Lorrie Gemmell
Manufacturing Division
Engineering Department

What year did you start working at Becker Arena Products?  1995

What is your current job title?  Cad Drafter / Project Manager

What are you responsible for or what do you bring to the customer experience?
 My primary responsibility is to draw the hockey rinks and project manage the production of the dasher boards to be sure they are built according to the drawing and specifications.  I organize the processes involved in the department and do some schceduling of subcontractors' work specifically for my project.  I also manage the purchasing and production of the parts (inventoried components) we use for all the dasher board projects.

What do you love about your job or this company?
I really enjoy the teamwork that happens in our company.  It seems that everyone takes responsibility for the quality of our products.

 What is your educational background, work experience or expertise?
I graduated from Dunwoody Institute (Minneapolis, MN) in architectural drafting and estimating.  I started working as an estimator for a drywall contractor and switched to drawing houses for a while.  In 1978 I got a job as an estimator for a General contractor in St. Paul.  (I believe I was the first woman hired to do estimating for a Twin City General Contractor).  I worked there for 6 years.  With 3 small children I then decided to work part time which is what led me to drawing hockey dasher boards for a company known then as Strut Specialties.  From there I came to Becker Arena Products and have been drawing dasher boards ever since.

Do you have a personal hockey, ice skating or ice rink connection or story?
My ice rink connection is through my daughter Kate who was a Hockey Cheerleader in High School.

What are your favorite things in work or personal life?
When I'm working, I really enjoy learning new ways to draw.  I have gone from drawing on a drafting board to Autocad and now I am learning how to draw 3D with Autocad Inventor.
When I'm not working I love spending time at our lake cabin in Northern Minnesota.