INTERVIEW
Named CEO of DICA earlier this year, Kris Koberg leads with compassion and
know how. D.Ann Shiffler reports.
Steady force
I
n the late 1980s therewas a growing
awareness that outrigger pads should
be the foundationof outrigger-
enabled equipment, such as cranes,
to assureproper loaddistribution.
Back then,most outrigger padswere
constructedofwood and cable reels.
While earlyoutrigger padswereon
the right path, industry leaderswere
concerned that theydidn’t hit the
markwhen it came to certainground
conditions, easeof use,weight, ergonomic
safety and lifespan. Inotherwords, there
was aneed for abettermousetrap.
In1988,Dick andCarolynKoberg
foundedDICA,which initially
represented severalmanufacturing
companies supplying fiberglass utility
bodies, aerial buckets, small excavating
equipment and electrical inverters for gas,
electric and telecomutilities. (Thename
DICAwas created from the first two
letters ofDick andCarolyn’s first names.)
During this time, theKobergs began
pursuing the answer to aquestionposed
to them several years earlier: Canyou
WHAT IS IT ABOUT THE DYNAMICSOF A
FAMILYBUSINESS THAT KEEPS YOU ENGAGED?
It is engaging tohave a commonmission
to see thework thatwas startedbyyour
parents continueon and flourish for
future generations.My responsibility in
terms of our familydynamics is todo
everything I can toprevent thebusiness
fromdriving familymembers apart.
It’s also rewarding to strive together for
successes thatmake your parents proud.
IS IT EVERDIFFICULT TOWORKWITH YOUR
BROTHERSAND FAMILYMEMBERS?
Yes. The goodnews is thatwe are all
wireddifferently. Thebadnews is that
we are allwireddifferently.We try to
address issues that ariseopenly and
honestly,which
will always be a
work inprogress.
buildme abetter outrigger pad?
DICAbegandeveloping an engineered
outrigger pad thatwould ensureproper
loaddistributionon a rangeof ground
conditions andprovideunbreakable
strength. The companydelivered its
first outrigger pads in1988. It’smost
successful product is the SafetyTech
outrigger pads,which “put the company
on themap.”
“TodayourMade in theUSAproduct
line includes SafetyTech® outrigger
pads aswell as FiberMaxoutrigger
pads, cranepads and cranemats,” said
KrisKoberg,DICACEO. “With50-plus
standardmodels inour line,we’re able to
fit equipment ranging from less than1 ton
up to1,000 tons ormore.”
The familybusiness has alsogrown to
includeKris andhis twobrothersKerry
andKevin.
KrisKoberg joined the familybusiness
after graduating college in1991. But
thenhemovedon to “pursueother
experiences andopportunities.” In2010,
he rejoined the family team as vice
president, overseeing all operations.
HewasnamedCEO earlier in2014.
AtConExpo inMarch,DICA launched
its latest product offering, FiberMax
outriggermats. The reception to thenew
product linehas been strong, Koberg said.
ACT
caught upwithhim to findoutmore.
Launched at ConExpo 2014 inMarch, DICA’s
new FiberMaxmats reduce transportation
costs and provide the engineered
performance that is needed for higher
capacity cranes and low soil-bearing
capacity conditions.
DICA CEO
Kris Koberg
runs the family
business
founded by his
father and
mother, Dick
and Carolyn
Koberg.
>32
MAY 2014
ACT
31
