Name: Tim Grissel
Job Title: President – CEO
Graduation Year: 1991
Organization/Company Name: Newell Machinery Co., Inc.
Location of Employment:  Hiawatha, IA   

Brief Description of Job Responsibilities: Manage the overall operations of the company.

Describe your journey since graduating from Prairie High School, including any significant career milestones or educational achievements. How did your experience at Prairie prepare you for your current endeavors?
Post High School, I received my undergrad from ISU, working summers at Newell in 1991 then started full time in 1997 at Newell Machinery in Engineering and doing project management.  Became President in 2001.  Have started and sold several businesses along the way and been awarded a patent.  I think my experience at Prairie was excellent and prepared me well for life, post high school.  The foundation of Math/Science and Industrial Tech classes really got me off on the right foot towards success in my career.

What are some of your favorite memories from your time at Prairie?  Did you participate in any extracurricular activities or clubs? How did they impact your experience?
I didn’t participate in many sports or clubs but went to everything in support of those who did.  I wasn’t much of an athlete but had many friends that were.  Going to all of the events are some of my fondest memories of High School. 

What staff member or class had the biggest impact on you and why?
I would say the two staff members that had the most impact on me were Mr. Hining in the Industrial Tech Department and Cathy Wilson (Willy) in the Science Department. I had a lot of fun and learned a ton from the both of them.

What advice would you offer to today’s high school graduates as they embark on their own paths beyond high school?  
Follow your heart as to the direction you go, whether that be to college, the trades, or something else.  Don’t take on any more college debt than you have to and if you do, make sure your intended career path will provide the income to pay it off.  If you aren’t a college person, go the trade route.  Most experienced tradespeople have a higher income with better benefits that the average college graduate.