Duval team creates fun, functional, profitable games
Fleetwood Manufacturing's Brian Duval is right where he wants to be: immersed in computers and programming code and electronics. That certainly explains why he earned his degree in computer science from the University of Montana.
He heads up the game development and engineering department at Fleetwood and has since 2000. His first assignment with the company? Finish the Keno King platform and get it approved, which happened in 2002. Prior to that, Duval was employed by Rocky Mountain Technology Group which gave him a chance to work with and meet Jon Dehler, Fleetwood owner.
Before Duval's foray into the world of video gaming, he worked in Salt Lake City designing and implementing an information system for Dick Simon Trucking, primarily intended for efficient truck tracking. After that, he designed similar systems for Sysco Intermountain Foods.
When his wife, Jennifer, became pregnant, Duval says they decided "it was time to come home" to Montana. He landed at St. Vincent Hospital where—you guessed it—he was in charge of developing and transforming the networking system for the national Sisters of Charity organization.
"It takes a couple of years to develop a gaming machine platform," Duval said, "But it takes a lifetime of supporting it. We're always updating it, especially as the technology changes. We strive to keep our products fresh and new through a designed-in upgrade path. There is no comparison between what we've got now and what we introduced in 2002.
"The sound, graphics, cabinetry... It all continues to evolve, so we constantly strive to integrate the old with the new.
"We're always working in advance, especially as technology continues to advance," Duval says, citing as an example the recent state approval for use of thermal printers and USB "thumb drive" type data storage devices.
"We're a Montana-centric company, focused exclusively on this jurisdiction; always have been, always will be," Duval continues. "We understand this market. Our overriding goal is always to exceed what everyone else is doing here."
A pretty high bar, indeed.
The Billings native graduated from Billings Central Catholic High School. Jennifer is a teacher’s aide at Lockwood School in southeast Billings. Their daughter Samantha is 12 and is a competitive swimmer while son Devin, age nine, is serious about baseball and basketball, reports Duval.
As such, he said his chief interest outside of work is "bleacher time" at his kids' sports events, though he admits to indulging in the occasional golf game, too.
Source: The Montana Tavern Times, May 2009, published monthly by Continental Communications, 125 W Granite, Suite 102, Butte MT. 59701