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Aaron Devill

Sales Engineer

Background: I have worked at Kickr Design as a Senior Design Sales Engineer for over 4 years now. I used to work for Motorola for 18 years designing batteries for consumer electronic products and then after that moved on to a sensor company for 4 years. I have assisted our customers in the design process for all types of products here at Kickr Design and really enjoy helping people learn about engineering design and development. I went to school at University of Rochester and studied Mechanical Engineering. My home town will always be Cleveland, OH. Go CAVS!
Out of the office: :I like to mountain bike, windsurf, skydive, fish, racquetball, play Fifa with friends, enjoy time with my kids and wife outdoors, salsa dancing, and eating Pho soup.
Superpower: One item I really enjoy about my role at Kickr, which I think I am especially good at, is connecting with people and really understanding who they are. That helps me understand their motivations for their product which is critical in truly finding the right solution to the product or problem!
Favorite product/project: One project that I very much enjoyed working on was called a Cryotherapy gun. This is a complex tool to disperse a cold air stream at people’s skin for healing purposes. To be able to help this client think through this design and help him achieve his dream was exciting. Now we are helping to manufacturing these units for the client.

Adam Winklmann

Prototype and Sourcing Engineer

Background: I have a degree in Plastics Engineering & Technology and 6 Years in Technical Consulting in the plastics manufacturing space with a focus on new products and manufacturing line start up. As a Technical consultant I worked with OEMs and production facilities to help facilitate a smooth transition from concept to production. The goal of my role over these years was to be the guide to help my clients into production. From this experience I gained a large knowledge base around manufacturing techniques, injection molding and many of the challenges of bringing a product into production. This experience served as perfect match to grow my new product development skills from plastics and their adjacent products!
Out of the office: New product development is not only my career but a hobby as well. When not working on work projects I spend most of my time developing my own products in collaboration with life long friends for the aftermarket automotive space. Cars have always been a passion of mine from working on them to just enjoying a good road. This has lead me into new areas of interest like carbon fiber part production, performance car part design, and obsolete car part reverse engineering.
Superpower: I like to call it the “X Factor” but some people may like to call it useless knowledge. It’s the skill of someone on the team asking “Hey how would you make this obscure part”, and then being able to think through all of the manufacturing facilities I have visited and recall a process I saw 5 years ago that we could modify to make that part. Because we work on such a huge variety of products at Kickr, knowing a little bit about a lot of manufacturing and prototype processes and being able to find the way to use it in application to a new project is super useful.
Favorite product/project: My favorite project is a current complex manufacturing project. The challenges and new problems to solve as we bring a complex product to production are exciting and it is a great project to be a part of for personal, company, and client growth. In this project I’m responsible for facilitating the development of the production, supply chain, and assembly of the product. The rewards of completing the project in the coming months will be a major success for everyone involved and I am very excited to be a part of bringing this product to life!

Addison Shelton

CEO

Background: Addison Shelton, the CEO of Kickr Design, is passionate about products and solutions. Addison created Kickr Design for two reasons: to work with brilliant customers who may not otherwise have the resources to solve their product or engineering challenges and to put skilled engineers to work on unique and exciting projects. Addison has been working in the engineering space for many years, even before graduating from Stanford University. He began working with a drill press and band saw by the time he entered middle school, building a 2kw hydro-electric power plant in a stream to provide power to his tree fort when he was only 16, and his engineering expertise has only been nurtured since then. Addison was an engineer at Apple, Inc, a founding engineer for Sila Nanotechnologies and has been a product design expert with TaskLab, his mobile accessories company. Through these and other avenues, Addison and Kickr Design have built many close relationships with international manufacturers and industry professionals. All of the engineers, designers, prototype technicians and manufacturing experts at Kickr Design share Addison’s passion for engineering, product development, and solving all sorts of engineering challenges.
Out of the office: Out of the office I enjoy mountain biking, snowboarding and motorcycling. Most recently I completed a 9 hour endurance dirtbike race in the Nevada desert, which was absolutely grueling, but incredibly fun and rewarding!
Superpower: I really enjoy the intersection of engineering and business – thinking through with customers, how the engineering process and challenges ties in with their business goals, and how we can tweak and adjust what we do on the engineering side to more effectively meet those business goals. Given my experience on both sides of that coin I think I can bring often some unique perspective and different possible pathways to explore at this intersection of often competing goals.
Favorite product/project: One of my favorite projects was the automatic locking knee brace we did for a customer in the bahamas. The customer had a muscular degenerative disease, and was in his mid 50’s. Throughout his life he had been slowly loosing motor control of his legs. He could still walk, but had to essentially “lock” his knee in order to put weight on his leg, swing the other leg forward and then lock that knee. Part of his challenge was that he could not always tell if his knee was locked and ready to bear weight, and if it was not he would fall. We built a device that was completely mechanical which allowed for his knee to bend, but when he swung his leg forward, it would automatically lock, allow him to put weight on that leg and walk more reliably. His goal for the project was to allow him to walk into Starbucks, and the project was a success as the device allowed him to do just that!

