A Thanksgiving to Remember: Potluck Lunch at Our 127-Year-Old Security Company

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A Thanksgiving to Remember: Potluck Lunch at Our 127-Year-Old Security CompanyBy Gina Stuelke, CEO of Kenton Brothers

Thanksgiving is a time for gratitude, community, and, of course, great food. This year, our 127-year-old security company took those values to heart by organizing a Thanksgiving potluck lunch that was as heartwarming as it was delicious.

A Legacy of Togetherness

For over a century, our company has been about more than just security—we’re a family. While our day-to-day focus is on protecting our clients, events like these remind us to pause and celebrate the strong bonds within our team. This Thanksgiving potluck was no exception, bringing employees from every department together for an afternoon of camaraderie and connection.

A Thanksgiving to Remember: Potluck Lunch at Our 127-Year-Old Security Company A Thanksgiving to Remember: Potluck Lunch at Our 127-Year-Old Security Company

A Feast to Remember

The office buzzed with excitement as the lunch hour approached. Tables were lined with dishes representing a mix of traditional Thanksgiving favorites and diverse flavors from our employees’ family backgrounds.

  • Gobble Gobble: Our delicious turkeys came from our friends at Cosentino’s markets
  • Classic Favorites: The stuffing, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes and cranberry sauce took center stage, lovingly prepared by team members who proudly shared their family recipes.
  • Sweet Endings: No Thanksgiving is complete without dessert. From pumpkin pies to apple pie, gooey butter cake and Reece’s filled peanut butter cookies, the dessert table was a sweet tooth’s paradise.

A Thanksgiving to Remember: Potluck Lunch at Our 127-Year-Old Security Company

This company has stood strong for 127 years because of the people in our organization. This time is about giving thanks—for each other, for our shared mission, and for the community we’ve built.

Here’s to another year of growth, gratitude, and success—and to 127 more years of shared meals, shared stories, and shared purpose.

Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at Kenton Brothers!

Spooky Spoons and Fiery Brews: Our Epic Halloween Chili Cook-Off!

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By Gina Stuelke, CEO of Kenton Brothers

Spooky Spoons and Fiery Brews: Our Epic Halloween Chili Cook-Off!This year’s annual chili cook-off was anything but ordinary—it was haunted! Combining the flavors of fall with all things spooky, we threw the ultimate Halloween and chili contest mashup!

The Chili Line-Up: Scary Spices and Boo-tiful Brews

This year held a record with 9 entries. From classic Texas-style beef chili to adventurous white bean chicken, barbequed brisket, and black bean blends, there was a cauldron for every tastebud. The stakes were high with a vote for the CROWD Favorite!

Winners and Frights

As the lunch wore on and the votes were tallied, the winner was revealed! Shawn Hamilton was the first place winner with chili spiked with secret ingredients like bacon, sugar, a dash of smoke and a whole lot of comeback sauce! Shawn said, ”I made it with love!”

Until Next Year…

This Halloween chili cook-off was a haunting success, and it’s safe to say it set a new standard for both chili and Halloween events. See you next Halloween… if you dare!

Spooky Spoons and Fiery Brews: Our Epic Halloween Chili Cook-Off! Spooky Spoons and Fiery Brews: Our Epic Halloween Chili Cook-Off! Spooky Spoons and Fiery Brews: Our Epic Halloween Chili Cook-Off!

The 3rd Annual Mac-N-Cheese Contest. We have a winner!

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By Gina Stuelke, CEO of Kenton Brothers

The 3rd Annual Mac-N-Cheese Contest. We have a winner!We have a social team here at Kenton Brothers called the KB Kulture Club. Their goal is to organize fun ways for our staff to spend time together throughout the year. Recently, the KB Kulture Club organized our annual macaroni and cheese contest. We had a record breaking 7 entries!

You might be thinking, “What are the top 10 considerations when judging a Mac-N-Cheese contest?” In a macaroni and cheese contest, several key factors contribute to the perfect dish. So here is the list!

Top 10 important and interesting Mac-N-Cheese considerations:

1. Cheese Blend

Importance: The cheese is the heart of the dish, so selecting the right blend is crucial. Common cheeses include cheddar, Gruyère, Parmesan, or mozzarella.
Interest: Unique combinations of cheeses, or even the use of smoked or aged cheeses, can stand out and add depth to the flavor.

2. Creaminess vs. Crust

Importance: The texture balance between a creamy sauce and a well-baked crust (if baked) is vital. Too dry or too soupy can ruin the experience.
Interest: Adding a crispy, flavorful topping, such as breadcrumbs, crushed crackers, or bacon bits, can enhance the dish.

3. Pasta Choice

Importance: The type of pasta affects the overall texture and the ability to hold sauce. Elbow macaroni is classic, but cavatappi, shells, or even unconventional shapes like orecchiette can be fun.
Interest: Creative pasta shapes or using fresh, homemade pasta can set a dish apart in terms of both texture and presentation.

4. Flavor Enhancements

Importance: Balancing the richness of the cheese with spices, herbs, or other flavoring agents like mustard powder or nutmeg can elevate the dish.
Interest: Unexpected ingredients like truffle oil, caramelized onions, or smoked paprika can make a mac and cheese memorable.

