Debra Leinicke, 36

Purchasing and inventory manager
QCA Spas, Inc.
Bettendorf, Iowa

Debra Leinicke’s start in the spa industry was humble but pivotal — cleaning newly tested hot tubs at QCA Spas’ manufacturing plant. Since joining the company in 2022, her strong work ethic and curiosity have propelled her into leadership roles overseeing purchasing, receiving and inventory management for both the manufacturing plant and multiple retail locations across Iowa and Minnesota.

 “Hot tubs and how they run was not something I had previously thought much about,” Leinicke says. “When I began working at QCA Spas, I started to learn about parts of our hot tubs but was at the end of the process and didn’t have a complete view of the number of parts that go into making a hot tub work.” She shadowed department leads during inventory counts to understand each part’s role and its vendors. This helped her build valuable industry relationships that now support her purchasing responsibilities.

Her most important contribution to date is leading the company’s transition to a barcode-based inventory system, a complex yearlong project. “It was months of data entry, edits and corrections,” Leinicke says. “Then once I had our thousands of parts linked with a barcode, I was tasked with teaching everyone how to use it.” The initiative dramatically improved inventory accuracy and streamlined communication between QCA’s plant and retail locations, allowing her to remotely compile inventories across sites.

“The best part about working in the spa industry is that there is always something new to see and try, and there are always new ideas waiting to be made into reality,” she says. She treasures the collaborative culture at QCA Spas. “I really enjoy that I have the ability to know almost everyone in the company in some capacity or another,” Leinicke says. “It fosters an environment of cooperation and collaboration.”

Leinicke is eager to play a bigger role in product innovation. “Getting the chance to see something I helped create on a showroom floor would be amazing,” she says.

She also hopes to champion women in the industry. “I would love to see more women in leadership positions,” Leinicke says. “There are so many strong female voices that need a chance to be heard. I have been fortunate to have had many female leaders in my life, and they have inspired me to always try for more.”

Leinicke finds balance and joy in horseback riding and teaching lessons. “It is truly a passion of mine to see young people grow and develop not only their equestrian skills but their own confidence,” she says. “Riding my own horse is where I get to let go and just be in the moment.”