Shows / Made in Iowa, The Manufacturing Podcast
Made in Iowa, The Manufacturing Podcast
The Made in Iowa podcast celebrates the people, products and power behind Iowa’s manufacturing economy. Each episode brings together the state’s most innovative makers, manufacturers and business leaders to share their stories, strategies and visions for the future. From factory floors to classrooms, Made in Iowa honors our makers, elevates their stories and powers the future of Iowa’s largest industry.
Episodes
Made in Iowa, The Manufacturing PodcastE49 | Inside Kinetic Technologies: Where Welding Meets Innovation | Made In Iowa
For many manufacturers, the question is no longer whether to automate. It is how to automate the right work without losing the knowledge that makes the…
Made in Iowa, The Manufacturing PodcastE48 | Pioneer at 100 Inside Algona’s Seed Production Story | Made In Iowa
Pioneer marks 100 years in 2026, and one of the most important chapters in that story is being written at its Algona production facility. In this episode of…
Made in Iowa, The Manufacturing PodcastE47 | Aluma’s Next Chapter: Growth, Succession and Staying in Iowa | Made In Iowa
Aluma began in 1992 with a simple idea for a lightweight golf cart trailer. Today, the Bancroft company produces over 100 different aluminum trailer models for…
Made in Iowa, The Manufacturing PodcastE46 | Country Maid’s Next Recipe: Smarter Manufacturing, Stronger Nonprofits and Retail Growth | Made In Iowa
Country Maid began in a farmhouse basement in West Bend and grew into a national food manufacturer whose products have helped organizations raise more than…
Made in Iowa, The Manufacturing PodcastE45 | Processes Don’t Fix Companies, People Do: Craig Shafer on Scaling Stellar Industries | Made In Iowa
Craig Shafer’s path to becoming chief operating officer of Stellar Industries began before the position was ever discussed. While working with CEO David…
Made in Iowa, The Manufacturing PodcastE44 | Sukup Manufacturing Innovating for the Next Generation | Made In Iowa
Sukup Manufacturing is proving that innovation can thrive in rural Iowa. In this episode of Made In Iowa, Leisa Fox sits down with Emily Schmitt, chief…
Made in Iowa, The Manufacturing PodcastE43 | Sheldon Speers on Operational Technology Security | Made In Iowa
Manufacturing is now the most-hacked industry, and the risks extend far beyond office computers. Leisa Fox talks with Sheldon Speers, president and founder of…
Made in Iowa, The Manufacturing PodcastE42 | You Can’t Automate That! | Made In Iowa
In this panel discussion, recorded live from the QCBJ Manufacturing Conference, Leisa Fox is joined by Christine Caves of Grow Quad Cities, George Brancato of…
Made in Iowa, The Manufacturing PodcastMade In Iowa | E41 | Building Iowa’s Workforce of Tomorrow: Connecting Students with Careers
Leisa Fox sits down with Wendy Mihm-Herold of iJAG to talk about how the organization is connecting Iowa students with businesses, careers and real-world…
Made in Iowa, The Manufacturing PodcastE40 | The Iowa-Made Process Behind Fighting Hunger | Made in Iowa
Debby Hudson with Meals from the Heartland joins the Made in Iowa Podcast to share how the organization turns volunteer power into millions of meals for people…
Made in Iowa, The Manufacturing PodcastE39 | Iowa manufacturers’ stories of adaptation | Made in Iowa
As Iowa manufacturers confront evolving economic dynamics and technological growth, a successful future relies on adaptation in all aspects of the…
Made in Iowa, The Manufacturing PodcastE38 | The Third-Generation Advantage: Reinvention, Relationships, and Results | Made In Iowa
Universal Printing is a rare success story in American manufacturing—a third-generation family business that has continued to evolve rather than rely on past…
Made in Iowa, The Manufacturing PodcastE37 | The Foundation to Flourish: Percival Scientific’s Evolution | Jake Oakland | Made in Iowa
Percival Scientific’s story is one of legacy, evolution and continued excellence. Gary Wheelock led the Perry-based company for nearly 50 years, building a…
Made in Iowa, The Manufacturing PodcastE36 | From Burnout to Breakthrough - Atlantic Coca-Cola’s Warehouse Transformation | Made in Iowa
Before automation, Atlantic Coca-Cola Bottling was facing serious challenges in its warehouse operations. Dan McNutt, Senior Director of Warehouse Operations…
Made in Iowa, The Manufacturing PodcastE35 | Culture Before Competence: Building Teams That Last | Made in Iowa
At LDJ Manufacturing, culture isn't a slogan—it's a competitive advantage. President Ben Cox and Brad Jungling share how the company's commitment to promoting…
Made in Iowa, The Manufacturing PodcastE34 | The Workforce Shift Iowa Can’t Ignore | Beth Townsend | Made in Iowa
