FALL 2021
Michael Svac
Former Global Director of Environmental
Health Safety and Security,
Regulatory Compliance, and Facility Operations
Cabot Microelectronics // EMBA ’95
Michael Svac (EMBA ’95) believes that the Executive MBA program at the Joseph M. Katz Graduate School of Business helped shape him into the leader he is today. Designed to be a cohort experience, executive MBA students take each course of the program together—learning from the wide range of experience each member of the cohort possesses.
Svac, who was the youngest of the group at just 30 years old, recalls that his cohort was a mixture of doctors, senior leaders, entrepreneurs, and high-level managers.
“The executive MBA program allowed for open discussions and different perspectives of how individuals would approach a situation based on their own experiences,” says Svac. “Listening to input from my classmates opened my eyes to the diversity of thought and how I can make better decisions as a leader.”
After graduating from the program, Svac was hired into a global leadership position with General Electric Company where he managed 72 manufacturing plants across 15 countries. He was later promoted within the company to senior vice president of regulatory compliance and environmental health safety and security and relocated to Chicago.
“My success during this period of my career was based on the foundation of what I learned and experienced during my time at Pitt,” says Svac. “Having 10 solid years of technical experience in the workplace with both undergraduate and graduate degrees focused in engineering and science was not enough to become a successful business leader. Bridging the gap with an MBA allowed me to pull on that experience and become a more productive leader in a global environment.”
In 2005, Svac joined Cabot Microelectronics as the global director of environmental health safety and security, regulatory compliance, and facility operations. Up until 2020, he led more than 2,000 global employees in29 manufacturing facilities across 13 countries that specialized in chemical manufacturing, high purity chemical processing, chemical repackaging, business continuity teams, and more.
“My success during this period of my career was based on the foundation of what I learned and experienced during my time at Pitt,” says Svac.”
THE IMPORTANCE OF RELATIONSHIP BUILDING
Leading operations across so many countries presents its own set of challenges—cultural diversities, language barriers, local traditions, and forming positive business relationships. Svac believes that building relationships was critical to navigating new waters, and it was one of the most important tools he learned during his time at Pitt Business.
“One of the foundational learning experiences at Pitt was that relationship- building was crucial in any business,” says Svac. “Hiring great talent and building great teams is how I’ve become so successful. It’s a skill I’ve learned from Pitt that I still use today—even 25 years after graduation.”
Svac explains that every career change he’s made or new opportunity he’s accepted has always started with a phone call from someone asking if he’d like to be a part of something great.
“It has changed the way I think, evaluate, plan, and even communicate,” says Svac. “Even though this is a volunteer coaching experience, I still approach it as a business opportunity and pull from experiences that I learned along the way.”
HOCKEY IS FOR EVERYONE
“In 2007, I was introduced to ice hockey for players with special needs—specifically individuals with autism or Down syndrome,” says Svac. “I had been involved in coaching ice hockey since 1990 but had never been a part of a program that involved those with disabilities.”
This volunteer experience was new and out of Svac’s comfort zone but ended up changing his life.
“It has changed the way I think, evaluate, plan, and even communicate,” says Svac. “Even though this is a volunteer coaching experience, I still approach it as a business opportunity and pull from experiences that I learned along the way.”
Just a few years later, this team was adopted by the Chicago Blackhawks. Now, Svac serves as the hockey director for the Chicago Blackhawks Special Hockey Team, and as the hockey director and head coach for the Chicago Blackhawks Blind Hockey Team—one of the first blind hockey programs in the U.S. that was affiliated with an NHL team.
“I received another phone call and this time I was asked to lead the blind hockey team for the Blackhawks’ newest program,” says Svac. “I have to be honest, my first thought was that they selected the wrong person because I had no experience with individuals with vision impairments, but realized that this was just another opportunity to lead and be part of something great.”
Then again in 2018, Svac received another phone call from USA Hockey asking him to coach the United States National Blind Hockey team. Another challenge, but another opportunity to give back to those in need.
“Having the opportunity to be part of an organization like USA Hockey, that is taking time to give back to others with a disability, is by far one of the greatest experiences I have been part of in my career,” says Svac. “I am very grateful to a lot of people—some were mentors, but many others opened a door or opportunity for me. One of those was the opportunity to be part of an elite educational program at Pitt Business.”
Svac with one of his players
