CSR Profiles
Scott Braun
My name is Scott Braun, and my territory includes the East Coast of Canada, Midwestern and Southern US.
The world of book production is ever changing and evolving to reflect customer needs, environmental concerns and an expanding global market. The Friesens Corporation is continuously re-evaluating our methods to face those challenges head on, and I enjoy being a part of those innovations.
Although you might be speaking with one CSR, there is a wealth of support and book knowledge behind me that reflects the care that the whole Friesens staff put into each project.
I grew up in rural Southern Manitoba, and now reside in Altona with my wife Shari and two daughters, Elizabeth and Madeline. My hobbies include training for the upcoming triathlon and marathon season, as well as coaching my girls’ baseball team.
Becky Cianflone
My name is Becky Cianflone and there are many reasons that I love my job as a CSR here at Friesens. I get to work with many amazing publishers, and have access to a plethora of talented individuals here in our production facility. I have been honored to work on a variety of books of all shapes, sizes, colours and topics and it is very rewarding to watch projects evolve from their conception to completion.
Altona has not always been home. I grew up in northern Manitoba on Lake Winnipeg where fishing was king, not books. My husband and I have enjoyed the move to Altona as it has opened doors to great opportunities and wonderful friendships.
I have a Business Diploma from Red River College in Winnipeg. Prior to coming to Friesens, I worked in student government, retail, and hospitality. All of these experiences serve me well in my ability to serve you!
When I am not busy at work I enjoy spending my time camping, fishing, taking care of our 3.5 acre property, playing with our Chocolate Labrador Retriever, Charlie, and of course, reading.
Thanks for choosing Friesens for all your printing needs. I can’t wait to talk about your next book project! Feel free to contact me at beckyc@friesens.com
Erin Enns
I grew up in Altona and have known many people who worked at Friesens. I also consider myself and avid reader. Right now a Stephen King novel is holding my attention. But I wanted to go to school and try my hand at something new and different so if a career at Friesens was in the cards, it would come later in life. After graduating from high school I went to college and received my diploma as a Travel Counselor. Some of you are thinking sun and sand but it was actually snow and tundra. During my time as a Travel Counselor, I spent most of my time booking corporate travel arrangements into Canada's arctic. If you think business travel is difficult, try getting to the most remote areas in Canada's North. Creative problem solving came into play on a regular basis and I have a feeling that skill will serve me and my customers well.
My husband, Lee, and I recently moved back to Altona. We very much enjoy being back in a rural setting. I've traded my daily commute in Winnipeg through potholes and traffic for a quiet walk across town. Aside from work, Lee and I like watching movies, camping, reading and spending time with friends and family. An you guessed it, we like to travel. I'm sure there will more of that but any destination will be warmer. It's cold enough here.
Elvira Filion
Bonjours les internautes, soyez les bienvenues au site Friesens. Mes racines étaient bien ancrées dans la ville de St Eustache, QC où j'ai vécu presque toute ma vie. Et, cela fait maintenant proche de sept ans que je suis établie à Altona, MB.
I have an extensive retail background, and have been member of Toastmasters International for many years. With the move to Altona came the launch into the fascinating printing industry. I enjoy working with the friendly staff at Friesens. Their knowledge, experience and commitment is amazing and they are a constant source of information and inspiration. During my first three years at Friesens, I was a part of the book estimating team. Here I acquired insight into making books which has been very helpful in my role as Customer Service Representative. I have been part of the Eastern Canada team for the past 3-4 years. Learning is a 'never ending story' at Friesens with constant innovations in technology and systems, we have the privilege to work with the leaders in the industry. And on a personal note, since I joined Friesens, I have developed a passion for books. A book will never be “just a book.”
J'ai un éventail d'intérêts personnels. Voici quelques uns: la pêche, la natation, l'artisanat et la lecture. Ma plus grande passion est de voyager.
Merci d'avoir visité notre site web. Si vous avez des commentaires, ou vous désirez communiquer avec nous, il me fera un plaisir de vous répondre à elviraf@friesens.com.
Darrell Funk
After 20 years away from the area, I returned to Altona to live in the house which was my parent’s home. My wife Donna and our three children have come to love this community and we’re happy to be back. It’s really true, there’s no place like home. Coming back to Altona after 20 years feels more like a high school reunion than a big move. This company and its values have created a great environment for so many over the years and I’m glad to be a part of it.
I have worked in various positions in the customer service industry including information technology, finance and manufacturing. The career change offered here at Friesens allows me to continue serving customers but with a much different product. The training and experience of our production staff have helped me understand this process of how books are made.
