Founded in 1974, Dobson Pipe Organ Builders is a renowned American organ builder known for crafting high-quality pipe organs headquartered in Lake City, Iowa. They have organs in 29 states and the District of Columbia, England, and Australia.
A few days after a June 2021 fire destroyed the Dobson Pipe Organ Builders workshop, Deana Hoeg-Ryan called Derek Thompson, a CIRAS strategic advisor. The Lake City company’s office staff had relocated to a nearby house but didn’t have any equipment.
“I knew CIRAS had helped us in the past and called Derek to see if there’s anything he could do,” said Hoeg-Ryan, Dobson’s business manager. “I told him, ‘We have this house, and we have nothing to put in it. No desks, no computers. Can you help us?’ He asked me when we needed it, and I told him as soon as possible.”
Thompson immediately tapped into the resources of CIRAS.
“Two days later, he brought desks, file cabinets, lamps, everything. It was amazing,” said Hoeg-Ryan.
Dobson has benefited from CIRAS assistance for several years:
- Helped set up a capstone project with Iowa State engineering students to determine whether a CNC router was worth the investment. Based on the project’s findings, the company bought the equipment.
- Supported Dobson in receiving an Iowa Economic Development Authority grant to purchase equipment.
- Assisted with safety implementation and strategic planning.
- Completed a 5S project, a five-step methodology that creates a more organized and productive workspace.
“We keep discovering new things CIRAS can do for us,” said John Panning, who has worked for Dobson since 1984 and bought the business from its founder in 2012. “They’ve helped with our website, strategic planning, hiring. They’ve touched just about everything we do.”
The relationship demonstrates the impact CIRAS can have in Iowa.
“With our statewide team and partners, we have expertise to help you in every aspect of running your business,” Thompson said. “Dobson is an excellent example of how an Iowa manufacturer can tap into and benefit from that range of capabilities.”
One of the first connections after the fire was for CIRAS to help Dobson partner with Calhoun County REC to assist in writing a low-interest loan for $1.5M through the Iowa Area Development Group.
After the fire, Hoeg-Ryan had to rebuild her job-costing records while dealing with the daunting insurance claim process. She contacted Thompson again, this time with an email with the subject line: SOS.
“I told him I was struggling here, had insurance to deal with, and needed help. He called me immediately,” she said.
Thompson connected her with Sean Galleger, a retired CIRAS account manager and third-party resource with financial expertise. Working closely with Hoeg-Ryan, Galleger spent months gathering the information needed to file claims and assisting with negotiations.
“The minute I reached out to Derek, I felt such a weight off my shoulders,” Hoeg-Ryan said. “He told me, ‘We’ve got this, and we will help you.’ He connected me with Sean, who I now consider a good friend.”
John Panning, Dobson Owner at the groundbreaking ceremony.
Dobson is looking to the future with plans for their new building and an evolving workforce.
“They need woodworkers who can build very precise, exquisite organ systems. They also need staff with an ear for the sounds of an organ who can go tune organs on site,” said Thompson. “We’re helping them develop a workforce strategic plan to identify and recruit workers who fit their unique needs.”
“We have 16 employees, and one-quarter of our staff is retiring within three years,” said Hoeg-Ryan. “Many of our people have been with us for 30 years or more, so we’re trying to get ahead of it and get people in place so they can learn from the people leaving.”
Dobson is rebuilding on its same Lake City town square site but going to a one-story facility from one that previously had four levels. The company turned to CIRAS to help with the layout of the workshop and the incorporation of Lean principles in their work and safety processes.
“We’ve been working on our new workshop layout from an efficiency standpoint, trying to minimize movement from one point to another and making the shop run as efficiently as possible,” Panning said. “A lot of space is dedicated to woodworking and specialized metalwork. You also need a large space for assembling the organ to make sure everything fits together properly. We want to bring everyone into the process and make them owners.”
If all goes as planned, Dobson will be in its new building by August 2024, just in time to celebrate the company’s 50th anniversary. That is sure to be music to everyone’s ears.
For more information, contact Derek Thompson at thompson@iastate.edu or 515-419-2163.