Michael Milazzo

Chief Technology Officer

Michael Milazzo

As Chief Technology Officer, Michael Milazzo is responsible for technical strategy, research and development, equipment innovation, operational excellence, quality, reliability and digital manufacturing and automation, ensuring Graham Packaging stays competitive, innovative and operationally excellent across its global network of plants.

His strategic priorities include driving focused innovation that delivers value for customers and consumers, modernizing Graham’s capital and technology strategy through automation and digital transformation, inspiring a culture of operational excellence that produces measurable outcomes and building a high-performing engineering organization.

Over his 11-year tenure at Graham, Milazzo has played a pivotal role in advancing the company’s engineering capabilities and shaping its technical vision. He has led the development of breakthrough lightweighting technologies, championed automation and process improvements and strengthened customer partnerships. His leadership has delivered improvements in product design, manufacturing efficiency, cost optimization and environmental sustainability.

Milazzo brings more than 15 years of experience in manufacturing and engineering, including foundational roles at Toyota where he developed a passion for continuous improvement, structured problem solving and people development.

As a people-first leader, Milazzo takes great satisfaction in fostering a sense of community and watching individuals grow, develop and reach their potential. Motivated by challenges, whether building something new, improving existing systems or solving complex problems, his appreciation for manufacturing stems from turning ideas into real products that make an impact in the market.

Beyond his professional commitments, Milazzo is dedicated to mentoring the next generation of engineers, serving as an Adjunct Professor at York College where he teaches Mechanical Engineering. Outside of work, he enjoys life on his family’s 40-acre hobby farm where he lives with his wife and daughter.

Education: Milazzo holds a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering and a Master of Engineering in Systems Engineering from Cornell University, as well as an MBA with a focus in Operations and Sustainability from the University of Colorado. He is also a licensed Professional Engineer and maintains extensive technical and leadership certifications.