After nearly 24 years of owning and operating TnT Services, Tim and Kathy Holzwarth announced this week they are selling to a couple with local ties, effective July 1, 2024. The ag supply and fencing material business will be under the ownership of Aaron and Chelsea Cashman doing business as Dakota Fencing.
“I am thrilled to know that I have a young couple and their family taking over the business that I started,” Tim said. “The ag supply/material, fencing materials, net wrap, twine and livestock equipment part of the business will be continued here in Wessington Springs by the Aaron and Chelsea Cashman family.”
Tim shared that the Cashmans will continue the fencing and ag supply/material side of things as Dakota Fencing while he will continue doing accounting, bookkeeping and tax services under TnT Services with an office in Mitchell as well as for Kelsey Services in Alpena.
Over two decades in the making
After working at the Wessington Springs Livestock Auction for 12-14 years and then owning it for five years, Tim made the decision to sell in 2000 and was then approached with a business opportunity.
“Around the same time I sold the sale barn, Tom Grohs was building fence as a profession and he approached me with the idea of starting an inventory of fencing supplies,” Holzwarth explained. “I got in a line of fence posts and wire, so as he built fences for people, he bought the materials from me.”
At the time, Tim was also working at Krohmer Agency in accounting and bookkeeping and Kathy worked at American Bank & Trust. When the time came to name the business, Tim wanted to keep it short and simple.
“I had worked at Wessington Springs Livestock Auction for over a dozen years then owned it for five years. If you ever had to write that long name out as many times as I did… I knew I never wanted a business with that long of a name,” Tim explained. “TnT has no real meaning, most people thought it was Tim and Tom but it wasn’t tied together.”
Fast forward to 2024 after running a local Wessington Springs business for 24 years, and Tim was open to the idea of selling. Although he had a couple people over the past year talk to him about buying the business, nothing solidified into a sale.
“It was always a hope of mine that someday I’d be able to sell my business,” reflected Tim.
And in January of this year, Tim was approached by Aaron and his dad Mark Cashman about buying the business.
“I had just kind of shrugged them off as I was busy in tax season and asked them to wait until after taxes were over,” said Tim. “Sure enough, exactly one week after April, 15, they reached out again and it continued from there.”
Wessington Springs native returns home
Aaron graduated from Wessington Springs High School in 2003 and has been working in commercial flat roofing for the past 21 years. Chelsea graduated from Watertown High School and worked in health care sales. “We are excited to live in a smaller town and work as a family business. We are grateful our children will be able to learn by watching their parents try and turn a dream into reality,” said the Cashmans.
The couple said they look forward to spending more time with family, having their kids, Hayes, 7 and Harvey, 5, spend time with their grandpa on the farm and enjoy the slower pace of small town living.
Even though, as of July 1, the business will be under new ownership and name, Dakota Fencing will still offer the same products and services as TnT.
“Other than the people running it, the business will offer the same products and same great service — just not my pretty face,” joked Tim.
While the papers have yet to be officially signed, Tim and Kathy are excited for what is to come.
“Its time to trade out these old duffers for a younger couple. I’d say it’s definitely a win for the community.”
Although at first Tim will stay on to help through the transition, the Holzwarths said that they look forward to spending more time with their children and grandchildren. At the same time they are grateful for the years of doing business in Wessington Springs and have high hopes for future support of Dakota Fencing.
“We are very blessed and thankful for our customers. They have been extra loyal and our hope is that they continue that loyalty with Aaron, Chelsea and their family.”