Iowa Manufacturing Podcast

About Iowa Manufacturing Podcast

Manufacturing is Iowa's most innovative, creative, and productive sector. Delivering the lion's share of Iowa's GDP, the Iowa Manufacturing Podcast tells the story of our state's economic heroes. Hosted by Leisa Fox, subscribe for a weekly deep dive with leaders in manufacturing, those who support them, and leaders who empower their infrastructure. Guests include Iowa Economic Development Authority Director, Debbie Durham. Gentry Collins, CEO of American Free Enterprise Chamber of Commerce, and BJ Spyksma, CEO of Aplos, and many others. Fox has a long history of developing collaborative business relationships and networks in Iowa. During her time at the Iowa Association of Business and Industry, she led their revenue efforts, increasing membership by 30% and more than doubling revenues. Most recently she ran Youth Emergency Service & Shelter where she guided them through a merger with another agency and worked herself out of a job. Today, she runs Fox Growth Strategies, a boutique fractional business development firm.

Publisher

Iowa Manufacturing Podcast

Category

business · business

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

25 May 2023

Latest episode

6 Nov 2025

Latest episodes

94 of 127 episodes have a transcript.

1. 

   6 Nov 2025TRANSCRIPT

   Forging the Future: How Seneca Foundry Blends Tradition, Technology, and Teamwork

   In this episode of the Iowa Manufacturing Podcast, host Leisa Fox sits down with Lori Mason and Steph Kruger of Seneca Foundry—two leaders shaping one of Iowa's most resilient manufacturing companies. They discuss the foundry's evolution amid industry consolidation, agricultural downturns, and global supply chain challenges. Instead of retreating, Seneca has embraced innovation, modernizing operations and integrating smarter technologies while staying true to its roots of craftsmanship and community. Lori and Steph share how they've built a culture that attracts and retains a young, diverse, and loyal workforce—one that takes pride in hard, meaningful work. By focusing on what truly drives progress, Seneca Foundry has become a model of how legacy manufacturers can thrive through modernization and mission-driven leadership. This episode celebrates the power of purpose, innovation, and people in shaping the future of American manufacturing. Full show notes: https://iowapodcast.com/seneca

2. 

   30 Oct 2025TRANSCRIPT

   Automation for All: Inside the Mind of a Student Innovator

   On this episode of the Iowa Manufacturing Podcast, host Leisa Fox welcomes University of Iowa engineering student and entrepreneur Keegan Fogarty, founder of General Robotics. His groundbreaking simulation software could revolutionize how smaller manufacturers approach automation — simplifying programming, cutting costs, and accelerating implementation. Keegan shares how Iowa JPEC helped him bridge the gap between technical talent and business strategy, transforming his classroom experience into a startup with real-world potential. His story captures the next generation of Iowa innovation — where engineers aren't just building machines, they're building the future of manufacturing itself. Find this show on your favorite app: https://iowapodcast.com/keegan-fogarty

3. 

   23 Oct 2025TRANSCRIPT

   From Code to Culture: Tim Gifford on Innovation and Impact

   This week, Leisa Fox welcomes Tim Gifford, Co-Founder of Lean TECHniques, to discuss how the company’s people-first approach to innovation has positioned it as a trusted partner in business transformation. From humble beginnings to a nationally respected consultancy, Lean TECHniques has helped organizations evolve by combining lean principles with modern technology and human-centered leadership. Tim also explores how AI and automation are influencing the next chapter of their work—demonstrating that successful innovation comes not from replacing people, but from empowering them. It’s an insightful, hopeful conversation about growth, adaptability, and the future of smart, purpose-driven business. Find this show on your favorite app: https://iowapodcast.com/tim-gifford

Inside a recent episode

Forging the Future: How Seneca Foundry Blends Tradition, Technology, and Teamwork

Published 6 Nov 2025 · Transcript excerpt

[…] And are your customers diverse enough to sustain you through some of these difficult markets that we have right now? Like if you were completely dependent on Ag, you would be in trouble. So how do you diversify your markets? And what have you done to ensure that you're not going to be in trouble with one market? Yeah. So Kirk McCullough really taught me a lot about diverse markets. And that was something he really focused on because decades ago, the company was heavy and agricultural, being in our location here in the middle of Iowa. But as the years progressed, Kirk spent a lot of time on diversifying the industries that were serving. […]

Who has been a guest on Iowa Manufacturing Podcast

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Alex Parker
• Katie Hensley
• Emma Brock
• Jim Donovan
• Jason Greer

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

12 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 64 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

97

Social presence

0

YouTube

0

Engagement

77

Contact Iowa Manufacturing Podcast

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

Questions about Iowa Manufacturing Podcast