CEO
Husco International | Waukesha
Austin Ramirez is the second-generation family leader of Husco, a Waukesha-based manufacturer that has tripled in size to more than $500 million in global sales, received designation as a Global Growth Company by the World Economic Forum and been recognized as Wisconsin Manufacturer of the Year during his tenure as CEO. The company, which manufactures hydraulic and electro-mechanical components, has about 1,600 employees. Ramirez serves as a director of the National Association of Manufacturers, the Association of Equipment Manufacturers, Old National Bancorp and the Marcus Corp. Along with his family members, Ramirez is a co-founder of St. Augustine Preparatory Academy, a private K-12 school on Milwaukee’s south side. He is also a founder and co-chair of Democracy Found, a non-partisan political reform organization focused on implementing Final Five Voting.
Education: Bachelor’s, University of Virginia; MBA, Stanford Graduate School of Business
What would you like to change about Wisconsin: “Improve our K-12 education system.”
Advice for first-time leaders: “Work as hard on cultivation a great temperament as you do on developing your technical skills.”
Historical figure you look up to: “Teddy Rosevelt. He embodied intellectual excellence, leadership and extreme physical courage.”
Cocktail of choice: “Rye Manhattan.”
2022 Wisconsin 275 Profile
Manufacturing
CEO
Husco International | Waukesha
Austin Ramirez is chief executive officer of Husco International, a Waukesha-based manufacturer of hydraulic and electro-mechanical components with about 1,500 employees. Ramirez, who succeeded his father, Gus, as the leader of Husco, also helped found St. Augustine Preparatory Academy, a high-performing private voucher school on Milwaukee’s south side that is heavily funded by Gus and the Ramirez family. Among other honors, Austin was named a Young Global Leader of the World Economic Forum in 2014 and a White House Fellow on the National Economic Council of both the Trump and Obama administrations.
Education: Bachelor’s, University of Virginia; MBA, Stanford University
What piece of advice has had the most significant impact on your career?
“Be a good person – It will put the wind at your back throughout your career.”
What is one book you think everyone should read?
“Friedrich Hayek’s ‘The Road to Serfdom’ – Timeless analysis of why individual liberty and free market principles are the foundation of the American way of life.”
Favorite restaurant?
“Birch – whatever chef Kyle Knall will feed me!”
What advice would you give to a young professional?
“Spend as much effort cultivating your interpersonal skills as you spend developing your technical skills.”
What is one thing you would change about Wisconsin to make it even better?
“Funding children rather than schools, also known as ‘backpack funding.’ In Milwaukee nearly 50% of kids attend choice or charter schools, but only receive about 60% of the funding as their district (MPS) peers.”
Is there a nonprofit cause that has special meaning to you?
“Democracy Found. Updating the voting process in Wisconsin to implement single-ballot, top-five primaries combined with ranked choice voting in the general election. Our political system is suffering from a massive incentive problem, and we need to update our voting system so that our elected leaders are rewarded for serving their entire electorate, not just highly partisan primary voters.”
