Twelve Years of Design, Growth, and Bold New Chapters at BZDesign
This week, BZDesign turns twelve.
We could say time flies when you're solving complex challenges with creative design - but that wouldn't quite do justice to the transformation we've undergone in just over a decade. Since our founding in 2014, we’ve grown from a lean team of innovators - Ben Zombek fresh off his MBA at the Simon School at UofR and Kelly Vars, just exiting undergrad at RIT - into a multifaceted design consultancy with deep roots in Rochester’s entrepreneurial and manufacturing ecosystems.
Evolution from Within
Over the last two years, our team structure has grown in exciting ways. Each of our lead designers - Adam Baker, Kelsea Ennis, and Kelly Vars - now manages a distinct client portfolio, offering full-spectrum creative and strategic leadership across a range of industries. While we still collaborate deeply, this structure allows us to provide clients with more focused, personalized guidance from concept to commercialization.
Kelly Vars is celebrating a decade of remote work, continuing to build and lead long-term client relationships while honing her expertise in brand design and digital products. Kelsea Ennis, after four years working under Kelly’s creative leadership, now leads her own accounts as an independent consultant, with a focus on strategy, multimedia, and marketing. She also directs the marketing initiatives for BZDesign and has worked with NextCorps to develop the exciting new event series: Beyond the Sketch. Adam Baker celebrates 10 years with the BZD team this spring and continues to champion our industrial design portfolio while mentoring interns that always wow us with their sharp skills and knack for landing incredible roles after their time with us. Founder Ben Zombek has stepped further into education and advocacy - speaking at events and championing the value of strategic design, especially as AI reshapes what it takes for brands and products to truly stand out.
Growing with Our Region
While our roots in wellness and consumer goods are strong, we've leaned in recently to the industries that shape Rochester's economic identity: industrial manufacturing and optics. As the optics capital of the world, Rochester is filled with companies that are building the future of imaging and photonics - and we’re proud to be part of that.
Through relationships like our ongoing work with QED Technologies (celebrating their 1-year anniversary with us) and supporting the many cohorts that have come through the Luminate program, we've proven how great design, strategy, and communication can elevate even the most technical offerings.
Our longest-standing engagement, approaching a decade, is with Omega TMM- a global leader in precision tool presetters and software. From product design to brand development and marketing strategy, our collaboration has grown alongside their business, proving the value of trusted, long-term creative partnership in highly technical industries.
Strategic Partnerships & Long-Term Thinking
Our role as Designers in Residence at the NextCorps FabLab has expanded to include new initiatives like Beyond the Sketch, an event series focused on educating startups and manufacturers about the value of design in product development. Across the board, we’re investing more in long-term partnerships - bringing strategic business development into the mix and helping clients not just launch, but scale.
As part of our continued investment in WNY’s startup ecosystem, we’ve also been partnering with local entrepreneurs to help bring emerging AI technologies to life. One recent collaboration, GrowthFocus.ai, brought together strategy, branding, UX, interface design, and development support to help prepare the platform for its early soft-launch demonstrations. The project also reunited us with one of BZDesign’s earliest team members, Marissa McDowell, who first worked with us back in 2014 and continues to support our team on specialized digital projects today. Alongside Marissa, Laura Whitby brought valuable UX expertise to help refine and shape the user experience as the platform evolved toward launch.
Talent That Grows with Us
Interns and early-career designers have always been part of our DNA. This past year, Roberta Moger joined us as an Industrial Design intern before heading off to pursue her master’s in architecture. Today, Nico Santiago brings fresh perspective to the studio as our newest industrial design team member.
We take pride in mentoring rising designers and watching them grow, wherever their journeys take them.
Looking Ahead
BZDesign is scaling up. As we expand our service offerings and grow our team, our commitment remains the same: to use good design to solve real problems, build strong brands, and power up product innovation.
Twelve years in, we’re still just getting started.
Want to work with us? Let's build something great together: start the conversation today at create@bzdesign.com