Michael Kakos was born in the Bronx, New York City. He graduated from Manhattan College with a B.S. in Chemistry. Later he received an M.S. in Chemistry from Niagara University and an M.S. in Industrial Engineering from Steven’s Institute in Hoboken, New Jersey. He serves as a trustee on the local Polasek Museum and Bach Festival Society Boards. Michael was employed in technical positions at firms in metals and ceramics before settling into engineering plastics at Celanese Corp. Eventually he moved into marketing and management assignments with the firm in London, England where he worked and lived for 46 years. He started and developed a plastic distribution business in London and married Aimee from Western Pennsylvania soon after. They retired after the sale of their business to Winter Park in 2000 but retained their summer London home until 2021. He and Aimee have been life members of the University Club since 2002.