ProGlove Names Ilhan Kolko VP of Product

Software Development Veteran of Echo Global Logistics Looks to Build Next Powerhouse

(CHICAGO and MUNICH)  – ProGlove, the leader in ergonomic wearable technology for industry, has named A. Ilhan Kolko to the global role of VP of Product. Based in Chicago, he’ll collaborate with customers globally and will lead ProGlove teams in Munich and Belgrade.

Kolko comes to ProGlove from Echo Global Logistics, a leading provider of tech-enabled transportation and supply chain management services. Echo is noted for its meteoric rise from its founding in 2005 by Groupon veterans Eric Lefkofsky and Brad Keywell to NASDAQ listing in 2009 and a 2020 revenue forecast in excess of $2B.  At Echo Kolko was VP of Product and User Experience. He led the design and development of Echo’s digital freight marketplace and proprietary API-first transportation management platform. Kolko holds a B.S. in Industrial Engineering from Purdue University and an M.S. in Marketing Analysis from DePaul University.

“We looked all over the world for the right candidate to take our solution set to the next level,” notes ProGlove CEO Andreas Koenig. “To find him in Chicago, with this considerable background in software and in one of our key market verticals – transportation and logistics — was a triple win. He’ll be able to work closely with our North American team at ‘HQ2’ including global CMO Tracy Hansen and CRO Charlie Grieco and with our deep bench of engineers in Munich and Belgrade to make the most meaningful products for our customers.”

“I am very excited to join such a driven and talented team,” says Ilhan Kolko, VP of Product. “ProGlove is uniquely positioned to offer insightful software, such as the human digital twin, using the data collected through our wearable devices and the shop floor. Given the recent proximity challenges at the modern workplace, the demand for meaningful software to reform physical processes is higher than ever.”

Human-centered design is a core value of ProGlove. As a maker of wearable barcode scanning devices for data capture and software solutions for workplace analytics, the company recently added new proximity sensing capabilities to its offerings in the wake of COVID-19. The ProGlove Connect app for Android pairs with MARK barcode scanners to bring proximity reminders right to the hands of workers. The app is already in use on ProGlove’s own production line and is offered at no cost to existing ProGlove customers equipped with personal Android devices in their operations.

“We will enhance ProGlove’s secret sauce with robust capabilities and continue to augment the value of human interaction in industrial environments,” concludes Kolko.

ProGlove was recently recognized by the analysts at Gartner in the report Gartner “Cool Vendors in Manufacturing Industry Solutions,” Alexander Hoeppe, Pablo Arriandiaga, Gaspar Valdivia, Ivar Berntz, 11 May 2020. ProGlove customers include BMW, DHL, and Lufthansa and some of the world’s largest retailers.

About ProGlove

ProGlove builds the lightest, smallest, and toughest barcode scanners in the world, connecting workers to actionable information. More than 500 renowned organizations in manufacturing, production, logistics, and retail use these smarter workforce solutions. ProGlove was founded in December 2014 after winning the Intel “Make it Wearable” Challenge in Silicon Valley and is backed by growth-focused investors Summit Partners, DICP, and Bayern Capital. ProGlove employs 200 people from over 40 countries with offices in Munich, Chicago, and Belgrade. More information is available at www.proglove.com.