Mike Behm, Director of Business Development at Gentex
Gentex is committed to an “ownership mentality”. What does that mean to you, and how is that company culture lived?
Fostering an ownership mentality is a cornerstone of our culture. To me, it means approaching our collective goals, resources, and teams with the care and commitment of an owner — guided by trust, integrity, collaboration, and grit. We embed this mindset throughout our culture by encouraging individuals to consider how their decisions affect the broader organization, beyond just their own role or team. This perspective supports both financial sustainability and long-term growth, with success shared among all through our profit-sharing program. We also welcome and encourage constructive challenges, ensuring we hold each other accountable and move together toward our shared goals.
Can you share your perspective on the current trends and challenges in the automotive and aerospace industries? How does Gentex navigate these trends?
The mobility sector — especially automotive — is undergoing rapid growth and transformation. Electrification, advanced consumer technologies (AI, connectivity, mobile computing), and new entrants/OEMs are accelerating innovation and shortening development cycles in a traditionally slow-moving industry. These shifts create opportunities for Gentex to leverage our core technologies and expertise while also demanding we evolve to deliver unique value amid rising competition.
We’re also seeing increasing convergence between automotive and aerospace, as consumers expect seamless access to information, entertainment, and comfort across home, car, and air travel. Airlines are enhancing passenger experiences with connected, tech-enabled services throughout the journey — from booking to in-flight.
Gentex is well-positioned as a trusted partner to bring innovation, quality, and value to these industries, and we see significant opportunities ahead.
After graduating from Michigan Tech, were there any significant challenges or setbacks in your career? How did you overcome them?
After graduating from MTU’s Chemical Engineering program, I was fortunate to have several exciting opportunities. One of my greatest challenges came when I relocated from California back to Michigan, pivoting from sales and market development into engineering, production, and manufacturing support. It was a humbling experience — the skills I had built in sales no longer applied day to day, and I had to rely on persistence, grit, and strong relationships to work my way back to where I wanted to be. That journey taught me resilience and reinforced my passion for sales. After a couple years of hard work, I earned a junior sales position and got back on the path I had envisioned.
How do you keep learning and growing in a role that spans both automotive and aerospace technologies?
I feel very fortunate that my role as part of the Business Development team provides opportunities to engage in an extremely diverse environment that’s never the same one day to the next. One day I will meet founders of startup companies looking to take the next step in commercialization, learning about their goals and how Gentex may generate value in partnership. The next day might involve in-depth contract negotiations with one of our aerospace customers, or I might participate in an internal creative brainstorm to generate new product ideas or new markets to pursue. Change, variety, and diversity are a part of my every day at Gentex, and that provides an awesome platform to learn and grow.
For someone wanting to build a career in engineering, technology, or technology sales, what skills or qualities do you think are most critical for success?
Building a foundation of process-oriented decision-making has been invaluable to me. It’s the main theme that has stuck with me from my engineering background, and can be applied to almost any problem, task, or solution. Keeping an open mind and working with a sense of curiosity is also important. Ask questions to understand, discuss, and even challenge topics or decisions together with your peers. Lastly, but maybe most beneficial in my career – learn about other functions in your organization: What their goals are, what specific challenges they have and how it may relate to your own personal work. That knowledge will reshape your perspective and ultimately result in better decision making.
You get to experience a lot of different communities, living on the East side of the state, and travelling to West Michigan and globally. What do you enjoy most about doing business from West Michigan?
Working in West Michigan offers many advantages I truly appreciate. Minimal traffic and short commutes mean we can spend more time focusing on meaningful work and being productive. The region’s diverse industrial and business landscape creates a unique environment for collaboration, cross-industry learning, and innovation—something I’ve found rare compared to other places I’ve lived or visited. Even amid competition, there’s a refreshing spirit of cooperation that strengthens the entire community.
Can you share why it is a priority for Gentex to invest in economic development?
Contributing to regional economic development is essential to fostering prosperity—not just for our employees, but for their families and the broader community. A strong regional economy enhances key factors that influence where businesses and individuals choose to relocate and put down roots, including cost of living, quality amenities, and robust public services. It also sustains a steady pipeline of skilled talent through universities and trade programs, which is vital to achieving our growth goals in an increasingly competitive job market.
