Meet Jace Gilleshammer

Jace Gilleshammer – IT Coordinator

Jace Gilleshammer is our IT Coordinator. He recently returned to the Fargo area and we are excited that he is part of our Heartland Trust team. 

Tell us about yourself. 

I was born in Grafton, North Dakota, and spent my schooling years here in north Fargo. A few years after high school I moved to Minneapolis to further my career, which led me on a path to Arizona where I spent the last 13 years. It was there that I met my wife. We have two daughters and couldn’t be more pleased to have our oldest in kindergarten here in the Fargo school system. We are very excited to raise our family in Fargo and to be a part of this community. 

What do you like to do in your spare time? 

I have two kids under 6 so I don’t understand that question anymore. I have really enjoyed getting back to the lakes, playing with my kids on grass instead of rock, and planting a garden again. There’s something soothing about getting some garden dirt under your fingernails.

Tell us about your favorite life experience. 

Nothing will ever compare to the joy and happiness I experienced while being present for the birth of my two daughters. Before that, my favorite experience was my first time flying an airplane. I grew up a super fan of aviation and my biggest childhood (and current) dream is to land on an aircraft carrier. I grew up directly off the east end of the Fargo Jet Center runway so I used to sit and watch planes take off and land all day long. To this day I always look up anytime I hear an aircraft engine.

What is your favorite movie/play/book? 

I don’t have a specific one to point out; however, the one I’ve spent the most time with was The Complete Encyclopedia of World Aircraft. More than 900 pages of just about any aircraft you can think of.

What was the first car you owned? 

 It was a 1986 Dodge 600 SE in faded brown with a red velvety interior. I got it in the summer after my freshman year at Ben Franklin so you can imagine how excited my friends and I were to get our first taste of freedom heading into high school.

If you could meet one person, dead or alive, who would it be and why?

Nikola Tesla. Our technological world wouldn’t be half of what it is if it weren’t for his ideas that pushed boundaries. It would be fun to discuss how his ideas, typically deemed too far-fetched for his place in time, have molded where we are on a global scale today. Look up some of his inventions and see all he was responsible for.

How long have you been at Heartland Trust? 

I’ve been here four months, and I’m delighted to say that I already feel like I am part of a new family. From day one everyone here has been more than willing to help me feel welcome.

What is your favorite part about working at Heartland Trust? 

While my funny answer would be the popcorn, my favorite part about working at Heartland is the people. You’ll meet some of the kindest and most caring individuals here.

Do you have a favorite recipe you would like to share?

It’s my mom’s homemade spaghetti sauce and, unfortunately, I have no clue what was in it other than a sprinkle of love and a touch of sugar and spice. But if I had to eat only one thing for the rest of my life, that would be it.