laser pegs team

Laser Pegs® Team, Who Are We?

We are Laser Pegs®! Laser Pegs® is The Original Lighted Construction Set that combines two things kids love: light and building. We all have a passion for innovation, learning and making amazing products!

The Laser Pegs® team is, by far, the most exciting group of people in the world! Each team member brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to Laser Pegs® and is a valuable asset as well. We all strive for perfection, creativity and fun, not necessarily in that order!

Each and every one of us has hours, if not DAYS of Laser Pegs® building under our belts, so we are all experts for sure!

Rob Richardson Rob Richardson

Position: SVP of Design & Operations
E-mail: [email protected] _blank
Teresa Grunwald Teresa Grunwald

Position: Controller
E-mail:[email protected]

About: Teresa joined the Laser Peg team in 2012. She hired on as our Full charge Bookkeeper, with a total team of 7.
With 15 years of manufacturing, operations and finance experience, she previously worked for the largest cultured marble manufacturing company in SWF for 12 of those years as their finance officer and the last 3 years as its controller of operations. The Marble Works was a Cultured Marble manufacturing company for new construction. In 2008 when the construction market crashed, the company was forced to close its doors after 18 years. For 3 years Teresa dabbled in restaurant business operations, management & finance and became fully certified. Her fiance was an executive Chef graduate of Johnson and Whales. They dream of having their own bed and breakfast when they retire.
But, working with a great team, we grew Laser Pegs to a multi-million dollar company in just 2 ½ years with a 35% growth rate each year.
The experience of overseas manufacturing and having the honor to work with 4 factories has sharpened her skills to help bring Laser Pegs to the next level. A lot of growing pains along the way.
"With hard work, late hours and wearing many hats to get the job done right the satisfaction of accomplishment and success is gratifying and in the end the results are endless!" _blank
Ben Takemori Ben Takemori

Position: Sales
E-mail: [email protected]

With over 10 years experience in the toy industry, Ben brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to Laser Pegs in all areas of sales, marketing and operations.

10 Things You Didn't Know About Ben:
1.) Ben has a very sweet sweet tooth
2.) Ben used to want to be a professional mountaineer
3.) Ben has climbed Mt. McKinley in Alaska
4.) He has 2 dogs, named Tuna and Tofu
5.) Ben has a beautiful daughter. Her middle name is McKinley
6.) He thinks traveling, (especially abroad)s is one of the best forms of education
7.) Speaking of education, he has a Master's Degree in it
8.) Someday he'd like to be a teacher
9.) Ben loves New England in the fall
10.) His favorite book is "Endurance", it's about Shackleton's incredible Antarctic journey. There is no greater tale of human spirit and survival
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Rick Dodd Rick Dodd

Position: Director Major Accounts
E-mail:[email protected]

About:Rick joined Laser Pegs after nearly 30 years of selling and marketing Consumer Electronics products to Major Accounts Nationally.
Now his goal is to help build the Laser Pegs brand in larger Food, Drug, Mass and Specialty Retailers across the country. _blank
Mike Evans Mike Evans

Position: Sales
E-mail:[email protected]

About: A couple years ago, I read about this guy who invented a toy in his garage. It sounded like a great invention, toy and company, and I was proud that something from my hometown was so successful! Now, here I am the father of two wonderful girls, a 5th generation Floridian, Sarasota native, and lifelong geek, working for that VERY SAME toy company! I guess you could say I'm living the dream, it sure feels like it to me! _blank
Chris Grunwald Chris Grunwald

Position:
E-mail: [email protected]

Position: Started working for Laserpegs in July of 2014. Chris "Super Sales", age 25, brings a fun and exciting perspective to the sales department with a creative outlook and a can-do attitude! A newcomer to the toy industry with Background in commercial materials sales Chris strives to become super sales for a super product. Raised in Sarasota County and traveled in Sales over US for several years. Hobbies and interests include Music and Video creating and editing. _blank
Zombie Zombie

Position: Proofer / Model Builder / Manual Machine
E-mail:[email protected]

About: Mark 'zombie' Worth, the Man, the Myth, the Legend comes to Laser Pegs® from Sunny Southern California, where he worked as a guitar player, music video editor and mobile satellite television engineer for over 20 years. At Laser Pegs®, he is extremely detail oriented in making all of our model manuals and proofing all of our product packaging. He is also a master model builder from a young age. Favorite Model: Zombie V Guitar. _blank
Ken Bailey Ken Bailey

Position: Designer / Art Director
E-mail:[email protected]

