A company with deep Madison ties that merged with another firm last year has a new leader.
Todd Brunner, a senior mechanical engineer, is seen here in 2018 in the prototype shop at what is now Delve+Bresslergroup in the Lyric building on East Washington Avenue. The company on Monday named a new CEO.
George Demou was named Monday as CEO of Delve + Bresslergroup, a subsidiary of Trinity Hunt Partners and which provides product development solutions for other companies.
Delve, which changed its name from Design Concepts in 2019, merged with Philadelphia-based Bresslergroup in 2021 but remains on East Washington Avenue.
“We wanted a leader with deep experience in people-based, consultative experiences,” said Dave Franchino, co-chief operating officer of the combined company. “George’s human-centered design experience is rooted in the digital side of innovation—a valuable perspective for us. Beyond his passion for innovation, George brings the demonstrated ability to grow companies in a way that preserves, protects, and celebrates culture and people along the way.”
George Demou, the new CEO of Delve+Bresslergroup.
Demou most recently served as CEO of Avtex, a national company based in Bloomington, Minnesota, that provides strategic customer service guidance and technology solutions for other companies. Under his leadership at Avtex, Demou oversaw more than 600 employees and helped grow revenues from $23 million to $200 million and helped integrate four other companies into the business.
“I wasn’t looking for a change, but when I was approached about this opportunity, I couldn’t stop thinking about how fascinating the work is that Delve does,” Demou said. “Physical products are converging with digital experiences, and Delve is positioned brilliantly to innovate during this convergence and give our clients a competitive edge as a result.”
Andrew Weiman and Dave Franchino will remain co-COOs of the combined company that employs more than 200 people in Madison, Philadelphia, Boston and San Fransisco.
Delve was founded in 1967 by David Wendt, a UW-Stout graduate and engineer. In 2000, the firm moved out of its 9,000-square-foot facility near Stoughton and Pflaum roads and into a building in the American Center Business Park near Interstate 39-90-94 and Highway 151. In late 2017, the company pulled up stakes once again and moved into three floors of the Lyric building near Breese Stevens Field.
Delve’s 22,000-square-foot headquarters includes laboratories and workshops along with sleek offices, conference rooms and collaboration spaces. About 75% of its work is in health care and medical devices with the remaining 25% of work in a wide range of categories.
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