Woman of Innovation: Dawn Lueken

Dawn Lueken had always been a voracious reader.

“I still am to this day,” said the 49-year-old. “Nobody loves books more than I do. I just want to get my hands on everything.”

So, it came as a surprise when the Wahlert Catholic High School and Coe College grad with aspirations of becoming an English teacher stumbled onto an unpredicted career path — in manufacturing.

“My senior year at Coe College, I had to write a 200-page honors thesis that was a culmination of everything I had learned as an English major,” Lueken said. “I picked ‘Paradise Lost,’ by John Milton, as my topic. I spent most of my senior year working on it and came to realization that being in a library and spending all my time with books was not what I wanted to do with my life, as much as I loved reading.”

While exploring what else she might like to do, Lueken landed a job interview at Pella Windows & Doors in Pella, Iowa, for a position as a cost center manager. However, the job she ended up with was for an assembly line supervisor.

“I remember calling my dad and asking him if he thought I’d like it,” Lueken said, with a laugh. “And he said, ‘I do. I do think you’ll like it.’ My parents used to own an ice cream shop in Dubuque called Duckie’s Sweets (now the brick-and-mortar location for Bob & Lou’s Coffee). They had made me the manager at one time, and I was tasked with hiring, scheduling and ordering supplies. I also has been the vice president of the student senate and captain of the basketball team, so I had some early leadership experience.

“During the interview at Pella, they asked if I’d ever had to fire anyone. And I had. So, while I had no experience in assembly line factory work, I had lessons in leadership. And after one year at Pella, it was clear I was no longer going to grad school for English. I found something I really enjoyed in manufacturing.”

After holding multiple roles at Pella Windows & Doors between 1997 and 2004, Lueken went on to join John Deere Dubuque Works, first as a global product line manager and later as project manager. Today, she serves as the crawler program manager, a position she has held since 2015.

“I had met my husband, who was from Dyersville, Iowa, and we had our first daughter,” Lueken said. “Eighteen months later, we had our first son. Working full-time in manufacturing, something had to give. I just didn’t feel I could do right by my family keeping the hours I was keeping with Pella. At the same time, my husband was trying to establish his own business. I was fortunate that one of Dubuque’s premier employers was hiring. They gave me my first opportunity to bring our family back to the Dubuque area.

“I’m grateful to have landed in a career that is focused on the development of a product. There is something so meaningful about being associated with a brand that is so iconic as John Deere. Anywhere you go in the world, we are recognized. And to have gone from a book nerd to being around bulldozers everyday is pretty cool.”

Lueken’s husband, Chad, acquired Adams Architectural Millwork in 2008, also relocating the company that specializes in custom windows and doors for historic renovations to Dubuque.

The couple have continued to make the area home, raising five children, ages 13, 15, 18, 20 and 22 — all heavily involved in various athletic activities.

“I really believe in the power of sports for the qualities it instills in teamwork and confidence-building,” Lueken said.

Additionally, Lueken has gotten involved with area nonprofit organizations that have a focus on childcare solutions for busy parents, such as herself.

“Dawn has been deeply involved in increasing, enhancing and expanding childcare solutions within the community, and her selfless dedication to Dubuque Initiatives and the Parent and Caregiver Connection Employee Resource Group has had a profound impact, positively affecting the lives of many individuals in need,” said John Deere Dubuque Works colleague Arleen Wentworth. “Parents have increased childcare options for their children, more children have a safe and loving learning environment while their parents are at work, and childcare employees have more opportunities for increased pay, education and job resources while at work.”

Lueken said the need for childcare cannot be underestimated.

“Ten or 15 years ago, when there were things to do, I took a lot of it on myself to get it done, and that was fine,” she said. “I think this new generation of women today are better about not just sucking it up and not saying anything when they feel overwhelmed between their careers and their roles as parents. They are better at acknowledging when they need help and when to speak up and ask for it. They are better at empowering kids to take on some responsibilities themselves. I was fortunate to have a lot of great support from my husband, but also other family members, colleagues and supervisors.

“Men often get a bad rap, but there are a lot of guys out there trying hard to do right by women. I had a lot of support from men enabling me to step into the roles I’ve held.”

Women also are becoming more confident in embracing careers in male-dominated industries, including manufacturing, Lueken said.

“A lot more doors are open to women, and more women are stepping into leadership roles in this industry,” she said. “Women need to trust that they can handle hard jobs, even as moms. The world needs us. When I started, I was almost always the only woman in the room. I’ve always been able to run with the guys. I’m outspoken and confident. I like sports and played basketball. I’m almost six feet tall. So, maybe I had more masculine energy than other women. But it wasn’t until becoming a mom that I became aware of some of the disadvantages women can face.”

When it comes to being recognized for innovation, Lueken said it gave her pause.

“I’m not part of the product development, and people much smarter than me are working on what those components are,” she said. “How I might define innovation is crafting a life that is uniquely mine. Even with five kids, a husband with a busy job and my own career, I’ve pivoted, but I’ve never had to compromise. I live in my hometown. Things fell into place and led me to exactly where I’m meant to be. More women should give themselves the chance to do that.”

Megan Gloss writes for the Telegraph Herald.