World-class connectivity makes rural living possible for couple
For Trent and Shannon Kubik, service from Golden West allows them to work and live in the rural communities they love but be firmly connected to the rest of the world.
Trent and his brother, Troy VanDerWerff, own and operate Elevate Agronomics in Winner. Shannon works remotely as director of marketing for a Brookings seed company from their rural home near Hamill. They all depend on Golden West for reliable and high-speed connectivity.
Fiber makes move possible
Having that access to high-speed internet through Golden West’s fiber optic lines was a deciding factor for the couple when they first considered moving back to Trent’s hometown and living in the country.
“We moved back to the farm (from Parkston) five years ago,” Shannon says. “Out here, we have even faster internet.”
In fact, when she previously worked remotely for a company out of Indianapolis, “My internet in Hamill was faster than those in Indianapolis,” she said. “It’s been the reason I’m able to not only have a career but thrive in it.”
“When we put in our new house in 2018, it was nothing for Golden West to dig a new line for us,” Trent says. “That’s been a game changer. We had fiber internet before Indianapolis even imagined it. And that opened up Shannon’s possibilities for her career sevenfold.”
Business relies on internet
The same can be said for Elevate Agronomics. Operating a business in a rural community like Winner wouldn’t be possible without the high-speed internet and fiber optic connectivity, Trent says.
“Our accounting system is all online based,” he says. “Everything has to have an internet connection and you’d be hard pressed to find a more reliable one.”
Both Trent and Troy were raised on a farm near Hamill and after college both men hoped to stay in the world of agriculture. Each worked for other agriculture companies until 2020 when they decided to purchase Winner Seed in Winner. They rebranded their business Elevate Agronomics. They also added chemical sales to the services already offered, which include seed sales and custom seed cleaning. With the support of the community, they’ve been able to expand the business and are in the process of building a new facility to serve their customers even better.
Trent says running a thriving business in a rural community that they love has been gratifying for both brothers. “We work with nearly every farmer in this area,” he says. “In fact, we work with just about everyone in this community. It’s a pretty rewarding deal.”
Local support also helps
While Elevate Agronomics has counted on Golden West’s connectivity from the very start, that’s just one part of the equation, says Trent. Having service technicians located in Winner is the other. And they’ve never been disappointed.
“At the drop of a hat, if something goes wrong, it’s fixed in a matter of minutes,” he says. “Having that support right here in Winner is huge.”
That combination of personal service and high-speed connectivity has given Elevate Agronomics and Shannon everything needed to thrive professionally in their rural communities. It’s the best of both worlds.
“The investment that Golden West has made in us out here – it’s so important,” Trent says.
