About me

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Hi, I’m Jon. I am an engineer, designer, and maker. For over 25 years I have fine tuned the craft of bringing ideas to life with a super-wide range of skills that I can adapt to any new challenge. I have worked for agencies and corporate OEM’s, and as an entrepreneur built a successful solo design brand and boutique product design studio. I specialize in rapidly building solutions to test, informing future steps, and above all… making progress.

Experience

Human Crafted LLC | Founder & Principal Designer 2016 - Present

  • Founded boutique product design studio specializing in human-centered design solutions
    • Lead product development from concept through manufacturing for consumer and B2B clients
    • Technical co-founding, core skills in getting started, product-market fit, and building from 0-1.
    • Executive leadership advisor, consulting on Brand, Design, Innovation, Product Strategy, Business design, Business tools and process
  • Expertise in industrial design, mechanical engineering, business strategy, product design and development, brand development, user experience design, business tools, and rapid hardware/software prototyping
  • Established a thriving e-commerce brand that manufactured and sold products nationally while exhibiting at the NY NOW trade show as well as regional retail markets.

Johnson Health Tech NA | Creator, Manager Advanced Development Group 2011 - 2016

  • Helped to open the eyes and ears to the experiences of users within and outside our industry. We looked for gaps and tension points that could be turned into solutions.
  • Led cross-functional teams through rapid experimentation and validation. We were in the pursuit of maximum customer value and business success.

Johnson Health Tech NA | Senior Design Engineer and Project Manager 2007 - 2011

  • Guided cross-functional project teams through three successful new commercial cardio platform launches for the Matrix brand. Responsible for balancing industrial design and engineering in pursuit of established marketing specifications. Managed manufacturing hand-off and quality documentation, including frequent travel to Taiwan and China to collaborate with production engineers, factories, and vendors.

Visualize | Director and Senior Design Engineer 2000 - 2007

  • Oversaw the opening of a satellite office in Madison, WI. Responsible for employee performance and resource allocation
  • Lead engineer and project manager for numerous consumer products.

Skills & Expertise

Design & Engineering

  • Industrial Design & Product Development
  • Mechanical Engineering & CAD (Fusion 360, SolidWorks)
  • Human Factors & Ergonomics
  • Design for Manufacturing (DFM)

Education

Milwaukee School of Engineering

  • BSME, Mechanical Engineering, 1996-2000
  • Research Assistant - Rapid Prototyping Center

Other Activities and Certifications

  • Merlin Mentor, 2016 - Present
  • Six Sigma Green Belt, 2015
  • International Design Excellence Award - Bronze
  • Green Masters - Green Professional, 2013, Issued by Wisconsin Sustainable Business Council
  • Guest Professional at Kohl’s Design It! Lab, 2013, MASTER CLASS Industrial Design 101: Materials & Methods

Past Work

Masen Environmental Solutions, PLOT Communications, Amplio, Everthine Jewelry, Violet Defense, EVEN Hotels, Ledger Coffee Roasters, Matrix Fitness, Advance Concepts, Kolpin Outdoors, Monroe Street Arts Center, Bosch Tools, Crescendo Espresso Bar, Fellowes Office Products, Made Kits, Bunn-o-matic, Good Day Shop, Weber Grill, Georgia-Pacific, Fiskars

Philosophy

I believe in the power of thoughtful design to solve real human problems. My approach combines analytical engineering thinking with creative problem-solving, always keeping the end user at the center of the design process. Whether it’s a consumer product or a custom fabrication solution, I’m passionate about creating things that are both beautiful and functional.