Mark Gittings

Mark Gittings, who grew up in Chicago’s south suburbs, developed an early interest in computers through his family’s manufacturing business. Though initially admitted to UIUC for Electrical Engineering & Computer Science, he switched to Industrial Engineering after discovering a passion for applying computers to manufacturing problems. After earning his BSIE in 1974, he joined Westinghouse Electric, where he worked in manufacturing and production planning, and married his college sweetheart. As career changes and company shifts unfolded, he and his wife decided to return to Illinois to be closer to family, leading him to a role in the Champaign area with Flo-Con Systems (now Vesuvius), while simultaneously completing his MBA at UIUC in 1979. There, he held roles in operations, industrial engineering, and ERP implementation. In the mid-1990s, Mark started his own company called Integrated Management Solutions, Inc (IMSI). Through IMSI, he helped small manufacturers improve operations through computerization and ERP solutions. Mark is an active member of ASCM (Association for Supply Chain Management – formerly known as APICS), where he holds 3 certifications (CFPIM, CSCP & CLTD) and has been involved at both the Chapter (including the UIUC student chapter) & Regional levels. He is also a member of the ISE Alumni Advisory Board, serving on the Business Perspectives Committee.