5. Mix-ins

The 3rd Annual Mac-N-Cheese Contest. We have a winner!Importance: Ingredients added to the dish, such as vegetables (broccoli, peas), proteins (ham, lobster), or other mix-ins, can change the dynamics of the mac and cheese.
Interest: A well-chosen mix-in that adds contrast or complements the flavors of the cheese can be a winning move.

6. Sauce Consistency

Importance: The cheese sauce needs to coat the pasta well without separating. The balance between liquid (milk, cream) and cheese ensures a smooth, cohesive dish.
Interest: Some contestants may opt for non-dairy options or explore different thickening agents for a unique take.

7. Baking Method

Importance: Whether the mac and cheese is baked or stovetop affects texture and presentation. A golden-brown baked top is often preferred for contrast.
Interest: Different baking techniques or adding a final torching to melt the cheese or caramelize the top can be visually and texturally intriguing.

8. Presentation

Importance: Visual appeal matters in a contest. How the mac and cheese is plated or garnished can influence judges.
Interest: Creative garnishing (herbs, crispy elements) or serving in unique vessels (mini cast-iron skillets or ramekins) adds excitement.

9. Balance of Flavors

Importance: A well-balanced dish with the right mix of salty, creamy, and savory notes is key.
Interest: Contestants may explore sweet-savory combos (like bacon and maple syrup) or global-inspired flavors (Mexican spices, Italian herbs) to stand out.

10. Originality

Importance: In a contest, bringing something unique is critical. Judges often look for creativity in approach while still respecting the dish’s roots.
Interest: A twist on tradition, like a fusion mac and cheese (buffalo mac, Cajun mac) or innovative cooking methods (smoked, grilled), can grab attention.

These factors combine to create a balance of taste, texture, creativity, and execution. Standing out in a macaroni and cheese contest often requires pushing the boundaries while keeping the essence of comfort that mac and cheese represents.

Drum roll please!!!

The 2024 Super Star of Mac-N-Cheese at KB is Annette Muckenthaler! Congratulations Annette!

The 3rd Annual Mac-N-Cheese Contest. We have a winner!

2023 winner: Derek

The 3rd Annual Mac-N-Cheese Contest. We have a winner!

As you can tell, we understand the importance of balancing work hard and play hard. We do both here at Kenton Brothers. If you or someone you know is in the world of commercial security and ready for a change of scenery, be sure to check out the Careers page for our current job openings!

Kenton Brothers Kulture Club – Work Hard, Play Hard

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By Gina Stuelke, CEO of Kenton Brothers

Building and maintaining a strong company culture can be challenging. One of the ways we’ve found to help strengthen our culture is to actively solicit employee feedback. When done right, these conversations foster a sense of inclusion and make your team members feel valued and heard. (It’s just like in a marriage, communication is crucial.)

When people feel included and listened to, it boosts morale, productivity, and overall job satisfaction. Why does this matter? We genuinely care about every team member and we want to make sure they know that. On the practical front, it leads to lower turnover rates and higher retention of our top talent. Employee feedback serves as a crucial source of insight for identifying areas of improvement, improving processes, and making changes to how we do things.

Kenton Brothers Kulture Club - Work Hard, Play Hard

The Kulture Club

We created the Kulture Club to foster these conversations and to make sure we are taking time to have fun together outside of working hard together.

Our Kulture Club provides a safe environment for our associates to bring both ideas and issues to the forefront. There have been great suggestions on ways we can improve that we’ve implemented. Dealing with issues head on is efficient and productive. A strong team can have real conversations about real things, especially when it comes to harder conversations. So there have been some of those as well over the past couple of years.

Kulture Club includes representation from most of our departments. One of the contributions in 2023 was to establish a new holiday to recognize veteran associates who served by gifting them an additional day of paid time off, in appreciation for their service.

Kenton Brothers Kulture Club - Work Hard, Play Hard

Company Events

Kulture Club is also great at creating and organizing our company events for team building. And yes, it can be a lot to organize and plan for, but it is so important to make sure these things happen on a regular basis. Some of the events and activities we do annually include the Kenton Brothers family picnic, holiday parties, National fun holiday recognitions, Blast from the Past Breakfast bar, Red Friday celebrations, potato bar for St. Patrick’s Day, Chili cook offs and more.

Kenton Brothers Kulture Club - Work Hard, Play Hard

Brag Board

Another output from the Kulture Club is our Brag Board. This is a form of recognition for Kenton Brothers associates including birthdays, anniversaries, certifications, and fun and exciting tidbits. These images are displayed on monitors in our offices throughout the day.

Kenton Brothers Kulture Club - Work Hard, Play Hard

We appreciate the insight and ideas that our Kulture Club associates bring to the table. We have seen significant, positive impacts to our culture in part due to the efforts of the Kulture Club. Do you have something similar set up in your company? We would love to hear in the comments any ideas you have about fun events or activities you’re doing to improve communication and teamwork!

Kenton Brothers Kulture Club - Work Hard, Play Hard

Have you been to a Puppy PAW-ty???

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We hosted our first Puppy PAW-ty recently at our office. Wayside Waifs brought in four adorable 8-week-old puppies!

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