Bob Armbrister, B.B.A.’06, MBA’13

Chief Innovator

President and CEO, SPARK Business Works
Chief Information Officer, CSM Group

Bob Armbrister has a flair for advancing technology—especially in a post-pandemic world driven by the need for data and efficiency. As president and CEO of SPARK Business Works, a custom software development company, Armbrister oversees the creation of mobile apps, dashboards and workflow tools that help enterprises achieve their goals. SPARK was recently named to the Inc. 5000 Fastest-Growing Companies and Michigan 50 Companies to Watch lists for its ability to help businesses build and adopt custom digital solutions.

Armbrister is also the CIO at CSM Group, a construction management firm with projects in more than 20 states. Both roles provide him the opportunity to see how technology, positioned between people and processes, can help businesses pull ahead of their competitors.

Armbrister enjoys the never-ending challenge of turning complex business requirements into user-friendly systems. This business-first approach to technology makes him an innovative leader whose team serves many industries, including startups, healthcare and manufacturing.

Funniest Work Experience: “Fixing a computer at Miller Auditorium’s box office. I accidentally hit the silent alarm under the desk and had WMU police rush over to find me working on a computer.”