• Drive concept design and development for division, with a focus on bedroom, nursery, occasional and upholstered furniture. (~$350 mm in annual revenue, top performing brand category).

• Strategic partner with Merchants, Sourcing, QC and Engineering teams to deliver high quality, high margin products that meet business goals.

• Oversee entire product development process including travel to overseas factories ensuring prototypes meet design, cost and quality specifications. Key point of contact for internal cross-functional partners, overseas sourcing team and domestic vendors.

• Manage a team of designers and freelancers, including hiring, development, and directing daily work to ensure it supports the vision of the brand.

• Identify new product opportunities based on trend and competitor research to support brand growth.

• Directed the design and development of Project Frog’s (a cleantech startup) manufactured approach to prefabricated commercial buildings.

• Oversaw conceptual design through fabrication and construction. Clients: Kaiser, 7-Eleven, GE, National Parks Service and multiple school districts.

• Responsible for leading design strategy with cross functional partners & construction team, ensuring design was on-brand, on budget and met customer business goals.

• Traveled to meet with clients, supervised vendor fabrication at factories and monitored on-site construction.

• Directed design and technical team. Recruited and hired product designers and architects. Planned development calendar, determined priorities and workflow. Hired and managed team of 12 technical consultant firms; built and maintained relationships and negotiated contracts.

• Established Chefs first product design and development department. Managed product development process from conceptual design to production for furniture, lighting, tabletop and functional accessories.

• Primary PD contact for internal cross-functional partners, overseas sourcing agents and vendors. Established and fostered new factory relationships. Traveled overseas to supervise designs at factories.

• Directed team of freelancers and assistant.

• Created new concept presentations based on trend and competitor research and presented to senior management.

• Reviewed and approved all specification packages and samples for construction, design and finish.