More About Michael
Michael Wilkes has focused most of his 35-year career on assisting organizations in transition. This includes serving in positions at all levels of business leadership, management consulting, and board governance. Michael is a life-long student of organization development, and has a passion for assisting church, nonprofit, and private business leaders faced with the challenges of organizational growth or transition.
Michael served as President & CEO of technology business MasterGraphics Inc for almost 18 years. He continued consulting and coaching church and nonprofit leaders during those years. Prior to MasterGraphics, Michael spent six years as a management consultant with Smith & Gesteland LLP, where he helped growing businesses develop their leadership and organizational structure. During this time, he also served as adjunct professor for Concordia University teaching courses in Strategic Management and Business Ethics.
Previous positions include vice president of Human Resources and director of Total Quality Management for food processor, Stokely USA. Michael started his career in a technical role, but quickly moved into department management while employed with Northrop Corporation in the early 80’s, an aerospace firm in California. He moved internally to roles in Total Quality Management, Administration, and Organization Development. He earned an MBA early in his career, and is a certified business coach (CBC). Michael has also served on boards that include Oconomowoc Hospital, Project Home, Blackhawk Church and Marquardt Village.
Michael served as President & CEO of technology business MasterGraphics Inc for almost 18 years. He continued consulting and coaching church and nonprofit leaders during those years. Prior to MasterGraphics, Michael spent six years as a management consultant with Smith & Gesteland LLP, where he helped growing businesses develop their leadership and organizational structure. During this time, he also served as adjunct professor for Concordia University teaching courses in Strategic Management and Business Ethics.
Previous positions include vice president of Human Resources and director of Total Quality Management for food processor, Stokely USA. Michael started his career in a technical role, but quickly moved into department management while employed with Northrop Corporation in the early 80’s, an aerospace firm in California. He moved internally to roles in Total Quality Management, Administration, and Organization Development. He earned an MBA early in his career, and is a certified business coach (CBC). Michael has also served on boards that include Oconomowoc Hospital, Project Home, Blackhawk Church and Marquardt Village.
What Past Clients Say About Michael...
Read reviews from some of the organizational leaders Michael has had the privilege to assist over the years.
Mike’s experience was invaluable to the development of our board. Mike brings a calming influence and sets a positive trajectory that ensures that the board and staff teams function at peak performance. In so many ways, Mike demystifies the board governance process. I cannot commend him more strongly to you to come alongside your team.
- John R. Terrill, PhD, Executive Director - UPPER HOUSE/Stephen & Laurel Brown Foundation
We worked with Mike Wilkes for several years - in several areas: team building and leadership development with our branch management groups; organizational structures with the officers and succession planning; and evaluation of individuals on their ability to assume a leadership role. He won the respect of our people and made them better supervisors, managers and officers. Mike was a pleasure to work with in all areas - a real professional.
- Tom Flesch, President & CEO - Gordon Flesch Company
If you are thinking about restructuring your board or management team I can’t think of anyone who would be more helpful in that strategic process than Mike Wilkes. He asked us the right questions to help us understand the struggles we were having and proposed solutions that were tailored to our situation.
- Chris Dolson, Senior Pastor - Blackhawk Church
Mike is a great coach with a lot of integrity, management experience, and innate kindness that make him very easy to talk to.
- Michael Francis - President & Chief Investment Officer, Francis Investment Counsel, LLC
Michael helped us align organizationally with our vision. He didn't tell us what to do, but assisted in identifying where we were losing sideways energy, and guided us in discovering the changes we needed. With Michael's help we successfully transitioned our church's outgrown board model and governance process.
- Danny Parmelee, Senior Pastor - epikos Church
Mike has been a consultant to our company, and we have served on a board together. He is a consistent questioner always trying to learn, a sensitive and patient listener, and a quick mind creating ideas for improvement based on what he is learning. He genuinely wants to help people improve their businesses and lives. I highly recommend Mike.
- Jeff Lerdahl, President - Lerdahl Business Interiors
I have the greatest respect for Mike. He worked with me and our leadership team when I started in my new role as CEO. His communication skills and in depth understanding of organizational dynamics and leadership made the transition smooth for everyone.
- Karen Musser, Chief Executive Officer - Care Wisconsin
Mike Wilkes' calm demeanor, his wisdom rooted in experience along with his ability to ask great questions and listen helped our organization navigate some turbulent waters. We've come through the challenges stronger, healthier, focused on accomplishing our mission.
- Marc Maillefer, Senior Pastor - Door Creek Church
Mike led ETC into the concept of management development, enabling us to create an effective program that has expanded and continues to this day. He was also instrumental in ETC’s strategic planning process helping our company plan the future.
- Dick Titus, President - Electronic Theatre Controls/ETC
At Roundhouse Marketing, Mike worked with our management team to help us understand our company’s “stage of life”, and that we needed to work together differently to grow the business. People needed to understand our overall process, and we each had to play our roles for the team to succeed. We quickly became a “Top 50” promotion agency.
- Ken Murray, President – Roundhouse Marketing
Our association with Michael Wilkes has benefited our company greatly. Mike helped us get organized so that we feel we have much more control over our entire organization. Positive, constructive suggestions for solutions to current problems are something we have appreciated from Mike. I would recommend Michael Wilkes to anyone who currently has a business they wish to improve.
- Sharon Klein, Owner/Manager - Joshua Graphics
Michael interacted well with all members of our management team and…was able to bring our diverse group consisting of differing departmental agendas together to arrive at a common strategic plan that all members felt comfortable with..
- Robert Heintz, Human Resource Manager - Jack’s Frozen Pizza Inc.
While serving in organizational leadership roles:
Mike is among the clearest thinkers I ran across in the Channel for Autodesk, so it is no surprise that MasterGraphics was consistently among the Top 10 US VARS. His go-to-market acumen is at the heart of that success, but his leadership was the glue that pulled it all together.
- Bill Griffin, Vice President Worldwide Channel Sales - Autodesk
Mike has strong general business knowledge which, combined with his organizational behavior expertise, made him a key player in our strategic planning process. I highly recommend Mike as an individual with outstanding management and consulting skills and exceptional personal integrity.
- Stephen Theobald, President/CEO - Stokely USA
Mike assumed control of an organization which had a history of disgruntled employees, and effectively turned the organization into a dedicated and enthusiastic work force. This turn-around was accomplished through use and application of practical management techniques and personal integrity.
- Robert Payne, Strategic Planner Sr - Northrop B-2 Division
I have been closely associated with Michael Wilkes…With his knowledge of the subject and his friendly, positive style, he molded disinterested, doubting individuals into enthusiastic, knowledgeable quality enhancing and cost saving teams. He transformed a hum-drum service organization into an energetic, well liked, and highly respected unit. I highly recommend Michael Wilkes.
- John Stewart Jr, Contract Consultant to Northrop B-2 Division
Author, Managing a Successful Business Turnaround
Author, Managing a Successful Business Turnaround
