KPI-JCI Draws in 263 Community Members through “Breakfast with Santa”

Kolberg-Pioneer, Inc. (KPI-JCI), Yankton, S.D., continued its annual “Breakfast with Santa,” this year Dec. 3, bringing in more than 260 company employees and their children to see Santa and Mrs. Claus.
 

Breakfast with Santa, which was held this year at Minervas in Yankton, began in 1998 and has grown to include as many as 400 participants over the years. This year, attendees were greeted at the door by Mrs. Claus, played by Marcy Brown, accounts payable processing leader for (KPI-JCI). A buffet breakfast was served, and shortly thereafter Santa appeared, allowing each child to sit on his lap and providing presents to all. 
 

Curt Peterka, advertising manager for KPI-JCI and Astec Mobile Screens who has played Santa Claus since its inception, says playing Santa has grown to be the highlight of his year.
 

“When the company first asked me to be Santa, I was a little nervous because of the large number of children,” Peterka says. “But that feeling went away as soon as I looked into those little innocent eyes that are so full of excitement because they are able to talk with Santa. Sure, some of the kids are kind of naughty, but the majority of them are all little angels.”
 

Joe Vig, president of KPI-JCI and Astec Mobile Screens, says the employee appreciation event is a way to connect with employees and their families and thank them for a year of hard work.
 

“Kolberg-Pioneer, Inc. is fortunate to have hundreds of talented employees that work extremely hard to make the company a worldwide leader in manufacturing equipment for the aggregate, construction, paving and recycling industries,” Vig says. “This is a way for us to reach out to not just the employees, but their families, and provide them with some holiday cheer.”