Geismar met Ivan Chermayeff in Yale and in 1957, they founded the firm Brownjohn, Chermayeff & Geismar (now Chermayeff & Geismar & Haviv) along with Robert Brownjohn. Geismar has designed more than a hundred corporate identity programs and established abstract corporate symbols. The unifying element in his work is the repetition of symbols which gives new life to the form.[2][5] In 1960, he proposed a radical mark for Chase Manhattan Bank which was the repetition of four shapes around a square to form an octagon. It was met with resistance but stood out from competition, leading other corporations to create abstracted corporate logos.[6]
Chermayeff, Ivan and Tom Geismar. (2006) Watching Words Move. New York: Chronicle Books ISBN978-0-8118-5214-2
Chermayeff, Ivan, Tom Geismar, and Steff Geissbuhler. (2003) designing: New York: Graphis ISBN978-1-932026-14-6
Chermayeff & Geismar Inc. (2000) TM: Trademarks Designed by Chermayeff & Geismar. New York: Princeton Architectural Press ISBN978-1-56898-256-4
Geismar, Thomas H., Harvey Kahn, Ralph Sessions, Dave Hoffman (photographer). (1998) Spiritually Moving: A Collection of American Folk Art Sculpture. New York: Harry Abrams ISBN978-0-8109-6365-8