AJ Stolson is the President and CEO of Hydra-Stop, an organization dedicated to making the world safer, healthier, and more productive via control solutions for drinking water distribution infrastructure. Passionate about building strong relationships both within the organization and with external partners, AJ believes in servant leadership and an empathy-first approach. He is deeply invested in the professional, personal, and organizational growth of his team, knowing that empowered individuals drive exceptional results.
AJ joined Hydra-Stop in 2015 as the Engineering Manager, where he led R&D, Product Improvement, and Business Development projects, while creating engineering systems and controls, and supporting the company’s customers and operations. In late 2019, AJ progressed to a COO role, and subsequently to President of Hydra-Stop in 2021. Since 2019, through 80/20 simplification, team development, continued product innovation, and supply chain development, the Hydra-Stop team has nearly doubled the size and more than tripled the value of the business.
Prior to Hydra-Stop, AJ served as a design engineer launching dozens of products at Klein Tools and Azumo (formerly Flex Lighting). He graduated from Northwestern’s McCormick School of Engineering with degrees in Mechanical Engineering and Manufacturing & Design Engineering, and he earned his MBA in Strategy from Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management.