Colin Granger

VP of Operations and Engineering

Background: I’m a proud Georgia Tech alumni who graduated with a degree in material science engineering. I’ve worked in start ups building cutting edge battery technology and innovative sensor integrated textiles to measure vitals. I’ve been a part in designing ubiquitous packaging solutions, and helping countless customers bring their product ideas to life. One of the accomplishments I’m most proud of is helping to build Kickr Design into an efficient/effective company that continues to innovate not only with our customers, but with our internal process and push the bounds of how we can help our customers.
Out of the office: Outside of the office I enjoy quality time with loved ones, live music, hiking, playing with my dog, reading, creative art/design and personal wellness.
Superpower: My superpower is the combination of my problem solving capabilities and my empathy. I find that being able to walk the line between understanding where a customer is coming from when talking about their product and leveraging that for truly meaningful solutions is incredibly powerful.
Favorite product/project: My favorite project was helping to improve a packaging design and creating an innovative packaging suite along with it that is now used worldwide with millions of products produced. Since this was early in Kickr’s history I was able to take on the roles of both engineer and project manager. It was a ton of fun to collaborate with the customer and think creatively on how we could create a packaging suite that not only was easy to use but saved the users time and money. I’ll never forget getting to help this customer learn about the new product development process and seeing them take that knowledge and turn it into a highly successful business. Plus it is always amazing when you get to see something you designed make it to retail stores!

Corey Vaughan

Director of Design

Background: I graduated from SCAD in 2010, the same year my son was born. I spent a year in Savannah after school working in the service industry and co-parenting before moving to NYC in order to get my foot in the door – I had a feeling that being in the right place was a big part of getting my career started. I scored my first offer after a few months of sleeping on couches. My first career job was in the music industry – I did not then have extensive audio background, but quickly learned and integrated into the culture and teams. I loved conducting user research, talking to industry pros and artists to learn how to leverage design and help them do their best work. After a couple years, I moved to Seattle on another whim, and was quickly picked up by a competitor in the music industry space. I spent another 5 or so years designing a variety of products in the audio space. At the end of this engagement, I had worked for about a dozen different brands. I still see many of my designs on stage at shows and store shelves in places like Guitar Center – and every now and then even some of my older designs (rejected years ago for being too futuristic) show up as manufactured products. I joined Kickr in 2017 and have worked to evangelized Design at Kickr, helping shape our process, outputs, and customer interactions.I’m continuously optimistic about working with a team who is always eager to learn and improve. Recent accomplishments are my mentorship for young designers through a couple local universities, taking on a leadership role with the IDSA, partnering with a number of startups, and working with Design-centered facilities such as MODA.
Out of the office: Me and my son take on new art projects pretty often, diving into cosplay, or gardening, or carpentry as the need and interests arise. A few years ago I harvested clay from my backyard and used it to build a cob-style pizza oven. This year, I’m learning to process the clay even further into a plaster for use in interior spaces. (It started as a joke with friends: “Wouldn’t it be funny to make a mud room out of mud?”) Living in Seattle infected me with a deep appreciation for mountains and mountain sports. I rock climb regularly and try to do at least one big mountain objective per year. Currently I am preparing for my next climbing objective in the North Cascades.
Superpower: Empathy. As an ID, deeply understanding customers from multiple perspectives, and connecting with the customer on a level that allows me to see the problem, product or solution from their eyes helps me to formulate better product solutions and solution pathways!
Favorite product/project: So many to choose from at Kickr! I enjoy multi-faceted projects, or projects with an engaging client – many times, the real problem is one that hasn’t been asked yet at the beginning of a project, and I enjoy the opportunity to utilize as much of the design process as possible.

Dan Hammer

Mechanical Engineer

Background: I have Degrees in Applied Mathematics and Mechanical Engineering from Georgia Tech. I have designed, built, and competed with robots for three seasons of Discovery Channel’s hit show Battlebots, where I served as team captain for my final season. Some of my prior work involved designing wafer fabrication equipment for the semiconductor industry, iterative design and manufacturing improvements for a leading consumer electronics manufacturer, and decades of hands on experience in machining and fabrication.
Out of the office: I am a competitive powerlifter and ultramarathon runner. When I’m not doing that, or designing for Kickr, I can usually be found traveling with my wife or working on my handbuilt carbon fiber racecar.
Superpower: I can squat a quarter ton, run 60 miles in a day, and give the decimal expansion of fractions without a calculator!
Favorite product/project: I have had the opportunity to work on a handful of medical device projects that have the potential to improve people’s lives. It is extraordinarily satisfying to know my engineering and design work can actually help people.

