Functional Industries began as an idea in 1972 which soon turned into reality. Ruben Bonk began thinking about his son’s future and decided there needed to be a work program for adults with disabilities. January 21st 1973, Functional Industries became incorporated and began selecting board members. As early as October, the program became operational at Crawford Lake School House south of Buffalo with our first client reporting to work. By the end of 1973, there were ten clients working and the first Director was hired.

Some of the first jobs included packaging screws, assembling light cords and heat lamps. The product came from Minneapolis and was hauled back and forth in a station wagon.

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In July of 1974, funds were obtained from Wright County for land and a building. It was completed and occupied by March 5th 1975. These funds established Functional Industries Buffalo Corporate Office in the location it stands today. Not long after this, the Cokato program was established in a rented building. In 1977, Wright County awarded a grant to Functional Industries for the purpose of building a site in Cokato. This project was completed and occupied on January 1st 1979.

The Buffalo location has been added to several times, including an addition to double the main buildings size, a garage and the Jacobs Center building.

When asking Functional Industries founder, Ruben Bonk, how he made this idea a success, he states “I was the right person, in the right place, at the right time.”