At COO (Boardroom Media) we track over 1,000,000 startups and over 5,000,000 people who hold key positions in these companies. We use this directory of startups to highlight top employees, founders and board members we think deserve more appreciation than they are currently getting.
This list showcases the top Wisconsin based COO’ operating in the Manufacturing space. If you think a COO’ is missing from this list, feel free to contact our editor on [email protected].
The individuals on this list have been included because of exceptional performance in one of the following categories:
- Innovation – Operating as a key part in an extremely innovative business or startup.
- Growth – Operating as a key figure in the growth and upscale of a market leading business or startup.
- Management – Showing exceptional management skills.
- Societal impact – Putting their business on the map for their positive societal or environmental impact.
Our Data – We source our data from OSINT (open source intelligence) and public directories such as Crunchbase, SemRush and many more. The data from these sources should be treated with a degree of caution and verified yourself.
Thomas Phillips
Chief Operating Officer of REV Group
Mr. Phillips has served as Chief Operating Officer of REV since February 2016. As Chief Operating Officer, Mr. Phillips is responsible for all corporate sourcing, quality, materials management and operations. Mr. Phillips served as a consultant to REV from July 2015 through January 2016, and prior to that, worked for Bucyrus International, Inc. for 35 years where he held numerous operational roles and retired as Chief Operating Officer in 2006. Mr. Phillips is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee where he earned his bachelor of science degree in economics.
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About REV Group: REV is a designer, manufacturer and distributor of specialty vehicles and related aftermarket parts and services.
Jordan Curnes
Co-founder, President and COO of MicroTransponder
Jordan Curnes is a Chicago based entrepreneur and active angel investor. Jordan founded and currently manages three companies: MicroTransponder, an implantable medical device firm; Rent Like A Champion, an online real estate service; and Mobile Generation, an independent group of Verizon stores.
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About MicroTransponder, Rent Like a Champion: MicroTransponder is a medical device company that develops and commercializes neurostimulation devices to treat neurological diseases.
Julie Cymbalak
Chief Operating Officer of Electronic Theatre Controls
Julie Cymbalak earned a bachelor of science from BJU in 1987. In June 1991, she joined ETC, working as an accounting assistant and taking on the accounts payable and personnel functions of the company. In 1993, ETC was growing quickly, and the need to separate Accounting from the Personnel department became apparent. Julie became the Personnel manager and built the HR department from the ground up to include recruiting, orientation, payroll, benefits, performance management, and health and safety. She also wrote the ETC Employee Manual and associated policies, procedures, and forms, as well as the ETC Manager Handbook and training programs. When ETC restructured the company in 1997, in her role as HR director, Cymbalak took on other duties outside of the HR department. In 1998, she was promoted to the position of vice president of HR to oversee global HR functions, including ETC’s international offices. Over the next few years, her role expanded to include the Administrative Services, IT, Legal and Facilities departments, building and PIT projects, and international management training. In 2015, she moved into a newly-created position of chief operating officer, which allowed her to have a greater focus on business operations, organization, and employee resources. As COO, she is responsible for operations management and identifying new areas of employee services, resources and benefits. Cymbalak has a staff of managers who support all aspects of global employee services and the general managers at each international ETC office.
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About Electronic Theatre Controls: Electronic Theatre Controls is an manufacture of lighting and rigging technology.
Julie Cymbalak
Chief Operating Officer of Electronic Theatre Controls
Julie Cymbalak earned a bachelor of science from BJU in 1987. In June 1991, she joined ETC, working as an accounting assistant and taking on the accounts payable and personnel functions of the company. In 1993, ETC was growing quickly, and the need to separate Accounting from the Personnel department became apparent. Julie became the Personnel manager and built the HR department from the ground up to include recruiting, orientation, payroll, benefits, performance management, and health and safety. She also wrote the ETC Employee Manual and associated policies, procedures, and forms, as well as the ETC Manager Handbook and training programs. When ETC restructured the company in 1997, in her role as HR director, Cymbalak took on other duties outside of the HR department. In 1998, she was promoted to the position of vice president of HR to oversee global HR functions, including ETC’s international offices. Over the next few years, her role expanded to include the Administrative Services, IT, Legal and Facilities departments, building and PIT projects, and international management training. In 2015, she moved into a newly-created position of chief operating officer, which allowed her to have a greater focus on business operations, organization, and employee resources. As COO, she is responsible for operations management and identifying new areas of employee services, resources and benefits. Cymbalak has a staff of managers who support all aspects of global employee services and the general managers at each international ETC office.
