Luis Iriart's Career Growth at Hutchinson

Emigrating from Uruguay in early 2001, Luis Iriart arrived in the United States with a “pretty basic” grasp of English and dreams of a new life. Though shaken just months later by the events of September 11, he knew he had to keep his head up—and remember why he was here.

“When you are an immigrant, and you go to a different country—when you say goodbye to your relatives—it’s for good. Because you don’t know what’s going to happen,” Iriart said. “And that’s a huge engine for me. If you leave your country for a reason, and that reason was to be better, then do it. Because otherwise, all that sacrifice is for nothing.”

Fast forward more than 20 years, and Iriart has achieved his own version of the American Dream. After joining Hutchinson in 2010 as a temporary employee, Iriart became a full-time machine operator in 2012 and steadily climbed the ranks, eventually earning his current position as the manager of SAVI.

“Hutchinson was the first company to give me an opportunity to actually show what I can do,” Iriart said. “They’re ready to grow people from inside the company … This company gave me the opportunity to grow.”

Rising Through the Ranks

Two years after Iriart started at Hutchinson, he was presented with an opportunity to move to an earlier shift. Soon after that, the company opened a new technician department—and Iriart became one of the very first process technicians at Hutchinson’s Hopkinton location.

Iriart worked in this role for a while, eventually taking an opportunity to become the supervisor of the manufacturing floor’s second shift. From there, he kept moving up the chain and became the first shift manager. Iriart said he’d like to continue working on the first shift so he can spend more time with his family, but he’s open to any new responsibilities.

“Whatever will help the company is what I want to do,” Iriart said.

A very social person by nature, Iriart likes the fact that he works alongside others and can get to know them on a personal level. As a manager, Iriart said his main priorities are to keep employees safe, ensure smooth business operations and make sure everyone has what they need to be successful.

“My goal is to make them better,” he said of the employees he supervises. “If they’re better, I’m better.”

In the past, Iriart said, he worked at companies where there was no opportunity for upward mobility, which left him feeling stuck. He said that Hutchinson gave him the skills training and help he needed to grow his career.

Grateful for the company’s investment in him, Iriart said he wants to help his employees understand that the same growth is available for them if they choose to work for it. “I want to see people who start here as a machine operator become supervisors, managers, CEOs,” Iriart said. “I want people to start believing that they can do it—that there’s something good that can happen for you here if you let that happen.”