Clarke County, Iowa manufacturer, Paul Mueller Company, spends some time on the Des Moines Business Record’s Made in Iowa Podcast.
Podcast host Leisa Fox joins the Clarke County Development Corporation (CCDC) at the ORBIT Center to welcome Amy Starlin, HR Manager at Paul Mueller Company. Together, they explore the unique strengths of the company’s operations and discuss how south-central Iowa is advancing workforce development, fostering innovation, and building opportunities for future growth.
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 emphasizes that their success comes from deeply understanding each client’s process and delivering tailored systems that perform at the highest level, reinforcing why customers return generation after generation.
What truly sets Paul Mueller apart, though, is its commitment to open-book management, inspired by The Great Game of Business by Jack Stack. Amy explains how this level of transparency—sharing financials, teaching employees how the business runs, and giving them a stake in the outcome—creates a culture of ownership across the organization. When employees understand how their daily decisions impact the bottom line, trust deepens, innovation accelerates, and productivity follows. It transforms the workforce from task-doers into problem-solvers who are actively engaged in the company’s success. In an industry facing constant pressure from supply chain shifts and evolving customer demands, that culture of accountability and shared purpose is a powerful competitive advantage.
For more about Paul Mueller, you can visit their website at: https://www.paulmueller.com/
For additional Made in Iowa Podcast episodes, be sure to check out the Des Moines Business Record’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Businessrecord
Leave a Reply