Made in Iowa, The Manufacturing Podcast

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 down with Jerry Rosenberger of Kreg Tool to explore one of the most ambitious product expansions in the company's history. Known for helping generations of woodworkers build with confidence, Kreg has made a bold move into the power tool marke...

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 is transforming the cancer journey for survivors and their families. What began with a bold vision has grown into a movement focused on survivorship, wellness, connection, and hope. Through outdoor adventures, wellness programs, and a power...

Leisa Fox recently interviewed Jason Greer with Peel Business Design about the growing role AI is playing in operational efficiency and business optimization. Through the Peel Signal Theory software platform, Greer explained how AI is dramatically accelerating constraint analysis, efficiency identification, and process optimization — helping organizations uncover bottlenecks and opportunities much...

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 year. And yes, they make bacon—arguably one of the greatest food inventions of all time. But in a twist that surprises just about everyone, Hormel still sells more Spam than bacon globally. John walks through the complexity behind that volume...

Amy Starlin of Paul Mueller Company offers a compelling look inside a highly specialized manufacturer that has built its reputation on precision, customization, and long-term customer partnerships. Serving industries like food, beverage, and pharmaceuticals, the company doesn’t just fabricate stainless steel equipment—it engineers solutions that are critical to its customers’ operations. Amy empha...

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 every day. Supporting critical industries like electric utilities, telecom, and tree care, Altec’s equipment keeps essential services running. Nathan emphasizes that this level of performance starts on the inside—by equipping employees with...

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 Principal Charity Classic. As the tournament celebrates its 20th anniversary, Ken and Alex reflect on how the event has evolved into far more than a golf tournament. With more than $10 million raised last year alone for youth-serving organizatio...

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, resilience, and what it really takes to navigate the highs and lows of manufacturing. As a seasoned entrepreneur who has weathered economic shifts, supply chain disruptions, and changing market conditions, Rapp emphasizes that strong relationsh...

Mike Espeset of Story Construction joined the podcast to discuss how strong culture, trusted relationships, and long-term thinking continue to drive one of Iowa’s most respected construction firms. The conversation explored the realities of leadership in construction today, from workforce development and succession planning to maintaining quality and accountability while continuing to grow. Mike s...

This episode of Made in Iowa dives into one of the most fascinating intersections in business today: skilled trades, technology, and human resilience. Leisa Fox sits down with Riana LeJeune, who never expected her path would lead from the police academy to becoming an award-winning upholstery innovator, apprenticeship advocate, and technology founder. After an injury forced a major life pivot at a...

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 1967 as a small Des Moines operation grew into a multi-state firm focused on testing, adjusting, and balancing (TAB) HVAC systems to ensure buildings actually perform the way they were designed. Jim shares the bet he made when he acquired the...

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 evolving safety journey. In an environment where no two projects are the same, ALMACO has made a deliberate decision to embed safety into every layer of its operations. They discuss how variability in manufacturing demands a proactive minds...

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 Cross and Blue Shield—Leisa sits down with Tom West of Makusafe to unpack the shift from reactive safety models to a proactive, data-driven approach. For decades, companies have relied on insurance and incident response to manage risk—but Makus...

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 the timing felt undeniably right. What stood out most wasn’t just a career move, but their genuine love for the community and their desire to invest in something meaningful. The Ingersoll isn’t just a venue to them — it’s a treasure. A gather...

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 threat. First, founders and long-time owners are aging out without clear succession plans. Second, many of these businesses—while profitable—have never been fully operationalized. They’ve grown on grit, relationships, and instinct, but lack the s...

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 headquarters. She pointed us directly to the creative force behind that transformation — Megan Aronson of Aronson Woodworks (https://www.aronsonwoodworks.com/). In this episode, Megan joins us in studio alongside her self-proclaimed “greate...

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 discuss global trade dynamics and the ways tariffs and international relationships influence Iowa’s agricultural economy. Secretary Naig also shares how the state is actively recruiting food manufacturers and expanding food production capacit...

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 frustration that turned into a national retail brand. Billie didn’t plan to become an inventor or retail entrepreneur. As a busy mom trying to pause a painting project when her daughter woke up from a nap, she grew tired of using plastic wrap and...

In my conversation with Erin Rollenhagen, CEO of Entrepreneurial Technologies, and Ann Staudt, the dynamic duo behind Water Rocks!, listeners discover how a passion for Iowa’s natural resources has been transformed into an innovative educational movement. These two leaders are on a mission to make water science exciting and accessible for learners of all ages. Through engaging online games, captiv...

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. Will shares the story behind the name Monks Brandy, why he chose brandy as his spirit of focus, and what motivated him—in his 50s—to step into the adult beverage world with confidence and intention. Rooted in memories of growing up when Brandy...

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 sit down with Laura Peterson, co-founder of Unison Design Studio, to talk about the bold decision to launch a purpose-driven architecture and design firm rooted in clarity, collaboration, and care. With more than 90 years of collective experi...

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 executive-level sales leadership, Loras made a bold, later-in-life pivot—cashing in all his chips to purchase Douglas Machine & Engineering. What followed was not a quiet transition, but an energizing leap into ownership, vision-setting, and hands-...

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 for individual soldiers to protect themselves and to try to come home at the end of their mission,” says Mike Neff, VP of Operations. That sense of purpose isn’t marketing language; it’s lived every day inside the walls of LMT, where one in fi...

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 quietly keep our world running. Featuring Amanda Haugen, SHRM-CP, Human Resources Manager, and Riley Knutson, Director of Engineering and second-generation leader, the conversation reveals how this modern manufacturing facility produces highly spe...

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 cultural climate. The conversation begins with Accumold’s evolution as a company and its role in serving highly specialized global markets, including medical technology, micro-electronics, optics, and emerging technologies. As products continue to...