Bio/Contact

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I solve problems through design

Hi, I’m Micah.

I’m an industrial designer driven by a simple goal: making products that work better and bring genuine joy to the people who use them.

Raised in Maine, my design philosophy was shaped by a childhood spent outdoors—learning early on to appreciate functional, durable, and thoughtful design. I earned my B.S. in Industrial Design from the International Center for Creativity in partnership with Cedarville University, where I refined my hands-on approach to problem-solving and product progression.

When I’m not sketching, prototyping, or analyzing how to refine a mechanism, you’ll usually find me outside exploring. I believe that great design should feel seamless, intuitive, and elevated—and I’m always looking for the next challenge to bring that to life.

Say Hello

Please feel free to email me at micahheanssler@gmail.com if you would like to learn more about my work, or collaborate on a project.

Some Work Experience

Vertical Supply Group Portland, ME

Senior Industrial Product Designer & Developer | 2020-Present

Lead end-to-end industrial and mechanical design, compliance engineering, and product life-cycle management for all products including life-safety equipment and personal protective equipment (PPE) across VSG’s portfolio of professional brands (Notch Equipment, Sterling Rope, Yates Gear, LiftinGear, and Rope Logic).

New Product Introduction (NPI) Conceptualize, prototype, and industrialize specialized work-at-height gear—including harnesses, safety belts, positioners, descenders, carabiners, bags, and climbing hardware—from initial ideation through mass production.
Design Leadership and Product Innnovation: Conceptualized and developed technical at height PPE , directly improving user ergonomics, durability, and field performance. Translated field feedback from professional and safety compliance standards (ANSI, CSA, ASTM) into market-leading product solutions.
Design for Manufacturability (DFM) & Supplier Quality: Oversee offshore and domestic vendor manufacturing. Perform rigorous sample evaluations, establish critical-to-quality (CTQ) tolerances, and resolve component defects across soft goods, forged metalwork, and precision CNC components.
Patent Analysis & Mechanical Systems: Direct patent landscape evaluations and technical feasibility studies for all patented products.
Cross-Functional Leadership & Localization: Partner with executive leadership, legal compliance, procurement, and international manufacturing teams to streamline launch timelines, manage regulatory compliance, support strategic brand integrations, and bring technical product narratives to life.

Crow Works | Columbus, OH

Senior Product Designer | 2019 – 2020

Strategic Product Vision & Execution: Created and executed end-to-end product design strategies—from seasonal trends and CMF direction to production—launching two flagship product lines annually.
Executive Partnership & Brand Elevation: Collaborated directly with the Founders to modernize product aesthetic and translate core brand values into market-ready portfolio strategies.
Cross-Functional Margin Optimization: Led cross-functional focus groups between Engineering, Purchasing, Manufacturing, and Sales to drive value engineering initiatives, maximizing product profitability and scaling efficiency.
Commercial Strategy & Portfolio Repricing: Spearheaded a comprehensive repricing initiative across all curated product lines to capture market share and align pricing architecture with dynamic commercial goals.
Operational Leadership & Governance: Operationalized departmental standards, establishing robust frameworks for design workflows, prototyping methodologies, and CMF governance.

Flowfold | Scarborough, ME

Industrial Design Consultant | 2018 – 2019

Key Account & Design Strategy: Created the end-to-end design of exclusive, custom product collections for high-value B2B key accounts to drive strategic partnership revenue.
In-Line Portfolio Expansion: Led product discovery, consumer research, and feature definition to pitch and launch new seasonal (Spring/Fall) in-line product offerings.
Global Sales & Distribution Support: Fabricated high-precision functional prototypes tailored for international distributor presentations and global market expansion.
CMF & Design System Ownership: Formulated core and seasonal CMF palettes, establishing cohesive aesthetic standards.
Technical Documentation & Manufacturing Handoff: Developed comprehensive tech packs and detailed Bills of Materials, ensuring seamless production scaling and technical accuracy with manufacturing partners.

General Dynamics, Bath Iron Works | Bath, ME

Lead Structural Designer & Mentor | 2015 – 2019

Team Leadership & Delivery Governance: Directed and mentored a high-performing team of 35 structural designers, aligning daily output with rigid milestone schedules and U.S. Navy specifications.
Defense Systems Engineering: Led the detailed design and spatial integration of complex structural systems for Arleigh Burke-class (DDG 51) guided-missile destroyers across major design campaigns.
CAD Optimization & Process Innovation: Partnered with software development teams to architect, test, and roll out advanced CAD tools and streamlined workflows, boosting design productivity.
System Migration & Risk Mitigation: Lead the model validation and data integrity protocols during major software platform upgrades, reducing downstream fabrication waste and re-work costs.
Workforce Training & Curriculum Development: Orchestrated structured technical training programs across the engineering department to accelerate onboarding and raise organizational design standards.

LaineGabriel | Columbus, OH

Product Designer | 2014 – 2015

Product Inception & Portfolio Creation: Responsible for the end-to-end design and development of a nationally recognized backpack product line from initial startup concept to market launch for Laine Avenue.
Consumer Research & Market Insights: Conducted qualitative focus groups, trend forecasting, and storyboard analysis to translate young adult lifestyle preferences into highly targeted product features.
Rapid Prototyping & Iteration: Direct-managed prototyping partners and vendors to accelerate sample turnarounds, rapidly validating design concepts against aesthetic and functional benchmarks.
Technical Specification & Handoff: Engineered detailed tech packs and technical specification packages to ensure design fidelity and quality control during factory handoffs.
Overseas Supply Chain Oversight: Managed offshore manufacturing relationships and production quality assurance, delivering premium product builds with strong commercial market presence.