Name: Slater Blick
Title: Milling Intern
University: Kansas State University
What drew you to intern with Didion?
Last summer I held an internship with a company in Minnesota, and while I was visiting a friend in Winona, I ended up meeting Michael Greco, a Mill Leader in Training for Didion. We got to know each other pretty well and became great friends, which is what initially drew me to Didion. When I heard Didion would be on–site, I signed up for an interview. The decision to intern with Didion ultimately came from hearing team members stories first-hand and having the ability to work at a corn mill.
What impactful projects have you worked on/are you currently working on?
Optimizing the roll stands to ensure they grind to maximum efficiency and focusing on the general health upkeep of the rolls is my biggest project along with helping the millers most effectively use the roll stands.
What attracted you to the milling/manufacturing profession?
Through school, I enjoyed learning about food safety and was planning to major in Food Safety at K-State. After speaking with my FFA advisor, he encouraged me to tour the Milling department at K-State to gather information on the program. At first, I did not want to go into milling, I was convinced I was going to enroll in the Food Safety program. Two months later, I was a miller! Milling has combined my love for agriculture and food.
What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?
In my spare time, I help out with our local 4-H and FFA clubs, enjoy playing a round of golf, trap shooting, hiking, hunting and cooking.
