Staff photo by Fritz Busch
Beacon Promotions employees celebrate the company’s 20th anniversary Wednesday with games, lunch and special treats including drawings for employee gifts.

NEW ULM — Beacon Promotions celebrated its 20 year anniversary Wednesday with games, a taco lunch and special treats including prize drawings.

Beacon Vice President/General Manager Brett Olsen said the company was created in 2003 and now employs 80 full-time employees and 20 seasonal workers. Two building additions have been added since the firm began.

He attributed Beacon’s success to the employees, plus corporate and community support.

Olsen said the company recently raised more than $800 for Ivy House, a 24/7 crisis nursery providing direct care to children up to age 12.

Employee positions include accounting, customer service, IT, printing, shipping and receiving, warehouse and graphics.

“Employees absolutely are the reason for our growth and success,” Olsen said.

He is part of the original partnership that created Beacon.

“All of our original partnership worked for another company but were disgruntled, so we can do this better and started our own company,” Olsen said.

“I just want to thank the community for supporting us. We got our first loan from Citizens Bank. The late Brian Tohal of the New Ulm Economic Development Board was instrumental in getting us funding to set up in this building.”

Olsen said Beacon’s future plans include “staying right here and growing strategically.”

Long-term Beacon employees at the celebration included maintenance worker Dan Tauer of New Ulm who has worked 20 years for the company. Tauer said he enjoyed lunch from Tommy’s Tacos and gift prizes given away at the event.

Beacon works with many products including aprons, backpacks, bags, tots, banners, signs, briefcases, calendars, Canyon Leather, coasters, decals, duffels among others.

New products include digital timers, tongs, pizza cutters, cooler bags, utility knifes, spoons, spatulas, copper basters, brushes, storage containers, sponges, oven mitts, work lights, lanterns, pouches, and litter bags.