Marilyn Clark

Marilyn Clark received a bachelor's degree in Mathematics from Michigan Tech in 1973 and a master's degree in Business in 1976.

Clark first worked as a Computer Programmer with A. C. Spark Plug, now Delphi, in Flint, Michigan. After receiving her masters, Clark joined Cummins Engine Company in Jamestown, New York. She became one of the first women shop floor supervisors. At that time, Cummins was developing quality of work life systems and this philosophy matched Clark's skills. She advanced quickly in Cummins Operations Organization and her experiences took her to locations in Indiana and the United Kingdom. Her expertise centered on supply chain management, and she advanced to the director level in the UK.

Clark returned to the Keweenaw in 2005 to join Consistacom, which specialized in software solutions in call center technical operations. Clark's role evolved to Director of Marketing and Sales where she developed the sales channel and operations structures before leaving Consistacom in 2008 to pursue her own business ventures.

She currently serves as Principal at Competent Systems LLC, a software development company specializing in performance management processes. She also works locally as a consultant and teaches courses in Business at Finlandia University.

Clark is a member of the Hancock Rotary and the Keweenaw Economic Development Alliance and is currently the President of the Michigan Tech Keweenaw Alumni Chapter. She helped to found the local CEO Roundtable and set up the child care process for "Mother's of Preschoolers" in Hancock. She has been active in several professional organizations, and has delivered several papers at professional conferences. She organized a recycling program in her neighborhood and volunteers for the American Diabetes Association. She has also served as a facilitator for entrepreneur workshops in the Keweenaw.

In January of 2012, Marilyn assumed the role of CEO at the Michigan Tech Enterprise Corporation (MTEC) SmartZone, a high tech business incubator in Houghton.  MTEC works with individuals who have an idea for a business to help them create a growth company.  Since MTEC’s founding in 2002, 500 high tech jobs have been created by start-up companies.  Marilyn’s leadership has accelerated the rate of company growth and has secured another fifteen years of funding to keep the organization creating jobs in the Keweenaw.

While at Tech, Clark was the President of the Phi Lambda Beta sorority and a member of the Greek Council.

Clark lives in Hancock, Michigan, with her husband, Ken ('76), and has three adult children - Kenneth Ryan, Benjamin, and Jacqueline.

Clark was inducted into the Presidential Council of Alumnae in April 2009.

Excerpted from the 2009 Presidential Council of Alumnae Program
Updated November 14, 2014