For Kim King, Terral River Service is far more than a place of employment; it’s a place of community.

34 years ago, King began her first day of work as a receptionist for Great River Grain. In 1992, that company sold their grain elevators and merged what remained into what is now known as Terral River Service.

King has played several roles for the company over time.

“When I was the receptionist, I answered the telephone and did a little boat traffic for our two little boats we had,” she said. “At one point I did payroll and health insurance – and I was Tom’s travel agent,” she said with a laugh.

King said that working for CEO Tom Gattle has been one of the greatest joys of her job.

“There’s nobody better to work for than Tom,” she said. “He’s so good to everybody about everything. Anyone here would tell you that.”

Over time, King has been able to watch the family culture of Terral grow into fruition. She said at one point, there were about five people working out of a small trailer for an office. Today, she shares an office with about 15 people.

“We laugh, go on trips together, the ladies go to football games together and have shopping weekends,” she said. “We are family.”

On June 10 2013, King attended one of Terral’s boat christening ceremonies. Unbeknownst to her, the boat being christened was named the M/V Kim King.

“It was a total surprise,” she said.

King said she was so distracted with trying to get her camera focused as the tractor pulled the boat around the bend that she didn’t notice the name on the hull.

“I was standing there with my camera as they pulled the boat and didn’t even realize,” she said. “Tom kept telling me, ‘Kim, put down the camera and look!’”

“I immediately started crying,” she said

Kim continues to serve as a major asset to the company working as logistics coordinator. When she’s not at work, she enjoys spending time with her husband Kenneth, as well as spoiling her nieces and nephews.