Daniel Hurst

Sales Engineer

Background: I have a degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Alabama. Much of my engineering background comes from the Marine Industry where I spent time designing products and components and in roles that interface with customers and key stakeholders of the project, which was an aspect of my prior work that I really enjoyed.
Out of the office: I love all sorts of outdoor activities and spending quality time with my family and church.
Superpower: My superpower is likely my ability to connect with just about anyone and develop trust through my sincerity, which is a key aspect of our business. Excellent collaboration is built on a relationship of trust, and that can really help us be successful with our clients.
Favorite product/project: My favorite project was working on a Mobile Detection vehicle. The vehicle was constructed on the frame of a big international semi truck tractor. While my role was just the Manufacturing Engineering of specific components and subsystems, through the project I actually was able to become a project manager and manage the entirety of the assembly documentation. There were very few people who knew what was required to build this vehicle or how given its complexity and total number of parts and subsystems. I was given the opportunity to not only lead this part of the project but share information with other teams to update their documents. It was a fun project as I was able to both take a leadership role and help build a really cool truck!

David Duggan

Software Engineer

Background: I’ve been working on embedded systems since 2008. My program of study is a Bachelor’s of Science in computer engineering at Devry University. I’ve worked for fortune 100 companies such as Verizon Wireless, Humana Pharmacy, and Honeywell Aerospace developing software, network planning tools, cyber security compliance measures, and circuits. I’m the inventor of a robotic bartender that’s been featured in Forbes, Wall Street Journal, Fox news, CBS news, and the Nvidia GTC.
Out of the office: I enjoy making jewelry such as gold rings and pendants. The intricacies of Jewelry are a fun contract to software engineering!
Superpower: I can make tacos disappear. FAST.
Favorite product/project: My favorite project involved the creation of an apparatus for a drone that controls the direction and orientation of a hologram sign so it can display media such as a floating hamburger in the sky.

Eric Aeby

Sr. Electrical Engineer

Background: I have a Master’s Degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Colorado Boulder and have been working in the field of electrical and electronics design for nearly 17 years. I have worked in many industries, spanning from Fortune 100 companies to start-ups. I have spent most of the last 10 years working for and around start-ups. The two most notable are Playground Global, the design wing of a venture-capital fund helping founders bring their products from idea to manufacturing, and as Lead of the Hardware Engineering Team at Flock Safety, an Atlanta-based Series E start-up currently valued at $3.5B.
Out of the office: Outside of the office I spend time with my wife and our two young children, lead a Cub Scout den and other Cub Scout activities like running the Pinewood Derby for our Pack, and whenever possible take on wood working projects, having built furniture, built-in home office cabinets and bookshelves and most recently a very large tree house.
Superpower: Solving Problems. While I pride myself on honing in on and refining product features to help creators realize the best version of their product, my strongest ability is in solving problems quickly and efficiently.
Favorite product/project: I would say that my favorite was a project for the start-up Subpac. The project was for an audio-less subwoofer that can be worn as a backpack. The device allows the user to experience the physical sensation of base, while on the go and without being disruptive to the people around them. This project was particularly interesting to me as I greatly enjoy listening to music, especially at high volumes. I was also fortunate enough to get to meet the Music Producer Timbaland while working on that project.

Garrett Hix

Chief Financial Officer

Background: I graduated in 2014 from Columbus State University with degrees in accounting and mathematics. In 2023, I graduated from UGA with my MBA. From 2014-2018, I worked for a CPA firm in Columbus, GA where I worked on both the audit and tax side of the business. I joined the Kickr team in 2018 as the first in-house accountant and I’ve been growing with Kickr ever since then.
Out of the office: When I’m not at Kickr, I’m either traveling with my fiance, on a hike with our husky, or playing golf. Although, my favorite activity is heading out west to hit the slopes.
Superpower: My love of numbers certainly helps in my role. But I’d say my ability to integrate with the team at Kickr as the only non-engineer would be my superpower.
Favorite product/project: I’ve seen some amazing projects over the last few years, but the tie back gowns and face shields we produced during COVID was particularly fulfilling. It was a great display of how quickly we can adapt and how great of an impact we can have for our clients.

Heath Parrish

Director of Quality and OE

Background: I have 10+ years of experience in industrial automation, control systems, product development, value analysis and quality systems. I have a few different degrees that I have acquired over the years, including Masters degrees in Engineering Management, Industrial Engineering Quality Assurance, Systems Engineering and Mechatronics Engineering. I hold a Six Sigma green belt, am a certified quality engineer, certified scrum master and a certified PMP (Project Management Professional). What excited me most is applying all of my quality and systems knowledge to help solve our customers’ tough process and manufacturing challenges, as well as continuing to push Kickr Design’s own internal process development toward perfection.
Out of the office: I enjoy spending time with my wife and kids, being outdoors, listening to and playing music, reading, and running.
Superpower: I like to look at the big picture and try to find effective and efficient solutions to problems. Sometimes taking that 20,000-foot view, despite often encompassing a broad range of problems, can uncover very unique solutions to complex problems.
Favorite product/project: My favorite projects have been complex products we have taken from idea to manufacturing. My role in our projects is in the capacity of project manager; and building a relationship with clients while helping them meet their goals has been very rewarding.

