SXU Business Alum Flourishes as Successful Entrepreneur
Saint Xavier University (SXU) alum Arturo Lamas '06, '08 has broken into the spirits industry with two highly successful business ventures in addition to his full-time work as vice president of factory operations for a furniture manufacturer – and his time at SXU helped to prepare him for the journey.
Lamas pursued business management for his undergraduate career at SXU and then returned to earn an MBA with a focus in project management. After graduating, he went into the furniture manufacturing industry and has been in it for 14 years. He currently serves as vice president of factory operations for Skyline Furniture MFG, a leader in fashion-forward, quick-ship upholstered furniture that sells to retailers such as Wayfair, Target and Pottery Barn. Lamas started working at Skyline Furniture in the late 90s loading trailers before returning years later, and there were only 50 employees – now they're at 400, and he's happy to be part of the company's growth
But Lamas' passion for entrepreneurship led him to two additional ventures outside his career. In 2016, he opened Soundgrowler Brewing in Tinley Park, and in 2020, he opened Lost Lore Tequila, a distillery that sells its products in several different states and will only continue to expand.
"I've always had a passion for entrepreneurship. Soundgrowler was born out of my passion for craft beer. I love a well-made IPA. Soundgrowler focuses on quality ale/lager, Mexican cuisine, and metal music. Lost Lore Tequila was born to bring back my family's distilling roots. My great grandfather distilled agave spirits in Huitzila, Zacatecas, Mexico, in the 1920s, and the tradition was passed down to my grandfather and father but stopped when my father moved to the U.S. for the American dream," said Lamas, who was curious and eager to learn the craft that was lost.
The distillery makes tequila the traditional way using only agave, water and yeast, and is one of just over 100 brands in the world confirmed to be additive-free. Lost Lore is on track to be in 10 states by the end of 2024 and 20 states by the end of 2025.
Juggling three positions isn't easy, but Lamas structures his time well. During the day, he focuses on making furniture; at night, he focuses on making beer; and on the weekends, he focuses on making tequila. He's no stranger to time management, though. While at SXU, he juggled 18 credit hours per semester.
Lamas was drawn to Saint Xavier's rich history, particularly its status as the first Catholic university in Chicago. Once he visited the campus, he was attracted to the student diversity and small, engaging classes.
"I had great memories at the Graham School of Management; the faculty were second to none. Discussing case studies with my professors was my favorite – the theory has definitely saved me from learning the hard way more than once," said Lamas.
His favorite thing about the business world is dissecting problems and coming up with solutions, and he's grateful for the time at SXU that prepared him to do that.
As Lamas stays busy with his business ventures, he most looks forward to a future of spending more time with his family, whom he loves more than anything.