Pothen babysat Carlson and says that Walsh was like an older brother. All three were members of the same 4-H club and all played varsity sports for their high school. Lien said she learned Carlson had started working at CHS when her mom saw it on Facebook. She was a friend of Walsh’s sisters, and Carlson’s mom was Lien’s kindergarten teacher. Lien still remembers Carlson’s Murdock phone number. Flynn’s brother and Walsh were best friends. Their dads, along with Carlson’s father, have coff ee together every day at the local convenience store. She babysat Pothen, and her mom, the English teacher at Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg High School, taught Pothen and Walsh. Lien’s family lives across the street from Flynn’s family. Carlson has known Lien since they were toddlers, and they Carlson connected with Pothen before he applied for his position and knew if he were hired, he’d be working with Walsh. Lien’s father-in-law was a co-op manager in Nebraska. While at her previous position, she met her husband, the CHS grain marketer, so there was a double connection attracting her to the company. But there was more: a sense of community with a reach far beyond their hometown. “CHS has allowed me and so many of my colleagues who grew up on farms and in small towns to stay connected to their passion for agriculture.” were in the same 30-student graduating class. His brother and her sister were pals. At CHS, Pothen and Walsh have worked together closely, with Pothen trading soybeans and Walsh coordinating bean shipments to China. “It was a real plus for me to have someone experienced to go to with questions,” Pothen says. They’ve traveled together to Brazil and China on work assignments. What drew these friends from one tiny west-central Minnesota town to CHS? For some, it was the Murdock connection, for others, it was familiarity with the company. Aside from knowing Walsh all his life and hearing about CHS from him, Pothen says his dad worked for GTA Feed (now part of CHS Nutrition), and his U of M mentor encouraged him to apply for a CHS internship. “At CHS, I could work in the agriculture industry without being a farmer,” Walsh says. Pothen adds, “CHS has allowed me and so many of my colleagues who grew up on farms and in small towns to stay connected to their passion for agriculture. We share life experiences.” CHS has a real connection to towns like Murdock, not only in business, but also in how it gives back to rural communities. “I like that,” Flynn says. “The CHS culture stems from its rural roots. There’s a straightforward sensibility, one of working together to get the job done.” For Carlson, joining CHS felt like coming home. “Not just because there were so many here from Murdock, but because I can really relate to what the company does.” The other Murdockians couldn’t agree more. ■ The fi ve CHS employees who hail from tiny Murdock, Minn., display a replica of the town’s population sign. From left to right, Dave Walsh, logistics manager; Chelsa Lien, convenience credit manager; Chris Pothen, head grain trader; Darrin Carlson, grain merchandiser; and Erica Flynn, a director of global research and development. Your CHS Connection 23