# Peter Ver Brugge > Mechanical Engineer with Experience in Electro-Mechanical Design, Product Development, and Leadership Location: Livermore, California, United States Profile: https://flows.cv/peterverbrugge I have always gravitated to design and creation. It started when I was young and I would build Rube Goldberg style contraptions in my room out of cardboard, Lego, and any other items lying around the house. Since getting my bachelors in mechanical engineering, I have further delved into my passion for creation through art, music and my career. I have started two companies with the goal of designing and developing product concepts into products ready for mass production. The latest of which, Product Verb, is close to this goal with the Last Drop Bottle Stand. This design started years ago while my ex was cutting open a lotion bottle because she could no longer use the pump to remove lotion even though there was around 20% of the lotion remaining. I worked through numerous prototypes and development cycles, utilized 3D printing for rapid prototyping, developed numerous suppliers for a possible large-scale ramp up and ended up with a product the eliminated the 20% waste. I am still working to complete this product and am currently in an "enjoyable" back and forth with the US patent office. While I love the challenge that entrepreneurial endeavors bring, I find that my greatest personal advancements have come through the roles I have held at Crosby and Navico as a mechanical design engineer. Having the ability to work closely with a global multidisciplinary team opens up so many opportunities to learn. I have had two of my ideas become real products through these roles and it's a strange and wonderful feeling to be walking down the assembly line watching the product you have been working on for a year or more being produced in volume. ## Work Experience ### Staff Mechanical Engineer @ Curtis Instruments, A Kohler Co. Jan 2024 – Present | Livermore, California, United States Manage complex CAD assemblies and drive full product development from concept through production, including thermal analysis, mechanical packaging, and validation. Lead the mechanical design and development of high-end motor controllers used in golf carts, forklifts, e-bikes, wheelchairs, and other electric mobility applications. Perform detailed heat flow analyses to optimize thermal performance and ensure reliability under demanding operating conditions. Design precision injection-molded plastic components, leveraging DFM best practices and FEA simulation to balance strength, manufacturability, and cost. Spearheaded a cost-reduction initiative that lowered the production cost of an existing controller by 20% while increasing product performance by 13%. Championed adoption of in-house 3D printing capabilities, getting the system operational and enabling rapid prototyping for the mechanical team. Mentor junior engineers, fostering skill development in CAD modeling, thermal design, and FEA analysis. ### Fine Artist @ Jan 2018 – Present | Seattle, Washington, United States Develop a unique and recognizable artistic style, leading to a growing fan base and collector interest. Develop and maintain an online presence and e-commerce platform, driving art sales and engagement. Lead art exhibits that challenge individuals to push past their limitations and explore creativity within their lives. ### Engineering Consultant @ Davinci Engineering & Consulting, LLC Jan 2021 – Jan 2024 Specialize in sustaining engineering within Kohler's power generation division, overseeing the enhancement of existing products from initial assessment to production implementation. Modify sheet metal designs for new components and upcoming product lines while also negotiating prototypes to ensure compliance. Navigate intricate product catalogs and database systems, ensuring all modifications adhere to industry standards. Engage in thorough research within SAP systems conducting 'where used' searches, tracking part manufacturing statuses, and part inventory levels, while employing Creo for sophisticated 3D CAD design ### Lead Mechanical Engineer @ Latecoere Jan 2022 – Jan 2023 | Seattle, Washington, United States Led the entire product development lifecycle for various aerospace screens and TVs, managing the design, prototyping, testing and production to deliver resilient and innovative solutions for in-flight entertainment. Innovated design enhancements that boosted product performance and reliability, resulting in an 80% reduction in warranty claims. Implemented and optimized the SolidWorks PDM system for widespread company use, elevating document security while mitigating security risks. ### Founder | Lead Mechanical Design Engineer @ Product Verb Jan 2017 – Jan 2022 | Seattle, Washington, United States Spearheaded the end-to-end development of consumer products, discerning market needs and introducing the Last Drop Bottle Stand, reducing up to 25% of product waste. Negotiated with various manufacturing entities to attain favorable manufacturing costs, enabling a competitive consumer price point. Utilized Autodesk Inventor for detailed design work, authored comprehensive test procedures and conducted rigorous tests on prototypes to validate product reliability, usability and functionality. ### Mechanical Design Engineer II @ Navico Jan 2017 – Jan 2021 | Tulsa, Oklahoma Area Drove end-to-end development of consumer marine electronics, including the groundbreaking Ghost trolling motor, overseeing design, prototype iteration, testing and final production. Championed the implementation of rigorous geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GD&T) standards and trained the manufacturing team on standard operating procedures (SOP). Reduced product costs by 30% by optimizing manufacturing processes. ### Product Development Engineer @ The Crosby Group Jan 2013 – Jan 2017 | Tulsa, Oklahoma Area Facilitated the transition of an advanced Ansys FEA package, enabling new capabilities in non-linear material and interface analysis; reduced engineering development costs by 40%. Incorporated state-of-the-art wax 3D printing for the prototyping of large steel parts, reducing prototyping time by 50% and achieving substantial cost savings. Revolutionized the Easy-Loc bolt securement system, reducing installation time by 90% and providing customers with unprecedented time savings. ### Founder / Design Engineer @ Unendtek Jan 2012 – Jan 2013 | Albuquerque, New Mexico Area Managed a small, dedicated team of engineers throughout all phases of product development including planning, designing, and analyzing each process. Drove and ensured product design robustness, reliability and performance by planning, executing and documenting engineering analyses. Developed functional computer models in SolidWorks featuring FEA, wind tunnel analysis and/or motion studies for 3 original product designs. Leveraged experience from the engineering program to analyze results and make design adjustments based upon findings. ### Advanced Repair Technician @ Best Buy Jan 2008 – Jan 2012 ### CAD Drafter @ Altela Jan 2011 – Jan 2011 | Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States ## Education ### Bachelor of Science - BS in Mechanical Engineering The University of New Mexico ## Contact & Social - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-verbrugge --- Source: https://flows.cv/peterverbrugge JSON Resume: https://flows.cv/peterverbrugge/resume.json Last updated: 2026-04-07