Meet Creative Automation’s Leaders

Because of our people and depth of experience, Creative Automation is stronger now than at any other point in our history. In April 2022, Mark Streckert became CEO and senior partner, with controlling ownership of the corporation, and we couldn’t be more excited about our future.

Creative Minds. Creative Solutions. Creative Automation.

Leadership

Mark Streckert, CEO

Mark has been co-owner and full partner of Creative Automation since 2012 and became CEO and controlling owner in 2022. He has been involved with Creative Automation since the very beginning in 1971, when he remembers his father, Tom, coming home with a drawing under his arm and declaring, “I’m going to start my own business.”

From working summers, hand-delivering parts to customers, and discussing machinery at the dinner table, Mark grew up surrounded by woodworking and company operations. After graduating from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a degree in electrical and computer engineering in 1990, Mark went to work for two and a half years at Oscar Mayer Foods in various locations and roles. While broadening his experience in industry, Mark realized that designing and building automation were what he was passionate about doing for his career. In 1993, he came back to Creative Automation as a project engineer. Machine control technology has advanced exponentially since the early 1990s, and Mark has guided this evolution of technology as Creative Automation’s customers have naturally demanded greater capabilities and complexity. Mark’s skills and responsibilities grew until he had a thorough understanding of all areas of the company, including electrical and mechanical engineering, project management, fabrication and machining, sales and quoting, and business administration. As Tom Streckert’s successor, Mark now leads Creative Automation with over three decades of experience in every aspect of ground-up development of custom automation. Mark’s commitments to character and integrity, following through on our word, and building long-term relationships with customers, vendors, and employees ensure that Creative Automation holds a central role in driving forward the woodworking industry in North America.

Tom Streckert, Founder & President

Our founder’s motto has always been, “We don’t just sell machinery; we sell ideas.” Fifty years of energetic imagination in designing custom machines for wood processing and production have established Tom’s reputation as an industry visionary. The twin passions of Tom’s life have been machinery and aviation.

After earning his aircraft mechanic’s license and a degree in business administration, Tom flew for a commuter airline for two years and then began work at his family’s door factory. Reevaluating their door production process made him realize how great the potential was for automated machinery to increase efficiency and decrease overall production costs. Tom’s focused and inventive mind began honing solutions to meet that demand, and he would be proved correct that automation was broadly needed across the woodworking industry. Like many successful entrepreneurs, Tom founded Creative Automation in the single-car garage of his home in 1971. Because the machinery worked as promised, demand grew by word-of-mouth, and the garage was soon expanded to two-and-a-half cars. Then in 1974, the company moved to its current location in Abbotsford, WI. Even after celebrating the company’s 50th anniversary and handing over control to his son and protégé Mark, our founder cannot imagine life without coming to work and doing what he enjoys each day. His dedication is as strong as it has ever been to the mission of Creative Automation to conceptualize, design, build, and install custom equipment that precisely meets the needs of some of the largest and best wood producers in the world.
Cindy Streckert, Vice President

Cindy joined Creative Automation in 2013, bringing with her a passion for people. She oversees human resources, company financial matters, legal compliance, and professional development. Cindy prioritizes principles of healthy leadership and cultures that help employees feel valued as members of a team.

Her focus is the daily work experience of our employees, and she strives to ensure that their benefits and work environment are among the strongest in our industry and region. Cindy takes pride in the quality and character of our workforce, often remarking that “Creative Automation people are the best people!” She does everything that she can to empower employees to fulfill their potential. Cindy coordinates Creative Automation’s relationships with the Central Wisconsin Manufacturing Alliance (CWIMA) and the Cooperative Educational Service Agency (CESA-10) to engage and encourage young people interested in manufacturing careers. Her community involvement includes serving as chair of the board of Shirley’s House of Hope, a domestic violence and recovery center in Central Wisconsin. She also acts as a board member with Spectrum Employer Business Cooperative, an innovative health insurance cooperative with over 150 participating groups.
Scott Bouchard, Operations Manager & Senior Engineer

As the longest-tenured engineer in Creative Automation history, Scott brings 28 years of experience in designing and programming automated equipment to his dual roles as operations manager and senior engineer. His vision is for Creative Automation to always be a company that puts our customers first, from the design of the equipment all the way through the service after installation.

Scott is an effective communicator who establishes rapport with both customers and employees. His is a familiar and valuable voice to many of our customers who have called Creative Automation for technical support. As an electrical engineer, Scott continues to program, test, and install equipment to meet our shipping and delivery dates. Scott strives for Creative’s equipment to be the best that the customer has in their facilities and tailored to meet the needs of their specific processes and applications. In operations, Scott makes sure that the company runs smoothly and that all employees have what they need to perform their jobs efficiently and effectively. He also monitors workflow between departments to meet our production schedules. Scott’s countless hours installing machinery and long history at Creative Automation make him a core member of our leadership team. Scott comes from a family of commercial pilots and would likely be one himself if he had not discovered at a young age that he was colorblind. Instead, Scott enjoys flying his own airplane as a hobby in his free time.
Matt Sondelski, Electrical Engineering Manager

Combining remarkable humility with over 25 years’ experience in custom automation, Matt is an approachable authority on electrical design at Creative Automation. As head of programming and controls engineering, Matt takes responsibility for electrical components, software, testing, and ensuring that our machinery reliably delivers the customer’s exact needs.

His extensive experience at writing programs from scratch, installing production lines in customer facilities, and working directly alongside operators and maintenance teams gives Matt solid insight into the development and stewardship of woodworking automation. As a manager, Matt hopes never to get away from doing a share of the hands-on work himself. He stresses the need for electrical engineers to also be well-rounded in the mechanical side of machinery, so they can write correct software and adjust for challenges that arise when refining prototype equipment. Matt champions the quality of the equipment we build and provides immediate technical support for our machines in the field. Working on some of the most interesting automation in the woodworking industry keeps him engrossed day-to-day, and Matt believes that Creative Automation’s reputation as an ongoing leader in custom equipment draws partners to trust us with these complex needs and opportunities. Matt has served on his church council in various capacities since 2007 and likes supporting his children as they participate in sports. He enjoys hunting, watersports, and other outdoor pursuits.
Thomas Curtice, Mechanical Engineering Manager

As Creative Automation’s lead mechanical engineer, Tom directs the application of mechanisms and materials in our most challenging projects. With a whole career spent in automation, Tom has a unique capacity to problem-solve as well as visualize and oversee a project from concept to final product.

Before coming to Creative Automation in 2009, Tom designed and installed high-capacity fish-processing equipment in over 20 countries worldwide—from Canada to Chili and Norway to Australia—and this foundation allowed him to pivot smoothly into woodworking automation. His adaptability and cross-cultural management experience make him a natural leader at Creative Automation, where he generously mentors younger engineers and fields technical questions from customers and coworkers. Tom emphasizes the quality of not only the equipment we build, but the customer service that backs up those machines for the long term. Even with his considerable technical knowledge, Tom consistently strives to grow in his skills as an engineer, analyze our designs, and foster teamwork between engineers and between departments. Tom has been married for 25 years and is an Eagle Scout and Assistant Scoutmaster, an archery coach, and a volunteer at the local chapter of Veterans of Foreign Wars.