Nic Barrick

 

Nic Barrick is the first to tell others that his time at DMACC was instrumental in his success. It was his coursework in CAD—which was cut short by a pair of open heart surgeries—that laid the groundwork for his ascension into a leadership role as the Head of Design and Innovation at All Square Cabinet Co. in Indianola.

“Nic naturally fosters an environment of curiosity, synthesized with a strategy to maximize the company in a way that will allow it to adapt, grow and realize future opportunities,” says his wife, Kelly, in supporting Nic’s nomination for the Impact Award. “Initially, his education in CAD at DMACC helped him start his journey designing residential kitchens. Then in the downturn of housing he moved on to structural steel tower manufacturing for agriculture projects. Now he is manufacturing commercial cabinetry. His professional accomplishments speak to the impact he has had utilizing his capabilities in these unique industries.”

Nic’s combination of technical skills and positive disposition pushed his current employer to go the extra mile to bring him onto the team.

“I aggressively recruited Nic to AllSquare,” says company President Brad Warren in supporting Nic’s nomination. “He hit the ground running in improving day-to-day tasks. But knowing that he is always looking for a new challenge, I have had him partner with me on a number of strategic initiatives to position the company for further growth.”

Among those initiatives are steering the rebrand of the business to improve its perception in the market, leading the implementation of a new design and fabrication software, and assuming the lead role in researching and integrating a new residential line of cabinetry that will open AllSquare to new markets.

While the professional accomplishments are nice, Nic says it is a recent side project that has brought him the most satisfaction.

In 2018, Nic spent six months organizing a class from Base Camp Iowa, a program that gathers a dozen junior high students for a week to work together on an intensive, hands-on project. Nic supported the group as they built a wind turbine to power a compressor that provides free energy to Summit Product’s 70,000 square foot manufacturing facility.

“How cool is that?” Nic says of the project. “Being a part of Base Camp Iowa is one of my greatest accomplishments.”

“He has a huge heart for bringing out the best in people,” says former coworker Larry Stayner in supporting Nic’s nomination. “I highly recommend him for this award.”