Kirk Mikkelsen

W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc. develops and manufactures products derived from fluoropolymers. It offers consumer products, cable and cable assemblies, electronic and electrochemical material, fabrics, fibers, filtration, medical, pharmaceutical processing, sealants and venting. The company was founded by Wilbert Lee Gore and Genevieve W. Gore on January 1, 1958 and is headquartered in Newark, DE.

Strong Precision Technologies, Inc. designs, manufactures and markets precision-machined components serving the medical and industrial markets. It has made two acquisitions to form its medical division: Inland Midwest Corp. and MedTorque, Inc. The Medical division provides precision contract manufacturing and services for spinal and orthopedic surgical instruments and implants. The firm has made two acquisitions to form its industrial division: Comet Tool, Inc. and Duro-Life Corporation. The Industrial division manufactures metal components and tools used in agricultural, construction, mining, hydraulic machinery, mobile equipment and transportation end markets. The company was founded in 2011 and is headquartered in Elk Grove Village, IL.