About: I have been living in the land of Laser Pegs for the past year and a half, building the creatures for the Mythology Kit, the players for the NFL kits, the speed daemons for the Racer kit and everything in between. I was born in Belle Glade Florida where I grew up and found my interest in art. I graduated from the University of South Florida with a BA in Fine Art. Since then I have worked for the Orlando sentinel as an online editor, as a teacher in the Orange County school system, and as a recreation leader and youth councilor for the city of Apopka for another four years. In 2004, I moved to Clearwater Florida where I worked as an inventory specialist for Drivetime auto sales for eight years. _blank
JD Stiebeling JD Stiebeling

Position: Photographer / Designer
E-mail:[email protected]

About: I am a designer and photographer for Laser Pegs. I have a BFA in digital video. I’ve always enjoyed taking pictures and video since I was young and could get my hands on a camera. I’m from Upstate New York originally but moved to Sarasota when I was a teenager. I went to college in Atlanta and lived there for 10 years. I’ve worked as a graphic designer in the Screenprinting and Promotional item field for about 10 years all while being a freelance photographer and videographer. I’ve made videos and tv spots for sports teams, Bands, Entertainment companies, Non 4 Profits Originations, and Documentary’s. I love to build, create, and play with Laser Pegs. You could really call me a big kid. Little known fact: I have a fear of E.T. Favorite Model: NED 7 _blank
Rob Ross Rob Ross

Position: 3D Animation
E-mail:[email protected]

About: Better known around these parts as Ross, I am a graduate of the Ringling College of Art + Design where I received degree's in Illustration and Computer Animation. At Laser Pegs, I help to facilitate all our 3D needs. This includes logos, model kits, digital assets, game assets, and animation. Prior to joining Laser Pegs, I worked as the Art Licensing/Brand Manager for a well known apparel & content house. My responsibilities there included providing our global licensees with character style guides, art direction, and art & product submission approvals. I also served as their in house 3D generalist creating content such as 3D logos, product prototypes, trade show design/layout, and retail fixtures. My specialties include 3D character animation, 3D modeling, character design, storyboarding, and drawing. _blank
Ivana Njegomir Ivana Njegomir

Position: 3D Artist
E-mail: [email protected]

About: I was born and raised in Serbia. I moved to Indiana when I was 14 where I completed high school. I later completed an online school, but I have been primarily self taught in my fields of study. My entire life, I have had a huge passion for art and zoology. This helped me decide 3D modeling will allow me to enjoy both passions! I love video games, ( For the Horde!), and studying animal biology on the side. My favorite creatures are snakes! _blank
Rachel Morgan Rachel Morgan

Position: 3D Artist
E-mail:[email protected]

About: I am a graduate of Ringling College of Art and Design with a degree in Computer Animation. Originally from New Hampshire, I moved to Florida for school and decided to stay! Before I came to Laser Pegs, I worked at a special-needs school teaching children art. Along with animation, my interests include digital painting, graphic design, sculpting and drawing. _blank
Tim Mathews Tim Mathews

Position: IT Manager
E-mail:[email protected]

About: Tim came to us in 2014, bringing decades of web development, programming, SEO, marketing and I.T. experience to the Laser Pegs team. As an avid developer and programmer, Tim is our go to guy for Web projects, new interfaces and anything we can think of... He builds it! Tim is a Digital Magician. Websites, Computers, Interwebs, you name it! _blank
Jeremy Petty Jeremy Petty

Position: CAD Designer / Web Developer
E-mail:[email protected]

About: I joined Laser Pegs® as an intern and worked my way up to a part time position while I attend school full time. I design parts using CAD to be manufactured and help with web development. _blank
Will Coleman Will Coleman

Position: Shipping & Receiving
E-mail:[email protected]

About:Hi, I'm Will Coleman. I started working here at Laser Pegs Ventures in May, 2014 as a cold caller and moved into warehouse/shipping.
When I'm not working I am usually on my boat spending my day fishing. I am working towards is becoming a charter fishing captain and eventually owning my own charter fishing fleet. Another hobby of mine is playing lacrosse. I have been playing now for almost 10 years, and I plan on dedicating some of my time here soon coaching youth lacrosse. I fully plan to and look forward to giving back what was so freely given to me. _blank

Laser Pegs® equals Endless Possibilities – Our goal is to encourage children around the globe to become the innovators of tomorrow. Our belief is that through interaction with our products, which spark imagination and empower creativity, children of all ages can grow far beyond anyone’s expectations. Meet the Laser Pegs team in Sarasota Florida FL Lighted Construction toys are our lives and livelihood. We are the Laser Pegs Team, from Inventor to artists to developers to designers to modelers to salesmen Meet Laser Pegs® Staff in Sarasota Florida FL light up your childrens lives and imaginations with Laser Pegs®!