March 25, 2021

This paid piece is sponsored by Novak Sanitary Service.

A nearly two-decade career started with a race.

More specifically, a race car, driven by sprint car racer Butch Hanssen, that needed a sponsor.

“A mutual friend knew Bob Novak liked racing and said we need to visit with him, and he got on board,” said Hanssen, who owned a commercial door business in Rapid City.

That was in 1986. Novak and Hanssen have been friends ever since. And when Hanssen decided he and his wife, Robin, wanted to move to Sioux Falls to be closer to family, he reached out to Novak to see if he knew anyone who was hiring.

“He asked me to stop out that Thanksgiving when we were in town and said we’ll talk,” Hanssen said. “We talked 15 minutes, did a handshake, sold our business in Rapid and moved here in January.”

That was in 2002. It launched a nearly two-decade career for Hanssen as the sales manager for Novak.

“My best memories are from the people I worked with,” Hanssen said. “I primarily called on businesses and was fortunate we got to grow with them. We have a great sales team, and we get to build relationships with the individuals we serve. Some of those individuals become our best friends.”

Last year, though, he decided it was time for a transition and a retirement that allows for more travel and warmer winters.

Tim Deppe moved to Sioux Falls last October and began working with Hanssen to eventually take over the role.

“Butch has an effect on everyone he meets,” Novak district manager Mike Herbst said. “He’s a mentor to everybody even when he’s not trying to be. He’s a total confidante and will give advice when you need advice and listen if you need someone to listen. They don’t make too many Butches.”

It was clear there would be no replacing Hanssen, Herbst said, so the goal was to find a leader who could bring a different experience and perspective.

“That led us to Tim, who has been in this company a long time in a variety of roles and sees how the big picture comes together,” Herbst said. “We have a brilliant, tenured team here, and we have a growing community with more residents and businesses moving in all the time. So we think Tim will bring ideas that help us evolve and provide even better value for customers.”

For Deppe, who moved to Sioux Falls from St. Louis, it has been a positive experience.

“People have been very open and accommodating,” he said. “I’ve met a lot of people, and it’s clear Novak has a very strong and well-deserved reputation. It was nice to come in and be openly accepted. And even the winter wasn’t as bad as some let on, so it’s been very enjoyable.”

Deppe said he looks forward to further strengthening his team and continuing to establish Novak as a premier waste company.

“We’re always fine-tuning the customer experience, and that’s something I want to emphasize,” he said. “We want current and future clients to see we go above and beyond. The customer experience has to be No. 1 because that will set us apart.”