Meet the team
Here to help you.
The Utech Group is a second-generation, family business located in De Pere, Wisconsin. Originally founded as Utech Consulting, Inc. in 1991 by Ken and Chris Utech, the organization was founded on nothing more than two weeks of vacation, credit cards and the drive to change people’s lives. With over 30 years of experience, The Utech Group has established itself as experts in change management, organizational development and leadership training. Since its founding, The Utech Group has created change within hundreds of organizations throughout the U.S. and Canada using our training programs, leadership and team development and our customized organizational development approach.
MELISSA BOROWICZ
CEO & OWNER
Melissa Borowicz has nearly two decades of experience working with organizations across the country and is an expert at defining corporate culture and helping companies maximize their management teams and people. With a rich understanding of how relational barriers limit personal, professional, and organizational growth, Melissa strives to help create team and organizational alignment to overcome barriers. Her comfortable and relaxed style puts people at ease during even the most difficult leadership transitions.
In addition to her master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy, Melissa is equipped with an arsenal of skills that enable her to efficiently identify and customize solutions to meet each organization’s unique needs. She specializes in leadership assessments, values identification, and values articulation to drive culture, develop leaders, and enhance team interactions.
Melissa establishes a common language and common ground that permeates an organization – from the leadership team and employees to the customers and communities they serve. After working with organizations that range from 10 employees to 3,000 employees across the United States and Canada, she understands the importance of establishing buy-in at every level, both internally and externally, and knows how to accomplish it. Helping to create self-sufficient people and organizations is a driving force in Melissa’s work.
Her certifications include:
- Process Mastery Certification from Hammer Company
- Certified Master Practitioner in Neuro Linguistic Programming
- Certified User of DISC
- Certified ECHO Listening Profile Practitioner
- Certified Lead Now Practitioner
In her free time, Melissa serves on the Encompass Early Education and Childcare Board of Directors and is on the Advisory Board for the Institute for Women’s Leadership with UW-Green Bay. She can also be found cheering her kids and husband on through their sports and passion areas. Melissa also loves to travel, read historical fiction, run, spend time out West hiking and being in nature, and tackling DIY projects.
KEN UTECH
FOUNDER & SENIOR STRATEGIST
Ken Utech is the founder of The Utech Group (formally Utech Consulting, Inc.) and published author of “Recapturing the Growth Track: Correcting Leaders’ Disempowering Behaviors.” He is driven to make things happen, particularly challenging senior management teams to change so they impact their organizations more productively. He was among the first to create an organizational development company focused on the cultural elements of organizational structure, and he is the first to approach organizational development through changing the heart. Ken created a system that blows past the symptomatic behaviors to create true change.
With over 40 years of experience, Ken has refined his techniques and created a model to work with CEOs and leadership teams. His approach empowers the CEO and his or her direct reports to ask themselves the right questions, explore their answers together, determine the appropriate changes in their behavior, and hold each other accountable. Ken has worked with hundreds of companies of various sizes throughout the United States and Canada. He has worked extensively in businesses, non-profits, government, healthcare systems and schools to create lasting, impactful change.
In addition to his years of organizational development experience, Ken is also a licensed marriage and family therapist and has a master’s degree in social work.
When not at the office, Ken enjoys working out, meditating, reading, and spending time with his wife, children, and grandkids.
CHRIS UTECH
OWNER
Chris Utech is driven by connecting with and making a difference in people’s lives. With over 35 years of organizational and behavioral experience, Chris has established herself as a change agent, providing people with a fresh start. She leverages her skills to provide leadership breakthroughs, personalized coaching, training, and a Quit Smoking program.
Chris has a long history of working with people and organizations. In the mid-1980s, she started a company called Community Connections, which focused on developing effective and efficient office programs. She used her skills in connecting with people to create more efficient offices, especially in the medical and dental communities. Her primary joy and focus is working more effectively and efficiently while connecting with people to make things happen.
The work she did in Community Connections propelled her to join The Utech Group (formerly Utech Consulting, Inc.), where she has been an owner for over 25 years. Chris has transferred her business and office administrative skills to empower people to realize their potential and facilitate healthy relationships. As a certified Master Practitioner in Neuro Linguistic Programming and the Body and Emotion Code, she coaches people by helping them break down limiting beliefs and create achievable, positive outcomes. She also leads communication seminars and works with families and couples.
