Michael Novak

Michael Novak has a diverse work experience in various roles within the manufacturing industry. Michael started their career in Sokol and Company as a Food Process Assistant, where they gained knowledge in plant layout and data analytics. Michael then worked at Tate & Lyle as a Process Engineer Co-op, focusing on process improvement. At Ampac Packaging, they served as a Production Scheduler, learning about plant operations and collaborating with IT teams to improve planning/scheduling systems. Michael then returned to Sokol and Company, progressing through roles such as Production and Inventory Planning Manager, Plant Engineer, Engineering Manager, Production Manager, and Vice President of Manufacturing. In these positions, they achieved significant cost savings, implemented management programs, and developed solutions for production planning and capacity constraints. Currently, Michael is serving as the Chief Operating Officer at Sokol and Company.

Michael Novak completed their Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree from The University of Chicago Booth School of Business between 2021 and 2023. Prior to that, they obtained a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Dayton. Additionally, they earned a certification as a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt from Villanova University in May 2014. In 2013, Michael also pursued studies at the Association for Operations Management (APICS).