AboutAztalan Engineering Inc.
Aztalan is proud to be an employee-owned company. We have assembled a talented staff of experienced engineers, machinists, and assemblers; and our dynamic leadership team is always trying to improve our company. When you join Aztalan as a customer, supplier, or team member, you truly become part of our family. You will notice the Aztalan difference from the time of your first inquiry through the life of our relationship.
Our History
Our company is built upon a foundation of leadership and commitment. Our founder, Jim Brey, started his venture in leadership by enlisting in the Army infantry after graduating from high school, where he served as a mortar observer and was promoted to Staff Sergeant in his first year. He served in the Korean War where he earned a field commission to Second Lieutenant. When he returned home he discovered aviation, and he served out the remainder of his military career as a pilot of both fixed-wing planes and helicopters, retiring as a Major.
Jim graduated from the University of Wisconsin School of Engineering with a degree in mechanical engineering and spent the next 19 years as a mechanical engineer with McDonnell-Douglas, AC Delco, and Hamlin Electronics. But, Jim had a dream to own his own company, so in July, 1978, Aztalan was incorporated as an engineering and manufacturing company. Housed in Jim’s two-car garage with two part-time employees, a few Bridgeport’s and a Macintosh computer, under Jim’s leadership, Aztalan grew rapidly, and within a decade moved to a new 30,000 square foot facility in the Lake Mills Business Park.
Today we’ve expanded even further, but remain faithful to our foundation of leadership and commitment. No client, no part, no problem and no opportunity is too small to escape our undivided attention. Our commitment to excellence and the needs and welfare of our customers is legendary.
Aztalan became partially employee-owned in 2009 when we formed our Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP). An ESOP is similar to a 401(k) retirement plan but where the investments are primarily made in company stock. Employee-owners of Aztalan have the opportunity to become stakeholders through the ESOP and can help grow their account values with the great work they do over years of service. Aztalan became 100% employee-owned in 2014 and it has become an important part of our culture. Employee-owners are empowered to think like an owner and do things that help create success for the company, because they get to share in that success through the ESOP.
