Bunting's Wilks Retires After Storied Career

Bunting Magnetics' Marketing Director, Michael Wilks, will retire at the end of March. Wilks has been a core member of the management team for 23 years.

Wilkes studied marketing at Wichita State University and received an undergraduate degree. He went on to receive an MBA.

His career in advertising, marketing, sales, and construction eventually led him to a local Wichita manufacturing company as the Sales and Marketing Director until he met Bob Bunting, the CEO and president of Bunting Magnetics Co. This proved to be Wilks' career defining moment.

Assuming the role of Bunting’s marketing manager, he oversaw all aspects of marketing, including the management of over 15 small and midsized trade shows each year. With a focus on company growth and following implementation of a personality assessment tool to get the right people in the right positions, Wilks was identified as “The Big Picture Guy” and was promoted to director of Sales and Marketing.

Soon after, following unexpected changes within the team, Michael assumed the additional roles of sales manager and territory manager which he retained for the next five years.

Since joining Bunting in 2001, Wilks has been a key member of the management team overseeing the company’s evolution.

“I really don’t know that I’ve ever met a man fairer and more honest to the people who worked for him,” Wilks said. “I have seen him stand up for many people in tough situations, and it doesn’t take long to realize that as long as people do the job they were hired to do, he would offer his support to them no matter what the circumstances.”

Wilks has plans to travel, as well as working on projects at home using the carpentry skills developed when he first started work as a 15-year-old.