The 2023 Annual Kenton Brothers Family Picnic!

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By David Strickland, Vice President of Kenton Brothers

2023 Kenton Brothers PicnicIt’s Summer time! The sun is shining and the weather is great in KC!

The annual family picnic is a cherished tradition for Kenton Brothers. It offers a unique opportunity for team members and their families to come together in a relaxed and enjoyable setting. We have a blast, but there are other benefits.

We refer to our team as the KB family.

Kenton Brothers is a fourth generation family-owned company that has a great philosophy: Family First. Each year, we host an annual family picnic to celebrate our “Why?” Ask anyone on the team why they work so hard, they will tell you. Family.

In the fast-paced and high stakes industry of Security Integration it’s very important to stop once in a while and enjoy each other’s company and celebrate the fruits of our labor. The KB Family picnic allows our team members to connect on a personal level and take the time to bond. By sharing a picnic table, engaging in friendly conversations, and participating in various activities, team members build stronger relationships and develop a deeper understanding of one another outside the confines of the office or job site.

At KB we LOVE opportunities to get together. The annual family picnic is one of our favorites!

2023 Kenton Brothers Picnic 2023 Kenton Brothers Picnic 2023 Kenton Brothers Picnic

2023 Kenton Brothers Picnic 2023 Kenton Brothers Picnic

2023 Kenton Brothers Picnic 2023 Kenton Brothers Picnic 2023 Kenton Brothers Picnic

2023 Kenton Brothers Picnic 2023 Kenton Brothers Picnic

2023 Kenton Brothers Picnic 2023 Kenton Brothers Picnic

2023 Kenton Brothers Picnic 2023 Kenton Brothers Picnic

A Security Industry Legend Retires. An Homage to Kip Phillips

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By Gina Stuelke, CEO of Kenton Brothers

Kip Phillips RetiresKip Phillips is a rare breed in today’s world. He has dedicated 37 years of his life to the security industry, from running his own business Phillip’s Electrical Enterprises on and off for 21 years, to working for other security integrators along the way. Kip began learning the electrical field starting at 8 years old from his father and went to school to become an electrical engineer at Southern Illinois Carbondale. To this day, Kip is a life-long learner and is very passionate and committed to his craft. He has followed in his father’s footsteps by carrying on the tradition of teaching others to share his knowledge and perpetuate the industry.

Kip’s role at Kenton Brothers as Integration Manager was designed to oversee the leadership, training and development of the technicians in the field. He’s a master at streamlining processes and implementing quality standards to ensure that the technicians do the job consistently and with quality.

Kip Phillips RetiresAs a 37 year security industry veteran, Kip’s top tips to be a successful technician include:

  1. You must understand all of the systems involved
  2. You must have the desire for continuous learning; be interested in the technology, the environment you’re working in, and value your hand tools
  3. You must want to learn it, not just do it
  4. You must have the technology skills, but also be willing to get your hands dirty

The technicians that he lead loved his experience and willingness to take time with them to mentor and help them advance in the industry.

“I especially enjoy commercial access control systems because there are so many moving parts. We can do so many things with the options, your imagination with AC is limitless. Protecting people, protecting things, plus it can interface with just about anything-the possibilities are endless!”
Kip Phillips

When asked about the three most influential people that have helped him become the man he is today, he mentions his dad, his wife, and his friend Herb Farnsworth.

“My dad taught me so many skills my whole life from an early age. My wife has been my rock. She has taught me how to enjoy life, encouraged me through my career and is always there to listen. Herb Farnsworth is a unique person and has presented opportunities for many young people. He is responsible for getting me in to the low voltage systems field right out of college. He provided me an opportunity for a career, taught me about the KC market and how wheels of business turn.”

Kip Phillips Retires Kip Phillips Retires

Outside of his work life, Kip is happily married to Angela, his wife of 37 years. They have two adult children and are expecting their first grandchild this summer. Kip looks forward to traveling and camping in state and national parks, spending time in nature and taking care of their new grandbaby.

The KB team has appreciated Kip’s experience, love of the industry, willingness to give of himself and being an overall good human!  Congratulations on your next season of life Kip! We will miss you!

