Like many distributors, Kimball Midwest had to completely revamp its in-person training and development programs to virtual video conference last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The effort was successful, as seen last month when Kimball Midwest announced it was one of 59 organizations honored as part of Chief Learning Officer’s 11th LearningElite Awards program. It was the first time that Kimball Midwest was named to the list. Other organizations that were also honored included Cardinal Health, PepsiCo and Columbia Sportswear.

Winning streak

That award followed on the heels of Columbus-based Kimball Midwest being ranked No. 84 nationally this year in Trading magazine’s Training Top 100 after previously being ranked No. 111 in 2020. The Training Top 100 ranking was based on benchmarking statistics and a range of qualitative and quantitative factors, including total training budget, scope of training programs provided, detailed formal and informal training programs, training being linked to business goals and business outcomes resulting from training.

“The Training 100, which we won for the first time last year, was a big surprise to us then. It was really the first time we had ever had that experience of being recognized nationally. We got a lot of great feedback from them that we hope to learn from,” says Kimball Midwest Director of Sales Development Kate Callison. “The way that our training team collaborates, I’m not at all surprised that they were able to accomplish this. It’s just great getting that kind of recognition for all of their hard work. That reinforcement to them that, ‘Hey, what you’re doing not only works in our culture, and is great for Kimball Midwest, but it’s also best practices nationally and in all kinds of training organizations.'”

In a Q&A with MDM, Callison talks in-depth about working through COVID-19 challenges, the types of training programs Kimball Midwest offers to its employees and what’s on the training and development roadmap going forward.

Read about Kimball Midwest’s efforts in our interview with Callison, exclusively in the latest issue of MDM Premium. Not a subscriber? Sign up here.