Neil Novich is a seasoned public company director and former Fortune 500 Chairman and Chief Executive Officer with more than four decades of experience guiding organizations through transformation, global expansion, technological modernization, and disciplined M&A execution. Throughout his career, Neil has been known as an intensely prepared, collaborative, and strategically forward-thinking leader who delivers creative and innovative insights. He combines operational leadership with board-level governance expertise, helping companies scale responsibly while strengthening their strategic, financial, technological and risk/cyber management foundations.

Neil served as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Ryerson Inc., a global metals distributor and processor with operations across North America and Asia. Joining the company in 1994 as Chief Operating Officer, he led a multi-phase transformation that converted a $2 billion domestic operation into a publicly traded, technologically advanced $6.5 billion global enterprise. He led Ryerson’s IPO in 1996, formed its first independent board, modernized legacy systems to a state-of-the-art SAP platform, and built a disciplined acquisitions and integration program that drove both growth and profitability to top-quartile performance.

Prior to Ryerson, Neil spent 13 years at Bain & Company, where he was a Partner and led the firm’s Distribution and Logistics Practice. There, he advised global clients across healthcare, manufacturing, retail, financial services, high technology, and telecommunications, developing and implementing large-scale strategic and operational improvement programs. His consulting foundation sharpened a leadership style grounded in analytical rigor, practical execution, and long-term value creation.

As a public company director, Neil has served on the boards of several Fortune 500 and S&P 500 companies, including W.W. Grainger, Inc., Hillenbrand, Beacon Roofing Supply, and Analog Devices. He has chaired multiple audit and compensation committees and served on M&A, nominating and governance, and cyber committees. He is recognized as an audit committee financial expert under SEC rules and was named by the National Association of Corporate Directors as one of the 100 most influential people in the boardroom community. Across these roles, he has helped companies navigate digital transformation, strengthen enterprise risk management, modernize compensation systems, and embed advanced analytics and cybersecurity oversight into governance frameworks.

In parallel with his board service, Neil advises private equity firms and emerging technology companies. He serves on the Executive Council of American Securities and mentors founders through leading accelerator programs, including the University of Chicago’s Duality quantum technology accelerator. His advisory work spans deep technology, healthcare, cybersecurity, and AI-enabled businesses, reflecting his continued engagement with next-generation innovation and applied analytics.

Neil holds a Bachelor of Arts in Physics from Harvard University, where he graduated summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa, as well as Master of Science degrees from MIT in Nuclear Engineering and the MIT Sloan School of Management. He has completed additional coursework in machine learning, deep learning, and cybersecurity risk management, reflecting his belief that executives and directors must continually update their understanding of emerging technologies and enterprise risk.

He is a Trustee of the Field Museum of Natural History and has served on the Dean’s Council of the University of Chicago’s Physical Sciences Division.

Alchemist Chicago, Mentor

Duality Quantum Tech Accelerator (University of Chicago), Mentor

New Venture Challenge (Chicago Booth), Mentor

American Securities, Executive Council

W.W. Grainger, Inc., Board of Directors – Compensation Committee Chair; Audit Committee Member; Board Affairs and Nominating Committee Member

Hillenbrand, Inc., Board of Directors – Audit Committee Chair; Compensation Committee Chair; M&A Committee Member; Nominating & Governance Committee Member

Beacon Roofing Supply, Inc., Board of Directors – Audit Committee Chair; Compensation Committee Chair

Analog Devices, Inc., Board of Directors – Compensation Committee Chair; Audit Committee Member

Ryerson Inc., Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer

Bain & Company, Partner and Leader, Distribution & Logistics Practice

Senior Mechanical Engineer, Gould Government Systems Group

Prudential Insurance Company, Systems Analyst/Software Developer

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Sloan School of Management, Master of Science in Management

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Master of Science in Nuclear Engineering

Harvard University, Bachelor of Arts in Physics (Summa Cum Laude, Phi Beta Kappa)

IBMx, Analyzing Data with Python, Machine Learning, Deep Learning with Tensor Flow

RITx, Cyber Security Tool Kit, Cyber Security Risk Management

National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD), recognized as one of the 100 most influential people in the boardroom community

Field Museum of Natural History, Trustee

University of Chicago, Dean’s Council Member – Physical Sciences Division,

Commercial Club and Economic Club of Chicago, Member

Audit Committee Financial Expert under SEC rules