Josh Vander Velden joined Caloris earlier this summer as our Service Team Leader. Get to know him here.
Caloris: How did you get involved in your field?
Josh: I started out at Michigan Tech as a chemical engineer and gravitated to teaching. People always ask me “Why did you change from engineering to teaching?” I really enjoy teaching/inspiring others around problem solving and learning. I entered the dairy field 14 years ago as a shift supervisor and have never looked back. I enjoy the ever changing landscape of the industry and the close ties we all share. In 14 years, I have never been bored.
Josh Vander Velden
Caloris: What do you enjoy most about working with customers?
Josh: I love the connection we have in our industry. Each of us have had experiences to share with each other. We all share a common bond and that is really enjoyable about our line of work.
Caloris: What do you enjoy most about your work?
Josh: I love teaching and inspiring others to learn new things about their processes. We are always growing as an industry and being on the cutting edge is always fun. Another thing I love about my line work is finding a root cause to an issue. The pure enjoyment of that “ah ha moment” is such an addiction. It is what drives us to find the next one.
Caloris: You are based in Wisconsin. What do you like most about living/working there?
Josh: I have lived in Wisconsin for almost all my life. I love the snow and cold seasons. Right, who says something that crazy? Last year we had over 200″ of snow!! Then we get to have some of the most beautiful fall colors. Living in Wisconsin has given me the opportunity to join the dairy field. We are The Dairy State for a reason!
Caloris: What are your hobbies? Anything else fun you’d like to share?
Josh: I love to be outdoors. My favorite hobby is ice fishing. Love getting out in the cold crisp air and seeing a flag snap up. It’s quite a rush. My wife Penny and I are joined at the hip when it comes to fishing. I hate to say she is a better fisherman than me. Summer fishing is my second favorite hobby.
Caloris: What’s your favorite cheese?
Josh: If I had to pick one. It would be Sartori Black Pepper BellaVitano. Every time I see a wedge in the store it ends up in my cart.
Caloris: What is your favorite ice cream flavor?
Josh: I love all types of ice cream for sure. If I had to say my all time favorite, it would be Blue Moon.
Caloris: Anything else you’d like to share about yourself?
Josh: I love to snowshoe, hike and take pontoon rides with Penny and our Newfoundland, Charlie. Penny and I love to travel to watch our Green Bay Packers play different teams. Go Pack Go. Another hobby of mine is brewing beer. I really enjoy brewing different styles of beer and sharing with others. I have been doing this for 16 years now. I am a big time Star Wars nut. I just love the story lines and how they relate to real life. There is a reason why I have Master Yoda decals on my computer.
If you require service support at your facility, you can fill out this form, send email to problem.solved@caloris.com or call us at 410-822-6900 to schedule a visit.