Chris will help you see what your potential is and how you can achieve it. If you’re interested in working with someone who has the insight and the ability to develop you from a personal and couple’s standpoint, Chris has the answers and the drive to make a difference in your life.
In her free time, Chris enjoys gardening and spending time with husband, children, and grandchildren.
NICOLE SMITH
SENIOR CONSULTANT
Nicole Smith has a true passion for seeing people for who they are and engaging with them to create change and growth. She has worked with employees at every level — from senior leaders to those just beginning their career — on leadership and team development. With her 20-plus years of organizational development and HR experience, Nicole has extensive experience providing executive coaching and interviewing and hiring talent for cultural fit.
Nicole has also been a part of an acquisition team, where she focused on assessing leadership and team dynamics, and created plans to integrate cultures from the acquired businesses into one organizational culture.
Additional credentials include:
- Bachelor’s degree in business administration from St. Norbert College
- Master’s degree in counseling from Lakeland College
- Certification in Culture Index
- Certification as a Nero-Linguistic Practitioner
- Certified ECHO Listening Intelligence practitioner
- Certified in Stewart Leadership LEAD NOW! Assessments
- Certified in Interstrength Cognitive Dynamics
- Certified in Culture Index
- Certified in Korn Ferry
Away from the office, Nicole likes to spend time with her family at a variety of sporting events, supporting her kids in all areas of their passions, playing games, and being at her lake property. She also loves to immerse herself in a good book.
RYAN GRACYALNY
DIRECTOR OF TRAINING & DEVELOPMENT
As a consultant, coach, and trainer with The Utech Group, Ryan Gracyalny’s passion and focus lies in creating meaningful growth and change by strengthening relationships and breaking down barriers between people.
Beginning his leadership path as a social sciences teacher in Milwaukee, Ryan shifted his course to continue pursuing his purpose to have the greatest possible impact on people. He rejoined his family’s manufacturing business, finding a niche in organizational development, and working with every level of leadership to create engagement and movement within the company. After joining The Utech Group in late 2015, Ryan leveraged his experience to work with organizations across the country to improve their culture, leadership development, and team development.
A creative thinker and problem-solver, Ryan collaborates with organizational leaders to create customized, high-impact training and team development experiences that truly move the needle. These sessions equip people with cutting-edge tools to improve relationships, optimize their teams, and develop the change resiliency leaders need to thrive in the modern business world. He’s driven to help people think differently about themselves, each other, and their work, while providing innovative tools and insights into how they can improve their workplace culture and productivity. Ultimately, Ryan’s purpose is to help others turn their stories into their strengths.
Additional tools and skills Ryan brings to the table include:
- Bachelor's degree in secondary education, Broadfield Social Sciences and History
- Certified Stewart Leadership LEAD NOW! Practitioner
- Certified Master Practitioner in Neuro Linguistic Programming
- Certified Master Practitioner in Hypnotherapy
- Certified Master Practitioner in Mental Emotional Release®
Ryan loves spending time with his wife, Nicole, and stepson, Weston, who keeps him on his toes. He is a musical entrepreneur and songwriter who is easy to catch on stage behind the drums of his band, Christopher Gold & The New Old Things.
GAOJOU SHOMBERG
MARKETING & SOCIAL MEDIA SPECIALIST
Gaojou Shomberg is the marketing and social media specialist for The Utech Group. Gaojou graduated from the University of Wisconsin—Green Bay with a bachelor’s degree in English. Utilizing her creative abilities as a writer and visual artist, Gaojou designs and develops content for Utech’s social media, marketing materials, and website. She brings the story of The Utech Group and our clients to life. Her curiosity and ambition for capturing the essence of what it means to create change make her a valuable member of the Utech team.
As part of her growth journey, Gaojou participated in the Utech Leadership Collective (2017) and Leadership Green Bay (2020) and is a member of the American Marketing Association (AMA) and a member of NEW APIDA Professionals.
