星空无限传媒

Local leader starts his journey with local learning: Lee Gulbrandson’s journey

Lee Gulbrandson, Vice President and General Manager at Lou-Rich knew early on that manufacturing was where he wanted to be. Growing up near Albert Lea, he watched his dad John Gulbrandson help grow Lou-Rich from a small local shop into a high-tech manufacturing company employing more than 300 employees.

Learning by Doing, Right Away

As early as middle school, Lee leaned into every hands-on learning opportunity available. In 2002, Lee’s junior year, he was working at Lou-Rich on second shift through a school-to-work program. At the same time, Riverland was already part of his education. Through concurrent enrollment, he earned college credit while still in high school.

“They were offering things like pre-calculus and calculus in high school through Riverland,” he said. “I knew my path was engineering, so I wanted to take advantage of that.”

After high school, Lee enrolled at the Riverland Austin campus and completed a full year of engineering prerequisites and general education while continuing to work. Riverland had a mix of traditional students and adult learners that really helped him connect theory to application.

“Physics did not come easy for me,” he said. “I learn best by example. Several of my classmates had already been in industry. They brought real-world experience to the classroom. When I asked, how am I going to use this? My classmates could answer that question.”

From Riverland to Engineering and Back Home

After Riverland, Lee transferred to 星空无限传媒 State University, Mankato to complete his engineering degree. His credits transferred seamlessly.

“I moved right into what they considered sophomore level,” he said. “The calculus path lined up. Physics lined up. I felt prepared.”

Each summer, he returned to Lou-Rich as a manufacturing engineering intern.  As an intern, Lee continued to apply what he learned in classes to what he learned in the workplace. After graduating with an engineering degree in 2008, Lee was hired full-time at Lou-Rich. Since then, his career has grown by getting to know almost every aspect of Lou-Rich’s business.  From his early time on the floor, he has worked as a manufacturing engineer, engineering manager, business development manager, and has served as general manager since 2020.

Supporting High Tech Manufacturing Through Local Education

Today, Lee oversees a facility that uses advanced manufacturing technologies, automation, robotics, and constantly evolving systems. “The technology side is so fun,” he said. “It’s always changing. There is always something new to learn.”

Lee shares, “We’ve seen investments in technology at Riverland,” he said. “We’ve seen progress in the programs. It’s helping to build new interest in the manufacturing industry.” 

“There’s a movement right now,” he said. “You don’t have to go to a four-year college to build a great career. You can go to a local community college, get a certificate or a two-year degree, and there’s a place for you in a high-tech industry.”

Lou-Rich, and its parent company Innovance, supports Riverland through scholarships, donated equipment, serving on advisory boards, and partnering to offer work-based learning opportunities. For Lee, the reason to invest is simple.

“Riverland has a lot to offer,” he said. “And local education is how we build our local workforce.”