HUMBOLDT — Kenny Miller said he’d know it was time to retire when he woke up and didn’t want to go to work.
Problem is, that never happened.
He finally decided it was time, anyway, after 51 years of working for Monarch Cement Co. in Humboldt. He currently serves as vice president of cement operations, having worked his way up from an entry-level labor position he took while in college.
“This decision was a tough one, as you can imagine,” he said.
His wife, Cheryl, had been nudging him to retire. He made the decision a year ago, to give the company plenty of notice. He scheduled his last day of work for Monday, Jan. 15, in honor of Cheryl’s birthday.
“I REMEMBER when I was just a kid, my dad said you can do anything you want to do,” Miller recalled. “I took that challenge to heart. I put 100 percent into everything I’ve done.”
Along the way, he’s had a lot of mentors. He ticked off a list: Roy Owens, the first plant manager he worked for, followed by Harvey Buckley. Kent Webber, president, and Walter Wulf, CEO and chairman of the board.
But perhaps no one was as influential as his parents, Kenneth and Doris.
His father also worked for Monarch for decades and served as a plant manager. At first, the elder Kenneth didn’t necessarily encourage his son to come to work at Monarch, at least not while he was still in college. He wanted his son to finish his education.
Miller had worked at Monarch during the summer while attending Allen County Community College. After his second year, he agreed to a six-month stint while Monarch made major upgrades to the utility shop.
He never left, working his way into the maintenance and repair department. “That’s where I really found my niche,” he said. The position also propelled him up the corporate ladder: Maintenance supervisor, department manager, assistant plant manager, plant manager and eventually a company vice president 10 years ago.
As a vice president, Miller oversees plant operations, secures contracts on raw materials, and coordinates shipments to subsidiaries. He works closely with supervisors in Des Moines, Iowa, and Dodge City “to make sure we’re meeting their demand.”
His father retired in 1988. That gave them 16 years to work together. And the younger Miller did finish his college education.
“He was a big help to me,” Miller said. “The biggest thing he provided for me was the work ethic. He put his heart and soul into his work and instilled that in me.”
Later, three of his four children — Kenny, Kris and Michael — would help at Monarch during summers. Daughter Aimee was the exception.