Iowa’s workforce has changed dramatically in just a few years, and few people have had a closer view of that transformation than Beth Townsend, Executive…
Made in Iowa, The Manufacturing PodcastE33 | How Kreg Found the Sweet Spot Between Price and Performance | Made in Iowa
On this episode of the Made in Iowa Podcast, presented by Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield and recorded in the Iowa Everywhere Studio, host Leisa Fox sits…
Made in Iowa, The Manufacturing PodcastE32 | Beyond the Diagnosis - Hope, Healing, and Survivorship | Mary Van Heukelom | Made in Iowa
On this episode of the Made in Iowa Podcast, Above + Beyond Cancer program director Mary Van Heukelom shares the incredible mission behind an organization that…
Made in Iowa, The Manufacturing PodcastE31 | Your Processes Are Talking. AI Is Listening. | Made in Iowa
Leisa Fox recently interviewed Jason Greer with Peel Business Design about the growing role AI is playing in operational efficiency and business optimization…
Made in Iowa, The Manufacturing PodcastE30 | From Osceola Foods to the World - How Hormel Delivers Consistency at 135 Million Pounds | Made in Iowa
John Kempen, Plant Manager at Hormel Foods’s Osceola Foods facility, brings serious scale to the conversation—over 135 million pounds of product shipped each…
Made in Iowa, The Manufacturing PodcastE29 | Open Books, Open Minds - The Culture Behind Paul Mueller’s Performance | Made in Iowa
Amy Starlin of Paul Mueller Company offers a compelling look inside a highly specialized manufacturer that has built its reputation on precision…
Made in Iowa, The Manufacturing PodcastE28 | Communication That Works - The Hidden Advantage Driving Altec Forward | Made in Iowa
Nathan Grismore of Altec pulls back the curtain on a manufacturing operation built around reliability, not just in its products, but in how its people operate…
Made in Iowa, The Manufacturing PodcastE27 | Zach Johnson, Big Dreams, and a Milestone Year at the Principal Charity Classic | Made in Iowa
Leisa Fox sits down with Ken McCullum and Alex McCarty for a conversation centered on one of Iowa’s most impactful sporting and philanthropic events — the…
Made in Iowa, The Manufacturing PodcastE26 | Tariffs, Supply Chains, and Staying Power with Auto-Jet | John Rapp | Made in Iowa
In this episode of the Made in Iowa Podcast, Leisa Fox sits down with John Rapp, President and CEO of Auto-Jet, for a candid conversation about leadership…
Made in Iowa, The Manufacturing PodcastE25 | Strong Foundations - The Leadership Philosophy Behind Story Construction | Made in Iowa
Mike Espeset of Story Construction joined the podcast to discuss how strong culture, trusted relationships, and long-term thinking continue to drive one of…
Made in Iowa, The Manufacturing PodcastE24 | Reinventing the Trades - AI, Apprenticeships, and the Future of Furniture | Made in Iowa
This episode of Made in Iowa dives into one of the most fascinating intersections in business today: skilled trades, technology, and human resilience. Leisa…
Made in Iowa, The Manufacturing PodcastMade In Iowa: Beyond Equipment - ALMACO’s Strategic Shift into Contract Manufacturing
On this episode of the Made in Iowa Podcast, a Des Moines Business Record product presented by Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield from the Iowa Everywhere…
Made in Iowa, The Manufacturing PodcastE22 | The Science (and Business) of Making Systems Work | Made in Iowa
Jim Hall built Systems Management & Balancing (SMB) into a quiet powerhouse in a niche most people never think about - but rely on every day. What started in…
Made in Iowa, The Manufacturing PodcastE21 | From Compliance to Culture - Why Safety Drives Success at ALMACO | Made in Iowa
On this episode, Ellen Hines, Director of Workplace Experience, and Justin Woods, Chief Manufacturing Officer at ALMACO, share a candid look into the company’s…
Made in Iowa, The Manufacturing PodcastE20 | Stopping Injuries Before They Start - The MakuSafe Approach | Made in Iowa
What if workplace safety didn’t start after an accident—but before it ever happened? On this episode of the Made in Iowa Podcast—presented by Wellmark Blue…
Made in Iowa, The Manufacturing PodcastE19 | When Time and Place Align - The Ingersoll’s Next Chapter | Made in Iowa
Renee Crowell, Executive Director of The Ingersoll, shared the deeply personal story of how she and her husband Chris found their way to Des Moines — and how…
Made in Iowa, The Manufacturing PodcastE18 | Solving the Two Threats Facing America’s Manufacturing Companies | Made in Iowa
On this episode of Made in Iowa, John Mickelson lays out a hard truth: many of America’s strongest manufacturing and industrial companies face a two-fold…