Jacob Thompson

Sr. Biomedical Engineer

Background: I have a B.S. in Biomedical Engineering from Georgia Tech, and have worked in the biomedical and product development fields for the last 15+ years. Prior to Kickr I worked at a startup developing a novel (and very complex) ear-scanning technology that can map the surface of your inner and outer ear to very high precision.
Out of the office: I have 2 daughters and enjoy travel, nature photography, playing tuba, euphonium, saxophone, and a bagpipe practice chanter for fun.
Superpower: I’ve been called a magician several times for my ability to create complex working prototypes that span multiple disciplines. I think my main superpower is an ability to dive deep into electrical engineering and PCB design, while also having strong knowledge and ability to work in CAD and develop complex mechanisms side by side! It is fun for me to span the engineering disciplines, and helps me bring different perspectives during the design process.
Favorite product/project: I enjoyed serving as technical project lead for a new handheld interferometric biosensor device. Its wide interdisciplinary efforts required collaboration across mechanical engineering, optics, imaging, chemistry & chemical engineering, electrical engineering, firmware & software engineering, industrial design, signal processing, statistics, and manufacturing innovation – this proved fascinating for me.

James Ghiorse

Project Manager

Background: I studied mechanical engineering undergrad at Villanova University with a business minor. However, the bulk of my experience as been in entrepreneurship. My junior year at Villanova, I launched into a venture with my brother to build better software for nonprofit organizations, specifically processing donation funds. My experience from this startup was invaluable as I had to wear multiple hats of product management, engineering, building relationships with our customers as nonprofit organizations and understanding where the gaps in the software they use are to build a product that could truly help them succeed.
Out of the office: I love sitting down with friends getting dinner and drinks. I love playing guitar, and am getting into rock climbing on the weekends. When I am just looking to chill out I really enjoy fantasy novels.
Superpower: There are so many talented people here so I try really hard to listen to advice and make decisions by leaning on the level of experience and talent that’s sitting in the same building as me. It’s approaching every situation with an inclusive mindset and getting as many perspectives as possible that I would say is my superpower.
Favorite product/project: I like the variety. It’s the spice of life at Kickr since we work in just about any industry you can possibly imagine. The variety of projects, creativity of our customers, and their passion toward their product is always inspiring!

Joe Egan

Sr. Electrical Engineer

Background: I hold a BS in Electrical Engineering from the University of Florida, Gainesville and Graduate Studies in Electrical Engineering (Analog/Digital IC Design) from the University of Texas, Dallas. I have spent the last 37 Years as a design and Applications Engineer in the electronics space, and worked on thousands of projects from analog circuit design to digital and everything in between. I also am an Inventor/Co-Inventor on Several Patents.
Out of the office: I am married with Four Adult Children (no grandkids yet), so they take up plenty of time. Outside of family, I enjoy building and flying model aircraft, restoration and maintenance of my family’s automobiles (I just helped my daughter replace an engine in her vehicle), playing guitar (badly) and woodworking.
Superpower: I have seen a whole lot of different electronics designs, so my superpower is probably leveraging the experience to develop rock-solid system architecture, controls, and analog circuits.
Favorite product/project: A few years ago at Kickr we built a fantastic kinetic art sculpture for a major company trade show that consisted of 20 3D printed Birds each mounted on varying lengths of long rods that rotated about offset centers located around a large circle. When operating, the birds would dive towards each other, but the motion was perfectly phased such that they just missed contact with each other. The visual effect was stunning. The display was hung as a centerpiece above a client’s space at a large tradeshow, and the client loved it so much that they brought it back and installed it into their headquarters. On this project, I was responsible for system architecture, control design, and electronics design. The team on this project worked well together to yield a very successful project for a satisfied client.

Josue Diaz

Project Manager

Background: I have a BS and MS in mechanical engineering from Stanford University and am working towards my PMP (project management professional) certification. My master’s focus was on manufacturing and design, and I have worked in both for much of my career but had recently decided I wanted to be more collaborative, so I took a role in sales and technical consulting and built up my soft skills in communication and team leading. From that experience, I really felt like I wanted to meld my worlds/experiences together and jumped into project and program management with a focus on companies that worked in the manufacturing and design space.
Out of the office: I enjoy staying active, which for me includes rock climbing, biking, weightlifting, tennis, and hiking. I really enjoy traveling and have lived abroad twice. Part of the reason why I moved to the South was to explore a new part of the country I was not familiar with. I Love dogs and have had them my entire life – I currently have two with my partner. If I’m not traveling or working out/being active, I’m probably trying to explore new places to eat or see in the city with friends and my partner.
Superpower: Being able to lead with empathy has helped me tremendously in my career. By showing genuine interest and actively listening to my co-workers and clients, I’m able to build confidence and a stronger relationship with whoever I speak to. This in turn gives them the confidence I have their best interest in mind and puts us on the same team so we can have a strong working relationship.
Favorite product/project: My favorite project has been a soft goods project that is reaching the end of the design phase currently. Throughout the project, you could feel the client’s enthusiasm, which made the rest of the team excited about jumping in and producing great work. I was the project manager and it was great to have a client that responded regularly with productive feedback and an engaged team that was excited to work on and progress the design.

