top of page
LinkedIn Headshot_2_edited_edited.jpg

Hi, I'm Michael Bass. 

 

I'm a value-driven corporate executive with over 35 years of leadership experience. I led a consumer products company with more than $50 million in sales and consistently delivered customer-centric results through innovation, creative and flexible thinking, employee growth and retention, and efficient execution. I'm particularly effective in situations that require transformative strategy, patent commercialization, and operational expertise.

Resume

HY-KO PRODUCTS COMPANY, Cleveland, OH
President & CEO, 2011 - 2021
Vice President, 2001 - 2011
Director of Operations, 1985 - 2001
 

1985 - 2021

STRATEGY & LEADERSHIP

  • Led a technology-oriented manufacturing and distribution company in the consumer products sector, transitioning it from a 71 year-old family business into a global enterprise consisting of 10 departments across multiple facilities and locations.

  • Increased sales from $2.5 million to $55 million, or 22x, during tenure and sold over 100 million units annually.

  • Invested over $20 million into product modernization with a focus on intellectual property development, new product creation, and selective M&A for product line expansion, as well as over $10 million into ERP, CRM, and IT infrastructure upgrades and improvements.

  • Grew full-time employee headcount to 250 and managed 500 independent contractors while maintaining over 250,000 sq. ft. of warehouse space and sales offices globally.

  • Developed relationships with suppliers in Taiwan, Hong Kong, China, India, and Italy.

  • Sold the company in 2021 to a strategic acquirer after running an extensive sale process.

​

CAPITAL RAISING & FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT

  • Managed all aspects of financial oversight, with the Company's CFO, including financial statement preparation and budgeting for internal use.

  • Vetted and hired PricewaterhouseCoopers to perform annual financial audits and tax planning services.

  • Raised over $50 million in new capital, including $25 million for working capital and equipment financing related to technology expansion around the core business model, $12 million in an Asset Backed Loan for general business use, over $13 million for litigation financing, and over $5 million in an Industrial Revenue Bond to build a 125,000 sq. ft. distribution facility.

  • Led a consistently profitable business that achieved 25% income margins.

​

INNOVATION & INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT

  • Developed and commercialized more than 20 patents that modernized an old-line industry and resulted in over $10 million in additional sales.

  • Successfully financed and litigated federal cases involving patent infringement, anti-trust, Lanham Act false advertising, and Conversion trade secret theft, and won over $20 million in damages and settlement awards. 

​

​

​

​

​​

ARTHUR ANDERSEN, Cleveland, OH
Senior Tax Accountant, 1983-1985
Staff Tax Accountant, 1981-1983
 

  • Managed complex corporate, individual, and estate tax plans and compliance projects.

  • Met tight deadlines and participated in IRS audits and bankruptcy proceedings.

1981 - 1985

EMORY UNIVERSITY, Atlanta, GA
Bachelor of Business Administration, Accounting

CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANT (inactive)

1981

1981

RESUME

Patents

“OBJECT IDENTIFICATION SYSTEM”

Patent No. US 11,334,234 B2 - Date of Patent: May 17, 2022

 

“DATA KEY AND METHOD OF USING SAME”

Patent No. US 10,480,214 B2 - Date of Patent: Nov. 19, 2019

 

“KEY DUPLICATION MACHINE”

Patent No. US 10,421,133 B2 - Date of Patent: Sep. 24, 2019

 

“DATA KEY AND METHOD OF USING SAME”

Patent No. US 9,963,908 B2 - Date of Patent: May 8, 2018

 

“KEY CLAMP ROTATION CONTROLLER”

Patent No. US 9,878,378 B2 - Date of Patent: Jan. 30, 2018

 

“KEY DUPLICATION MACHINE”

Patent No. US 9,815,126 B2 - Date of Patent: Nov. 14, 2017

 

“KEY DUPLICATION MACHINE”

Patent No. US 9,687,920 B2 - Date of Patent: Jun. 27, 2017

 

“KEY DUPLICATION MACHINE”

Patent No. US 9,656,332 B2 - Date of Patent: May 23, 2017

 

“KEY CUTTING MACHINE”

Patent No. US 9,550,263 B2 - Date of Patent: Jan. 24, 2017

 

“KEY DUPLICATION MACHINE”

Patent No. US 9,308,590 B2 - Date of Patent: Apr. 12, 2016

 

“KEY DUPLICATION MACHINE”

Patent No. US 8,985,918 B2 - Date of Patent: Mar. 24, 2015

 

“RETAIL IDENTIFICATION AND INVENTORY SYSTEM”

Patent No. US 8,965,794 B2 - Date of Patent: Feb. 24, 2015

“KEY CUTTING MACHINE”

Patent No. US 8,784,020 B2 - Date of Patent: Jul. 22, 2014

 

“KEY CLAMP ROTATION CONTROLLER”

Patent No. US 8,770,564 B2 - Date of Patent: Jul. 8, 2014

 

“KEY CUTTING MACHINE”

Patent No. US 8,292,556 B2 - Date of Patent: Oct. 23, 2012

 

“KEY DUPLICATION MACHINE”

Patent No. US 8,128,322 B2 - Date of Patent: Mar. 6, 2012

 

“RADIO FREQUENCY IDENTIFICATION (RFID) SYSTEM FOR MANUFACTURING, DISTRIBUTION AND RETAILING OF KEYS”

Patent No. US 8,074,481 B2 - Date of Patent: Dec. 13, 2011

 

“KEY DUPLICATION MACHINE”

Patent No. US 7,891,919 B2 - Date of Patent: Feb. 22, 2011

 

“OBJECT IDENTIFICATION SYSTEM”

Patent No. US 7,890,878 B2 - Date of Patent: Feb. 15, 2011

 

“RADIO FREQUENCY IDENTIFICATION (RFID) SYSTEM FOR MANUFACTURING, DISTRIBUTION AND RETAILING OF KEYS”

Patent No. US 7,849,721 B2 - Date of Patent: Dec. 14, 2010

 

“KEY CUTTING MACHINE”

Patent No. US 7,527,458 B2 - Date of Patent: May 5, 2009

 

“KEY CUTTING MACHINE”

Patent No. US 7,214,011 B2 - Date of Patent: May 8, 2007

 

“METHOD FOR MARKETING GOODS AND SERVICES”

Patent No. US 6,853,979 B1 - Date of Patent: Feb. 8, 2005

PATENTS
bottom of page