PCE News
PCE alums follow through on graduation promise and start their own business
April 29, 2026
It’s not uncommon for graduating students to talk about how they’ll stay connected in their post-GVSU lives. For Padnos College of Engineering grads Casey McKellar and Robin Petersen, they not only kept their promise, they turned it into a business!
McKellar and Petersen (pictured left to right in the above photo), who both graduated in 2019, will soon celebrate the public launch of their company, Kimberlite. Kimberlite produces flexible, outdoor gear that is modular, lightweight and durable. Their initial offering is a tree table that comes with a range of accessories to help organize and support any outdoor setup.
McKellar and Petersen both came to GVSU as non-traditional students. Starting college later than many of their colleagues, they connected in classes at Grand Valley and were particularly hooked when hearing professor Dr. John Farris talk about GVSU’s Product Design and Manufacturing (PDM) program. McKellar says the PDM program, which was relatively young at the time, was a perfect fit, as it exposed them to multiple disciplines and taught them that “they can figure anything out” by introducing them to a variety of projects and helped them learn that it’s okay to “try and fail.”
As they completed their studies, Petersen told McKellar that they should spend the next five years working as engineers and then reconnect to start their own company. In that time period, Robin, who like Casey enjoys the outdoors, developed a widget to get his belongings and food out of the dirt while camping. This widget eventually became the tree table and in 2024, Petersen and McKellar fulfilled their graduation day goal and created Kimberlite.
In recent years, the duo has continued to develop the company, all while working full time at their regular jobs. In 2025, they took part in a Start Garden competition for entrepreneurs and won $20,000 for their company. In addition to the financial reward, the pair says the contest paid off by forcing them to design a business plan, including marketing and communications, that showed how starting a business is more than just an idea. A successful Kickstarter campaign followed and orders from that effort are currently being filled with a public launch for Kimberlite targeted for the first few weeks of June.
McKellar and Petersen both believe that GVSU is at the foundation of all of the company’s growth. Petersen says that the critical thinking that they developed as Grand Valley students has allowed them to not only navigate the many twists and turns that come with starting your own business, but to make crucial decisions that go beyond their engineering skills.
And as for the next five years? McKellar and Petersen hope that Kimberlite becomes a leader in the outdoor space, pending deals with major retailers may make that possible You can learn more about Kimberlite here: https://kimberlitetech.com/