Joxie Nguyen

Sales Coordinator

Background: I spent middle school in Singapore, High School in UK, College in Seattle and culinary school in California, so have enjoyed exploring different parts of the world. I started my career in the kitchen but soon learned that I liked the person-to-person interaction of front-of-house in restaurants more. From there I transitioned into sales in the hospitality industry for some major hotel brands and focused on event planning, sales and organization. I started at Kickr to explore a different side of the sales process!
Out of the office: I enjoy hiking, working out and exploring new countries, and I love food (some might say I live to eat), so I really like to try new restaurants in Atlanta and wherever I travel.
Superpower: I am a trained chef, and can cook a lot of different dishes across quite a few cultures without looking at a recipe!
Favorite product/project: My favorite discussion I have with customers is when they are just so passionate and excited about their product, that they can’t wait to tell me all about it when they call in!

Julie Obiero

Project Manager

Background: I am a PMP-certified project manager with experience in web-based integrations, software product development, information technology, and global product launches at the international, federal, and local levels. Prior to joining Kickr Design, I served as a Project Manager supporting gaming, digital wallets, and digital payment product solutions. I have a BA in Psychology from Vanderbilt University and a MPH from the University of Pittsburgh. My proudest accomplishments are when clients share their excitement about their product outcomes.
Out of the office: When I’m not in the office, I enjoy long-distance biking, putting together DIY projects, and spending quality time with family and friends.
Superpower: My superpower is connecting the dots! I love being able to find the common thread between customers and team members. Watching the cog wheels connect just right is my way of promoting product development.
Favorite product/project: My favorite project is a product designed to assist people with proper form when working out. I served as the Project Manager and our customer created a product that is user-friendly, durable, and easy to carry. I enjoyed iterating through the design and integrating the client’s feedback to develop a product he loves.

Karan Doshi

Sales Engineer

Background: I graduated from Georgia Tech with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. Prior to joining Kickr Design, I worked in the defense industry, and then in the power and energy/oil and gas industry as a design engineer, so I have a wide variety of experience that I enjoy leveraging in my discussions with clients as we think through possible solutions and development pathways for their projects.
Out of the office: Outside of work, I’m a huge sports fan! I played sports most of my life, and have a favorite team in pretty much every major league from college to pros, football, soccer, baseball, basketball, you name it! If I’m not doing something sports-related, I’m either working on my next DIY project around the house or getting creative in the kitchen.
Superpower: In general, I strive to keep perspective and awareness when it comes to what a client’s needs are, and how they envision the project going. Then when we are working in the weeds of the project day in and day out, I can use that perspective to make sure whatever we do is a step towards helping the client reach those goals!
Favorite product/project: A project I really enjoyed being a part of was when we made wireless headphones for a client. The client’s idea was based around a very unique way to wear the headphones, and we got to really use our creativity in how to make that work!

Kyle Lemmermen

Director of Business Development and Sales

Background: I have a BS in mechanical engineering from the University of Michigan. I have worked in the defense industry and have been published in the Journal of Medical Devices (June 2010, 4(2)) for my work on an adult male circumcision tool for Use in Traditional Ceremonies. In the defense industry, I wrote DDISARs for LCS 1 and LCS 2 Navy ships to assess live fire tests and evaluation of different munitions attacks on the vessels and what capabilities they would still have after these attacks. I was responsible for all air systems diagnostics on Volvo/Mack diesel engines for the 2010-2018 model year when in the automotive industry, and owned and released more than 120 parts for Ford Motor Company across model years 2018-2025, including turbo, gas, and diesel applications. My variety of experience in engineering and customer-facing roles ultimately led me to pursue a career in sales and program management, as I love talking to and interfacing with customers.
Out of the office: I have an 18-month-old daughter named Olivia (or Ya-Ya to her since Olivia is too tough at this stage). She is quite the daredevil already! I also have a 5-year-old French Bulldog named Pumba after the warthog from The Lion King. He is much bigger than most Frenchies (35 pounds), loves to sleep and protect his sister. I start every day with a workout in my garage gym. I am in a golf league at a local 9-hole course and also enjoy playing with my dad and brothers-in-law. It is a huge challenge for me but I enjoy seeing slow progress and working towards something. My wife and I love to travel. She grew up overseas with her dad being an ex-pat for GM in China, Germany, and Dubai. We have been to Kenya, Oman, Iceland, Mexico, and all around the US. While I don’t get to do it as often living in the South and with a young daughter, I still enjoy skiing when I can and have been to Japan, British Columbia, Vermont, Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, and Lake Tahoe.
Superpower: Working in multiple different industries and with all levels of employees, I can relate to different individual’s backgrounds, education, and career fields to find common ground for discussions. Whether you are the neighbor next door or the CTO of a Fortune 500 company, we can discuss what you are looking for and where you would like to go based on context that you can digest and understand.
Favorite product/project: In the 4.5 years I have been at Kickr Design I have talked with over 3500 potential clients about their projects and goals. While I can’t pinpoint one project, my favorite part of this position is being able to hear about the creativity, thoughtfulness, and technical advancements that individuals have come up with and want to pursue. Every call is unique and has the potential to be the next big thing which is one of my favorite aspects of my role!

