Groundswell Design Works
A great, little design firm that uses a process-based approach to the solving problems that everyday people experience.
Loren Gulak
Clever, professional, fun loving & easy going
Loren Gulak–the founder and head of Groundswell Design Works–is a designer, engineer, and product planner with a passion for innovation. Naturally mechanically intuitive, Loren’s two decade-career of researching, designing, and developing new products has given him ample knowledge and experience to match his skills.
Loren’s journey into product design officially began when he received his Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering in 1996 from North Carolina State University. Upon graduating, he began working with optical fiber manufacturer Corning, Inc. as a manufacturing engineer and mechanical designer. After several years guiding equipment improvement projects, Loren entered Illinois Institute of Technology’s Institute of Design and earned his Master of Design degree in 2002. Since then, Loren has served as user researcher, product design and development manager, and senior design engineer for multiple firms, including Raychem, Corning, Zebra, Pfizer, Cardinal Health and Whirlpool, before beginning Groundswell Design Works.
When not assisting others in guiding their invention from idea to reality, Loren enjoys surfing, photography, green building design, and playing and mixing music. He also owned the Wilmington Yoga Center with his wife, Kristin Cooper from 2007 to 2014, where he operated as the marketing and business director for the business, managing several expansion projects and growing it to be the largest yoga center in the Southeast.
Annual Board of Directors and Steering Team meeting – Presenter, April 2002
4th Annual Conference on Ethnography – Presenter, February 2002
Institute of Design, IIT, Chicago, IL
“Patient Transfer in the MICU: Using Focused Ethnographic Methods in Designing for the Hospital Environment.”
Robotics Education & Competition Foundation Judge – “Make It Real CAD Engineering Challenge, Sponsored by Autodesk” 2015, 2016
Patents & Applications:
#8802962 – Foot Actuated Percussion Board (aka: the KickBoom Pedal)
#9046304 – Air dryer for supplying a decontaminated air stream
#61894594 – Interior Room Design for a Heated Exercise Room for Yoga