Inspired by Our Family, Designed for Yours
Inspired by the needs of our own family members, Motivo was founded on the premise that products should be designed for people’s lives, not just their conditions.
Headquartered in New Berlin, WI, the Motivo founders leverage their combined 40+ years of product design experience to bring that mission to life. Following hundreds of hours of user testing, countless prototypes, and nearly 3 years of research and development, Motivo is proud to introduce the Tour - The product we wanted for our mom, our dad, and anyone else who wants to live life, not just get by.
The Motivo Mission
To produce exceptional independence enabling products that help enhance people’s lives. We are dedicated to offering the highest quality user experience through innovative products and world-class customer service.
Jeremy Knopow
Co-Founder, CEO
Jeremy has over 20 years of Fortune 500 consumer product development and management experience at companies including Kohler, SC Johnson, Fiskars, and Procter and Gamble.
Within all that corporate experience, he has often sought out the more purposeful problems to solve, working on everything from providing hot showers to 9/11 rescue workers to fighting Malaria in Africa. He holds a BS in Mechanical Engineering and a Master of Fine Arts in Industrial Design, both from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and is named on over 170 patents.
For “fun,” Jeremy enjoys running ultra-distance (50mi +) trail races, as well as spending time with his wife, young son and daughter, and two dogs.
Jennifer Harris
Co-Founder
Jennifer has more than 20 years of design experience innovating new products for emerging and established global brands including Higher Ground, Windex, Scrubbing Bubbles, Shout, and Pledge.
For 3 years she taught design and entrepreneurship at the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee. Her design work can be found as part of the permanent collection at the Samuel Dorsky Museum of Art in New York and has been exhibited nationally at galleries and museums including the Cleveland Institute of Art, Contemporary Crafts Gallery, and the John Michael Kohler Arts Center. Jennifer holds a Master of Fine Arts from the State University of New York at New Paltz and a Bachelor of Fine Arts in both Industrial Design and Jewelry/Metalwork from the University of Michigan.
Jennifer is the mother of two darling little boys and in her “free” time enjoys metalsmithing, creating jewelry, tap dancing and golfing with her husband.
Michael Lenzie, CPA
CFO & COO
Michael brings 25+ yrs of experience in various management roles from COO, to CFO and President at several multi-national companies including NABCO Entrances, Inc., Aqua-Chem, Inc., and Cleaver-Brooks Inc.
Michael has led strategic planning, change management, multiple mergers and acquisitions, risk management and process improvement throughout his diverse career. Lenzie is a certified public accountant and received his MBA from Marquette University and his Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from Arizona State University.
Mike hails from the Las Vegas, NV area and enjoy traveling with his wife Carol and two college age daughters.
Tim Gallion
Manufacturing Mgr.
Tim has 25+ years of manufacturing, quality and supply chain experience for companies as diverse as Henkel, Wacker-Neuson, NABCO Entrances and GE Medical Systems. Tim worked his way up from the shop floor to Director level management positions while he persisted for 20 years to get his BS in Business Management. His experience in manufacturing has taught him the importance of continuous improvement and he has a Lean/Six Sigma Blackbelt along with leading millions of dollars of improvement projects.
As a teenager, Tim, took a vacation from the family dairy farm by joining the United States Marine Corps to see the world. He is a member of the Order of Magellan for doing a complete circumference of the planet while on ship.
Tim enjoys spending time with his wife, and teenage twin boys. This fun includes soccer, sailing, kayaking, camping, traveling, and playing Dungeons and Dragons.
Peter Morris
Sr. Designer and Product Launch Lead
Peter joined Motivo as a former student of Jeremy's at the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design and brings 5+ yrs of industrial design, product development, and R&D experience.
Peter attended George Washington Carver Center for Arts and Technology just outside his hometown of Baltimore, MD prior to attending MIAD. Throughout his education and now his career at Motivo, Peter has often focused on blending science and technology to create innvoative solutions.
Peter enjoys technology and gaming (hey, he's a millenial), as well as looking after his most recent 4-legged best friend Maggie.
Sarah Tanner
Customer Service Specialist & Admin
Sarah brings over 10 years of professional work experience including administrative and customer service in corporate, industrial, healthcare, and manufacturing industries.
Besides keeping everything running smoothly and assisting in everything from payroll to HR, Sarah is also likely to be the first person you encounter if you call Motivo and by all accounts, that's a very good thing.
Outside of work, Sarah enjoys spending time with her young son and continually learning just a little bit more about auto maintenance from her father.
Linda Kurtz
Bookkeeping
Linda has over 40 years of bookkeeping experience in many types of business environments including small business, nonprofit organizations and startup companies.
Linda is the owner and founder of Balance Bookkeeping Services which employs several family members serving a diversity of customers, not just locally, but across the country.
She enjoys spending time with her husband, two daughters, five grandchildren and two big dogs. In her spare time, she loves to get lost in a good book.
David Kurtz
Inventory Management
David has over 30 years experience in leadership, project oversight and physical security management at companies including Pfizer, Pharmacia-Upjohn, Ford Motor Company and Harley-Davidson.
In recent years David has chosen to follow his passion for photography, displaying his work in many local art galleries and museums. He also assists his wife Linda with her business working on special projects and providing technical support. He has a Masters Degree from Webster University and BA from Southern Illinois University.
David is an internationally certified martial arts instructor and teaches several days a week. He enjoys fitness, spending time with his wife, family and two big dogs.
40+
Years
Of product design experience
300+
Hours
Of user testing
Made In The USA