Creative Catalysts.
Completed Products.

Bob Schofield – Our Fearless Leader!

Bob started his career in mechanical engineering and quickly developed a passion for design and developing products. He started his career at Fiskars in Wausau, WI out of college, and two years later he was asked to join the Fiskars R&D team in Madison. After getting to Madison, he continued to take on more management roles within the organization. After leaving Fiskars, he joined a small product development consulting firm where he wore several hats, including project management, leading prototyping services, product design, and working with the industrial designers to create user-centered designs. After joining bb7 in 2009 as a member of the mechanical engineering team, Bob was quickly promoted to Director of Mechanical Engineering and later to VP, Operations, General Manager, and then President.

Bob’s vision for bb7 is to ensure that people come first – our culture is vital to a successful organization and sound product development. We focus on functional and elegant designs that meet our clients’ requirements and follow their technology roadmaps, all while ensuring that our employees have a safe place to explore their designs. Bob helps bb7 to navigate the ever-changing world of consulting and product development and continue to bring value to our clients.

Bob is a natural people person who loves to connect with employees, clients, and his peers within the industry, and has a great, self-deprecating sense of humor. We love having a little fun at his expense!

Leah Turner – The Heart of bb7

In 2019, Leah stepped up and into the role of VP of Finance & Operations after 10 years at bb7. She truly knows bb7 inside and out, not just from a financial and people perspective, but she also understands client requirements, the approach, and what it takes to develop comprehensive solutions.

After starting at bb7 in 2010, Leah was promoted to Director of Staffing and Human Resources in 2016. This promotion came after nearly 6 years of running multiple areas of the business including Human Resources, Technical Talent, and fully understanding the operations and talent needed for bb7 to be successful in design consulting and technical staffing. Her sense of humor and ease of connecting with people helps the bb7 team and clients feel welcome and appreciated. The board appreciates her strategic eye for finance and keeping a sharp eye on the bottom line. The employees appreciate her employee-centered leadership style and creative problem-solving.

Leah is tenacious and challenges herself and others to push themselves to be better. bb7 strongly believes in the integrated approach of finance and operations and that innovative approach to business is what drives the strategic direction of bb7.

On a personal note, she is a dog-lover, and has a special place in her heart for her pup, Coco. Leah is originally from Verona, WI, and is a proud alum of UW-Madison and DePaul University.

Steve Dieter is a builder. He builds successful teams, engineering schemes, and product dreams.

Steve Dieter is an accomplished mechanical engineer, technical consultant and project manager. He is a veteran of consumer electronic development; his experience includes Electrolux, Motorola, and Bosch, among others. He has honed his capabilities within consumer and commercial electronics enclosures design, reverse engineering, accelerated life testing, and component design. Plus, he is a master of CAD software and is a Certified SolidWorks Expert (CSWE).

As bb7’s Director of Mechanical Engineering, Steve champions the development of feasible and manufacturable solutions for our clients. He helps to foster our multi-disciplinary approach, a key to bb7’s project success. His favorite types of products are “Multi-discipline, turn-key projects where we are involved in early conceptual work through to manufacturing support.” One such project was the Leer Ice Merchandiser in which Steve played a pivotal role.

Ask Him About: Building his own house – The framing, electrical, flooring, carpentry and more.

Pat Reid – Quintessential People Person

Meet Pat Reid, a quintessential people person, who is a natural at his role as Business Development Manager at bb7. bb7 turns clients’ ideas into reality, and Pat helps find those clients.

Seeing clients’ dreams come to life is his favorite part of working at bb7, and it makes him want to tell the world what a cool place it is! Pat’s official title is Senior Business Development Manager, but he likes to think of it as a mix of ambassador, cheerleader, nerd herder, entrepreneur, and occasional counselor, especially when employees can be found kvetching on his office futon. Over the past 12 years, Pat’s favorite projects have been the ones with the most impact on society, whether it be environmental, safety, or medical device.

Pat’s career wasn’t a straightforward path to business development. In college, he explored different majors, such as biology, radio & TV, and business. He finally landed on what he thought was the perfect fit for him and graduated with a degree in marketing and communications. Pat’s advice to someone in a similar situation is, “Be curious, ask a lot of questions and surround yourself with people who challenge the way you see the world!”