Kip Phillips Retires

We celebrated Kip’s retirement and enjoyed breakfast with Chris Cakes flipping pancakes to the team.

The KB Kulture Club is one of our secret ingredients.

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KB Kulture ClubBy David Strickland, Vice President of Kenton Brothers

The KB Kulture Club is a group of KB team members from different roles and backgrounds. They discuss opportunities and obstacles for our staff and company and then offer suggestions for celebration and change. The goals of the club are challenging… and the Kulture Club has done an amazing job delivering!

KB Kulture Club Goals

  • Increase Team Member Engagement
  • Reduce Turnover
  • Increase Creativity and Innovation
  • Improve Customer Experience and Satisfaction
  • Improve Morale
  • Recruit Great People
  • Encourage Diversity
  • Help New Hires Get Up To Speed (Onboarding)

One of the best things about the KB Kulture Club is the diversity of the employees. We have technicians, operational staff, sales professionals as well as managers and executive representation.

KB Kulture Club KB Kulture Club

Kulture Club Rules

There are no titles in the room and everyone must feel free and safe to openly challenge tough topics.

This environment leads to great discussion and innovative solutions. The work done by the Kulture Club has also led to some great paradigm shifts in perceptions for everyone.

We asked Alana Hanly, one of our club members, what is her favorite part of the club? “I think I enjoy the communication with all of the different people involved. Listening to my coworkers from different teams gives me a new and broader perspective on the things we discuss.”

In 2022, the Kulture Club made a big impact.

In 2022, the Kulture Club influenced everything from getting a vending machine in our breakroom to the establishment of a Health Savings Account option being offered as a part of our benefits package.

They highlighted our need to praise the everyday heros in the company as well as help recognize those that go above and beyond. They also created a group of awards and celebrations for the best team members at KB. The awards and celebrations were voted on by their peers and truly had a big impact. The awards represented every facet of the company.

KB Kulture Club KB Kulture Club

Employee Engagement Matters

According to a 2022 Gallup report, a dismally low 32% of employees in the United States feel engaged with their work. This means that 68% of the team members in an organization no longer feel a part of the team. “The engagement elements that declined the most from early 2021 to 2022 were employees’ level of agreement that they have clear expectations, the right materials and equipment, the opportunity to do what they do best every day, and a connection to the mission or purpose of their organization”.

What’s worse is that the actively disengaged rose to 16% in 2022. Actively disengaged employees are disgruntled and disloyal and will actively work against company goals.

A company’s culture is the manifestation of the employees doing the work every day. How they talk about their work, their teammates and their leadership. The Kenton Brothers Kulture Club did a great job changing and improving the engagement of our team members in 2022! We’ve seen the team members buy in to the monthly get togethers, contribute to innovation and dedicate themselves to stronger customer relationships. It’s exciting to watch and to see the impact they are having.

Congratulations on a great 2022 KB Kulture Club. We can’t wait to see what you do in 2023!

The Kenton Brothers 2022 MacGyver Award goes to…

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2022 MacGyver AwardBy Gina Stuelke, CEO of Kenton Brothers

We relived part of our history recently in thinking of Bill Kenton–some of you had the privilege of knowing him—he was the 2nd generation founding Kenton involved in the company from the time he was 12 until he passed away at 91 in 2010. In the early years of KB, he ran our service team and became known for his response when a tech would call in to the office to express frustration on a job–he would say “Well, IT DIDN’T GROW THERE – figure it out!”

In his honor, in 2015 we created an award to pay tribute to the KB security professional who has the tenacity and creative problem solving aptitude to get the job done while overcoming any adversity they may encounter. I liken this ability to the famous TV show and character from the 1980’s called MacGyver. MacGyver could pretty much solve any predicament with some ingenuity and the use of a paper clip or multi-tool Swiss Army knife! The definition of ‘to MacGyver’ something at KB is to fix something in a resourceful and improvisational way.

Congratulations Ryan McCourt!

This year’s prestigious ‘MacGyver award’ as voted by his peers went to Ryan McCourt!

Ryan is a hardworking professional who is proud of his craft. He has a beautiful wife and new baby girl who motivate him to be hard working and successful.

Ryan, you’ve earned the title! Thank you for being a great human and for making KB look so good!