The Manufacturers Network Caring Boldly: Building a Culture of Innovation, Inclusion, and Purpose with Laura Phillips
In this episode, Lisa Ryan talks with Laura Phillips, Vice President of Engineering and Procurement at Pella Corporation, about what it really takes to sustain a century-old company while staying future-ready. Laura shares how Pella’s culture of caring boldly, where truth, accountability, and collaboration coexist, continues to drive innovation and inclusion across 21 manufacturing sites and 11,000 team members.
From her early doubts about fitting into a male-dominated field to leading large engineering and procurement teams, Laura traces her journey through mentorship, curiosity, and courage. She and Lisa dig into how manufacturers can modernize without losing their soul, create workplaces where people belong, and make manufacturing a career destination for the next generation.
Key Takeaways:
- Turn Fear into Fuel: Manufacturing isn’t the “dirty and dull” image from old textbooks—it’s bright, high-tech, and full of creativity and problem-solving.
- Caring Boldly: Pella’s three culture pillars: care, learn, deliver results, show up in how teams challenge each other honestly while still supporting one another.
- Innovation Through Listening: The award-winning SteadySet installation system was born from conversations with installers about safety, efficiency, and pride in their work.
- Representation Matters: From hosting Girl Scouts to collaborating with universities, Laura shows how early exposure changes how young people, especially girls, see the trades.
- Flexible Futures: Four-day workweeks, job sharing, and automation are reshaping what flexibility looks like on the factory floor.
- Tech That Serves People: Automation at Pella is designed to reduce strain, prevent injury, and make jobs more ergonomic and rewarding.
- People Before Process: Laura’s bottom line: strategy fails without people. Listen first, engage early, and build every improvement together.
Memorable Quote: “No strategy is effective without the team. The people are the most important thing; make it about them.”
Connect with Laura Phillips:
About the Host:
Lisa Ryan, CSP, is a keynote speaker, author, and Chief Appreciation Strategist at Grategy®, helping manufacturers and skilled-trades organizations keep their best employees from becoming someone else’s. Learn more at Grategy.com.