COMP2026 is excited to welcome Ken Marchek, Managing Partner of Vichek Solutions, to this year’s speaker lineup!

Driving Innovation: From Ideas to Impact

Innovation is often discussed as a creative process, but successful organizations understand that lasting innovation requires structure, discipline, and alignment with business goals. In his session at COMP2026, Ken Marchek will share practical strategies for transforming ideas into measurable business impact through repeatable innovation systems and decision-making processes.

Drawing from decades of leadership experience across engineering, advanced manufacturing, and water technologies, Ken will explore how companies can create innovation programs that drive customer value, operational improvement, and long-term growth.

Attendees will gain insights into:

• Building a structured innovation process for capturing, evaluating, and advancing ideas
• Aligning innovation efforts with customer needs, business objectives, and measurable outcomes
• Using funnel and stage-gate approaches to prioritize opportunities and improve decision-making
• Starting with simple innovation frameworks that can scale over time
• Creating ongoing management systems that support implementation, accountability, and continuous improvement

About Ken Marchek

With a career spanning leadership roles at Micronics Engineered Filtration and Evoqua Water Technologies, Ken Marchek brings deep expertise in product innovation, engineering systems, and business process design. From advanced water treatment technologies to scalable custom solutions, he has led initiatives focused on operational excellence, engineering performance, and strategic growth.

Beyond product development, Ken has successfully guided teams in implementing best practices, design-for-value initiatives, and software automation to strengthen both engineering and business operations. As Managing Partner of Vichek Solutions, he continues helping organizations improve innovation processes, operational execution, and long-term business performance.

Ken’s experience combines technical leadership with practical business strategy, making his session especially valuable for manufacturers and business leaders looking to turn innovation into a repeatable and sustainable advantage.

Join us at COMP2026 to hear Ken Marchek share actionable insights on how organizations can move beyond brainstorming and build innovation systems that consistently deliver results.

For more information about COMP2026, visit our website or connect with us on LinkedIn.