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Andy Wells evokes wisdom by sharing his story at Northwest Technical College

Red Lake Nation member Andy Wells realized that education would be crucial on his path to success and now is encouraging the next generation of students to never stop learning.

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Andy Wells, founder of Wells Technology, introduces topics of his presentation as part of an occupational speaker series on Thursday, Jan. 18, 2024, at Northwest Technical College in Bemidji.
Madelyn Haasken / Bemidji Pioneer

BEMIDJI — Red Lake Nation member Andy Wells realized that education would be crucial on his path to success.

Such a realization was among several pieces of advice Wells offered to students and faculty at Northwest Technical College on Thursday as part of an occupational speaker series.

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Presenting to a packed room of eager listeners, Wells detailed how he started his company, Wells Technology, nearly 40 years ago with many lessons learned along the way.

His core message emphasized the importance of education as a means of “getting a start” in life.

“It really helps to get your foot in the door to have some basic education whether it’s high school, vocational or university,” Wells said. “All of it helps.”

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Attendees of an occupational speaker series presentation hear from Andy Wells, of Wells Technology, on Thursday, Jan. 18, 2024, at Northwest Technical College in Bemidji.
Madelyn Haasken / Bemidji Pioneer

A Bemidji State graduate himself, Wells began operating Wells Technology out of a two-car garage in 1989. Since then, the company has expanded its reach in Bemidji and impacted countless people’s lives throughout its existence.

The company currently manufactures more than 24,000 different products for clients including Boeing, NASA and the Department of Defense, and is a national distributor for industrial supplies. It also specializes in the production of tracking equipment which helps increase the efficiency of solar panels, a release said.

In addition to Wells Technology, Wells founded a nonprofit organization, Wells Academy, in 2009 as a way to help employees gain the skills necessary to succeed in industrial careers. In 2021, building in Redby in order to expand its CNC machinist training program.

Such locations not only aim to provide training and jobs, but also retain people for the workforce in greater Minnesota.

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“There’s so much opportunity up here in northern Minnesota and it’s so important for people to stay here, or at least come back if they’ve gone away for a while, to bring back their knowledge and skills,” Wells said, “and help build our northern Minnesota community.”

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Wells Technology founder Andy Wells, right, has a student toss a basketball into a basket during an occupational speaker series on Thursday, Jan. 18, 2024, at Northwest Technical College in Bemidji.
Madelyn Haasken / Bemidji Pioneer

Wells elaborated on five key components of building leadership skills: character, vision, strategy, action and wisdom.

Such traits have played a role in numerous honors he has received throughout his career. In 2022,

“Andy’s work is innovative and successful in ‘lifting’ education on reservations through manufacturing skills development and also ‘lifting’ employment to Native American people who desire better economic stability,” a release said.

Wells also received the 2020-2021 Bechtel Supply Chain Excellence Award and Supplier of the Year honors in 2020 from the National Minority Supplier Development Council. In 2004, Wells was named a BSU Outstanding Alumni Award recipient.

Speaking a story

In light of Wells’ achievements in leadership, NTC’s executive vice president and senior academic officer Ketmani Kouanchao considered Wells a perfect candidate for the college’s occupational speaker series with three succinct goals.

“We want to hear from somebody in an industry to tell their stories of how they got started,” Kouanchao mentioned, “then, connect the students to these experts in the field. A third goal is to be more visible to the community by bringing people from the community and highlighting our own faculty since we have a lot of experts here (at NTC).”

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Ketmani Kouanchao, executive vice president and senior academic officer at Northwest Technical College, introduces speaker Andy Wells on Thursday, Jan. 18, 2024, at NTC.
Madelyn Haasken / Bemidji Pioneer

Kouanchao noted each month’s speaker switches between an NTC faculty member and a community-based leader.

The series kicked off in November with electrician faculty member Gwen Oster. Nicole Naasz, student success coordinator for BSU and NTC’s American Indian Resource Center, will present in February followed by Voyageurs Area Council CEO Brad Olson in March.

Such engagement by a variety of leaders will prove valuable for all who attend the speeches — Wells’ speech was no exception.

“He is just amazing. I could hear a pin drop,” Kouanchao said regarding Wells. “We’re looking forward to many more of these.”

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Andy Wells, founder of Wells Technology, presents as part of an occupational speaker series on Thursday, Jan. 18, 2024, at Northwest Technical College in Bemidji.
Madelyn Haasken / Bemidji Pioneer

Moving into the future, Wells plans to slowly step away from traveling to speak around the country.

“I’m getting older and it’s a little bit more difficult to do all the traveling,” Wells said. “Maybe, my time is coming to just sit back, watch and enjoy seeing some of the younger people take that role.”

Much as he has helped others throughout his life, Wells walked away from Thursday’s event feeling that NTC helped him by hearing his story.

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Wells looks forward to younger generations continuing the community partnerships that he helped to cultivate.

“It’s a more opportunistic world for young folks now because high schools and businesses are working together more,” Wells left off. “We’re starting to realize that we have something in common. s are preparing the youth and we need to hire the youth. The more we work together, the more successful outcomes we’ll have not only for us, but for the young people.”

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Andy Wells, founder of Wells Technology, holds up his invention, Peg Stays, during a presentation as part of an occupational speaker series on Thursday, Jan. 18, 2024, at Northwest Technical College in Bemidji.
Madelyn Haasken / Bemidji Pioneer

Daltyn Lofstrom is a reporter at the Bemidji Pioneer focusing on education and community stories.
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