Spending time with my young family keeps me busy when I’m not in the office. I also enjoy playing keyboards and guitar. My interest in music has provided me with countless hours of enjoyment specifically. I’m also proud to say that I’m pretty much self taught. Some people know good food or good wine, I really enjoy trying new varieties of Tea and have tried widening this group to include others in the CSR department. Some days you’ll see a tea pot at break time and you can be guaranteed it will not be Earl Grey.
Mike Giesbrecht
As long as I can remember, I have always wanted to be in a place where I would serve people. This has proved to be an interesting journey in my life.
Altona was home for most of my growing up years. I loved being here and experiencing all that this town has to offer. After High School, I attended the Graphic Arts course offered by Friesen’s through Red River Community College. This gave me the opportunity to put that knowledge into practice immediately in the Press Room and build a solid understanding of the process of books. I continued my education and moved away from the community for several years. My wife and I decided to move back to Altona where both our families live. Kids have a marvelous way of influencing a decision like that.
My wife, Tanya, and I have a 3 year old daughter, a one year old son, and a very intelligent dog. I have been able to teach all three to say I love you. Of course my 3 year old says that and much more. Quiet times are a thing of the past. We love it.
Customer Service was a natural fit for myself and the work I had been doing prior to our move back. Aside from work, my family and I enjoy Fishing, Camping, Movies, and Travel. Our most recent trips include Orlando, Sioux Narrows and New Orleans.
I look forward to serving you.
Ralph Hamm
Welcome to Friesens website. My name is Ralph Hamm and I am the Customer Service Manager. During my time at Friesens, I’ve had the privilege of working with customers from all over Canada and the US.
The book titles and topics may vary from region to region but one thing that is a constant is our customers. They are passionate about the ideas and vision for their books and it’s wonderful experience to see these ideas come to life.
Away from the office I enjoy spending time with my family. We have 3 children, all under 5 years of age which makes for busy household. We love spending time in the back yard and park or being out at my parents farmyard. When I’m not busy reading books to the kids, I enjoy non fiction and historical fiction titles.
I look forward to working with you on your next project. Feel free to contact me at ralphh@friesens.com.
Mark Jede
From Munch to Mercer, Seuss to Scott Card, the books I read may have changed but my love for them has continued. Every great book begins with a spark; a small idea that starts a fire until it becomes too big for one person, and needs to be shared with the world. I am both excited and honored to be a part of the process that brings those ideas to life.
My background has not always been in the printing industry. I have been in the dark, smoky, fabrication shops of Nisku, Alberta to emerge into sunny children’s camps in the BC interior. I have seen the northern lights at college in northern Saskatchewan, and now the sun flower fields of southern Manitoba. Every place I’ve lived has its own unique charm and beauty with Altona being no exception.
I have a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Bethany College and pick up different financial courses for personal interest in my spare time. Most recently I completed a course in financial planning from Advocis.
In my free time I enjoy traveling, fishing, hiking, and camping when ever I can get out. Some of the more quite weekends are spent playing games with friends, reading a book, or simply spending the evening with my wife.
Theodore Jutras
Some might think that having an interest in books would lead one to a career at Friesens. To be honest, my first interest was Radio. After graduating from the Academy of Broadcasting, I pursued a career in broadcasting. We've all heard the joke,"A voice for radio and the face to go long with it" so I'll get that out of the way early. After a while I realized that although you’re speaking to many people there is not a lot of interaction with the public. This led me to look for a career that involved working with the people. Prior to coming to Friesens I was working in a customer service role with FedEx.
I grew up in the small town of Letellier. Like many, I moved to Winnipeg because I was tired of “small town living”. Two and a half years later, the novelty had worn off and I returned to little old Letellier. Letellier is best described by the saying “good things come in small packages”. For those of you think Altona is small, well Letellier is even smaller. But the time in Winnipeg made me appreciate what small town rural life has to offer. Away from work much of time is spent on the two sports I love. Like many Canadians, my winters are filled with hockey. I've traded the on ice competition for rigors of coaching. In summer, it's Slo-Pitch and I play as often as I can. When I'm not busy with Slo-Pitch, you'll find me golfing or trying to catch one of those giant cat fish that the Red River is famous for.
I've enjoyed the fast pace at Friesens and of course the people. Whether it's working with our customers, sales reps or production staff, there is one thing the customer position has and that is people.
Je peux parler en français, aussi bien qu’en anglais. Je suis très fière de mon héritage francophone et n’ayez pas peur de me parler en français quand vous appeleriez.
