300 episodes of Chris asking all the questions, this week he is finally in the hot seat - and it’s his high school buddies doing all the grilling!
Recorded live at Urban Chestnut Brewing, this episode is split into two parts. First, Chris sits down with a Missouri manufacturing panel - Michael Eaton, Joe Mazzola and Maria Berra to talk Apollo 13 battery cells, pepper spray, whiskey barrels, and keeping it in the family in St. Louis.
In part 2, we are flipping the script. To celebrate this milestone episode, three of Chris's oldest friends, Pat, Rob and John take over, asking Chris about his 'magic drug' for keeping the show running for 300 episodes, reminiscing on his first experience of things taking a turn for the worst on stage, and a very exciting personal announcement.
In this episode, find out:
- How Missouri became the birthplace of a surprising range of products that most wouldn't realize
- How a kid who dreamed of building rollercoasters ended up building a manufacturing podcast instead
- Why Chris's dad might be the most legendary guy in their entire high school network
- Why Chris wouldn't watch the Blues win the Stanley Cup live, despite being in Boston
- What Chris says helps you stand out when everyone in your industry is chasing the same trend
- Where Chris would send you for the best food and drink in St. Louis
Enjoying the show? Please leave us a review here. Even one sentence helps. It’s feedback from Manufacturing All-Stars like you that keeps us going!
Tweetable Quotes:
- "I don't know if being an engineer is exactly what I wanted to be, but I was certainly going to take that problem-solving skill set and bring it wherever I go." - Chris Luecke, Podcast Host & Community Builder at Manufacturing Happy Hour
- "The more you can take that ‘all ships rise with the tide’ approach, those are the regions I see really being successful in manufacturing." - Chris Luecke, Podcast Host & Community Builder at Manufacturing Happy Hour
- ”What are the things that you can talk about that are timeless, that highlight who you are, that highlight your expertise, that can allow you to stand out from the pack?” - Chris Luecke, Podcast Host & Community Builder at Manufacturing Happy Hour
Links & mentions:
- AssetWatch and MaintainX, our partners for this leg of the All-American Manufacturing Summer Tour.
- The Missouri Association of Manufacturers, supporting manufacturers and driving turnout for this special St. Louis event.
- IMTS, hosted by AMT (the Association for Manufacturing Technology) - the country's largest manufacturing trade show.
- Urban Chestnut Brewing Company is an unconventional-minded yet tradition-oriented brewer of craft beer with authentic heritage and proven quality.
Make sure to visit https://manufacturinghappyhour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty.
Mentioned in this episode:
Get a free LEGO at IMTS 2026!
If you're heading to IMTS 2026, make sure Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence is part of your game plan. Hexagon is the architect of innovation in manufacturing and a global leader in measurement technologies. Make sure to visit Hexagon in the East Building at Booth 134102 and tell them Chris from Manufacturing Happy Hour sent you to claim your LEGO MAESTRO CMM via the link below.
Visit Hexagon and get a free LEGO at IMTS 2026
