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Fractional COOs in Ann Arbor Making Things Happen in 2025
Ann Arbor Interim Chief Operating Officers to Know
Ann Arbor has always punched above its weight. Home to world-class research institutions, a growing tech and startup scene, and a robust community of mission-driven organizations, this Southeast Michigan hub is teeming with innovation—and complexity. And when complexity rises, so does the need for operational leadership. That’s where fractional COOs come in.
Today’s most forward-thinking companies are turning to fractional Chief Operating Officers (COOs) to bridge the gap between ambition and execution. Whether it’s a university spinout scaling its product, a nonprofit formalizing its systems, or a growth-stage SaaS company refining its go-to-market strategy, fractional COOs offer on-demand executive leadership with flexible commitment.
At Digital Reference, we believe in amplifying the professionals who drive real, verifiable outcomes—often behind the scenes. We exist to make the talent ecosystem more efficient, human, and transparent, and we’re proud to feature the operators helping Ann Arbor’s organizations move forward.
Our Methodology
To curate this list of Ann Arbor-based fractional COOs, we applied the following criteria:
- Location: Based in or actively working with organizations in Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti, and surrounding areas
- Role Type: Offering fractional, interim, or part-time COO services
- Background: Demonstrated experience in operations, strategy, organizational design, or executive leadership
- Visibility: Accessible via public platforms (LinkedIn, websites, or firm affiliations)
- Alignment: Professionals who match Digital Reference’s ethos of radical transparency, structured credibility, and impact-driven leadership
These are the folks turning strategy into systems, guiding teams through change, and putting process behind purpose.
Meet the Fractional COOs Powering Ann Arbor’s Growth
Ryan Stevens
Ryan is an operations, revenue, and customer experience executive. A leader that “values values” with a focus on empathy, integrity, and continuous improvement. He has experience in taking a lean approach to scaling revenue from $0 to $50M and building organizations from the ground up to 200+ employees. He is prrofessionally obsessed with online marketplace strategy, B2B ecosystems, talent development, finding operational efficiencies, and developing passionate value-driven teams.
As a veteran operator with a strong product and tech background, Ryan Stevens offers fractional COO services that bring discipline to growth. He’s worked across the startup ecosystem, helping build out systems that support both scale and sustainability.
Why He Stands Out:
- Expertise in product strategy, systems development, and cross-functional leadership
- Combines technical fluency with strong operational intuition
- Brings deep insight into the Midwest startup and investment landscape
Ryan is ideal for high-growth tech companies and university-affiliated startups looking for someone who can bring a builder’s mindset and a CEO-level lens to the operating table.
Greta Bossenbroek
With a background spanning corporate, nonprofit, and startup sectors, Greta Bossenbroek is a dynamic operational leader known for helping organizations scale with structure and integrity. As a fractional COO, she works closely with founders and executive teams to implement strategic roadmaps, improve internal alignment, and foster resilient teams.
Why She Stands Out:
- Experience in change management, people ops, and strategic execution
- Passionate about working with mission-aligned and community-oriented ventures
- Focused on creating operational clarity in periods of rapid growth or change
Greta brings warmth, clarity, and rigor to every engagement—making her a trusted partner for teams that want to grow without losing their values.
Jeff Wojcik
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffwojcik/
Jeff Wojcik is a seasoned operations and finance professional whose work spans early-stage companies, venture-backed startups, and small businesses. Through fractional COO engagements, Jeff offers hands-on leadership across finance, HR, compliance, and day-to-day operations.
Why He Stands Out:
- Deep background in financial operations, forecasting, and process improvement
- Known for bringing structure to ambiguity and calm to complexity
- Effective in both startup and nonprofit environments
Jeff is the right fit for organizations that need to tighten up operations, get investor-ready, or prepare for scalable systems—without overbuilding.
Nadeem Mumal
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nadeemmumal/
With experience in operations, product, and business development, Nadeem M brings a cross-functional approach to fractional COO work. He partners with teams across Southeast Michigan to translate founder vision into operational action, focusing on early-stage growth and strategic clarity.
Why He Stands Out:
- Combines technical product insight with business operations savvy
- Known for helping organizations prioritize, delegate, and execute
- Brings strong energy to organizations in transformation or pre-scale mode
Nadeem is a great fit for startups seeking to build out their operating core, especially when product complexity meets team growth.
Why Ann Arbor Organizations Are Turning to Fractional COOs
Ann Arbor and Southeast Michigan have always had a rich mix of academic innovation, entrepreneurial energy, and civic-minded leadership. Today, that mix is creating a new wave of organizations that need flexible, experienced operations leadership.
Why the fractional COO model works in Ann Arbor:
- Many companies are spinoffs from research labs or university programs—with founders needing help building the business side
- Nonprofits are modernizing and require strategic operations help without full-time overhead
- Startups are growing fast but aren’t ready for a full-time COO
- Founders need a thinking partner who can also execute
Fractional COOs step into the gap—translating mission into momentum.
