Wilken and Sons was already a three-generation family business when Sara Wilken reluctantly joined the team alongside her husband in 2006. It quickly became a decision she has never regretted. Wilken Auto Salvage, the business that was established in 1955, and is now headquartered in Nashua, Iowa, has seen unprecedented growth. The four company sites are spread throughout the northeast quadrant of Iowa. A fifth site was strategically closed this year after 8 years of operation. Along with processing and selling used and rebuilt automotive parts, Wilken Auto Salvage also processes scrap metal. Their business is a 50/50 split between the automotive and scrap recovery industries. As Vice President and Treasurer of the company, Sara is responsible for a host of financial and operational duties across the four facilities.

Sara is a strong advocate for participation in state and national industry associations, “There is so much knowledge out there, we’ve meet lots of new people, and we've learned so much from them over the last few years. Sometimes it's not about what you know, but who you know and what they can teach you!”