Duane Smith Email & Phone Number

California

Hundred Mile House is a design/build firm that leads all phases of residential design and construction, from concept to construction management to custom furnishings. After 25 years as an entrepreneur and designer of everything from lighting to apparel to homes, founder Duane Smith brings a breadth of knowledge and a unique perspective to residential environments.

Greater Los Angeles Area

Creating ambitious projects for television and film across all genres that explore socio-political topics in unexpected and engaging ways.

Los Angeles Metropolitan Area

We teach a results-driven, pragmatic approach to how design can advance initiatives at all levels of your organization.This is professional development for c-suite executives, staff, and entrepreneurs across a range of service and product industries, design-centric or not.We de-mystify good design and establish a universal, accessible methodology that turns ‘design thinking’ into ‘design doing.’

Greater Los Angeles Area

Anaheim, Ca

My responsibilities included oversight of all creative activities for Targus Group brands, including Targus, Sena, and a number of OEM partners. Creative functions included R&D, industrial design for soft goods and hard goods, engineering and development, packaging, creative services, photography and web.

Hong Kong

My senior leadership role within Reebok's Asia-Pacific hub involved the direction of all product creation and merchandising of apparel and accessories throughout the region including: setting strategy for the brand’s regional product architecture, creative direction of all apparel and accessories created by 20 designers across five creation centers (mix of direct reports and other resources); management of 12 product marketing, development, merchandising, and finance resources; responsibility for over 300% increase in sales volume and 200% increase in efficiency in 18 months; management of resources and p&l across multiple offices; successful incorporation of brand DNA and relevant trends and concepts into seasonal collections for local, regional and global product ranges; leading initiatives to advance the brand and drive commercial success; collaborating with licensing and distribution partners to successfully incorporate brand DNA into every consumer touch point.

Boston

My successes with the apparel design team lead the senior leadership team to task me with revamping the global product graphics team. Challenges with this team’s history lead me to restructure the 24 person team, change processes, introduce new creation calendars, and fast-track the team’s professional development and engagement. Within six months, my leadership resulted in improved motivation, design quality, and consistency with brand dna, as well as a stronger strategic approach to product graphics for the brand as a whole. The senior managers within the team were newly set-up for success and have continued to develop as leaders in the organization, and product graphics for the brand has newly gained credibility and is valued as a key brand distinguisher.

Boston

My responsibilities within the Reebok global apparel design group included: leading the outerwear, sports basics apparel, and accessories design teams which accounted for approximately 60% of the brand’s apparel business; leading strategic programs to reinvigorate these categories and the brand as a whole; driving vision for new apparel collections to redefine “basics” for the brand (premium basics and elements); initiating and leading consumer insights projects; managing a new global branding strategy utilizing internal and external resources; and managing strategic projects that explored acquisition opportunities and a new sub-brand with the goal of rapidly establishing business in new categories.

Vessel was launched to create practical, versatile products for the home that embodied our appreciation for simple, everyday housewares combined with our talents in high-tech consumer product development. My responsibilities at Vessel spanned all aspects of operating a global consumer product brand, including: consumer and market insights, product and brand strategy, concept ideation and development, engineering management, production sourcing and factory liaison, logistics and operations, inventory planning, sales and marketing strategy, wholesale sales and key account management, financial operations, customer service management, retail merchandising, and retail design. After 9 years as an entrepreneur, I learned to manage crisis and risk with optimism and focus. My strong leadership and breadth of skills were key factors in Vessel’s growth to a multi-million dollar business within 5 years with limited start-up capital. My strength in business strategy and relationship skills lead to the sale of Vessel’s primary IP assets to Oxo International in 2007.

Release1 was a volunteer-run organization and design consultancy created to provide an opportunity for designers to explore the impact of design on society when isolated from traditional market forces. I lead a number of strategy and creativity workshops with corporate clients, including P&G and Mattel. My leadership roles within Release1 included organization strategy, exhibit curation and design, competition and workshop coordination, and financial planning.

Altitude is a leading Boston-area product development firm. I was the lead client services and program manager for a top personal computer company on a 1-year contract.

Insight is a product development consultancy with offices in Chicago and Boston. As a senior design in the Boston office, I was responsible for industrial and interface design for consumer electronics, industrial equipment and medical device industries clients.

Lunar is a leading San Francisco-based product development consultancy. As an industrial designer in their Boston satellite office, I was responsible for industrial design and user interface development for a number of clients in the medical device and industrial equipment fields.

Ottawa, Canada Area