Testimonials
Dahlheimer Beverage, LLC
In business for 50 years, Dahlheimer Beverage, LLC began their distribution history with two of Minnesota’s oldest brewing companies, Grain Belt and Gluek’s. In phases, always looking to expand their product line and distribution reach, they branched out into Coor’s, Schlitz, and Stroh’s to where they now stand with 170 different labels and a distribution reach of 11 counties. With such amazing growth and perfected operation systems, Dahlheimer has received the Coor’s “Presidents Award” for national distributor of the year for the second time. Continuing to win awards, the Dahlheimer team continually looks to the future and what that means to the company in regards to distribution channels and product lines.
With this foresight in constant focus, Dahlheimer has continued its partnership with Schlenner Wenner & Co. for the past 25 years, back to the days of James and Gruber before the two merged. CPA Cory Ritter has provided for Dahlheimer a great wealth of services in cash flow management as well as consulting assistance by walking through the processes step by step in past acquisitions and other financial matters. In the next 50 years, who knows what kind of achievements and expansions Dahleimer Beverage will see, but Cory and Schlenner Wenner & Co. will be right alongside, providing the same great knowledge and service they have in the past that has kept this partnership together and so strong.
“A lot of last minute requests come in from suppliers and sometimes you have to make decisions as fast as possible. Schlenner Wenner & Co. is very cooperative in getting the information we need in order to make proper decisions.” – Greg Dahlheimer, Dahlheimer Beverage, LLC
DJ Products
Beginning as a hobby, in 1996 Joe Berg designed his first motorized shopping cart pusher, and began the company DJ Products. The company has gone on to increase their product offering and grown exponentially by continually searching for new amenities and creating modern designs to increase the benefits and lower the physical strain of manual labor to its customers. Through a great deal of dedication to the business, DJ Products has seen tremendous growth in the industry and maintains their existing customers as well as establishing new ones with exceptional pre- and post-sale service. With this growth, DJ Products has found a lasting and valuable partnership with Schlenner Wenner, working alongside to create a strong organization that provides exceptional quality to its customers.
Brian Mackinac has provided consultation and guided the company through a number of financial situations and opportunities, assisting with tax returns and also in performing simple audit procedures in an effort to fix problem areas and maximize company profit. The extensive knowledge and wide range of experience of Brian and fellow team members at Schlenner Wenner & Co.is something that Joe and his employees see in themselves and has created a very special relationship built on hard work, knowledge, and trust. These values and principles have kept Brian and DJ Products together and will continue into the future with whatever comes their way.
“They’ve been, from a service point of view, very quick to get answers. If they don’t know the answer, they will find it.” – Joe Berg, DJ Products
For more information on DJ Products, please go to www.djproducts.com
Hilmerson R.V.
With an increasing growth in the Recreational Vehicle industry over the years as airline travel and lodging costs increase, Hilmerson R.V. has seen a lot of changes in their company and industry. Located in Little Falls, MN since 1983 and started by husband and wife duo Jim and Linda, Hilmerson R.V. began as Hilmerson Motors. In the early days, they sold cars, trucks and used RVs from a small 12 x 16 office with a service center attached to the side. After the first decade, the Hilmersons decided to venture into the new RV market and it came with an explosion, selling four to five times the number of RVs each month that they had done previously. Well, of course with this kind of increased attention and sales, the company found the need for expansion and moved onto a 12-acre plot of land that houses their new 45,000 square foot facility. Throughout the years, the Hilmersons have added to their service line and opened up Hilmerson Sports Center - which sells and services ATVs, watercrafts, snowmobiles, and motorcycles, as well as multiple auto parts facilities and a Collision Center. With the increased expansion and spread of the Hilmerson family approach to transportation sales, came a variety of financial pitfalls, obstacles and questions.
