Spotlights: C-Suite
HM: You’ve worked for a lot of businesses. What do you enjoy about the work? Ainsworth: My best times were when I was out traveling, seeing my team, walking factory floors, seeing customers. You learn so much, and that feedback improves your business. My worst times were sitting in corporate meetings. Had to do it, because the senior managers need to be aligned; but the real fun is getting out in the factory and talking to people on the floor. “How’s the operation running? How’s your safety rate? What can we do to improve?” If you listen to what they say, you’re going to learn a lot about how your operations run. And when you go see your customers you receive their perspective. I can never remember coming from a customer visit when I didn’t have takeaways that would make our and their business better. HM: You and your wife have had a recent anniversary? Ainsworth: Sharon and I have been married for 46 years. We have 3 children and 10 grandkids that light up our day. We met working as interns at Alabama Power at the end of our freshman year in college. I was at Auburn, and she went to Montevallo and graduated with an accounting degree. She’s always been a great judge of character and a good sounding board, too. She’s kept me from making mistakes and given me great advice. She’s my most trusted adviser. Sharon is very active in the community, making a positive impact in many lives.
HM: Speaking of great advice, do you have any you’d care to offer? Ainsworth: Be a good listener. You learn more by being a good listener and talking less. I also think humility for a leader is one of the most important things. And humble isn’t a doormat. Humble is realizing that whatever success you have, there’s a lot of people that you’ve got to credit for it. It wasn’t just you. People, talk about a self-made person, there’s no such thing. Many people contributed to your success. Great leaders give credit, they don’t take credit. They take blame, they don’t give blame. The bottom line is run to great purpose. What’s my true motivation? If your great purpose for going to work is make money or climb the corporate ladder, you’re not going to be very satisfied in life. So, what is your great purpose? HM “Humble is realizing that whatever success you have, there’s a lot of people that you’ve got to credit for it. It wasn’t just you.” – Billy Ainsworth
28 Harbert Magazine, Spring 2025
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