Terrasmart honors all veterans; today we’re proud to highlight four remarkable veterans from our Terrasmart family. Together, they have more than 80 years of combined service across different branches of the U.S. military, and carry lessons learned from their years of service to their work at Terrasmart.
We always say that at Terrasmart it’s our people who make the difference. We are honored to celebrate veterans as part of our inclusive and people-first company culture. Read on to learn how Ned A. Jansen, Matt Kindermann, Daniel Thompson, and Daniel Ramirez have served their countries and continue to make a difference today.
Ned A. Jansen – “Making the world a better place, one project at a time!”
Ned is a decorated veteran with a distinguished military career. His extensive and impressive experience – from a student enlisted in ROTC to active duty in Afghanistan to a rank of Army Reserves Captain – directly translates to his meticulous work as a supply chain leader at Terrasmart.
Terrasmart Role: Category Manager (Steel), Supply Chain
Began Military Service: Ned enlisted in the army in 2003 and entered Reserve Officers’ Training Corps at Xavier University, where he graduated as a Distinguished Military Graduate.
Retired from Military Service: Ned completed his active service with United States Army Reserves with the rank of Captain assigned as Company Commander of Delta Company, 1st Battalion, 398th Infantry Regiment in 2019.
Service Highlights:
- Graduated from the Military Police Officer Basic Course with a Brigade Commander’s Award for academic excellence
- Served two tours of duty in Afghanistan
- Completed active duty assignments as Platoon Leader, Company Executive Officer, Logistics Officer, Personal Security Commander, Company Commander, Operations Officer, and Tactical Training Advisor / Observer Controller
Career Impact: Ned credits his military career for instilling his work ethic and “veteran’s values” that relate to performance in a civilian environment: loyalty, duty, respect, selflessness, honor, integrity, and personal courage. These values are the foundation of his everyday work.
From his long military tenure, Ned gained directly transferable skills that he continues to use today. He believes that his leadership approach, time management skills, attention to detail, analytical and problem-solving skills, teamwork, communication style, project management, strategic planning, and ability to adapt all stem from his time in the military.
“It’s an ever changing industry, but veterans know how to adapt and learn. A career in renewables has its challenges but it’s so rewarding. I love that we are making the world a better place, one project at a time! The teamwork is second to none!”
Ned’s Advice
Matt Kindermann – “Working in renewable energy is a noble mission.”
Matt was known for his leadership abilities throughout his military career. It was only natural that he transferred his people management and leadership skills to a career in Human Resources at Terrasmart, fostering and maintaining the company’s people-first culture.
Terrasmart Role: Senior Human Resources Business Partner
Began Military Service: Matt has served in two U.S. military branches:
- Served in the U.S. Marines from 1998 to 2002 as an Infantryman
- Enlisted in the Navy Reserve in 2007 as a Master-at-Arms
Retired from Military Service: Matt is still active in the Navy Reserve
Service Highlights:
- Matt has 22 years of combined service
- Long tenure as a leader – known for leading people on teams of all sizes to accomplish a wide range of goals.
Career Impact: Matt notes that as an employer, the military has a lot of the same complexities as the business world when it comes to people. People’s different backgrounds, characteristics, experiences and personalities may conflict at times, but these differences add important perspectives. He focuses on leading teams toward a shared goal, helping them to move from a starting point to the end result in the safest and most effective way to accomplish a job. Matt loves the collaboration at Terrasmart, and the sense of working together to build a green-energy future for their families and communities.
“Working in renewable energy is a noble mission. There are so many opportunities for veterans to do great work and build a career with tangible outcomes in the industry – outcomes that you are proud to show off to your family and friends and say: ‘we built that!’“
Matt’s Advice
Daniel Thompson – “I love completing each project knowing the benefit solar brings.”
After years as an Aviation Electronics Division Chief protecting fellow service members by overseeing helicopter maintenance, Daniel brought his project management and troubleshooting skills to Terrasmart to deliver impeccable solar projects.
Terrasmart Role: Solar Canopy Project Manager
Began Military Service: Daniel enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps, and served for 20 years
Retired from Military Service: Daniel ended his military services as the Aviation Electronics Division Chief on CH-53E helicopters.
Service Highlights:
- Managed 35 technicians in daily helicopter maintenance
- Oversaw troubleshooting of 16 helicopters, ensuring they were combat ready and safe for service personnel
- Served active tours of duty in both Iran and Afghanistan
Career Impact: Daniel points out that after serving in Iran and Afghanistan, he learned how to stay calm in stressful and unpredictable situations. Naturally able to respond to any project issue quickly and adeptly, Daniel’s teammates and customers benefit from his unruffled demeanor.
Daniel’s focused problem-solving approach was honed during his military service. He operated in a high-stakes, high-pressure environment to maintain the safety and performance of military helicopters. This razor-sharp focus is a huge asset to his role as a project manager.
“Have patience in everything you do, including finding a career you find meaningful. What I love about my job at Terrasmart is completing each project knowing the benefits that solar brings to each customer.”
Daniel’s Advice
Annette Poulimenos, remembering Daniel A. Ramirez – “I was so in awe of everything Daniel had accomplished.”
Veterans Day honors living veterans, as well as those who are no longer with us.
Annette Pouliemenos, Senior Talent Acquisition Manager and head of the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) committee at Terrasmart, offered this meaningful story of her beloved nephew, a veteran who lost his life just two years after he retired from military service.
Daniel A. Ramirez
Began Military Service: Enrolled in the U.S. Army in 2009
Retired from Military Service: Daniel completed his service in 2012 as SPC
Service Highlights: Daniel served overseas in South Korea for the entire duration of his time in the U.S. Army, ending his career as a decorated and highly-respected service member. Daniel was awarded:
- Army Good Conduct Medal
- National Defense Service Medal
- Global War on Terrorism Medal
- Korean Defense Service Medal
- Army Service Ribbon
- Overseas Service Ribbon, Driver, and Mechanic Badge.
Career Impact: Annette shares that Daniel credited his time in the military for teaching him discipline, confidence, leadership, and how to set and achieve goals. He seamlessly transferred from the military to the transportation industry, where he was loved by his entire team. She saw him transform from a “goofy teen” to a responsible young man who had traveled the world, and was a dedicated husband, father, and employee.
“I was so in awe of everything Daniel had accomplished at such a young age. When Daniel was tragically killed in 2014, I was heartbroken that the world had lost such a great young man who would have gone on to do so much more. I am forever grateful to our military for the opportunity Daniel had, and continue to support our troops at home and abroad.”
Annette’s Memories of Daniel
From all of us at Terrasmart, thank you Ned, Matt, Daniel Thompson and Daniel Ramirez for your service. To all of the country’s veterans, you are honored, remembered, and we salute you.