A family tradition: Dawson Kaylor follows his parents' footsteps to Dakota Gas

Perhaps it was a sign that hinted at his future career with Dakota Gasification Company and its Great Plains Synfuels Plant when Dawson Kaylor, at only 5 years old, appeared with his parents on the spring 2008 cover of Basin Today. In the image, Jerard and Heidi Kaylor are walking along a dirt path with their three children. Dawson is holding hands with his parents as he playfully swings in their grasp. The cover story for that edition: “Our energy, our future.”

That future is now.

Sixteen years after that photo was taken, Dawson followed his parents’ footsteps to Dakota Gas, a subsidiary of Basin Electric, where since January 2024 he has worked as a shift maintenance field technician. The tradition of working at the plant near Beulah, North Dakota, started with his father, Jerard Kaylor, who is superintendent of planning. He began his career with Dakota Gas in 2000. Next, Dawson’s mother, Heidi Kaylor, began work with the company in 2013. She works as the executive administrative assistant.

Because they all work for the same company, Dawson will sometimes visit his parents’ offices before or after his shift, and occasionally they’ll have lunch together. In some ways, he says, this shared work connection is another benefit that Basin Electric has provided.

“Having Dawson follow in our footsteps at the Synfuels Plant is very special, especially seeing how his early interest in this kind of work has grown into a rewarding career,” Jerard says. “From a young age, Dawson was always curious about how things worked – taking apart toys, tools, vehicles, and electronics to figure them out and then putting them back together. He spent countless hours by my side while doing repairs and rebuilds, and as he grew older, he applied those skills both in his everyday life and in the workforce.

“I’ve enjoyed watching and being part of the evolution of the Synfuels Plant over the last 24 years, and it’s exciting to now share this experience with our son. Watching him start his own journey here at the plant and knowing he’ll have the opportunity to contribute to its continued growth and success for our members is something I’m proud of.”

Heidi adds, “It’s certainly rewarding to see Dawson follow in our footsteps at the Synfuels Plant. Jerard and I have been fortunate to build our careers here, and it’s meaningful to see our son take that same path. Dakota Gas has played a central role in our family’s story, providing not just job security but also valuable benefits and support that have enabled us to raise our family in a neighboring community.

“I’m grateful to have grown up in a family that worked for and embraced the cooperative spirit, and it’s been fulfilling to pass that on to my own family. While continuing his education at the North Dakota State College of Science in Wahpeton, Dawson was fortunate to receive a Basin Electric scholarship, which not only helped financially but also offered him insight into how cooperatives balance the needs of their employees, the cooperative, and the communities they serve.”

Dawson is now treading his own path forward, perhaps setting an example for his own future children to follow. He married his sweetheart, Hailey, this past September and the couple make their home in Hazen.

“We’re excited that Dawson will have the same stability and work-life balance that we’ve valued throughout our careers with Dakota Gas,” Heidi says. “We’re also thrilled that Dawson is raising his own family in the same community we call home. It’s rewarding to see him carry these values forward in his own journey, and we’re happy that he and his family will benefit from the same security and opportunities that have meant so much to us.”

Dawson says he enjoys his rotating shift and the work he does at the Synfuels Plant, saying no two days are the same. He’ll work four days on shift, four days off, a schedule he has come to appreciate the more he’s done it. “There’s a lot of variety, and it allows me to have a flexible lifestyle,” he says, including the time to immerse himself in his hobbies, among them fishing, hunting, and rebuilding automobiles.

While retirement for Dawson is still a few decades away, these are pursuits he hopes to still do when he retires. Like his parents, Dawson says he plans to stay long-term with Basin Electric and Dakota Gas. “I’ve seen the lifestyle that Basin Electric allows you to have,” he says. “I’ve seen how the cooperative treats it employees, the retirement and benefits it offers,” including an in-house doctor. “It’s a great benefit package, especially if you have a family.”

He continues, “I plan to stick around to build on my skills and gain experience,” noting another benefit the cooperative offers is the opportunity for advancement. “And the retirement plan is a significant benefit!”