Our People: Meet Chemi-Con’s Stela Heuschkel

May 16, 2021

As a woman of faith, it’s apparent that Chemi-Con’s Stela Heuschkel takes pride in enlightening employees, protecting them, and be that guiding light when navigating trying situations in the workplace. Known for her selflessness, Stela also is a protector of her employer; ensuring it follows all policies and procedures accordingly. As the company’s HR Manager, Stela works hard to be the bridge between Chemi-Con’s workforce and the company itself with the goal of creating the cohesiveness needed to achieve goals while performing at a high-level.

“I ensure we are harassment free, a welcoming environment. I’m also the policy police; I ensure we are all following our policies and procedures. I’m responsible for staffing, benefits, payroll & our ISO certification,” Heuschkel told Grant County’s Industrial Alliance.

Stela also assumes a tremendous amount of responsibility as an overseer of administration, accounting, safety, purchasing & Chemi-Con’s lab.

Chemi-Con manufactures electrolytic aluminum foil, which is used as a conductor in nearly all electronics.

As a devout Christian, Stela is inspired by the good in others, which is why she chose her profession many years ago.

“I was working for a staffing company here in town and I really enjoyed helping people find jobs. That led me to working at a company here in town and I was able to see how the HR Manager there treated his staff and I knew I wanted to do the same thing. He still works here in town (Moses Lake) and I still really respect him,” Stela said.

Stela says her continuing encounters with good people carried over to Chemi-Con when she started her position as an administrative assistant. As Stela began to settle in with the company, she assumed a role in the human resources department where she learned from a supervisor who was known for treating her employees as equals.

“She treated me as an equal and made me believe I could do this too. I became the manager December 2020.”

As mentioned before, Stela sees the good in people, which is why some might say she was destined for a job in HR.

“I LOVE working with people.  They fascinate me.  What might be obvious to me could be totally foreign to someone else.  I love helping others to be there best, to encourage them, to let them know they are valued. It’s truly a gift to help others.”

Stela says her employer’s sterling reputation in Grant County motivates her.

“I genuinely think I work for the best company in our county.  Everyone knows one another which says something with approximately 80 employees.  Our employees talk with our president, he enjoys visiting with everyone.  That’s not to say we don’t have bad days but, overall, we work together as a team.”

She says it’s imperative that a company like Chemi-Con operate as a ‘well-oiled machine’ given the fact that it makes the fundamental component that helps power our lives.


“Our company makes electrolytic aluminum foil. Our foil goes into capacitors which are all over our homes, workplaces, cars, etc. We aren’t going anywhere, unless we go back to days without electricity. We have been in business for over 25 years and have never experienced a layoff. I’m very proud of that fact,” she explained.

Aside from powering our world, the byproduct of Chemi-Con’s success is felt in Grant County. Stela says Chemi-Con donates to various non-profit agencies and she as well as other employees are involved with the local Workforce Alliance, which helps connect students and business. Before the pandemic, she and Chemi-Con co-worker Jose Rebelledo taught soft-skills to students at CB Tech during a workforce readiness clinic.

Aside from spending time with her husband, daughters and grandkids, Stela spends a portion of her personal life doing bible study video blogging.

Stela says she’s proud to be a member of the Moses Lake community and feels gratified to be working for a company that’s become deeply rooted in Grant County.

“I love Moses Lake.  I know I shock some when I say that but, I do. We’re not secluded here but, we still have room to breathe.  We’re not constantly in crowds.  When I get stuck in traffic it usually means I’ve been at the light for 2 minutes not 2 hours. We’re not going anywhere. This is our community, these are our employees.  We want to continue to invest in students and give them opportunities that are right here in their backyards.  We want to continue to give back, helping others.”