Wow, you're still here? OK! Here's the FULL BIO:

I have worked in Product Design & Development, along with Graphic Design and Illustration.  I attended the Rochester Institute of Technology, where I earned my BFA in Industrial Design and an AAS in Illustration. My career began in footwear, working with licensed product, including Dickies and Spalding. I started as an entry-level product designer For Mercury International, where I designed athletic shoes, workboots, and casual footwear. I traveled overseas to Korea and China to design/develop footwear uppers and outsoles, and by the time I had been promoted to the title of Senior Product Designer, I was involved in designing the company’s trade show booth and had taken over the marketing duties for the company. While working for Mercury full-time, I earned his MBA with a concentration in Marketing from Bryant University. I was then promoted Marketing Manager.  I also continued to design product, and continuously helped to integrate time saving technology for the company whenever possible. Before leaving Mercury, I helped the company establish a close relationship with Reebok, which has lasted for over 10 years.

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Upon relocating to Chicago, I did freelance graphic design and illustration jobs until becoming a Product Design and Development consultant for Wilson Sporting Goods.  Wilson's footwear department needed to complete a line that was in progress, and was facing deadline issues. Plus they needed a new line for the next season, So, I traveled overseas to help design/develop their ‘Evolution’ performance tennis footwear line and stay on schedule. Later, I was hired by Heritage Travelware, where I Designed/Developed licensed bags, backpacks, totes, and luggage under the Kenneth Cole, Franklin Covey, Ogio, and Samsonite brands.  I was later tasked with managing their Marketing materials, and moved previously outsourced work in-house to reduce the Marketing budget by over 65% in a year!

Eventually, I was given the responsibility to Design, Develop, and Manage the Kenneth Cole Luggage category. Kenneth Cole is Hertitage's primary license, and this was a huge opportunity for me to take product from concept through to production by working with overseas factories, designing for key price points, and performing margin analysis. In addition to traveling overseas to develop new groups, I was responsible for moving existing groups to new factories to find better costs while maintaining quality.

Within two years, the Luggage category had more than doubled in business!

Though footwear and travelware are 'cut and sew' product categories, these products require many molded parts made from metal, plastic, rubber, TPR and other compounds. I create technical drawings for such parts, and work with overseas factories to get them produced.  This includes reviewing and advising on CAD drawings from overseas suppliers and reviewing wood models before opening molds.

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In 2015, I joined RANDA Accessories as part of their Wallets & Seasonal Merchandising Team. I worked with their Design, Packaging, and Sales teams to build and present small leather goods product under licensed brands including Levi's, Columbia, Dockers, and Kenneth Cole for retailers such as Kohls, JCPenney, and Macy's. While Merchandising their Genuine Dickies wallet line, their SKU count doubled at Walmart, with each SKU being worth over a half a million dollars of business. Post COVID-19, my role expanded to include RANDA's core belt business for Mass Retail and Vertically Integrated Brands, which included retailers like Walmart, Target, Meijer, Costco, Amazon, and all of Randa's Canadian Customers.

I am very proactive, and do not like to see details ‘slip through the cracks’. I am not afraid to pitch in, and get involved, in whatever is needed to complete a task or project. One of my biggest assets is my versatility, and the ability to wear many 'hats’ to adapt to any situation.  I enjoy being involved in everything, and have managed work with outside illustrators, photographers, printers, and other designers along with doing the work myself whenever necessary.  In addition to product, I have designed packaging, sales presentations, trade show booth/graphics, and retail POP displays.