Bringing Experience and Synergy – Meet Ken
Employee Spotlight is a new series intended to share a glimpse into our team. Our hope is that you can get to know us a little better.
KEN’S ROLE AT BLAST IT CLEAN
After 11 successful years at ServPro and a total of 38 years in the restoration and trades industry, Ken joined the Blast It Clean team in May, bringing his expertise to both sales and estimating. He helps us out by building strong client relationships and attending project walkthroughs. He is a dedicated team player, the ultimate family man, and someone everyone can rely on. We’re thrilled to have him with us and excited for what’s ahead.
“When I first heard that Ken Lutgen was going to be joining OUR team, I was ecstatic about the future of Blast It Clean and all of the opportunities it would bring having him with us. Having worked with us for so long when he was at ServPro, it was a no-brainer that he would fit into our industry perfectly. What I love most about Ken is his easy-going attitude and ability to carry great conversations. We are so lucky to have him on board!”
— Bri, Marketing Director
WHAT MADE YOU WANT TO PURSUE A CAREER IN SALES?
I’ve never thought of myself as a salesperson. I consider myself more of a resource coordinator for people. I want to help people solve problems. To be able to do that you have to have a network of excellent subcontractors, like Rick was for me at ServPro. There are some subcontractors that I’ve utilized here already to help customers with projects. Really, sales are just an avenue to continue helping people.
WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE SPORT OR TEAM TO FOLLOW?
I am a football junkie both college and pro. So it really doesn’t matter. I am a Mizzou and Chiefs fan, and have been my entire life through the good times and the bad times, so no bandwagon here.
WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO JOIN THE TEAM AT BLAST IT CLEAN?
Well, I’ve known Rick for 12 years, and he’s always been a great partner of ours and mine, honestly. I loved the culture that I saw in his team when they would do work for us at Servpro. Getting to know Bri and other people at the office throughout the years. I worked with some of the guys like Tyler and Kenny on projects through the years, and it just made sense for me to approach Rick and ask him if there was an opportunity for us to work together.
WHAT HAVE BEEN SOME OF THE MOST IMPORTANT LESSONS YOU’VE LEARNED THROUGHOUT YOUR CAREER?
Sometimes clients take things too personally when things don’t go right, and I’m always afraid to let a customer down. Sometimes I’m way too hard on production teams. Until they get to know me, they don’t really understand. Once they understand I really truly do care about them more than anything, then they get it. Then production quality typically goes up. I helped change the culture of ServPro when I worked there. What I see the guys do here at Blast It Clean, I don’t have to worry about that. They do good quality work. If they make a mistake we fix it and move on.
Rick and Tyler keep me out of production, so the customers I’ve had have said nothing but great things. Learning that I don’t have to be that person is really important, and is probably good for the culture of the company. Just helping everyone out within the organization. Being available for them when they need someone to talk to or when they need something from me. I try to stop what I’m doing, do that, and then go back to what I was doing because it continues to build relationships, trust, and value for the company.
WHAT’S YOUR GO-TO WAY TO UNWIND AND RECHARGE AFTER A BUSY WEEK?
Go home and sit on the deck with my wife and have a few drinks. Listen to some music downtown, and just relax.
TELL US A BIT ABOUT YOUR FAMILY.
I have two daughters, 25 and 26. I have a new grandbaby as of this week. Everlyn James is her name, and she’s our first grandchild which is absolutely amazing. I grew up in Kansas City, and my father was a Methodist minister in the city for 51 years. My high school years were in North Kansas City, and I played sports. I have two sisters, one is in education, and one has been in education, and is now in the business world.
IF YOU COULD HAVE LUNCH WITH ANY HISTORICAL FIGURE, WHO WOULD IT BE?
I would really want to talk to Nelson Mandela. Just the changes and dedication and what he went through. My dad met him once through his travels and got to know his cellmate on Robben Island when they were in prison. My kids were able to go through Robben Island with that man talking about Nelson Mandela and the things that happened in there. My dad has done that with people all over the world.
Just listening to him, the torture and the dedication. They basically tried to kill him multiple times and he wouldn’t die in prison. Just left him to die and he had the will to continue to live and fight for what he believed in. Understanding why I think is the most important thing. Why and how. How are you that determined about something, I think that would give me a tremendous amount of strength.
WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE TYPE OF FOOD OR CUISINE?
Mexican, by far. Mi Ranchito is probably my favorite, it’s pretty dang good, but we’re not close to one anymore. So that and Margaritas.
WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE LOCAL SPOTS TO VISIT?
The World War I Museum is absolutely fantastic. I walk by it probably three times a week. Any patio downtown in the spring and fall. Just to hang out and people-watch. It’s really only been the past few years where I’ve been able to do that and my wife and I both really enjoy it.
Restaurant-wise, we go depending on what sounds good that night. There’s Farina, Michael Smith’s, Streetcar Cafe, and Harry’s. They’re all over downtown. I get up and walk every morning, so I just enjoy the peacefulness downtown in the morning a lot.
HAVE YOU SET ANY PERSONAL OR PROFESSIONAL GOALS FOR YOURSELF?
I always set an annual goal at the beginning of the year. And I write it down and keep it in a drawer on my desk at home. I look at it every day to make sure I am doing everything that day to achieve that goal. I’m not always successful because I set a pretty high goal.
For business goals, there are three categories, one is revenue, one is maintaining and building stronger relationships with people within the organization, and the third is what can I do to take something off someone’s plate and bring it into my world.
I didn’t know coming in what everyone’s role was here, so I haven’t really done that this year, but as time passes, I’ve taken a lot off of Rick from a standpoint of when you have a lead, I’m picking it up and calling them and going and estimating and communicating with them. I’m getting that off his plate so it’s taken care of immediately and he’s not worrying about it. For Rick I take that away, I’ve been able to estimate some Mars jobs for him and those type of things so he can focus on the business.
Whatever Andres asks me to do I try to do it immediately, and same for Bri. She doesn’t ask me for much, but if there’s anything Bri needs as I get to know more of what she’s doing, I will try to help. Like if I can help take photographs on job sites, things like that, I will so she can do her own job easier. That’s what I want to do.
And then personal goals, just being stronger for my family and help them meet their needs and those type of things. I do both personal and business-related goals.
WHERE’S YOUR FAVORITE PLACE YOU’VE TRAVELED TO?
South Africa, by far. We did a 14-day trip, and then me and the girls did another trip with my parents to Cape Town and Robben Island. We did a 3-day safari. We were in an open-air Jeep with lions literally able to just jump into the Jeep if they wanted to. It was amazing, I can’t go to a zoo ever again. Giraffes were everywhere. We were in 11-person Jeeps with no roof on them, and an elephant hit me in the back as it was walking by. It was so cool, and the kids were able to go. They remember all of it. There were 35 of us total that went on that trip. Fantastic trip.
It wasn’t untouched nature like Alaska, Alaska is beautiful as well because of its untouched nature. South Africa was not untouched, but it was wild. They weren’t tame. We watched a lion take down a wildebeest. You really had to follow what they told you to do because the animals would see the Jeep as one big animal, but if you stand up they see you as an individual. If you stand up you’re going to kill somebody. Anyway, we had a lot of fun.
LET KEN HELP YOU
Now that you know a little bit more about Ken, let him and the rest of our team help you on your next project. Call Blast It Clean for stripping, cleaning, and painting.