Return to Archived Stories

Working full time as an electrician, his duties include bidding; contracting; working with blueprints; and remodeling and installing for homes, agriculture-related structures, and workshops.

Utsch grew up in Paynesville and has worked as an electrician for seven years, including a four-year apprenticeship, one year as a journeyman, and the completion of his masters' and contractors' licenses.

He was made an offer by Paul Osbourne, owner of Champion Milking Systems, Inc., of Paynesville, who decided to expand the business to include an electrician, thus forming Champion Ag Electric, LLC. The business is located in the Industrial Loop in Paynesville.

Utsch said he became acquainted with Osbourne over the last three years through working on ag projects at sites where the electrical work was contracted separately. Now, with an electrician on site at Champion Ag Electric, LLC, Osbourne and Utsch are working together as one company.

Becoming an electrician was "something I thought I could do as I get older," said Utsch.

In the future, he would eventually like to have an apprentice and expand the business with more electricians. Currently, he is available on call 24 hours a day and on weekends.

Utsch also owns and operates a dairy farm with 45 cows ten miles north of Paynesville, between Spring Hill and St. Martin, where he lives with his wife, Shirley. They have six children and two grandchildren.

In his spare time, he enjoys fishing and traveling.