Made in Iowa, The Manufacturing PodcastE17 | Turning Grain into Art - The Innovation Behind Aronson Woodworks | Made in Iowa
In a recent episode of Made in Iowa, Stacey Sime, CEO of LifeServe, shared the remarkable preservation effort behind reclaiming the hardwoods used in their new…
Made in Iowa, The Manufacturing PodcastE16 | Fuel, Food, and the Future - A Conversation with Iowa Ag Secretary Mike Naig | Made in Iowa
In this episode, Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig joins me for a wide-ranging conversation about the forces shaping the future of Iowa agriculture. We…
Made in Iowa, The Manufacturing PodcastE15 | Billie Asmus Couldn’t Find It on Amazon - So She Built a National Brand | Made in Iowa
On this episode of Made in Iowa, host Leisa Fox sits down with entrepreneur Billie Asmus, founder of Repaint Studios, to share the story behind a simple…
Made in Iowa, The Manufacturing PodcastE14 | Protecting Iowa’s Water, Powering Iowa’s Economy | Made in Iowa
In my conversation with Erin Rollenhagen, CEO of Entrepreneurial Technologies, and Ann Staudt, the dynamic duo behind Water Rocks!, listeners discover how a…
Made in Iowa, The Manufacturing PodcastE13 | Ground Floor Spirits - How Monks Brandy Is Making Its Mark in Iowa | Made in Iowa
In this episode of Made in Iowa, we sit down with Will Rogers, founder of Monks Brandy, to talk about what it looks like to take a bold leap later in life…
Made in Iowa, The Manufacturing PodcastE12 | Designing with Courage: Building Trust—and Buildings—In Unison | Made in Iowa
Stepping out on your own takes courage—especially when your reputation, relationships, and livelihood are built on trust. In this episode of Made in Iowa, we…
Made in Iowa, The Manufacturing PodcastE11 | A Second-Act CEO - How Loras Schaul Rebuilt and Diversified Douglas Machine | Made in Iowa
On this episode of the Made in Iowa Podcast, I sit down with Loras Schaul, whose career story is anything but conventional. After decades of success in…
Made in Iowa, The Manufacturing PodcastE10 | Precision Under Pressure - Inside Iowa's Defense Manufacturing Powerhouse | Made in Iowa
When LMT Defense made the move from Illinois to Eldridge, Iowa five years ago, they didn’t just relocate a factory—they planted a mission. “We provide tools…
Made in Iowa, The Manufacturing PodcastE9 | The Quiet Force Behind the Grid - Innovation & Culture at Electrical Power Products | Made in Iowa
In this episode of Made in Iowa, Leisa Fox visits Electrical Power Products in Des Moines to spotlight the people and innovation behind the systems that…
Made in Iowa, The Manufacturing PodcastE8 | Small Parts, Big Impact - Inside Accumold’s Global Manufacturing Story | Made in Iowa
In this episode of Made in Iowa, Leisa Fox sits down with leaders from Accumold to explore what modern manufacturing looks like in today’s business and…
Made in Iowa, The Manufacturing PodcastE7 | Paving Pathways; How CEO Reynolds Cramer and Iowa's Leaders are Shaping Workforce Efficiency | Made in Iowa
Reynolds Cramer, CEO of Fareway and a member of the workforce committee for Iowa’s Department of Governmental Oversight and Efficiency (DOGE), outlines the…
Made in Iowa, The Manufacturing PodcastE6 | Building Iowa’s Innovation Pipeline, One Question at a Time | Made in Iowa
What does a science center have to do with Iowa’s future workforce, manufacturing, and innovation economy? In this episode of Made in Iowa, Julie Pelds shares…
Made in Iowa, The Manufacturing PodcastE5 | When Crisis Strikes - The Partnership That Protects Your Property | Made in Iowa
In this episode, Leisa sits down with Nikki Wilcox and Sarah Allender of TrueNorth alongside Michele Presley of Servpro to unpack one of the toughest…
Made in Iowa, The Manufacturing PodcastE4 | From Donor to Delivery - The Complex Manufacturing Behind LifeServe Blood Center | Made in Iowa
LifeServe Blood Center CEO Stacy Sime joins Leisa for a powerful conversation about leading one of the most mission-critical organizations in healthcare…
Made in Iowa, The Manufacturing PodcastE1 | From Windblade Graveyards to Concrete Solutions | Made in Iowa
Guest: Nick Wylie, Founder of Renewablade As the renewable energy industry continues to expand across the Midwest, a new challenge has emerged — what happens…
Made in Iowa, The Manufacturing PodcastE2 | Crafting the Clear Buzz - Inside Fable’s Botanical THC Beverages | Made in Iowa
In this episode of Made in Iowa, I sit down with David Gion and Kayla Weier of Fable to explore the unique Iowa-rooted story behind their premium…
Made in Iowa, The Manufacturing PodcastE3 | Manufacturing Momentum - Nicole Crain on Growth, Leadership, and Advocacy | Made in Iowa
Leisa Fox sits down with Nicole Crain, President of the Iowa Association of Business and Industry, to recap a powerhouse month for Iowa manufacturing…