TW vending started in garage in Woodbury in 1997 as a vending machine company. In 2001 the company got a lucky break when they were offered entry to Dakota County sheriff’s office, leading to focus on service to correctional facilities. As the company expanded, they moved into a facility in Hudson, and now are based in River Falls.
Dewey Wahlin, CEO of TurnKey Corrections, described TurnKey as the lifeline between inmates in jails in prisons and their families outside. The company can handle finances, commissary, email, communications, video visits, and other inmate needs. Handling these types of issues for the inmates in facilities can make the staff’s jobs much easier. He also said that TurnKey stands out because it has in-house software development.
As examples of some of TurnKey’s innovations, Dewey pointed with pride to an internship program that they started in 2017. Another innovation is that TurnKey offers a handheld device to inmates to provide communications to the outside. He noted that jails and prisons vary greatly depending on the local situation; the size and culture of the facility make a great deal of difference.
In 2020 TurnKey started an employee donation fund. In exchange for Fridays off, the employees donate 1% of their salaries that was matched by the owners. The community fund contributes money back to local community.
TurnKey’s River Falls location is their headquarters. Recently TurnKey purchased a similar business called Kimble’s corrections, which did not have in-house software development. Skillet Kitchens came with acquisition. SK provides a high-quality meal to inmates that meets or exceeds local, state, and fed regs. The last component of the River Falls-based business is Excel Power Bikes, a much different business that comes from a love of bicycling and is responding to the developing market for e-bikes. Bikes are made in River Falls and sold at the Sterling Ponds facility as well as through dealers.
Three Square Market was an unmanned micro market business that started in about 2015. The parent company was sold the business to another company in 2022. Dewey noted that the Three Square Market employees are still housed in the River Falls building.
Dewey described Turnkey’s market span as Midwest, Central, and Western US. Kimble, by contrast, focuses on the Southeast. TKC Telecom is a phone co in addition to Tk or K that allows for incoming and outgoing calls within the corr facility. Relationships and customer service are the keys to success.
Dewey described Turnkey’s unique internship program in detail. The company emphasizes practical and hands-on experience as well as broad exposure to various departments and tasks. Interns have a chance to research and present on a company project. The management team has an immediate discussion about making an employment offer. He said that they encourage graduates they hire to take time to travel and rest up, then start full-time work.
About the Speaker: Dewey Wahlin is from St Paul. Went to U of ME as a hockey player, graduated from International Univerity in San Diego, then earned an MBA from Butler. Worked for Dow Brands as a financial analyst, moved back from Indianapolis to Minneapolis, then offered job in Cincinnati, moved back to Minneapolis to Land O Lakes as a new products manager. Went to DecoPac to work in licensing marketing.
The two owners of TW contacted Dewey about coming to work for their companies. Dewey described them as two brothers with complementary skills. He started 7 years ago with TurnKey and 3 square market. RF is the company’s headquarters. Wahlin became CEO of TurnKey in 2022.