At Mahaska, we boast a rich American tradition that goes back 7 generations. This long history deeply influences the organizational culture and is also reflected in our employee base, which has accumulated a mean/median tenure of 11.3/8 years with 40 > 20 years. As a result, we honor our past on a daily basis and the experiential history coded into our DNA helps direct the present and guide the future.
We believe that our perspective is unique in the increasingly interconnected U.S. & Global economies, which is pre-dominantly driven by globalized corporate conglomerates. As the economic trade winds blow away from local & regional private concerns towards global public companies, Mahaska has found a way to honor its deep tradition without allowing it to drive us into extinction. Throughout the generations, Mahaska has made the adaptations necessary to survive in a rapidly changing world.
As a result, our existence persists while that of so many other more familiar names does not. 50 years ago, our perspective was more representative of the American corporate landscape. However, today our perspective has become very unique.
Even as the world has globalized, its inhabitants, now overwhelmed with information about distant geographies as never before, have been forced to simplify the mental frameworks from which they draw conclusions about countries and economies. Therefore, perceptions about the United States and its economy, even within the country, are driven almost entirely by the population centers on the coasts. The Midwest is a very foreign place to even many Americans. As a result, many exciting people, places, and companies that the Midwestern U.S. has to offer are overlooked.
It is within this framework that we introduce the Mahaska blog, which will seek to offer a unique perspective from the American Midwest’s people, companies, and industries. We will feature thought pieces from across our diverse enterprise and the industries in which we operate. Contributions will be made by a broad group of individuals including our employees, community leaders, partners, athletes, and others on subject matter that affects our business and the communities that we call home.
The blog will carry a uniquely American and Midwestern perspective consistent with our rich tradition and history dating back to 1889.
– Branden Muhl, Mahaska Chief Executive Officer
