A.R.K. Ramos: A Family Owned Foundry
From One Legacy to Another
With a nearly 80-year legacy, A.R.K. Ramos is a family owned foundry specializing in American-made commercial building signage and memorials.
We’re a team of family members and long-standing employees who deeply care about the work we do and the people we do it with. Every member of our team plays a valuable role in the creation of your signage. When you work with A.R.K. Ramos, you’re partnering with dedicated professionals who ensure your project is handled with precision and pride every step of the way.
If you’d like to learn more about the history of our family owned foundry, take a moment to read this blog.
In the meantime, let’s take a moment to introduce you to some of the current members of the incredible team behind your commercial building signage.
Our Team
| Family Members | Management | Key Players |
|---|---|---|
| Courtney Ramos-Fincher, CEO/Sister | John Kraicek, Plant Superintendent | Lacy Barnard, Sales Representative |
| Brendan Ramos, COO/Brother | Cody Langdale, Pattern Shop Foreman | Misty Christon, Customer Service |
| Rocky Fincher, CSO/Husband to Courtney | Gwen Canne-Bussing, Art Director | Matt Martinez, Shipping Lead |
| Manda Ramos, CAO/Wife to Brendan | Tommy Martinez, Letter Department Foreman | Caleb Kessler, Graphic Designer, Router Operator, Laser Specialist |
The Family
Our family owned foundry’s roots date back to 1946 as an industrial casting business. In 1960, Max Ramos purchased the company in full, and the Ramos family has led it ever since. Today, Max’s grandchildren, Courtney and Brendan, carry the torch, blending tradition with innovation.
Courtney Ramos-Fincher
Chief Executive Officer, Sister
Courtney and her brother Brendan inherited the family business at a time when it was failing. Since she joined the team full-time in 2008, post-college, she played a key role in growing the family owned foundry and celebrating its 75th year.
“When I first joined ARK Ramos, we were still using methods my grandfather implemented decades ago. There's something beautiful about tradition, but innovation doesn't have to erase legacy - it can honor it.”
Brendan Ramos
Chief Operations Officer, Brother
Much like Courtney, Brendan has watched A.R.K. Ramos evolve since he started full-time in 2010. Now, Brendan has his hand in a lot of different pieces of the business: sales, production, purchasing, employee management – you name it!
He loves working with the team they’ve curated and being able to work with a variety of customers that keep the day-to-day operations exciting!
Rocky Fincher
Chief Sales Officer, Husband to Courtney
Previously helping with trade shows since 2006, Rocky became a full-time member of the team in 2013. He now handles all of the pricing, catalogs, product descriptions, and quotes. He ensures we stay on budget and our clients receive the transparent pricing they deserve!
“I enjoy the atmosphere here at the office. Everyone treats everyone like family.”
Manda Ramos
Chief Accounting Officer, Wife to Brendan
Manda officially joined our family owned foundry’s team in 2019. Since then, she’s been a strong member of our executive team, leading in both accounting and HR. Her financial expertise and people skills are essential to getting our American-made pieces out the door!
“Whenever I go into the office, everyone is so kind and has new stories to share.”
The Management Team
We would not have grown to where we are today without our management team. Some of this team has been working with A.R.K. Ramos before even Courtney or Brendan joined the family owned foundry team!
The following people do exceptional work to keep the business running strong.
John Kraicek
Plant Superintendent
John has been with A.R.K. Ramos for 40 years! He is responsible for overseeing the final custom finishes on our projects. He credits the variety of projects and the challenges of the job for keeping him in the game so long. We’ve appreciated his steadfast dedication over the last four decades.
Cody Langdale
Pattern Shop Foreman
Cody joined A.R.K. Ramos in 2011, not long after Courtney and Brendan became full-time team members. He’s a big reason why our process runs smoothly. Thanks to Cody, our clients walk away impressed with our eye for design and exceptional attention to detail.
Gwendolyn Canne-Bussing
Art Director
Gwendolyn creates layouts, proofs the art department’s drawings, and is an exceptional troubleshooter. With over 20 years logged at A.R.K Ramos, she knows her way around even the most challenging design problems.
“I love the creative process and how we get to turn customers’ text and logos into works of art to be viewed by many.”
Tommy Martinez
Letter Department Foreman
Tommy is our longest current employee with 48 YEARS under his belt. He works in the letter department and is a master painter. After years of dedication, Tommy puts the “family” in family owned foundry!
In his words, one of his favorite parts of the job is “taking something rough and making it look good!”
Key Players
Over the years, we’ve grown to a team of over 30 employees, all vital to our mission of crafting American-made signage for clients around the world. To learn more about our team and the work we do, be sure to follow us on Facebook!
But first, we wanted to highlight a few more key players on our team.
Lacy Barnard
Sales Representative
Lacy has been on our team for nearly nine years, and we’re thrilled to have her grow as one of our sales representatives. We’re grateful to have her as one of our many dedicated employees!
“I love my job because honestly it feels like home. The people here treat me like family, and that makes all the difference. We support each other, have fun, and get things done together! It’s just a really great place to work, and I feel lucky to be a part of A.R.K. Ramos.”
Misty Christon
Customer Service
Misty has been a reliable member of our sales team for almost seven years. She’s beloved by our customers, and we, too, appreciate her exceptional communication skills and incredible work ethic.
“I love the fact that this is truly a family business. I felt like I was a part of the family from day one. Courtney and Brendan go above and beyond to show their appreciation for their employees.”
Matt Martinez
Shipping Lead
Matt is another one of our shipping masters! Working in packaging and shipping, he works on custom crates. He’s one of the newest members at A.R.K. Ramos, and we’re grateful to have his fresh eyes and dedication on our team.
Caleb Kessler
Graphic Designer, Router Operator, Laser Specialist
Caleb started in our pattern shop about three years ago making wood plaques and letter patterns. Now, he’s a phenomenal graphic designer and makes the templates for all of our commercial building signage, as well as operates the CNC router and laser engraver. Talk about multi-talented!
“A job is only as good as the bosses who run it. In that regard, I’ve been incredibly fortunate to work alongside fantastic bosses who are capable, coordinated, and caring.”
Working with A.R.K. Ramos, a Family Owned Foundry
This group of people is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the A.R.K. Ramos team. When you choose our family owned foundry for your memorials and commercial building signage, you can rest easy knowing your project is in good, caring hands.
What You Can Expect:
Efficient Processes
High-Quality, American-Made Signage
Compassionate, Clear Communication
Exceptional Attention to Detail
Sound like the team for you? Get in touch, and we’ll get to work on your next project!
