A CIRAS podcast to help Iowa businesses and communities prosper and grow.
The Center for Industrial Research and Service (CIRAS) is part of the College of Engineering and the Office of Economic Development and Industry Relations (EDIR) at Iowa State University.
Episode 86: Two Sessions, Two Days: Bonnie Slykhuis Previews Her ILC Conference Workshops
Bonnie Slykhuis is presenting twice at this year’s Iowa Lean Consortium Conference in Altoona: a Lean 101 pre-conference workshop on October 21, and a breakout session on October 22 titled “Lean Has Two Languages: Bridging the Gap Between Office and Operations.”
Host Steven C. Wilson sits down with her to preview both — who each session is built for, what actually happens in the room, and how to leave a four-hour workshop with one or two changes instead of an overwhelming list.
Bonnie’s path runs from teaching sixth and seventh graders, through manufacturing at Pella Corporation, 3M, and Maytag, to a community college training role funded by a $4 million lean grant — a job she took before she knew what lean was. Since then, she has trained higher education institutions across the country, nonprofits, healthcare and insurance organizations, and most of the city governments in the Des Moines metro. She is the founder of Operational Excellence Accelerator.
In this episode:
• Inside the Lean 101 simulation — four rounds, flashlights, and metrics you can compare round to round
• The eight common wastes, plus the ninth one Bonnie adds because she sees it more than any of the others
• Why office lean and floor lean ask different questions — and what happens when you force one onto the other
• Whether continuous improvement is passé, or whether we skipped the fundamentals
• The two tools she has used more than everything else combined: process mapping and 5S
• Why the networking at this conference matters as much as the sessions
Registration and full conference details: ciras.iastate.edu/iowalean
1 Jul 2026
Episode 85: What Is CMMC — And Why Should Iowa Manufacturers Care?
In this episode of Industry Iowa, host Steve Wilson sits down with Melissa Burant — supply chain specialist and CMMC navigator at CIRAS, Iowa State University — to break down what the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification means for Iowa manufacturers.
If your company touches defense contracts in any way — even as a subcontractor — CMMC is no longer something to watch from the sidelines. As of November 2025, the Department of Defense has begun writing compliance requirements directly into contract solicitations. The clock is running.
Melissa brings nearly 12 years of CIRAS experience and a background in federal government to the conversation, and she doesn't sugarcoat it. She walks through the three levels of certification, what compliance realistically costs, the misconceptions that are getting manufacturers into trouble, and why this is a business strategy decision — not an IT problem.
Whether you're just hearing about CMMC for the first time or you've been putting off taking action, this episode gives you a clear picture of where things stand and exactly where to start
5 Jun 2026
Episode 84:Your Story Is Your Strategy: Legacy, Film, and the Power of Documentary in Business
What do a documentary filmmaker, a surgeon, and a combine harvester have in common? They all show up in this week's episode of Industry Iowa.
Host Steven Wilson sits down with Teeg Stouffer, founder and executive producer of Fascination Film Studio in Marion, Iowa — a heritage and legacy documentary production studio serving companies, communities, and families across the United States. Teeg shares why we're living in the documentary era, how story is the most practical tool a business leader has, and what it really means to live from a place of legacy (hint: it's not about the money you leave behind).
Whether you're trying to attract talent in a shrinking labor market, build a culture that outlasts you, or introduce a new product without sounding like every other ad — this conversation will change how you think about communication.
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Podcast Authority Score: 21 / 100
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Engagement
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