Written by Shannon Siebert
The phrase ‘coming full circle’ certainly applies to Mainstay Communication’s new General Manager, Jeremiah Duerksen. He is a 1998 Henderson graduate who grew up in Henderson, where his father, Loren Duerksen, formerly worked at the Henderson Telephone Cooperative and eventually became the general manager at what is now called Mainstay Communications.
Duerksen admits it’s pretty exciting ending up back in Henderson, managing the same company his father did back in the 90s when he learned about the telecommunications industry from the ground up as a teenager. “My father injected me pretty early in the business, and he has been a great resource throughout my career,” said Duerksen.
“My first job here was mowing the lawn, but I don’t really remember how old I was!” said Duerksen. When he was around 14, he started helping install satellite dishes and working on telecommunication pedestal maintenance in the countryside. During high school, he spent every summer working at the Telephone Company and was also able to accompany his father on lobbying trips to Washington, D.C.
With such an early start in the industry, it was a natural choice to attend the University of Kearney and pursue a degree in telecommunications. Since graduating from college, he has worked with several companies gaining a wide range of experience.
For 12 years, he worked as Vice President of Sales at Diode Technologies, a technology integrator company that sold and installed security systems and provided SMART technology solutions for homes and businesses. Most recently, he was a Wholesale Account Executive with OPTK Networks, which deals with data transport.
“I look forward to ensuring that Mainstay continues its success as a cornerstone of the community. I want to see it thrive and grow strong for the long term, expanding in the right ways with the ever-changing technology,” said Duerksen.
Duerksen is excited to take over the reins at Mainstay Communications and has the advantage of already being familiar with the community. He and his wife Joni (Peters), a Henderson 98’ graduate, live in Wahoo with their two daughters, ages 12 and 6. Duerksen looks forward to reconnecting with the community and serving as a second-generation Mainstay manager.
