January 2026 - Journal_Final - Flipbook - Page 20
Our Team
DAVID NEUBERGER II
Core Values Award
Lance Johnson
Warehouse Operations Supervisor
Lance Johnson’s journey with Pipestone re昀氀ects steady
growth, commitment, and a passion for developing
people. He joined the company in 2015 at just 19
years old, eager to get his foot in the door and begin
building a career — even though he wasn’t sure where
that path would lead.
Lance learned about opportunities at Pipestone
through family connections with Nicole Paulsen, who
helped him get started. His 昀椀rst interview took place
right in the warehouse entrance. “They asked if I could
start the next day,” he laughs. “That’s how it all began.”
He started on the warehouse
昀氀oor in the packing and shipping
department, where his days were
spent preparing and shipping
packages for customers. At the time,
Pipestone looked much different,
with a smaller warehouse team and
fewer resources than today. Over
the years, Lance has watched the
warehouse and its team grow and
evolve alongside the company.
Born and raised in Pipestone,
Lance graduated from Pipestone High School and
later earned his degree in Business Management
from Dakota State University while working full time.
Balancing classes in the evenings while continuing to
build his career at Pipestone strengthened his work
ethic and determination. Today, Lance still lives in
Pipestone and enjoys spending time with his 昀椀ve-yearold Labrador, Zoey.
As his career progressed, Lance was drawn to
leadership by the opportunity
to take on new challenges and
improve operations. Early on,
formal processes and training
were limited, creating opportunities to build stronger
systems and standards. Another major motivator has
been Pipestone’s customers. “They’re some of the
best people in the world,” Lance shares. “Building
relationships with them and providing a great
experience is one of the most rewarding parts of my
job.”
Lance 昀椀nds the greatest ful昀椀llment in developing his
team. Over the past year, many new faces have joined
“Lance consistently exempli昀椀es our core values. He builds strong, genuine
relationships with employees across the organization and shows authentic care
for others every single day. His strong work ethic, sel昀氀ess attitude, and team昀椀rst mindset make him a trusted colleague and an invaluable partner. ”
Joyce Radke, VP of Retail Operations
20 | PIPESTONE JOURNAL
