Sink or Swim

Service Technician Ellie Kippes is from the Longmont, Colorado location of 21st Century Equipment. Growing up on a ranch in a small town, Ellie was expected to do a little bit of everything, including running machinery and keeping it maintained. Learning those skills at a young age set her down the career path she finds herself on today.

“It was sink or swim in those situations, and you must figure out how to keep [the machinery] running,” Kippes said. “I loved the problem solving, and as it turns out, I wasn’t half bad at it. I learned that if you can troubleshoot accurately and quickly, you can fix just about anything.”

Friendly competition with her brothers pushed her to keep learning and growing. “It was simple, I wanted to be the best to show my brothers up,” Kippes said. “We enjoyed the banter, but we were always trying to outdo each other. The fact is, without the farm I don’t know if I would have had the interest I do now. I wanted to understand the machines so I could better our ranch.”

Ellie attended Northeastern Junior College in Sterling, Colorado to further hone her skills.

“It was good to learn and experience the education surrounded by other technicians and to prove I could stand with the best of them,” Kippes said. “It was tough, especially back then, because if you didn’t ‘look the part,’ you weren’t given a second thought. Fast forward to today, and this job is extremely rewarding. I love seeing new techs and helping them reach the next level because I know what I didn’t have. I want to see them succeed and I want to pass on the knowledge that I currently possess.”

The Joy of Teaching Others

Ellie’s love of teaching others and helping customers has served her well in her time with 21st Century Equipment.

“I found this [career], and I pursued it. I persevered during the tough times in my life, and I became good at it,” Kippes said. “At the end of the day, I just love helping people. I know what farmers are experiencing firsthand. I’ve been there. My family was there too. To build those relationships and to be there in the tough moments, and be invited in for the good ones, there’s just nothing else like that.”

In her free time, Ellie loves taking advantage of all the natural beauty Colorado has to offer, including fishing, boating and hiking. She also lives by the creed that perseverance and a lust for life are integral to happiness.

“I just love smiling and having fun with others,” Kippes said. “Life is too short to not have any fun.”

Gaining Ground Winter 2023

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