Though many often link success at Miami University to The Farmer School of Business, when discussing Miami graduates, that is not always the case. On Thursday, Andrew Sokol, a 1984 graduate, will tell faculty and students how he made millions with a B.S. in chemistry.
Sokol has had a number of interesting, exciting and important jobs, ranging from consulting at J. Norman Stark Co., L.PA., in Cleveland to working for the United States Naval Air Warfare Office. His latest venture began in 2004 and is part of the reason Sokol will be speaking at Miami. He is now the Founder and Managing Partner of Protech Polymer Products, Ltd. in Cleveland.
Protech's purpose is to develop, manufacture, market and distribute the PRESTO! ™ brand of products, which Sokol created. These products are the first UV (Sun) cured products available to the retail market. Some of these products include the Fix-It Pro Pen, designed to repair scratches, and the One-Time™ Deck Sealer.
"He's an example of a [chemistry] geek, who made an important discovery and went on to make it big," Christopher Markaroff, the chair of the chemistry department, said.
According to Makaroff, Sokol believes his time at Miami and his degree from the university helped him get to where he is today.
"We invited him back to show how you can combine a degree in science with the business world," Makaroff said. "We want students to see all the different types of careers you can have with a chemistry degree."
Sokol will hold two different presentations on Thursday for the chemistry department. The first presentation will be 4:10 p.m. in 100 Hughes Laboratories and is titled "Radical Concepts in UV Photopolymer Technology." The second is in the same room, at 6 p.m. There, Sokol will present "Chemistry: Multipath Career Opportunities (Or, How My Degree Changed the World & Made Millions)."
Sokol will also be meeting with Jeff June's entrepreneurship class at 11:15 a.m. in 2040 FSB.
"This sounds like a really interesting talk – well both of them do," said junior Katie Graham. "I wish that I could go, but I'm not a [chemistry] major or in June's class. It'd be cool if they opened it up to everyone. Anybody could benefit from a talk like that."
One hope is to have Sokol come back to Miami and give more presentations, according to Makaroff.
"He's a pretty dynamic speaker," Makaroff said.
Enjoy what you're reading?
Signup for our newsletter
All three presentations promise to be lively and informative.
According to Sokol, he is not one for boring meetings; he is a strong supporter of high impact presentations.
"I can't stand boring lectures," Sokol said. "God knows I've sat through enough of them. I like to jazz it up a bit. This isn't church – I won't be at the podium."
The idea of performing for an audience doesn't phase Sokol at all. He is a fourth degree black belt in Tae Kwan Do, founder of Miami University's Korean Martial Arts Society and also a theatrical fight coordinator for short and feature length films.
"I'm a recognized stunt coordinator for Hollywood, but I don't have to carry around a SAG (Screen Actors Guild) card," Sokol said. "I do it because it's fun and you get to meet some really nice people."
Wowing the crowd isn't the only thing Sokol is focused on, however. The content of the presentations is very important to him, as well.
"When I walked out of college, I expected a job to be waiting for me," Sokol said. "But you have to make those doors open for you. I want [the students] to learn from my mistakes."
Expect to see many demonstrations, hear a few jokes and watch him dazzle the crowd with tales from his fascinating life.
"He's actually a fourth degree black belt … and he's done work for the government in Russia," Makaroff said. "He's got a very colorful history."
Read More
How one professor and her classes are preserving Oxford’s Black history
By Sean Scott | March 20, 2024Jazma Sutton, an assistant professor of history, teaches The Black Midwest (HST 350Q) and Black Women in America (HST 450D) classes. In both courses, she has students working with the Smith Library of Regional History and Miami’s archives to document and preserve Black history in Oxford.
Miami faculty members recount Freedom Summer in new documentary
By Luke Macy | February 25, 2022After seven years of work, “Training for Freedom,” a documentary highlighting Oxford’s involvement in the Freedom Summer of 1964, premiered on PBS Western Reserve on Valentine’s Day.
“Documenting the COVID-19 Pandemic”: History in the making
By Alice Momany | August 29, 2021In March 2020, Miami University’s archives launched “Documenting the COVID-19 Pandemic,” a collection focused on life during the COVID-19 pandemic.