On October 1st, we celebrated a pretty special milestone: 35 years in business! We were thrilled to open our showroom doors and celebrate with our customers, vendors, friends, and team members.
Reaching 35 years wouldn’t have been possible without the people behind the work. From our loyal customers who trust us with their homes, to our incredible vendor partners and the talented employees who bring each project to life, we’re grateful for everyone who has played a part in our story.
To celebrate, we wanted to introduce you to some of the people who make our company what it is. We asked a few of our team members some questions to get to know them a little better, hear their perspectives, and share a bit of the personality behind the craftsmanship. After all, great work starts with great people!
Brandon Grimm, Project Manager/Drafter (12 years at MD)
How did you find your way into cabinetry? I took the cabinetry class in high school 3 times and really enjoyed it. I applied to Modern shortly after graduation and haven't looked back since.
How many different departments have you worked in at Modern? 3- Install, Final Assembly & Drafting
Joe Hanson, Project Manager/Drafter (14 years at MD)
What is your best MD memory? Some of my best memories are when we have the MD company events in the fall, where everyone can get together and have a good time. A couple of my favorite events have been when we went down the St. Croix River on the paddle boat. And the times we did the go carts.
How did you find your way into cabinetry? I got started in cabinetry in Northern California when I was 19 years old. I started by cleaning up the shop and doing deliveries. I worked my way up through all of the departments to Forman at that shop.
Sydney Sparrow, Estimator (3 years at MD)
What is your best MD memory? Working alongside my dad when he worked in Estimating. We would walk to the local coffee shop every day during our morning breaks.
How many different departments have you worked in at Modern? 2 - Purchaser and Estimator
Josh Horstmann, Install Scheduling/Warranty/Final Assembly Lead (4 years at MD)
What has been your favorite project you've worked on over the years? Oxford. In Tower, MN
Josh wears many hats at Modern Design, he is our go to guy for warranty work and questions about hardware and final assembly. He also sits on our Leadership Team.
Ryan Diepenbrock, Project Manager/Drafter (1 year at MD)
Best MD Memory: My best MD memory would have to be the 35th Anniversary Party. It was great seeing everyone come together to celebrate the company and show appreciation for our vendors, builders, and especially Jo and Troy. It was a great reminder of the relationships and people that have helped make Modern what it is today.
Ryan works out of our Rochester showroom.
Amber Ranzau, Designer (14 years at MD)
What has been your favorite project you've worked on over the years? It’s hard to choose, there have been so many! I just love meeting new customers and solving their design issues with beautiful and creative solutions. One of the largest projects I’ve worked on and enjoyed was an estate and winery property built back in the early 1900s. It was such a dramatic ‘before’ and ‘after’ and the homeowners were delightful to work with.
Here's to the Next 35 Years!
We hope you enjoyed getting to know a few of the people behind our projects! Every person on our team brings something unique to the table, and it’s their experience, creativity, dedication, and attention to detail that help make our work special.
Thank you to our customers, vendors, employees, and friends for being part of our story. We’re proud of how far we’ve come and excited for what’s ahead. Here’s to the next chapter!