Pat is never shy when it comes to leading coworkers in lunch outings, whether it be Italian, Mexican, Thai, Chinese, or a visit to the local Indian buffet. Pat is always down to expand his palate and embrace a wide array of cuisines.

Outside of the office, Pat and his wife enjoy being outdoors in any way possible, including bike rides, kayaking, and hiking local trails. Visiting the national parks is on their bucket list, and they have been visiting a new park every year, checking parks off their list.

Pat is one of the most enthusiastic team members at bb7, whose eagerness and gregariousness extend both professionally and to his personal life. We are fortunate that Pat’s journey has led him to bb7, and we are excited to see what the future holds!

Greg Mattlin – Lighting up Rooms Since 1973

Meet Greg Mattlin, one of bb7’s Business Development Managers who loves meeting new people, visiting new places, and exploring new opportunities.

Greg’s favorite part about working at bb7 is opening new doors and connecting the dots – his role is all about bringing in new opportunities. Building relationships and establishing rapport with people is important for success in any business. Working to find that common link between himself and someone’s alma mater, hometown, or a mutual connection on LinkedIn can often be the difference of getting your foot in the door with a new company or not. “The world is a small place and it’s so cool!” says Greg. “Having lived a couple of years just south of San Francisco and frequently visiting Austin, TX, it’s amazing to see the people, businesses, and tech firms tied together between Madison, Austin, and San Francisco.”

Greg also loves to tell people about bb7 and what he does. He is often asked, “Who is bb7?” To which he typically answers, “We’re an engineering product development firm that works with companies to develop new products, technologies, and innovations.” A more complex answer includes tidbits about designing for the U.S. Olympic luge team, a former world number one and current PGA tour golfer, or collaborating with the #1 ranked hospital in the world.

Greg has been in a business development or sales roles since college. During the summer of his sophomore year at UW Madison, he decided to participate in a summer sales and leadership program with the Southwestern Family of Companies in Nashville. Greg met hundreds of like-minded and motivated college students from across the country who came to hear some of the top sales and motivational speakers – this jump-started his business development career.

Outside of work Greg enjoys traveling and staying active. He’s fortunate to have good friends in cool places like Nashville, Denver, Austin, San Diego, Kansas City, Phoenix, and San Francisco and tries to visit once a year. He also has family and friends in his hometown of Stevens Point (shout out to SP), cousins all over the state, and relatives in Upper Michigan. Greg has visited 48 states and needs to visit Alaska and South Carolina to complete his tour of the United States. “How do you visit North Carolina five different times and never make it down to South Carolina?” jokes Greg.

Greg’s personality is one of a kind – his passion for connecting with people and exploring opportunities make him perfect for his role in business development, and he lights up any room he walks into.

Mandy Thompson – Office Manager Extraordinaire

Meet Mandy Thompson, an integral member of the bb7 team, who ensures our entire office is a well-oiled machine. Mandy wears many hats in her role as Office Manager, and she is the go-to person for any and all office needs. She enjoys the variety in her role, including communicating with vendors and managing orders, supporting the sales team and managing inbound leads, performing Accounts Payable duties, supporting the Project Managers, planning employee events, and having a finger on the pulse of what our office requires to run efficiently.

Mandy relishes this eclectic role as it gives her a chance to fully understand the business and how everything works together. Her knowledge has grown immensely in the years she has been at bb7, and she excels at collaborating with her coworkers to find new and innovative ways to solve problems. Mandy may not be building prototypes, but she is integral to what we do at bb7.

Mandy’s career has taken many turns, and her advice to anyone at the beginning of their own career emphasizes the importance of flexibility and intuition. “It’s okay to change your mind and try new things. Sometimes the best thing is to go with your gut and do what feels right to you, even if it means choosing a path that is entirely different from the one you originally envisioned.”

Outside the office, Mandy has a busy life, filled with camping, visiting family, watching her kids play sports, and cheering on the Badgers and Packers with friends. When she does get free time, you can find her curled up with a good book or listening to a true crime podcast, both of which she would love to tell you about.

Mandy is a dedicated team member whose contributions are the backbone of our success. Her advice encourages adaptability and instinct, reflecting her own approach to life, both within and beyond the workplace.