Hilmerson’s partnership with Schlenner Wenner has been a driving force in the success that they have come to know today. By their side since the early ‘90s, Steve Schueller and Brian Mackinac have assisted the Hilmersons in a number of routine counseling services, provided exemplary answers to some of the questions that have come from company expansion and new venture exploration, as well as sat side by side during the dreaded standard company audit, putting all worries and fears at ease. This comfort that Steve, Brian and Schlenner Wenner & Co. have provided the Hilmersons with has earned them the recognition as family and will only continue to grow in the future as they always look for new opportunities.
“The Schlenner Wenner Accounting team is like family to us, we can call anytime we need to and they are right here if we have any questions from business to setting up of corporations, or tax questions and so on. The rock of our business success is Schlenner Wenner & Co.” –Jim Hilmerson, Hilmerson R.V.
For more information on Hilmerson R.V., please go to www.hilmersonrv.com
Mergen Century Farm
“I enjoy working with Bob because he not only cares that I am satisfied with my tax results, but he also cares about my health, both personal and financial. Some qualities that I look for in people are honesty and confidentiality. Bob and his staff have both. Add to that his knowledge and ability in keeping current with the tax laws, especially agriculture, and it makes for a comfortable and satisfying working relationship.” – Roger MergenPrimary Benefits, Inc.
Primary Benefits, Inc. began operating in 1994 with husband and wife John and Deb Holthaus at the helm. The two began by selling life insurance products to individuals and quickly looked for expansion in the marketplace. Throughout the years, the company has evolved into an employee benefit provider and has seen some significant changes. These changes have occurred in employee and sales growth as well as increased awareness in the benefit and local business community. The Primary Benefits philosophy has always been to aim for maximization of the employer’s benefits based on the dollar willing to be spent and they strive to stay up to date in all aspects of the business in order to offer the best product and service possible to its customers. As in many fields, government policies and guidelines have a large impact in the types of products available and the rates at which the companies charge, controlling a large portion of the company’s options.
With all the many changes over the years, one thing has remained constant and that is Primary Benefits’ relationship with Schlenner Wenner & Co. The partnership began with the Holthauses and the CPA firm James & Gruber years ago and after the merger between J & G and Schlenner Wenner & Co., the relationship continued. Dick Gruber has been the company’s accountant, consultant and advocate for the entire time and that relationship has been very welcomed and thoroughly enjoyed by the Holthauses the entire time. Throughout the years, Dick has been an integral part of the success of Primary Benefits, offering service and support in a number of fields from consulting to tax return preparation to updating company on tax law changes. New regulations will come and go, and Dick Gruber and Schlenner Wenner & Co. will be right by their side offering assistance and walking through matters step by step.
“Schlenner Wenner & Co. is a big part of the success of our business and they have kept us in line with the information that we need…without that information, it would have been very difficult to stay current.” – John Holthaus, Primary Benefits, Inc.
For more information on Primary Benefits, Inc., please go to www.primarybenefitservices.com
Sand Companies, Inc.
With over 50 years of experience, Leo M. Sand and another partner created Sand Companies, Inc. in 1991. What started as a small real estate company has over the years become a fully integrated property design, construction and management provider through the acquisition of a number of key elements and integration into other related industries. Through a vertically integrated system, Sand Companies of Waite Park, MN has completed more than 100 projects that service local communities throughout 13 different states and is today well-positioned to experience continued success and growth for years to come.Alongside Sand Companies since the company’s beginning, Schlenner Wenner & Co. have continually assisted SCI with its business growth and development. From the earliest stages of the company through today and into the future, they have together seen a great number of acquisitions and investment opportunities. Not only providing the “once-a-year” tax assistance, Schlenner Wenner has helped SCI to also develop internal controls, company valuations and provided personal and corporate tax planning. This assistance and input has been a valuable tool to help SCI make better business decisions.
The real estate market is evolving and will always see peaks and drops and new technologies that will emerge every minute. This partnership keeps those realities at the forefront of their minds in an effort to best plan their present actions for the future’s prosperity.
“[We’ve] found that Schlenner Wenner takes the time to know and learn about a client’s business. They go beyond the numbers of a business by making an asserted effort to understand its overall goals and opportunities.” - Jamie Thelen, CEO of Sand Companies
