Michael is a starter, builder, grower, and “fixer” of multiple businesses—from corporate to startups and everything in between. Michael brings the discipline and analytics of an engineer and consultant and the “soft side” of senior management and retail-branded products experience to the table.
Michael has been the CEO of multiple companies, including a start-up custom motorcycle business (Von Dutch Kustom Cycles), a high-end medical imaging equipment and software business (Spot Imaging Solutions), and a well-known branded B2C retail products company (Fathead).
He worked for five years at McKinsey & Company in their Chicago office, primarily in industrial and manufacturing businesses. Growth strategy, operational improvement, M&A, and organization were his focus areas, working from the factory floor up to senior management levels with large clients.
As a VP at PerkinElmer, a multi-billion-dollar public company, Michael led the strategy and goal-setting process across the company's four business segments in lab and life sciences instruments, optoelectronics, and engineered products. In addition, he led a high-growth fiber optics components business that grew from $4 million to $50 million during his tenure. The strategy role included managing all the M&A, and Michael was involved with the execution of more than six acquisitions and divestitures totaling more than $500 million.
In his early career, Michael spent eight years as an aerospace engineer in hypersonic air-breathing and rocket propulsion systems. He holds a DoD Top Secret clearance.
Mike is an alum of the University of Michigan and The University of Chicago Booth School of Business.