Jason Keane – Superman of the Parts Department

Jason Keane of the Runde Parts Department

Need a part? Jason Keane in our Parts Department has got you covered. Jason, one of the nicest people you’d ever want to meet.  And he was in my sights on my way into work this morning, so I asked if he would sit down for a quick interview so we could get to know him a little better.

What do you do here at Runde’s?

I work in the parts department at the parts counter. I help receive the parts and ship them out as well as ordering. If someone needs a part I will find it for them.

How long have you worked here?

Just over a year now, I started at the end of December.

Are you originally from the area?

I’m originally from Bellevue, IA but then we moved to Dyersville.  We’ve been there for just under a year now … we found a nice house there.

What’s your most memorable experience at Runde’s to date?

That I’d have to think about… there was one pretty interesting day where we ordered a box for a pickup truck and when we went to pick it up it wouldn’t fit in the truck so we had to run all over the place to find a vehicle that would fit it. We ended up finding a flat bed eventually to fit it in.

When you’re not working in the Runde Parts Department, what kind of past-times do you have?

I like to work on my own vehicles or do some woodworking. Right now I’m working on my house at Bellevue – completely renovating the kitchen. I plan to fix it up and then sell it. It was supposed to happen within 15 years but then I got deployed to Egypt, followed by Iraq.

How was your experience in those countries?

Egypt was pretty nice, it was a peace keeping mission, we got to do a lot of tourist things. Iraq was all work and no play – I was scheduled to be there for one year but we ended up staying for 18 months.  Nowadays, one weekend per month I go to our armory and help the National Guard as a diesel mechanic.

Woodworking? Just house repairs or do you like making things?

When I was younger my mom would do the craft shows and I would build the chairs and whatever she needed. I haven’t had to much time to do that recently since I’ve been working on the house. Someday, I’d like to set up my own woodshop and get into things again.

What kind of cars you got?

I’ve got a Dodge Ram now.  I used to have a Ford Thunderbird, but I got rid of that.

So are you married?

Yes. I’ve been married for almost eight years now. I was smart and got married in 2000 so I’d remember how many years right away.

Kids?

Yep – two boys.

How old?

I have a 9-year-old who’s in elementary school.  He’s very open and if anything is wrong he wouldn’t hesitate to tell you. The 11-year-old is in 5th grade and he’s more of the quiet academic type.

Any pets?

We have a beagle named Max; he’s 6 years old.

What’s your favorite hangout spot around the tri-states?

Probably my house.

If you were a vehicle what vehicle would you be and why?

A Humvee. It’s more of a military type vehicle, not so much civilian.

Have a favorite restaurant?

Probably Country Junction is Dyersville.   It has good country food and the whole restaurant is built to look like a barn inside.

What’s your most memorable experience in a car or truck?

Once on Christmas Eve, I rolled a car.

Uh… what happened?

I was in high school, it was one of those moments where I was really immature. I was on a gravel road following some friends and there were some hairpin corners where I lost control. Not being used to a front wheel drive, when I tried to correct it, it over-corrected and then we went down to the ditch and rolled over. Everyone was fine.  We all got out and just rolled it back over and drove it home.

What kind of music do you like?

I’m not too picky … pretty much everything, except for rap.

What’s in your cd player right now?

Nothing. I just listen to the radio.

Is the glass half empty or half full?

Half-full. I’m optimistic.

Who is your favorite super-hero?

Superman. From what I remember he had the most abilities.

If you were to win the lottery or have an ample amount of money, what would you do with it?

I’d pay off:  my debts, my family’s debts, and maybe some close friends’ debts  and then I’d re-invest the rest and see what kind of organizations I could donate to.

If you were going to go on a stroll, would you bike or walk?

Walk.

What’s your favorite movie?

What Dreams May Come.

I’ll quit bugging you and let you get back to work in the parts department now.  Thanks for your time, Jason!