Lee Farris

Mechanical Engineer

Background: I have my Bachelor’s Degree from Georgia Tech. I also did a co-op there in the paper mill in Savannah, Georgia. I have about half a decade of experience doing machine vision systems, which is making intelligent decisions based on video feedback or photo feedback, measuring things in real-time and quality control feedback. I’ve traveled to 17 or 18 different countries around the world doing that. I’m very familiar with cameras and light and optics. I really enjoy designing and building small mechanisms, and pushing the limits of how small I can make an effective mechanical solution!
Out of the office: In my personal life, I was a skydiver for about 5 years – I have 300+ skydives. Outside of work I also enjoy doing a lot of the same stuff I do in the office. I enjoy making my own inventions and prototypes. I have a lab at home where I do amateur chemistry and robotics. I like to make art for burning man-type festivals and volunteer as a fire safety lead for the local regional burning man festival. I met my wife dancing, and we still enjoy organized dancing pretty regularly. I am an amateur musician and enjoy weekly rehearsals playing with my jazz band!
Superpower: Making something happen that seems nearly impossible – integrating multiple fields together to something that can really work, and relatively quickly. As an example, I made a real-time humidity meter and temperature gauge with tiny moving needles just by laser cutting pieces of material and writing the code. I did that in 3-4 hours for something we needed at the house, so being ultra-efficient to quickly arrive at a solution is one of my engineering talents.
Favorite product/project: My favorite project at Kickr has been the VR Platform project. I liked that one a lot because it integrated several different disciplines into a unique design that I thought had a lot of potential to be very useful and fun. It utilized a level of electronics that I could dig into really well at a fundamental level (despite being a mechanical engineer by degree). It has vibration motors, molded plastic components, and somewhat exotic materials. It involved software integration, Bluetooth communication, motion, and real-time feedback. And it involved video games and virtual reality! I could physically interact with it and stand on it for testing, and it felt like it kind of gave me superpowers! Several of the solutions that we used were pretty innovative, so I was (and am) quite proud of it. It also really challenged me in terms of writing software and designing components to be robust and reducing overall system costs, so I really enjoyed those challenges.

Mike Glatzer

Project Manager

Background: I have a Bachelor’s Degree in Biomedical Engineering from Georgia Tech, and since Tech I’ve been working primarily in new product development. One of my first positions out of school was at a company designing and manufacturing novel spinal implants. I had the opportunity to contribute significantly to the design and be listed as an inventor on several patents. I also spent time working for another regulatory and product development firm based out of Georgia Tech that specialized in medical device development where I was able to work on over 30 projects. One of the last devices I worked on prior to Kickr was an autism diagnostic device, which I was very proud of. We were able to bring the device to market just a couple of years ago through the rigorous FDA process, and currently, my former team is working on generation 2 which is very exciting. As a former designer, I bring a lot of the engineering background into my project management style at Kickr Design, and I of course especially enjoy when I am working as a project manager for our med devices!
Out of the office: One of my passions is photography, and outside of Kickr I work as a portrait and headshot photographer. I actually did all of the headshots for the Kickr Website! One thing I enjoy about photography is doing a lot of creative and quirky concepts. I am a huge bookworm and am constantly reading. I try to average at least 2 books per month, both fiction and nonfiction. You can also catch me at a lot of sporting events. I’m an avid fan of Georgia Tech football and have been a season ticket holder since I graduated (sometimes good, sometimes painful). Finally, on the list is musical theater. I used to perform singing and dancing in stage productions and have been in over in 2 dozen productions.
Superpower: Pattern recognition. Having worked on so many projects over the years, I’ve built up data sets to help me recognize and predict situations as they arise. Knowing when we’re going down a bad pathway, balancing tradeoffs between time and cost, or seeing how a project is trending and getting ahead of a potential challenge are things I do well and try to implement to keep projects on track and successful.
Favorite product/project: One of my favorite projects while working at Kickr was specialized bandage for chest port patients. Currently, those users have to apply lidocaine to the skin directly over the port and leave it there for about 30 minutes to ensure it’s appropriately numbed enough before sticking themselves with a needle in to inject medicine through the port. The lidocaine gets everywhere! Our client wanted to develop a bandage that you placed directly over the port that would house the lidocaine to keep it from spreading everywhere while it worked but also make sure to numb the skin as intended. The client had a port, so she knew all the pain points and was incredibly passionate about the device. We worked with her to find suitable materials that were skin-safe, wouldn’t let the lidocaine leak while applied, and a design that allowed for easy usage. Two years later after completion of the design we heard back from this client. Not only is her patent about to be approved, but she’s also selling a product and locking down license agreements with another company. It is so satisfying to see a product we designed be not only successful but have the capability to help a huge number of people!

