McDonough Blog

This year marks an exciting milestone for McDonough Manufacturing—136 years of innovation, quality, and leadership in the sawmill equipment industry! To celebrate, we sat down with Sue Tietz, CEO of McDonough, to reflect on the incredible journey the company has taken over the years. From its beginnings in 1888 in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, to becoming a globally recognized name, Sue’s personal story is a key part of the company’s history. Her insights offer a unique perspective on what has helped McDonough thrive for over a century.

On the southern tip of Nova Scotia lies the quaint, tight-knit community of Doctor’s Cove, a small fishing village that thrives off the Atlantic Ocean. The majority of the people here are deeply intertwined with the fishing industry—whether they’re on the water, working in fish plants, or managing the transportation of seafood. For many, this industry isn’t just a job; it’s a way of life that flows through the community. Even those not directly involved in fishing benefit from the profession, as it supports local businesses, restaurants, shops, schools, and even hockey arenas.

“May the road rise up to meet you, may the wind be ever at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face and the rain fall softly on your fields. And until we meet again, may God hold you in the hollow of his hand.” – Irish Blessing

We would like to congratulate Joylyn Hanson Bauer on being named Controller and Sherri Lancour on being named Office Manager for McDonough Manufacturing! Both Joylyn and Sherri work out of our Eau Claire location.

McDonough recently installed a 3-saw OptiFit Edger at New River Hardwoods. The system was purchased to replace a much smaller manual edger that had been in operation in their Tennessee mill.

We would like to welcome Business Excellence expert, Steve Kriese, to the team! Working out of our Eau Claire location, Steve brings a unique combination of CNC & CMM programming, Advanced GD&T and Machining, as well as a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt certification.

McDonough is pleased to welcome Allen Pender into his new role as McDonough Parts Specialist, filling the shoes of John Miller, who has retired after 45+ years at McDonough.

Recently in Eau Claire, our President/CEO, Sue Tietz, returned to her university roots sitting on the back of a Mustang and wearing the familiar blue and yellow E sweater, which happened to be her husband Roger’s 1969 baseball letter sweater. While she has returned many times since her graduation in 1971 for events, honors and awards, this time she returned as the 2022 Blugold Spirit Award winner and Homecoming Parade Marshall. The Blugold Spirit Award recognizes an alumna or alumnus who has “demonstrated a true commitment to and abiding love for the campus”.

The phrase ‘in the vault’ holds some extra meaning for the folks at McDonough. At our headquarters in Eau Claire, a prized piece of history still holds a place of importance after nearly a century – the original McDonough vault door.

At the beginning of the 19^th century, the westward movement of the Pioneers increased the population of Wisconsin and accelerated the demand for lumber to construct homes and other buildings. With an abundance of trees, and rivers for transporting logs, Eau Claire became an ideal location for sawmills. To meet the demands of the lumber industry, and to provide the necessary equipment that had been lacking up until that point, McDonough Manufacturing was born. Founded in 1888 by Frank McDonough Sr., Emmet Horan and Peter John Holm, the trio described their mission as ‘McDonough Sawing Machinery – rapid production, design, durability, strength, simplicity and highest standard of efficiency’.