Milwaukee startup Forj names CTO

Milwaukee-based startup Forj announced that Mark Unak has joined the company as chief technology officer.

Unak has a background in enterprise architecture, cloud computing, data analytics and artificial intelligence. He previously served as CTO of Amdocs, Codifyd, Harqen and Scratch Digital + Data. He has a bachelor’s degree in economics from Yale University, and a PhD in computer science from the University of Chicago.

Forj provides a virtual events and member experience platform for associations and professional community organizations. It was launched by Kurt Heikkinen, former CEO of recruiting and hiring technology company Modern Hire, formed by the 2019 merger of Delafield-based Montage and Cleveland-based Shaker International.

“We believe the association industry is ready for change, and that its strategic transformation must start with member experience. With Mark’s passion and experience disrupting complacent markets and traditional processes, he is well positioned to lead the development of our next generation Member Experience platform,” said Kurt Heikkinen.

“Advancements in technology have created new expectations for consumer and digital experiences and today’s tools for associations fall short.” said Unak. “I’m looking forward to bringing our vision for a new data and AI-driven platform to life, which will deliver the personalization and value that members crave.”