Introducing Tray Koch, QuikrStuff’s paid college intern. He brings great energy, multiple talents, and an exceptional work ethic to the QuikrStuff team.
Q: Tell us about yourself and how you got involved with QuikrStuff.
Hi! My name is Tray. I’m currently in my last year of studies at Colorado Mesa University in Grand Junction. Recently, I completed a degree in music with elective studies in business, and I’m now working on finishing a degree in mechanical engineering. I started working with QuikrStuff in October of 2023. One of my roommates did bookkeeping work for Quikr at the time. When I was looking for an internship in the fall of 2023, he put me in contact with Bryan, and a few weeks later I was working. Over the last two years I’ve had the opportunity to help out with lots of different projects.
Outside of school, I am passionate about music and the outdoors. I play trumpet in many ensembles in the Grand Junction area, including brass bands, jazz bands, and even a mariachi band. Making music is one of my favorite hobbies, and I’m so glad I decided to pursue music in college.
Outdoor rec is another passion of mine. It doesn’t matter if I’m skiing, hiking or biking, I just love spending time outside, especially with a good group of friends. On weekends you’ll usually find me skiing up at Powderhorn, hiking in and around the Grand Valley, or out biking at 18 Road in Fruita. I’ve ridden a few bike races over the years, most notably the Bailey Hundo and the Telluride 100. I always love a challenge!
Q: As a paid intern, what is your role with the company? Are there any specific projects you’ve worked on?
As an intern, I don’t have a specific job description. This has been one of the best parts of my role so far. Instead of being limited to a narrow set of responsibilities, I get to jump in wherever I’m needed. This has given me a hands-on look at what it takes to run a small manufacturing company. Most of my day-to-day responsibilities include writing blog posts, troubleshooting components of the website, attending events for brand outreach, and helping with general marketing.
One of my biggest projects last year was a revamp of the shipment quoting system. I set up and troubleshooted a new automated box packing and shipment quoting system for the website. Now that it’s live, I keep an eye on shipping quotes to ensure new products are being packed and quoted properly.
One of my favorite parts of the job is attending events. Over the last two years, I’ve attended the Fruita Fat Tire Fest, the Denver Outside Festival and a few others. Meeting QuikrStuff owners and chatting with others who love the outdoors is always a highlight. Whether I’m behind the scenes or out at events, I love being part of a team that’s passionate about what we build and who we build it for.
Q: What do you hope to be doing in five years?
I’m in my last year of engineering school right now, and while I’m still exploring where my path may lead, I have a few goals I’d like to share. In five years, I hope to be working at a small company where I can apply my engineering knowledge to industries I am passionate about, especially the music or outdoor industries. I’m drawn to roles and companies where I can pursue my passions and give back to the local community.
Outside of work, I hope to live somewhere with easy access to outdoor recreation. Whether it’s hiking, biking, skiing or just spending time outside, I hope to keep spending time outside and seeing new places. I’d also like to be playing trumpet in a band somewhere. Playing trumpet in brass bands is one of my favorite hobbies and I’d love to keep that part of my life going strong.
