- Great American Business Leaders of the Twentieth Century
Michael A. Volkema
Herman Miller
1995 - Present
Fabricated Goods
b. 1955
| Education |  |
|---|---|
| Undergraduate | Western Michigan University |
| Graduate | JD, Wayne State University |
| Personal | |
|---|---|
| Born-Died | 1955 |
| Birthplace | Ohio (OH) |
| Race | White |
Volkema was devoted to turning the office furniture company into a profitable enterprise. Developing an extensive 12 person Executive Leadership team, Volkema redesigned HM’s core value system, launching the Blueprint for Corporate Community program, which has a new-found focus on customer driven business. In addition to this plan, Volkema created a more cost-effective production process and introduced an array of new customer products, allowing HM to return to profitability, earning net income of $144 million in 1998.