Meet the Clean ’N Seal Team
Clean ’N Seal is built around experienced people who understand the work firsthand. Our team brings together expertise in concrete and hardscape cleaning, sealing, surface restoration, media blasting, dry ice blasting, protective coatings, project management, and customer service.
From residential properties to commercial spaces and industrial facilities, everyone behind our projects shares one standard: leave an outstanding impression with everything we touch.
Experience Built From the Field Up
The strength of Clean ’N Seal comes from a team that understands what happens in the field—not only what a project looks like on paper. Several members of our leadership team started in hands-on positions before advancing into project management, sales, and operations.
That experience helps our team understand the details that influence preparation, scheduling, equipment selection, surface protection, safety, and finished results.
Our capabilities include concrete and paver cleaning, staining and sealing, hardscape restoration, abrasive and media blasting, dry ice blasting, protective coatings, and specialized surface preparation. We serve homeowners, property managers, businesses, contractors, manufacturers, and facility operators across Minnesota.
Our team’s experience ranges from residential concrete and masonry restoration to structural steel, storage tanks, equipment, stadium restoration, federal projects, automotive restoration, and fabrication.
Just as importantly, Clean ’N Seal is built around people who continue learning. Our foremen develop skills across multiple service areas, while leadership continually improves project coordination, equipment readiness, internal processes, and customer communication.
This combination of hands-on knowledge and continuous improvement allows us to approach every project according to its surfaces, conditions, and goals.
Why Choose Our Team
Choosing a cleaning and restoration company means choosing the people who will plan, manage, and perform the work. The Clean ’N Seal team combines long-term company experience, specialized knowledge, and practical field expertise across residential, commercial, and industrial projects.
Our core values of tenacity, integrity, teamwork, success, fun, and pioneer guide how we serve our customers and support one another.
Hands-On Experience
Many of our leaders worked their way through field positions and understand projects from the crew’s and customer’s perspectives.
Diverse Surface Knowledge
Our team works with concrete, pavers, stone, masonry, wood, metal, industrial equipment, and other surfaces that require specialized cleaning, restoration, sealing, blasting, or coating methods.
A Team Built to Grow
Cross-training, problem-solving, and continuous learning help our crews expand their capabilities across cleaning, sealing, restoration, blasting, coatings, and equipment maintenance.
Meet the People Behind Clean ‘N Seal, Inc
Michael Nendick | Foreman
Michael has spent seven years with Clean ’N Seal, developing experience across residential, commercial, and industrial blasting projects. He continues expanding his technical abilities while helping the company grow and maintaining a strong commitment to professional results.
Michael represents our core value of success through consistent effort and a focus on leaving customers with a genuine, positive impression.
Outside work, he enjoys fishing, hiking, traveling, and exploring new places with his family.
Andy Meeks | Foreman
Andy has been with Clean ’N Seal for three years and brings hands-on experience across sealing, cleaning, and blasting. His versatility allows him to adapt to different project requirements while supporting crews across multiple service areas.
Andy represents our core value of fun, bringing a positive attitude to the workplace while taking the work itself seriously.
Outside the field, he enjoys hunting, fishing, and spending time with his children.
Faith Mekeland | Foreman
Faith has spent six years with Clean ’N Seal, building extensive experience cleaning and restoring concrete, pavers, and stone while expanding her capabilities into shop mechanics and blasting operations.
Her versatility makes her an important part of the Clean ’N Seal field team. Faith continually looks for ways to improve processes, work efficiently, collaborate with others, and leave each project better than she found it.
As a woman growing her expertise across multiple field roles, Faith embodies Clean ’N Seal’s core value of pioneer.
Outside work, she enjoys paddleboarding, fishing, hunting, visiting state parks, gardening, dirt biking, drawing, dancing, and spending time with friends and family.
Morgan Essig | Director of Marketing
Morgan has been part of Clean ’N Seal’s journey since its early years, working alongside her husband, Jeff, as the company developed. Her experience has included bookkeeping, human resources, operations, and now marketing.
As Director of Marketing, Morgan helps keep the company’s voice authentic while managing social media, print collateral, apparel, and brand initiatives. Her long history with Clean ’N Seal gives her a unique understanding of the people, services, and values behind the company.
Outside work, Morgan enjoys cabin life, fishing, hunting, traveling, outdoor adventures, and spending time with her family.
Experience That Starts Before the Project
Tony Maciej | Director of Operations, Industrial
Tony brings more than 20 years of industrial blasting and painting experience to Clean ’N Seal. He began his career at Industrial Painting Specialist, progressing from general laborer to Shop Superintendent and developing hands-on knowledge of project management, surface preparation, and industrial coatings.