Mohammad Biloo

Software Engineer

Background: I have nearly 15 years of experience in embedded software across numerous verticals, ranging from wireless communications to defense and medical devices. I have authored numerous blog posts and hosted many webinars, workshops, and courses related to embedded software. I received my Bachelor’s and Master’s of Electrical Engineering from Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art.
Out of the office: I enjoy hanging out with my wife and daughters, especially taking my eldest daughter swimming and conducting science experiments with both daughters. I also enjoy playing various sports, including table tennis, cricket, and ice hockey. I also love to travel.
Superpower: My superpower is to be able to leverage my extensive experience and accurately plan out tasks related to embedded software development of a project. I can identify the riskiest tasks associated with a project and map out a plan to mitigate these risks and put in place contingency plans to ensure that the project is on time and on budget.
Favorite product/project: My favorite project has been one I worked on with Kickr! It was a scientific instrument to identify a chemical and its concentration in an unknown solution. This was my favorite project because it spanned the entire embedded software stack. I worked on kernel drivers, MCU firmware, and userspace applications. I especially enjoyed learning about the unique algorithm developed by the client, and implementing it efficiently in C++.

Nate Northrup

Sales Engineer

Background: I have a degree in Engineering Drafting & Design from Dunwoody Institute with a passion for product design, I have had a diverse background supporting the design and manufacturing of consumer products. I worked as an engineer and designer with Oterbox for 10 years, designing a variety of consumer products and enjoyed getting to see the full product lifecycle from concept to high-volume manufacturing.
Out of the office: I love to make the most of my time and travel around in my camper wherever the wind takes me! I enjoy spending time in northern MN (my home state) or the mountains of Colorado. Wherever I am I enjoy time outside usually on a mountain bike or snowboard.
Superpower: Being able to step back and look at the big picture to connect the dots. This can be helpful when discussing projects with customers where we can zoom out and look at the big picture to see how their requirements and features can influence the engineering and design process.
Favorite product/project: Any project where I can help someone who came to us without prior knowledge or understanding of product development, and show them the possibilities and a path forward to seeing their idea come to life!

Nick Jenks

Director of Engineering

Background: I have over 20 years of executive-level experience in domestic and international engineering, design, manufacturing and business development in a broad range of industries. Before going to Colorado State for mechanical engineering, I traveled the world as a professional athlete living my dream of riding my BMX bike for a living! It was exciting and rewarding, but I love engineering.
Out of the office: Outside of work, I really enjoy spending time with my family and friends. Photography, golf and doing backflips on my bike at the skatepark are all things you can find me doing in my spare time.
Superpower: Executing is my superpower. I have always been great at setting goals, developing plans to get from point A to point B, motivating others to rally around my goals and doing whatever is necessary to accomplish it. I had a great mentor early in my life that shared with me a phrase; “I can, I will, I want to” that has helped me hone this skill and bring value throughout my career. ‘I CAN’ describes the personal belief that I can do something and is a direct reflection of my experience gained over my years as an engineer. ‘I WILL’ speaks to my willpower to make things happen no matter what and that I will find a way to overcome obstacles. ‘I WANT TO’ is seeing enough value in the decision to take on the goal that makes it my duty to see it through.
Favorite product/project: Although it is hard to pick a favorite project since I have worked in many industries over the years and gained valuable experience from all of them, I would have to say that creating an AI tool used to design and manufacture end of arm tooling for robotic applications was one of the most challenging and rewarding projects that I have been a part of. This project was focused on developing new software and hardware technologies that did not exist. To be the first in the world to do something in an emerging industry like robotics is always really awesome!

Pete Sanders

Director of Projects

Background: I have 20+ years of electromechanical design and management experience, specializing in automated and robotic systems. I received a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Georgia Tech and an MS in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin where I worked with the UT Robotics Research Group after earning the UT College of Engineering Fellowship. As Director of Projects at Kickr, I run our project management team and make sure projects progress smoothly from beginning to end. My PM team and I are always looking ahead to anticipate bumps in the development process and help keep our customers informed of progress while simultaneously helping to mitigate project risk and optimize the team’s effectiveness.
Out of the office: I love to tinker, build things, and do fun projects with my kids in my spare time. I’m also an avid disc golfer and ball golfer!
Superpower: I have 4 kids, so I’d have to say my superpower is patience.
Favorite product/project: My favorite personal project was building a “Magic Mirror” that runs off a Raspberry Pi computer. It looks like an ordinary wall mirror but displays my schedule, the weather, news, and rotates through fun quotes and sayings.