In her free time, Gaojou enjoys scrapbook journaling, photography, and spending time with her friends and family. She also enjoys attempting DIY projects and exploring new places with her husband, James.
KRISTI SMEESTER
EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT
Kristi Smeester has a strong administrative background, serving all levels of management, from small businesses to large corporations. Her ability to bring stability and results to the companies she has worked with makes her a highly valuable member of the Utech team.
Kristi has a down-to-earth, yet direct communication style, which allowed her a seamless integration into the Utech family. Her ability to manage projects and schedules, build relationships with clients, and anticipate the needs of those around her make Kristi a key component to Utech's success. She keeps the business running efficiently and effectively with her strong work ethic, her dedication to those she works with, and her drive to get things done the right way, the first time. She has a deep passion for people and for being a part of making positive changes in the lives of those around her.
Kristi is a 2019 graduate of Utech’s 12-month training program, the Leadership Collective. She continues to educate herself through life experience and on-the-job training.
In her free time, Kristi enjoys spending time with her daughter, her family, and her friends. She has a love for people and a passion for art.
KATIE LOEHLEIN
TRAINER
With a passion for helping others grow and develop, Katie Loehlein has extensive experience creating, presenting, and facilitating leadership training to both new and existing leaders. She also possesses a strong background in HR and has worked with employees across all levels of an organization to create and implement organizational change. Katie is driven to build relationships, encourage others, and guide them to self-discovery and action.
Katie has an associate degree in speech language pathology assistant from Northeast Wisconsin Technical College. She is also certified in Speed of Trust — Franklin Covey, Reality-Based Leadership — Cy Wakeman, and a Practitioner in Neuro Linguistic Programming.
Away from work, Katie enjoys spending time with her husband and three daughters, either camping, hiking, thrifting, or playing cards. She and her family also take time to help others by volunteering at local homeless shelters to feed those in need. In addition, Katie loves to read and believes there is always more to learn.
EMILY LIMBERG
CONSULTANT
Emily Limberg is passionate about helping leaders and teams recognize their potential and understand the impact of their individual fingerprint on the company.
She has a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Wisconsin—Oshkosh and is a 2008 graduate of the Marinette/Menominee Chamber of Commerce Leadership Academy and the 2021 Utech Leadership Collective. Emily is an active member of the Green Bay Area SHRM Chapter. Emily has more than 15 years of experience in human resources, program management, operations, and general management.
Emily has worked with organizations across the United States in the areas of talent development, employee engagement, and change management. Throughout her professional career, the teams she has led and been a part of have focused on measuring corporate culture, improving workplace communication, and enhancing inclusive leadership.
Her certifications include:
- Senior Certified Professional (SCP) Certification through Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM)
- Practitioner in Neuro Linguistic Programming Certification
- Korn Ferry 360 & Leadership Architect™ Certification
- Korn Ferry Conscious Inclusion & Managing Inclusion™ Certification
In her free time, Emily loves spending time at “the lake” with family and friends. During the pandemic, she discovered a new hobby in quilting. Additionally, you can find her cheering for her two daughters at their swimming, running, basketball, and music events. She and her husband Shawn also enjoy volunteering at their local school and community events.
MICHELLE STEINER
ACCOUNTING ASSOCIATE
Michelle joined the Utech team as the Accounting Associate. She graduated from St. Norbert College, with a degree in accounting and has nearly a decade of experience, helping large organizations achieve their finance goals. Michelle is unafraid of taking on challenges and is driven to collaborate with others, to find ways to make meaningful, positive and impactful change. Her high attention to detail and strong analytical nature, coupled with her love for people and for building sincere relationships, makes her great fit for the Utech team.
Away from the office, you can find Michelle spending quality time with her husband, family, friends and, of course, her beloved pup. Michelle loves sunshine and will do anything to be outside. You can find her playing sand volleyball or participating in watersports, anytime she can. She also enjoys children and is a volunteer with CASA Brown County.
"Utech takes an intellectual approach to what they do. They teach you how to learn and grow through conflict. I haven't seen anyone else approach it like that."
Sachin Shivaram
CEO
Wisconsin Aluminum Foundry