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About Electronic Theatre Controls: Electronic Theatre Controls is an manufacture of lighting and rigging technology.
Stephen Zink
Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of AM General
Stephen Zink joined AM General as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer in March 2016. Previously, he served as President at Mack Defense, LLC. As President at Mack Defense, Zink had full responsibility for oversight of all aspects of business in the Americas at the federal and defense level. Prior to this position, Zink was Vice President Operations and Director of Engineering at Mack Defense where he oversaw the engineering, manufacturing, purchasing and program management groups within the company and coordination with other corporate affiliates, suppliers and stakeholders. Prior to his tenure at Mack Defense, Zink worked at Oshkosh Defense (formerly Oshkosh Truck Corp) for approximately 30 years where he held a variety of positions with increasing levels of responsibility. These positions included – Vice President of Defense, where he was responsible for all Defense Tactical Wheeled Programs and Defense Engineering; Vice President of Defense Engineering and Joint programs where he was responsible for all defense related engineering items and oversight of joint programs to include the highly successful MRAP suspension upgrades and the M-ATV program; and the position of Vice President, Defense Strategy and Planning, where he was responsible for the development and implementation of the defense business unit’s strategy along with all aspects of marketing, branding and communications. Zink holds a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Wisconsin –Oshkosh and a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Michigan Technological University.
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About AM General: AM General designs, engineers, manufactures, supplies and supports specialized vehicles for commercial and military customers.
Chris Henshue
COO and Co-Founder of Brandbumps
Chris Henshue is the Co-Founder and COO of Brandbumps.
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About Brandbumps: Brandbumps Marketing Group is a manufacturer and installer of detectable warning panels for advertisers and retailers.
Eric Salm
Chief Operating Officer of Ab E Discovery
Eric Salm is the chief operating officer of Ab E Discovery.
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About Ab E Discovery: Ab E Discovery is a full-service commercialization resource focused on bio-functional feed technologies.
Chad Lindley
Chief Operating Officer of Kiio
Chad has extensive expertise in solving business problems and meeting market needs. For the past 22 years, his focus has been software development and implementation, including documenting customer/market requirements, feature design and prioritization, team management, and agile methodologies. Prior to Kiio, Chad worked for a variety of technology firms, most recently Dell Software. At Dell, he was senior product manager for a portfolio of seven solutions; key product innovations in these solutions resulted in six patent applications in an 18-month span. In addition to product management, Chad brings extensive experience building and managing cross-functional teams focused on customer interaction points including pre-sales, professional services, and customer support. Chad holds a BBA from the University of Wisconsin Madison, and earned his MBA from the University of Chicago – Booth School of Business.
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About Kiio: Kiio focuses on the design, development, manufacture and distribution of objective measurement, and tracking devices.
Chad Lindley
Chief Operating Officer of Kiio
Chad has extensive expertise in solving business problems and meeting market needs. For the past 22 years, his focus has been software development and implementation, including documenting customer/market requirements, feature design and prioritization, team management, and agile methodologies. Prior to Kiio, Chad worked for a variety of technology firms, most recently Dell Software. At Dell, he was senior product manager for a portfolio of seven solutions; key product innovations in these solutions resulted in six patent applications in an 18-month span. In addition to product management, Chad brings extensive experience building and managing cross-functional teams focused on customer interaction points including pre-sales, professional services, and customer support. Chad holds a BBA from the University of Wisconsin Madison, and earned his MBA from the University of Chicago – Booth School of Business.
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About Kiio: Kiio focuses on the design, development, manufacture and distribution of objective measurement, and tracking devices.