That’s the legacy behind the story of Seneca Foundry, which was founded 116 years ago in Webster City.

The McCollough family has continued to shift and change with the times, as one of Webster City’s oldest businesses. It is one that has remained family-owned, raising their children, supporting school activities and building pride in Hamilton County. They supported military efforts during wartime. They worked together with other locally owned businesses to build a better Webster City. They have remained active in both church and community organizations.

But times have changed.

Seven McCollough family members — fathers and sons — who have served as the president of the company since its first patent in September 1909.

-Submitted photo
Here's a historic photo of the old foundry.

As of December 1, 2024, Seneca Foundry has a new president. It is still a family-owned, locally-owned business, an involved partner in the community. But it is no longer owned by the McCollough family.

The new president is Lori Mason, its first woman president, leading a rough and tough industry into the new century.

“We entered into an agreement five years ago and I bought and acquired 49% of the company then. We had a five year plan that if all was going well, I would have the opportunity to acquire the remaining 51%,” Mason said.

Mason and her husband, Brandon, live on an acreage just outside Webster City. Brandon is the son of Mike and Chris Mason, who have lived in Hamilton County all their lives.

“It’s still a hometown family business,” said Mason, who also has five children, and recently welcomed her first grandchild.

She admits that when she started working 20 years ago as an accounting coordinator that “I didn’t even know what a casting was!”

But she has learned. They have brought in new customers, and doubled the revenue. There are plans for an expansion ahead.

“It’s been a good five years,” she said. “A lot of money has gone back into the company, purchasing new equipment, adding automation to make the environment better for its employees.”

When asked why she started making this shift in her career, she explained a bit about the McCollough success story.

Former presidents Kirk McCollough and his father, Robert McCollough, had a very personal connection with the employees and the day-to-day process.

“Kirk still comes in,” she said.

Like his father, Robert, even after the responsibility is not his, it’s a habit they both had, walking through the plant, talking to employees, asking about their families demonstrating their concern for the people they employed.

“Kirk could have sold to anyone,” she said. “He wanted someone to continue what they started. Keeping it local is important to both of us. We both want to continue to support the employees and their families in addition to this community.”

Mason has been involved with the Hamilton County 4-H program, volunteered as club leader of the Freedom Flickers and served on the Hamilton County 4-H Foundation.

“More recently I am getting involved with the Hamilton County Growth Partnership — HCGP — executive committee and Ames Alliance,” she said.

There is a big picture for this industry leader. They hold multiple patents and are still developing and advancing, making improvements with technology.

It’s been a quiet growth, starting with W.A. McCollough, a blacksmith and farmer who moved to Webster City at the urging of his brother. They rented a building on the corner of Seneca and First streets in 1909 and began planning the building for their manufacturing plant. W.A. McCollough & Sons was born at the northeast corner of Second and Superior streets.

The sons, George and McKinley, worked together with their father and by 1932 they had filed a dozen patents, 11 were designs from W.A.

The name has changed over time, from W.A. McCollough & Sons to McCollough’s Inc., led by John McCollough. Another name change was made by Robert McCollough when it was changed from McCollough’s Foundry to Seneca Foundry.

The last two McCollough’s leading Seneca Foundry were Blaine McCollough and Kirk McCollough.

Some of the early patents might be familiar to Hamilton County farmers, as their first patent was a new way to feed hogs.

Today Seneca Foundry no longer makes hog feeders; their products range from industrial equipment parts, pumps and manifolds to weight-lifting equipment and iron castings for swing sets and playground equipment.

They still have local customers, such as Mertz Engineering, but most of their customers are beyond Webster City.

“Over the last 10 years our customer base has expanded from Iowa and surrounding states to now being coast to coast across the USA,” Mason said.

And that growth hasn’t stopped at the borders; it has recently expanded with a new customer in Canada.

So what is it that has made Seneca Foundry pass the 100-year mark?

“We make really great products for great customers,” Mason said.

This is one of the secrets to the business’ success. But it’s also the continuation of a locally-owned, family-owned business, with generations of pride behind it.