Ryan Keepers

Mechanical Engineer

Background: I graduated from Kennesaw State University in Summer 2021 with my Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering. By the time I had graduated, I had been working part-time 20-30 hours a week as an intern at Bruks Siwertell, which specialized in bulk material handling equipment. This gave me lots of real-world experience that helped jumpstart my career. Upon graduation, I worked at SyncroFlo for two years, where I worked on designing booster pump stations for commercial, residential, and industrial applications. I left SyncroFlo in October 2023 to join the Kickr Team to pursue product development.
Out of the office: In my free time, I spend my time working on my personal projects and cars, as well as spending time with my dog and kayaking, or watching Formula 1. I drive a 2001 Mazda Miata that I love to increase the performance on by finding any excuse to put a wrench on it, as well as a 2004 Ford Ranger that I converted the bed into a camper, complete with a bed and plenty of storage, running its own standalone electrical system with an overhead fan, overhead lights, and charging ports for electronics. My dog is an Australian Shepard/Lab mix named Dodger, and he is 6 years old.
Superpower: My superpower is my ability (or inability) to never let a problem around my house go unsolved without an engineered solution. Any time I want to hang something in a certain place or have a container to put something in, or I need a specific tool that doesn’t exist, I will design and build a solution for it. This is how I got into CAD modeling and 3D printing, as I could dream up any shaped object and toss it on the printer, and use that shape that I designed to fix all the problems I have around my house. Sometimes I spend way too much time tinkering with a device I made up, just because I think it’s cool and I want it to look or work a certain way, but I never let that stop me from getting it done!
Favorite product/project: My favorite project would have to be the one I’m actually still working on, which is my Formula 1 Leaderboard/information board. It’s made of 6 LED Matrix panels, each 64 pixels x 32 pixels, totaling 64 pixels by 192 pixels, and it’s powered by a Raspberry Pi. I wrote my own Python script (teaching myself Python along the way) that fetches Formula 1 data from an online API. It can fetch the race results from most previous race, displaying the name of the race, the track, the date and time the race was held, what the finishing order was, and how far each driver was from the lead. After it displays the most recent race results, it starts displaying results from old races, dating all the way back to 1950. It’s been a very challenging, but rewarding project. I’ve learned so many things about every aspect of it, and I can’t wait to finish it and display it on my wall.

Tim Zollers

Sr. Industrial Designer

Background: I have a Bachelor of Fine Arts / Industrial Design from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, and hold several design and engineering patents both individually and as part of a team on products across multiple industries. I really enjoy product development and have spent the entirety of my career of 30+ years developing products from medical to industrial, projects and products in low and high volumes, designing parts for prototyping and production!
Out of the office: My outside interests include home improvement, my pets which include dogs and cats, motorcycling, hiking, dining out, listening to music and sightseeing.
Superpower: I have always been artistic and mechanically inclined. As a child, I built things with tinker toys and erector sets. I took apart and rebuilt bicycles and I would help my dad in the garage when he worked on his race car. I also spent time drawing and even won a couple of poster contests when I was in grade school. My 8th grade teacher suggested that I pursue an artistic career, and in high school, I took shop, drafting and art classes – and worked as a co-op student at Caterpillar Tractor in the Plant Engineering department my Senior year of high school. It’s as if I have been preparing for a design career my entire life!
Favorite product/project: My favorite projects are any that make it beyond prototyping and go into production. I have had several that have made it to that point. Probably my favorite project was a significant team effort to develop a mechanical kinetic sculpture for a trade show exhibit. It involved designing a system that could be set up and taken down with relative ease. We developed custom mechanical components that required custom PCBAs and firmware that controlled the system to synchronize the movement of 40 objects driven by 20 motors passing through the center of a 12-foot diameter ring 14 feet above the floor.

Tyler Fox

Prototype and Production Manager

Background: I have a degree in Mechanical Engineering from UCF. I enjoy building my fabrication toolbox in order to think outside the box and apply techniques in new and unique ways. I enjoy the process of creating something digitally and turning it into a tangible good. I use my technical training from my ME degree along with my own interests in design and fabrication, to help the team build out prototypes that are functional and aesthetically pleasing. I’ve worked on hundreds and hundreds of different prototyping projects during my time here at Kickr using a range of different processes; from CNC machining, to molding and sewing.
Out of the office: I’m a maker and tinkerer at heart. My hobbies include stained glass, sign painting, glass blowing, metal sculpture fabrication, painting, mountain biking, and the art of vintage motorcycle maintenance.
Superpower: I think I can make just about anything and if I don’t know how to do it, I’m not afraid to go elbows deep to learn the process.
Favorite product/project: My favorite project I’ve worked on is a prototype we made that mounted onto a semi-truck. It included a lot of different processes; sewing, welding, sheet metal, and 3D printing to bring it all together. When the prototype was complete we installed it on a semi-truck at the clients’ facility and worked with the client to test it both at their facility as well as for its intended use on the road.

Zyad Kadri

Industrial Designer

Background: Originally from Arizona, Zyad earned a bachelor’s of science in industrial design from Arizona State University and got his first design job with a product development consultancy in Tempe, AZ. Since then most of his career has been in helping companies and entrepreneurs realize their product ideas through graphic visualizations and physical prototyping. Because of the varied opportunities in consulting work, Zyad has had the privilege of designing for many different industries like aviation, semiconductors, high-tech, television special effects, and jewelry, just to name a few. Zyad finds the most satisfaction in guiding first-time innovators and entrepreneurs through their R&D process to see them through the most critical first phases of design discovery.
Out of the office: Zyad enjoys spending time with his kids –practicing with them in their various sports, snowboarding in the winter, and tinkering with product ideas of his own.
Superpower: Translating ideas to paper as described by others from their minds!
Favorite product/project: Project designing a ram air turbine for aircraft.