is critical to the success of your process. Following these steps will help serve as your guide to the best possible solution to your implementation pain points.

Step 1—Map out a list of raw material and finished product testing.
• List your current inventory of bottles or bag sizes.

Step 2—Inform purchasing and services of charge.
• Provide a Whirl-Pak product list to your purchasing agent.
• Notify disposal services of changes—frequency and volume will be reduced.

Step 3—Meet with your teams to capture concerns.
• Potential questions might include: Will this take more time? How does this impact other portions of my job? We’ve always done it this way, why change now?

Step 4—Set up product and testing stations.
• Troubleshooting with your team to address challenges before full implementation.

Federal regulations met: R-Nase, D-Nase, Pyrogen and BPH free and complies with FDA, USDA, HACCP, and EPA.

For more information or assistance in making the switch to Whirl-Pak® Bags, contact our Product Specialists today!

Celebrating 75 Years of Success

Posted by Marketing Dept.  – General
August 11, 2022

Nelson-Jameson Turns 75

This year marks the 75th anniversary of Nelson-Jameson’s founding. In 1947, Earl Nelson, his father Ted, Herb Jameson and Bob Dougherty founded Nelson-Jameson as a dairy equipment and supply business in Toluca, IL. Their goal was to serve as a comprehensive resource for dairy plants, but they soon discovered that their Illinois location wasn’t ideal. So Ted and Herb studied dairy production maps and relocated the business to Marshfield, WI—the heart of dairy production. Shortly after, Jameson and Dougherty left Nelson-Jameson to pursue other business opportunities, leaving the company in the hands of the Nelson family.

Today, Nelson-Jameson is run by the fourth generation of the Nelson family and continues to grow. The organization has added distribution centers in California, Idaho, Pennsylvania, and Texas, as well as a sales office in Illinois, to meet the needs of its markets. Over the course of 75 years, Nelson-Jameson has expanded its product offerings to meet the needs of food, dairy, and beverage plants—becoming the supplier of choice in all 50 states, as well as many foreign countries.

The Nelson-Jameson Family

Our greatest asset is our employees, and we applaud the passion they bring to our mission and their dedication to the organization. Many of the 200+ individuals employed by Nelson-Jameson have been here for decades. Creating a culture where our people can thrive and feel supported has been essential to our 75 years of growth and success. We asked our employees what they loved most about life at Nelson-Jameson—their answers mentioned our focus on personal and professional growth, a work-life balance, and treating our employees like family.

The Nelsons: front, Susan and John Nelson; back, their daughters, Ann-Marie Nelson Brine and Amanda Nelson Sasse. Not pictured: Adam Nelson, Susan and John’s son.

Our Focus On Our Future

While the food industry has changed over the past seven decades, Nelson-Jameson’s commitment to helping our customers create safe, quality food remains steadfast. As the industry continues to adapt to the evolving demands of today, Nelson-Jameson is proud to be at its helm, providing food processors with products and solutions for the needs of tomorrow.

“The need for accurate and relevant information continues to grow, and Nelson-Jameson will continue to provide transparent communication so that our customers can make the right decisions for their businesses’ needs.”

Dakonya Freis, VP of Marketing & Product Management

The growth of our organization lies with the future leaders of Nelson-Jameson, and we will continue to lay the foundation for their success by providing a work environment that promotes Golden Rule values—the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of our co-workers, the industry in which we work, and the communities where we live. It is these values that are the key to the success of the past and the roadmap for future generations to follow. 

“We hope that when we someday hand off the business reins to the fifth generation, we’ve given them the tools necessary to successfully lead Nelson-Jameson into the future—just as our parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents did before us.”

Amanda Nelson-Sasse, Co-Owner & VP of Web Development

Continue to follow us on our website and social media, as we celebrate our 75th Anniversary all year!

National Ice Cream Month

Posted by Janel Alfredson  – General
July 29, 2022

Whether you are in the mood for a classic cone, milkshake or sundae, it is hard to be disappointed by ice cream. The frozen dessert makes life so good that we dedicate a whole month to celebrate ice cream. Let’s face it—ice cream really does make everything better. 