Before joining Clean ’N Seal, Tony held senior roles with Iron Works and TMI Coatings, managing work involving bridge and stadium restoration, federal contracts, structural steel, storage tanks, and industrial facilities.
His technical experience includes zinc-rich primers, epoxies, urethanes, steel grit, abrasive media, and dry ice blasting. Tony’s knowledge helps strengthen Clean ’N Seal’s industrial blasting, coating, and surface preparation capabilities.
Away from work, Tony serves as a Lieutenant with the Baldwin Fire Department and enjoys farming, hunting, fishing, and spending time with family and friends.
Matthew "Paco" Swirtz | Director of Operations
Paco has spent 15 years with Clean ’N Seal, developing extensive experience across the company’s cleaning and restoration services before becoming Director of Operations.
Today, he coordinates complex schedules, oversees field personnel, supports equipment reliability, and makes sure crews have what they need to complete their work successfully. His willingness to step in wherever needed reflects Clean ’N Seal’s values of teamwork and fun.
Outside work, Paco enjoys hunting, fishing, spending time at the lake, and supporting his nieces and nephews at lacrosse and hockey games.
James Kalkes | Chief Operating Officer
James brings 15 years of Clean ’N Seal experience to his role as Chief Operating Officer. After starting as a field laborer, he advanced through crew member, foreman, project manager, sales, and leadership positions.
Today, James oversees estimating, sales, project management, customer relationships, and daily operations across the company’s service areas.
His Associate’s Degree in Automotive Collision Repair from Dunwoody College of Technology, along with experience in Corvette restoration, fabrication, and high-volume repair, contributes to his mechanical problem-solving skills and attention to detail.
That ground-up experience gives James a practical understanding of field execution, company operations, and customer expectations.
Jeff Essig | Owner and CEO
Hi, I’m Jeff Essig, Owner and President of Clean ‘N Seal.
I founded Clean ‘N Seal in 2009 at 22 years old with a simple goal: provide homeowners and businesses with a better way to protect and restore their outdoor surfaces. What started as a small paver sealing company has grown into a full-service residential, commercial, and industrial restoration company serving clients throughout the Midwest and beyond.
I’m incredibly proud of the team we’ve built and the reputation we’ve earned by focusing on quality workmanship, integrity, and treating every project as if it were our own.
Outside of work, my wife Morgan and I enjoy spending time with our two kids, Rylie and Blake. When I’m not with family or at work, you’ll usually find me hunting, fishing, flying, or enjoying Minnesota’s lakes. I’m also an instrument-rated pilot and seaplane pilot, and aviation has become one of my greatest passions.
Thank you for taking the time to learn a little about me and Clean ‘N Seal. We’re grateful for every customer who trusts us with their property, and we look forward to the opportunity to earn your business.
How Our Team Approaches Every Project
Our work begins by understanding the surface, property, facility, or restoration challenge in front of us. The appropriate team members then evaluate the conditions and determine the necessary preparation, equipment, products, and cleaning, sealing, blasting, or coating methods.
Clean ’N Seal brings together experienced field personnel and operations leadership to turn that plan into practical execution. Our crews arrive prepared, perform the specified work, communicate throughout the project, and evaluate the finished result before closeout.
Whether we are restoring a residential patio, cleaning commercial hardscapes, blasting industrial equipment, or applying a protective coating, our approach follows a simple principle: the method should fit the project—not the other way around.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Experienced Is the Clean 'N Seal Team?
Several members of our leadership team have been with Clean ’N Seal for 15 years. Our team also includes professionals with decades of experience in concrete, masonry, surface restoration, industrial blasting, painting, coatings, and project operations.
What Types of Projects Does Your Team Handle?
Clean ’N Seal serves residential, commercial, and industrial customers. Our work includes concrete and paver cleaning, staining and sealing, hardscape restoration, media blasting, dry ice blasting, industrial cleaning, surface preparation, and protective coatings.
Does Your Team Handle Residential Projects?
Yes. We help homeowners clean, restore, protect, and enhance concrete, pavers, patios, driveways, sidewalks, pool decks, and other hardscape surfaces.
Does Your Team Handle Commercial and Industrial Projects?
Yes. Our team works with businesses, property managers, contractors, manufacturers, and facility operators. Services include commercial surface cleaning, media blasting, dry ice blasting, industrial cleaning, surface preparation, and protective coatings.
How Do You Select the Right Process for a Surface?
Our team evaluates the surface material, existing condition, contaminants, coating, location, and desired result before recommending a process. This helps us choose the appropriate equipment, cleaning products, blasting media, sealers, or coating systems for the project.
Put Our Experience Behind Your Next Project
Whether you need to restore residential concrete, clean commercial hardscapes, remove a difficult coating, or complete specialized work inside an industrial facility, the Clean ’N Seal team is ready to help.