It takes a special person to be able to help guide and lead a company through 30 years of changes in technology, people, markets, technical shifts, and more. Brian Cole is just that kind of person.

Brian started at Rathburn when the young company was working hard to build a reputation as more than just a small tool and manufacturing company. Brian dove in as an active problem solver looking beyond the requests to discover the real issues driving the need. Sometimes that meant retooling machines, other times it meant reengineering parts to accomplish the desired performance specs.

When Brian joined Rathburn the company was grounded in traditional turning and milling equipment. There were cues that the world was moving to robotics to deliver more consistency and precision in machining, but those changes were out of reach for companies the size of Rathburn. That didn’t stop the team from diving in to see what was truly possible. As a result, Rathburn took a leadership position in utilizing robotics and leveraging technology to help our skilled people deliver the highest quality parts possible.

Technology goes only so far. To truly achieve success you need good people. Brian has led the way here, too. His “never give up!” mantra paired with his passion for his work set an example for others in the company to go further and accomplish more than others might think possible. To borrow a phrase from Adidas, with Brian, impossible is nothing.

We celebrate Brian’s leadership and commitment. We wouldn’t be the company we are without him.