Steve Freiburger has always enjoyed watching things grow – his three kids and their soccer skills, his former professional minor league soccer franchise, and most recently, the industrial sales generated by his Border States team of employee-owners – just to name a few.
All three examples highlight one of his core strengths.
“I like to coach,” says Freiburger, Border States Area Sales Manager in West Columbia, SC. “Watching someone you have coached or mentored become successful is tremendously rewarding.”
That’s one of the many great things about working at Border States – people see your potential and want to help you succeed. We refer to this goal as “own it.” It’s one of our company’s Ownership Essentials, which is a list of specific employee-owner qualities and guidelines that lead to our collective success. The remaining Ownership Essentials include:
Originally from the Chicago area, Freiburger earned his bachelor’s in mechanical engineering at Valparaiso (IN) University, about an hour southeast of the city. He’s been an employee-owner in South Carolina for three years, bringing a wealth of electrical and distribution knowledge to the Border States team.
“Having been a sales rep earlier in my career, I get a great thrill in helping Border States exceed goals,” Freiburger says. “I like starting new initiatives and watching them develop.”
Freiburger also appreciates the team-based atmosphere at Border States. He describes the culture as collaborative and positive.
“When you work together as a team at Border States, there is true satisfaction that continually fuels everyone,” he says. “I love to have fun and celebrate when we all succeed together. It’s exciting to see the culture of employee-ownership sink in with people.”
Freiburger says Border States doesn’t feel like your average job. He loves that employee-owners are empowered to help make decisions, and says having part ownership in a family-like company is amazing.
“What a wonderful and unique feeling it is to work for an employee-owned company and not just some corporate organization,” Freiburger says. “I love building relationships that go beyond daily work goals.”
Additionally, it’s easy for Freiburger to have a life outside of work. He and his wife enjoy being active in their church, golfing and spending time at the lake.
Border States serves the electrical, utility and industrial markets, staying up-to-date with the latest technology and industry practices. Having an innovative and growth-focused mindset is important to us.
Through our innovation, exceptional benefits and positive culture, we’re well-positioned to experience success in the years to come.
“Border States is a respectful company that truly wants success for every employee-owner,” Freiburger says. “The company is building tremendous momentum in our industries, and our future looks very bright. We’ll be ahead of the curve as our business continues to evolve.”
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