Iowa native Tom Mangan brings a unique perspective in working with family-owned businesses in multiple industries to his role as president and CEO of Sukup Manufacturing Co.
Mangan grew up in Cherokee, Iowa, and earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in accounting at Iowa State University. He interned at Deloitte, then started his career there as a CPA, working with a wide variety of Iowa businesses and owners.
Before joining Sukup Manufacturing Co. as the family-owned company’s first non-family executive, he held financial leadership positions at two other family-owned companies and former clients: Endicott Clay Products in Nebraska and Fareway Stores, Inc. in Iowa. At Sukup, he spent nearly six years as CFO before moving into the president and CEO role in October 2025. Mangan also serves as vice-chair of America’s Cultivation Corridor board of directors. He and his wife, Alissa, and their three children, Colbie (13), Myka (12), and Mills (6) live in Mason City.
1. Sukup Manufacturing Co. grew from a single innovation on a family farm to one of the most well-known brands in U.S. agriculture. Why is a location in rural Iowa still the right fit?
Sukup is rooted in Iowa and founded by Eugene and Mary Sukup in Sheffield. Founded on innovation and problem solving, Eugene simply needed a better way to break up grain in his grain bin and went to work creating a solution. Sixty-three years later we’re still focused on innovation as one of the keys to growing our business.
A location in rural Iowa keeps us closely connected to the customers we serve, which helps us drive innovation and solve real-world challenges. Another key is hiring and developing the talented individuals that drive our innovation efforts. There is nowhere else in the world that has a better combination of engineering and ag talent than Iowa, and these two competencies are the lifeblood of our company.
Iowa sits at the center of the agriculture industry. Proximity to such a substantial customer base, collaboration with industry partners and world class research institutions like Iowa State University, access to talent with an understanding and appreciation for agriculture, and the historical support of our state government are just a few of the many advantages Iowa provides for companies in the agriculture industry. At Sukup, we leverage these many advantages and feel it is a key differentiator for us to be the only major manufacturer in our specific industry headquartered in Iowa.
2. Sukup supports a number of programs in Sheffield and surrounding rural communities. How do those efforts benefit the community, employees and company?
“Care for Others” is a core value of our business and investing in our local communities is central to how we operate. We strongly believe that a rising tide lifts all boats. When we support initiatives like childcare, our onsite health clinic, and local and statewide programs and initiatives, we believe that we are creating a strong, more sustainable Iowa for our rural communities and our employees. We believe that it improves the quality of life and makes it easier to build a future here. A strong community supports a strong workforce.
3. What excites you most about the future of agriculture?
What excites me most is the pace of innovation and the opportunity to tap into growing global demand. Agriculture is becoming more efficient, more data-driven, and more technologically advanced, yet still relying on the same family values and work ethic that define it. Companies like Sukup play a role not just in serving the market with the equipment we manufacture today, but in the long-term sustainability and growth of our agriculture industry as a whole.
4. What advice do you have for someone considering a move or return to Iowa?
For those considering a return to Iowa, look no further than my story and so many others like it. You may not realize it as quickly as we did, but if you’ve lived here before, you will eventually realize what a special place this truly is. For those who haven’t had the pleasure of residing in Iowa previously, our state offers an amazing combination of meaningful career opportunities, a lower cost of living, and a higher quality of life. It’s a place where you can grow professionally while also being part of a community.
We enjoyed living in Beatrice, Nebraska, but for our family there really is nothing like living and working in Iowa. Proximity to friends and family and the familiarity with Ames and the Des Moines metro certainly played important parts in the decision. I also had an amazing opportunity to come back and work for a former client and great Iowa business in Fareway, while my wife, Alissa, was able to return to a teaching role in the Ames Middle School, where she had taught for more than a decade prior to our move to Nebraska. I’m grateful for the unwavering support of my wife. Her partnership and encouragement have played an important role throughout my career. I give her full credit for our decision to return to Iowa, and it was one of the best decisions we’ve ever made.
5. Please share three recommendations of things to do or places to go in Iowa.
Don’t let anybody say you can’t find fun and interesting things to do in Iowa! For recreation, I love to play golf and fish. Iowa has some amazing golf courses and great fishing destinations. I love spending time with my family as well and there are so many fun things for families to do. We love attending Cyclone sporting events, going to concerts, and hitting things like apple orchards and pumpkin patches in the fall.
Great recreation options, major college sports, A-list performers, and fun for the whole family...what more could you ask for?!
Published June 2026.