Principal
Scott is co-founder of Overwatch LLC along with his business partner and friend, Ronaldo Santiago. He brings a broad range of capabilities to Overwatch and its customers, including mechanical engineering and project management. While Scott has executive and operational responsibilities at Overwatch, he insists on being very hands-on with client’s projects. He understands a variety of manufacturing and assembly processes including: injection molding, stamping, thermal forming, sheet metal deep drawing, vacuum forming, investment casting, extruding, forging, ultrasonic welding, blow molding, casting, rotational molding, welding, and machining. By combining his engineering experience and business development background, he understands and manages the product development process from both the product specification and customer satisfaction perspectives.
Prior to founding Overwatch LLC, Scott spent nearly 15 years with another Chicago-based product development consultancy in roles of Lead Engineer, Project Manager, and Business Development. Before that, Scott worked at Elkay Manufacturing as a senior member of the R & D team responsible for developing new product designs for sinks, faucets, and drinking fountains, and at Navistar, where he worked with engineers and designers responsible for all aspects of engine design and testing.
In his free time, Scott enjoys spending time with his four children, home remodeling, automotive restoration, coaching youth sports, and wholeheartedly cheering for Chicago sports teams regardless of where they rank in the standings.
Principal
Ronaldo (Ron) is co-founder of Overwatch LLC, along with friend and business partner, Scott Beu. Similar to Scott, Ron helps run the business but is also very hands-on with his clients. He is known for being equally right and left brained in his roles as an Industrial Designer and Mechanical Designer.
Immediately after college, Ron worked for several product design and graphic design firms in Chicago and New York, including working for a professional product design model shop in Chicago while he was attending UIC. He has also gained experience in design for healthcare field working with medical and pharmaceutical companies across the country. Ron developed concepts for a wide range of medical and preventive care applications. Along with developing consumer and commercial products, he has also created store interiors for several Kwik-Trip locations, each with innovative organizing and dispensing technologies for their beverage areas.
Ron’s interests include furniture design and fabrication as well as Carpentry. He is also currently working with a team of fellow military veterans to develop and deploy a hand-held robotic scout for use in Special Forces MOUT operations.
Director of Business Innovation
Mike puts his new product development and design automation experience to work for manufacturers helping them get their products to market. His role focuses on assisting established corporations and start-up entrepreneurs across numerous industries identify and execute on their new product development initiatives, empowering them to disrupt and reinvent their product category with inspired design and emerging technologies.
To say Mike is a “people person” would be an understatement. He learned early that “business development” wasn’t about “selling” – it was about putting the needs of people and his customers first to help meet their business objectives. Improving brand awareness, increasing market share, and introducing clients to emerging technologies like IoT are always top of mind when Mike is assisting his clients with new product innovation and strategy.
When Mike isn’t helping others introduce new products to the market, he can often be caught hiking in the Kettle Moraine, networking over a gourmet coffee or craft beer, or serving his local community in the Plymouth Wisconsin Lions Club.