Meet Charlie Kellerman – Hardware Team

At Punch Through, we encourage everyone to proudly be themselves and want you to know the people behind the work that we’re so proud of. That’s why we launched our “Meet the Team” series, where we introduce you to one of our team members each month. 

Meet Charlie. He’s our hardware engineer who designs and tests circuit boards. In his spare time, he likes to go out with friends, play golf, hockey, and broomball, and watch Peaky Blinders and Schitt’s Creek on Netflix.

What were you doing before working at Punch Through?

I graduated from The University of Minnesota with a BS in Electrical Engineering. I got an internship at a place similar to Punch Through, but they focused more on cellular devices, rather than Bluetooth. Eventually, they got acquired by a larger company, and it was a little more “corporate” than I liked, so I thought it was a good time to look at other options. Around that time, a friend who worked at Punch Through reached out because they were looking for another hardware engineer. The company seemed exciting and a great place to work—it turned out to be true. That was four years ago, and I’ve been here ever since.

What is your favorite thing about Punch Through culture?

Flexibility and the “chill” work environment. No one is too serious about day-to-day work. I like being able to work at times that work for me—strolling in at the crack of 9:30 and staying late works for me, and I like that I don’t get judged for that.

Everyone is very friendly, and it’s less of a co-worker feeling and more of a friend relationship.

Tell me a story about your most memorable moment while working at Punch Through

My most memorable moment was actually a lot of moments. It was my first week, and I found myself hopping on a plane for the company’s annual trip. We went to California and stayed at a big avocado ranch, which was a great experience. I got to know everyone really quickly and learn all about Punch Through’s last year. It really helped me get acquainted with the company and the people. Oh, and there were goats. No avocados. They weren’t in season. But there were definitely goats.

What cool or rewarding things do you get to do on a regular basis?

Everything I work on, I own. I’m responsible for getting things done, and I feel like I have a voice and pull a lot of weight around here. I don’t just do something, I have ownership of the projects I work on. At some jobs, it can feel like you do one task over and over. Here, you don’t just own the task, you own the discipline. I get to do a little bit of everything, and the work isn’t monotonous.

Culturally, I get to relax at work and beat Bret and Emily in pool. We get together for happy hours and bond with each other. Also, if you really want to, you can contribute to the growth of the company as a whole and help make it better.

What is the most valuable part of your work to you on a personal level?

Carrying projects all the way through to completion, getting projects across the finish line, knowing that you’re helping the customer get something they need—all of these are valuable, and it turns out to be a pleasant experience for everybody.

What is different about Punch Through versus other places you have worked?

I see or hear from everyone at the company every day. It’s very flat, in a good way. Punch Through is the first place where I have felt that management always has my back. It’s little things that add up over time. I still feel like I have a lot of impact on the company, and my ideas are heard.