Rita Kapur has worked as the CFO of Aimtek since 1993.
The company was started by her parents, Amar and Ani Kapur, in a third-floor apartment and a rented garage in Worcester after Amar emigrated from Mumbai, India, to study chemical engineering at Worcester Polytechnic Institute. At the start, the company sold specialty gases to universities, technology, research and development, and life sciences customers. By 1977, it began to grow and acquire other companies like Bay State Oxygen, a welding supply and industrial gas distributor, and others such as Alliance Supply, which distributed industrial, safety, and cleanroom supplies. With the addition of Atech in 2003, Aimtek became a truly multi-faceted operation supplying not only materials and gasses but a certified overhaul and repair facility for Pratt & Whitney Canada aerospace turbine engine components.
With all of that comes a lot of employees and plenty of logistical headaches, which Kapur is in charge of as the person responsible for leading the company’s operations, financial strategy, and controls. She leads business strategy and revenue growth, as well as, acquisitions, funding, talent management, and product innovation at the family business.
Kapur in 2022 joined the board of the Massachusetts Manufacturing Extension Partnership. As a board member, Kapur is now a leading member of the Massachusetts manufacturing economy and pulls sway across the state as she advocates for and helps small to midsize manufacturers to reach their goals and grow.
How should professionals best use the power they wield? “Business professionals should use their power responsibly, with integrity, empathy, and a long-term perspective. They should prioritize the well-being of their customers, employees, and communities and strive for sustainable and ethical business practices. They should leverage their power to create a positive social impact.”
Benefits from working in the family business: Kapur knows how to weld.
