At Your Service –
The Team

Looking out for others comes naturally to Thérèse VanBlarcom; her history includes serving on her local school and library boards and in hospital/clinic settings. In 1996, Thérèse began part-time work with Kelber as a server and bartender. Through serving others, Thérèse understands how important it is to show respect and appreciation to everyone, as well as receive it.

“We’ve built a strong HR department at Kelber by balancing staff and employer needs equitably across the board.”

As Director of Human Resources for Kelber, Thérèse places her energy and compassion into advocating for union staff while working collaboratively with Kelber management. She sees each employee as an individual and feels that HR, at its core, is about service to others.

When Thérèse walks the Convention Center she is extremely proud that her family has been a champion for the Minneapolis Convention Center since the very beginning and continues to do so today.

Learning the hospitality industry by working at her uncle’s downtown Minneapolis restaurant, Stephanie Case had no idea she began a job that would lead her in to a very fulfilling and successful career.

Stephanie walked into the doors of the Old Minneapolis Auditorium in 1979 as an on-call bartender for Kelber Catering. From there she grew her knowledge and love for food into continuous promotions with Kelber until she landed as Sales Manager in 2000 and planted her roots.

“Kelber Catering is my second family.  I grew up here.”

Her knowledge of good food, culinary trends, and an adventurous palette contribute to the endless possibilities within the Kelber kitchen and her own! Stephanie embraces challenge, especially when new menu planning season arrives. She is known for her subtle demeanor, get-it-done attitude, and always being just around the corner to assist clients.

Stephanie’s contributions to Kelber stretch far beyond the sales office. She prides herself in bringing new recipes to the catering table.

When turning off the light at Kelber you will find Stephanie at home spending time with her grandchildren, tasting new wines from her cellar, and surfing the web for her next new food creation.  She loves preparing fresh dishes for her husband, who is a retired professional chef.

Heidi earned her degree in Elementary Education with a minor in Special Education. She took her first restaurant job out of college and was captivated with the hospitality industry. She spent the next ten years working every aspect of food and beverage.

Heidi joined Kelber in 2003 as a Banquet Manager, a promotion was offered to Sales Manager in 2005, Heidi then knew she found her home. Heidi’s greatest assets in her sales position are attention to detail and an ability to listen and understand clients’ needs. She takes pride in working with her clients to accommodate their requests, bring their visions to reality, and building client relationships that keeps them returning. Heidi’s professionalism and experience earned her “Hero of the Year” award from the Minneapolis Convention Center.

“Kelber is an awesome place to work. For all of our events I can count on everybody here to work together as a team.”

When not in the office, Heidi enjoys watching her daughter play hockey, spending time up north with her family, sewing and cross-stitching in her down time.

Shane Streitz started his career with Kelber in the Shipping and Receiving department in 2003. Shane asked the General Manager of Kelber how he could move up in the company, and they made the generous offer to send him to culinary school!

“I have been given the chance to run each department in the kitchen, giving me a comprehensive picture of what everyone goes through to create a successful meal.”

After completing his degree, Shane worked his way up to the position of Executive Sous Chef. He is indispensable to the Executive Chef by staying ahead of what is needed. His duties include managing a large team of cooks, ensuring all recipes are prepared to the highest standards, and menu development.

Shane describes himself as a fast-paced person; this not only suits the non-stop kitchen environment but also feeds his enjoyment of mixed martial arts which helps him relieve stress.

It takes a lot of skill to balance beautiful and delicious when you are working in quantities of 10,000. Executive Pastry Chef Nicole Sandlin calls her pastry team “the smallest but mightiest department in the Kelber kitchen”.

Nicole started out as a chemical engineer in California. Her path to pastry began when she moved cross-country to Chicago and enrolled in pastry school. In the Windy City, she worked at a high-end hotel where her talents matured working under 5 chefs who shared their knowledge, recipes and techniques.

“The most important part of my job is being able to put all the moving parts together: to know what needs to be done, when it should be done, and by whom.”

Nicole was looking for a management position when she moved to Saint Paul and joined Kelber Catering as the Executive Pastry Chef. Nicole and her team make sure the first plated dessert looks and tastes as amazing as the last one that leaves the kitchen.

Nicole is a world traveler and has spent a lot of time in Asia. She loves experiencing different cultures and, of course, tries desserts in every place she visits.