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Made in Iowa Podcast

Made in IA Wellmark podcast

Made In Iowa: Strong Foundations — The Leadership Philosophy Behind Story Construction

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 …

Made in IA Wellmark podcast

Made In Iowa: Reinventing the Trades — AI, Apprenticeships and the Future of Furniture

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 …

Made in IA Wellmark podcast

Made 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 Studio, Patrick Clem and Ryan McIntosh share how …

Made in IA Wellmark podcast

Made in Iowa recap: How Almaco builds a safety mindset

At Almaco, safety didn’t start as a compliance initiative — it started as a decision.

On a recent episode of the Made in Iowa Podcast, I sat down with Almaco leaders Ellen Hines, director of …

Made in IA Wellmark podcast

Made In Iowa: The Science (and Business) of Making Systems Work 

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 …

Made in IA Wellmark podcast

Made In Iowa: From Compliance to Culture — Why Safety Drives Success at ALMACO 

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 …

Made in IA Wellmark podcast

Made In Iowa: Stopping Injuries Before They Start — The MakuSafe Approach

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 …

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Made in Iowa Podcast recap: Turning grain into art at Aronson Woodworks

Aronson Woodworks is a Prole, Iowa-based custom furniture company founded by Megan and Clay Aronson, specializing in handcrafted pieces featuring their patented “Claize” finish — a unique wood treatment that isolates and highlights natural grain …

Made in IA Wellmark podcast

Made In Iowa: When Time and Place Align — The Ingersoll’s Next Chapter

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 …

Made in IA Wellmark podcast

Made In Iowa: Solving the Two Threats Facing America’s Manufacturing Companies

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 …