Western Technical College’s Alumni Association awarded this year’s Distinguished Alumni Award to Tom Colbert, IT Director at Kwik Trip, Inc. in La Crosse.
Colbert is a 1986 graduate of Western’s CIS Programmer/Analyst program. He has spent nearly three decades of his career at Kwik Trip, starting out as a developer. Since becoming IT Director, Colbert has been a leader in convenience store industry, helping shape Kwik Trip in as an industry leader in providing exceptional customer service.
In 2017, he was recognized as the Convenience Store News Technology Leader of the Year. This award recognizes businesses or individuals that have extraordinary vision and innovation in technology solutions for their organization and the industry as a whole.
Colbert is a strong advocate for Western Technical College. He regularly encourages staff to visit Western’s campus, get involved in advisory boards, and provide internship opportunities for Western grads. He routinely sees value in two-year education, and its impact on the local community.
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“The Alumni Association and Alumni Board is so pleased to have Tom represent Western through this award,” said Stephanie Knutson, alumni relations manager at Western. “Tom’s commitment to Western and his leadership at one of the largest convenience store brands in the Midwest make him a perfect example of a strong leader both professionally and in his community. He is a proud Western alum and is very passionate about the value that Western provides to the region.”
Colbert will be honored in a ceremony at a later date.
To learn more information on Western’s Alumni Association, visit www.westerntc.edu/alumni.
Photos: Inside Kwik Trip's operation in La Crosse
Dough for Persian rolls moves down a conveyer belt at the Kwik Trip sweets bakery.
Glazers are packaged at the Kwik Trip sweets bakery.
Cinnamon and sugar is rolled into dough for Persian rolls at the Kwik Trip sweets bakery.
Persian rolls are carried through the fryer at the Kwik Trip sweets bakery.
Specialized machinery washes and drys strawberries in the Kwik Trip produce room.
Buns are stacked for sandwiches at Kwik Trip kitchens.
Tortillas are stacked for burritos at Kwik Trip Kitchens.
The produce room at Kwik Trip kitchens.
Freshly cut ham is gathers by a worker at Kwik Trip kitchens.
Salads are made at Kwik Trip kitchens.
Workers assemble carrot and dip cups in the Kwik Trip produce room.
Aaron Lapp, a mixer and operator at the Kwik Trip sweets bakery, scrapes Crème Dream Dunker batter from a mixing blade.
Cookies are carried by a conveyer belt at the Kwik Trip sweets bakery.
Pint sized chocholate milk bottles are processed at Kwik Trip's dairy plant.
Milk and other products are stored in the massive warehouse at the Kwik Tip dairy.
Half-gallon bottles of two percent reduced fat milk are processed at the Kwik Trip dairy plant.
Kwik Trip produces many of their own milk and beverage bottles and jugs in their own blow mold room housed in the dairy plant.
The Kwik Trip dairy plant has 10 miles of stainless steel pipes running through it.
Orange cranberry muffins cool at the Kwik Trip sweets bakery.
Orange cranberry muffins come out of the flow wrap machine at the Kwik Trip sweets bakery.
A worker walks through the pasteurization room at the Kwik Trip dairy plant.
