It was in 1969 that Rattan Khosa came to the United States of America from India with only $3.75 in his pocket. With hard work, perseverance and calculated risks, he became the CEO and founder of AMSYSCO Inc., a company that has consistently turned a profit every year since its inception. Understanding the power of innovation and entrepreneurship, he donated $5 million to his alma mater, the University of Chicago in order to help talented students pursue their passion.
The University of Chicago used the donation to support aspiring entrepreneurs launching business startups through a comprehensive program at the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. The Rattan L Khosa Entrepreneurial Fellowship offers a year-long stipend distributed in three quarterly payments, along with one-on-one mentoring personally led by Rattan Khosa himself.
Despite graduating at the top of his class with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from the University of Rajasthan, Khosa faced discrimination that prevented him from securing a job. Determined to pursue his career, he moved to the United States to begin a research fellowship at the University of Maryland while working toward his master’s degree in structural engineering. He majored in finance and marketing with MBA from the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business. “The day I signed the check for the University of Chicago, I sat down still, closed my eyes, and recollected my first day in the US and how little I had,” he said in an interview. ,
With $44,000 in savings, Rattan L Khosa founded AMSYSCO Inc., initially running the business from his home basement for several years. Today, AMSYSCO operates from a 55,000 square foot facility in Romeoville, Illinois, and has grown into a highly profitable company, specializing in post-tensioning systems for commercial structures.