Zelko arrived in Canada in 1982 in the middle of a national recession. He did not pay much attention to the recession and within three months he had found his first IT role, and within a decade he had set his sights on building something of his own.

In 1993, he founded Nova Marketing Group in Toronto and began developing nCode, focused on one problem he believed Canada had not yet solved properly: address data that organizations could actually trust. SERP recognition followed in 1995. By the end of the decade, Nova had earned its first major Canadian bank as a client, and the foundation of the company's reputation in financial services was set.

Under Zelko's leadership, Nova has grown into the quiet standard behind some of the country's most address sensitive operations. nCode is used today by Canada's largest financial institutions, alongside federal and provincial government entities, Crown corporations, national insurers, and leading logistics providers. The team has stayed small on purpose. The focus has stayed narrow on purpose: Canadian addresses, certified, and done properly.

Outside of Nova, Zelko has spent much of his life inside two communities that have shaped him as much as his career: chess and table tennis. Both demand the qualities he values most — discipline, patience, and persistence — and both have introduced him to friendships and mentors across Canada and beyond.

Personally and through Nova, Zelko has supported and sponsored chess and table tennis events across the country, partnering with organizers, clubs, and athletes who care about excellence and community.