What Makes a Great Fractional COO?
Beyond technical skills and experience, the best fractional COOs know how to:
- Embed quickly: They integrate into a team without disrupting its culture
- Lead and coach: They don’t just fix problems—they elevate internal leaders
- Simplify complexity: Whether it’s team structure, finance, or compliance
- Operate with empathy: Understanding that startups and nonprofits are inherently personal
They also know when to step back—designing themselves out of the system they help build.
The Digital Reference Viewpoint
Fractional leaders don’t always leave behind a title—but they do leave behind results. That’s why at Digital Reference, we’re building the infrastructure for them to:
- Capture verified outcomes and testimonials
- Organize work into a professional, portable portfolio
- Build a reputation based on truth, impact, and authenticity
We believe that in a world moving toward modular work, tools like Digital Reference will become essential for professionals who work across clients, sectors, and missions.
Want More Ops or Fractional Content?
If this list got your gears turning, we recommend exploring these pieces next:
- Operations Consultants & What They Actually Do?
- Fractional COOs by Region and Country
- Fractional COO or Outsourced COO - Choosing the Right Fit for Your Business
Final Thoughts
Whether you’re a startup spinning out of the University of Michigan, a nonprofit modernizing its systems, or a tech company preparing to scale—fractional COOs can help you bridge the gap between vision and execution.
The leaders we’ve featured here—Greta Bossenbroek, Ryan Stevens, Jeff Wojcik, and Nadeem M—represent the best of what Southeast Michigan has to offer:
- Strategic minds
- Operational depth
- Collaborative energy
- A commitment to building systems that last
Check Out Our Local Directories of Fractional & Part-Time COOs by City
Atlanta, GA - Part-Time COOs & Fractional COO Services
In a city that blends enterprise and startup energy, Atlanta companies lean on COOs who can unify vision and operations.
Boston, MA - Part-Time COOs & Fractional COO Services
From biotech to B2B SaaS, Boston’s ops leaders bring structure and speed to innovation-heavy teams.
Chicago, IL - Part-Time COOs & Fractional COO Services
COOs in the Windy City are helping companies align their back-end systems with bold front-end goals.
Denver, CO - Part-Time COOs & Fractional COO Services
Denver’s scale-ups are calling in fractional execs to professionalize their operations without slowing their culture.
Detroit, MI - Part-Time COOs & Fractional COO Services
With roots in manufacturing and momentum in mobility, Detroit companies rely on fractional COOs for systems that scale.
Houston, Texas - Part-Time COOs & Fractional COO Services
Houston’s operational ecosystem is evolving fast. More startups are scaling. More nonprofits are serving complex needs.
London, United Kingdom - Part-Time COOs & Fractional COO Services
Fractional COO Services are sky-rocketing in popularity in London as labor costs go up and time to market is accelerating.
Los Angeles, CA - Part-Time COOs & Fractional COO Services
In LA, creative industries meet tech—and fractional COOs bring the operational clarity these hybrid teams need.
New York City, NY - Part-Time COOs & Fractional COO Services
NYC’s pace demands results. These operators know how to navigate fast-moving startups and scaling giants alike.
Philadelphia, PA - Part-Time COOs & Fractional COO Services
Fractional COO Services in Philly are ensuring East Coast startups and high growth companies have the right structure to survive.
Phoenix, AZ - Part-Time COOs & Fractional COO Services
Phoenix-based COOs help founders transition from hustle to structured scale with systems that grow.
San Francisco, CA - Part-Time COOs & Fractional COO Services
Bay Area COOs are stepping in to help tech companies streamline, automate, and stabilize post-funding growth.
Seattle, WA - Part-Time COOs & Fractional COO Services
In Seattle’s product-driven landscape, ops leaders drive alignment between engineering, GTM, and finance.
Sydney, Australia - Part-Time COOs & Fractional COO Services
Home to Canva, growing base of purpose-led enterprises, and increasing demand for agile executive leadership, Sydney has become a hotbed for operational talent that doesn’t require a full-time seat.
Toronto, Canada - Part-Time COOs & Fractional COO Services
Toronto doesn’t just build startups—it builds systems. It’s a city where public meets private, where the startup ecosystem is growing alongside government programs, universities, and a rising impact economy. But for all its innovation, hiring executive talent in Toronto has always come with nuance.
Washington, DC (DMV Area) - Part-Time COOs & Fractional COO Services
DC-area operators bring rigor and regulatory awareness—perfect for mission-driven orgs and gov-adjacent teams.
Explore their profiles. Connect with them. And when you’re ready to elevate your own operational journey—start with Digital Reference.
– The Digital Reference Team
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