Ice Cream is a National Treasure 

July is dedicated as National Ice Cream Month, an honor that was proclaimed in 1984 by President Reagen. The third Sunday of the month would be celebrated as National Ice Cream Day. The American people were encouraged to observe these events with appropriate ceremonies and activities. According to the International Dairy Foods Association, the average American eats approximately 20 pounds of ice cream a year, or about 4 gallons.

President Reagen recognized the importance of ice cream in America’s dairy industry as nearly 10% of all milk produced by the United States dairy farmer is used to produce the dessert. Now in 2022, the percentage is close to the same at 9% of all milk produced.

The dessert is a great way to cool off and enjoy favorite frozen treats when the summer hits peak temperatures, especially in the hot, unpredictable Midwest months. Nelson-Jameson strives to keep ice cream production on the front line of one of the most enjoyable frozen treats—we help to make it even more enjoyable by supporting our customers with key ingredients to make delicious ice cream products. 

Nelson-Jameson and Ice Cream Colors

One of our biggest contributions to the ice cream industry is providing phenomenal color products to make ice cream stand out. 

The profusion of colors and flavors are endless when it comes to ice cream. The shades and hues set flavors apart— even vanilla comes in various different shades to reflect the flavor. French Vanilla, slow-churned, vanilla bean, or old-fashioned vanilla are all assigned  a different contrast of yellow. 

Color is a necessary, important part in the perception of flavor. Finding the right color and application to enhance the visual appeal of the finished product can be tricky. The color result of the end product must be compatible with the dominant flavor of the product. Compromise on color could jeopardize the success of the product. Our expert knowledge of color application can help determine the correct color for your product—helping to stabilize pH levels, suit fat content, support pasteurization, and homogenization.

Nelson-Jameson proudly carries both Oterra™ Natural Colors and DDW™ The Color House.  Both produce colors from natural sources that include fruits, vegetables, seeds and plants—resulting  in beautiful, eye-catching colors that meet the needs of manufacturers and support flavor.

High-quality, high-performance color solutions are available in a wide scope of appealing palette choices. Assortments range from bright and bold to softer, pastel shades to help set ice cream products apart. Colorful concepts can be developed to inspire and attract consumers and their taste-buds.

What is Your Flavorite?

Ice cream offers up great opportunities to get creative with flavors. Some are classic and traditional while others are unique and innovative. One thing is common: each must start with either chocolate or vanilla. 

To help distinguish themselves from the competition, creameries and ice cream parlors are looking for something no one else can offer. Among different ideas and creations, you may find various new ice cream flavors. Some inventions include: Cheetos, Pickled Mango, Pizza, Bourbon and Corn Flakes, and Pear and Bleu Cheese. However, the Top Ten ranked flavors are: 

  1. Vanilla
  2. Chocolate
  3. Cookies & Cream
  4. Mint Chocolate Chip
  5. Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough
  6. Buttered Pecan
  7. Birthday Cake
  8. Strawberry
  9. Moose Tracks
  10. Neapolitan

Did You Know…

Dimirti Panciera, showing off his Guinness Book of World Records feat in 2017.

  • Ice cream was once called “cream ice”.
  • A cow can produce enough milk over its lifetime for 9,000 gallons of ice cream.
  • 90% of American households eat ice cream.
  • Ice cream was supplied to soldiers throughout World War II – it was the chosen treat to celebrate the end of the War. 
  • Ice cream in commercials and ads are actually mashed potatoes.
  • Chocolate ice cream was invented before vanilla—although vanilla is more popular. Chocolate initially was created by using coffees and teas. 
  • The most ice cream scoops balanced on a cone is 125. Guinness Book of World Records published a new record on November 17, 2018 that was completed in Italy by Dimirti Panciera.

At Nelson-Jameson, we believe in providing a variety of options so food producers can find the solution best suited for their application and facility. Contact us to find out more of what we can do for YOU!