Felins is proud to recognize an exciting achievement by one of our own. Keegan McKillip, a recent Slinger High School graduate and part of the Industrial Equipment Apprentice Program in our Technical Service department, has been awarded three distinguished scholarships: the PMMI Member Family Scholarship, the TCATA Vocational Scholarship, and one from TRSA.
Keegan will attend Waukesha County Technical College this fall to study Robotics and Automation Engineering Technology, a direction solidified in part by the experience he’s gained during his apprenticeship at Felins.
“I got real-world experience,” Keegan shared. “More importantly, I learned how to learn.”
His time at Felins has helped him build confidence, independence, and the ability to solve problems using the resources around him, skills that will serve him well as he continues his education and prepares for a career in the manufacturing and automation industry.
According to Collin Niedermann, Felins Service Manager and Keegan’s supervisor, those traits have been clear from the start.
Niedermann added that Keegan’s problem-solving mindset has made him a strong contributor to the team.
“When he asks for input, we know he’s already done the work to understand the problem. He thinks logically, communicates his process clearly, and truly wants to understand why a machine behaves a certain way. That kind of curiosity is essential in service.”
Felins’ long-standing involvement with PMMI (The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies), TCATA (Textile Care Allied Trades Association) and TRSA (Association for Linen. Uniform and Facility Services Industry) makes this recognition especially meaningful. These organizations play an important role in supporting technical education and industry excellence. TCATA recently highlighted Keegan and other recipients on their website, which can be viewed here.
Keegan’s connection to Felins began long before his apprenticeship. Growing up, he was captivated by stories from his dad, Joe McKillip, a long-time Felins sales manager, who would share videos and updates from customer visits and equipment installations.
“I always thought the systems he worked on were cool,” Keegan recalled. “He’d send videos while he was on trips. It got me interested early.”
Outside of school and Felins, Keegan runs cross country, enjoys hunting and fishing, and works at a local restaurant, balancing a full schedule with enthusiasm and determination.
We’re incredibly proud of Keegan’s accomplishments and excited to see where his journey takes him next. His curiosity, work ethic, and drive are already making a difference, and we’re honored to be part of his story.
About Felins: With a team of dedicated professionals and a complete offering of sustainable packaging solutions, Felins’ team is inspired to create innovative alternatives because every packaging decision should help, not hurt, our planet. For more information, visit http://felins.com/.
