President • Descote Inc.
Ross Aguilar picked a formidable moment to build a business: March 2020.
As the pandemic disrupted global supply chains, the Baton Rouge native began assembling Descote’s North American commercial and operational infrastructure from his hometown. The industrial valve business grew from $6.63 million in annual revenue in 2021 to $12.82 million in 2025.
Growth brought another test. Facing a $600,000 tariff threat to profitability, Aguilar developed a transparent pricing strategy that protected the bottom line without losing a legacy client.
His influence reaches beyond the company’s balance sheet. As a contributing author and voting participant in national industrial safety standards, he helps shape how hazardous materials are contained and transported through communities across North America.
A question I ask a potential hire: “If you started on Monday and I disappeared on vacation for 60 days, walk me through how you’d run your first two months.”
Something my colleagues would be surprised to learn: “That I’m learning and adjusting on the fly just like everyone else. In senior leadership, there’s an unspoken pressure to look like you have the entire board game solved 10 moves ahead. The truth is, when unprecedented challenges hit, you don’t have a textbook answer—you rely on your core values, your team, and a lot of trial, error and grit. Acknowledging that you don’t have it all figured out is where real growth and authentic leadership actually begin.”
