Skills and Focus

CV

Studio4DC

MAY 2014 - PRESENT

President

Chief Product Officer (CPO)

Company Leadership, Product Strategy & Innovation

The Studio for Digital Craftsmanship (Studio4DC) is an innovation and business transformation consultancy founded on newly codified principles of master-craftsmanship. We implement meaningful solutions with an average of $5-8M in strategy, design, and technology revenue per year on enterprise-level engagements with C-Suite relationships.

Highlights Include

• FINTECH
  Privately funded a pre-built software solution called Versant for financial institutions. This product was born from a systemic, seemingly intractable problem in the industry. Developed on a proprietary microservices architecture, Versant provides a pre-configured, ready-to-brand user interface that allow any bank to go to market with a modern digital experience that is scalable, structured, flexible and transportable.
  Result: Reduced retail and online banking implementations by 1/3 or more, slashing technical debt, and reducing systems, licensing, and the people/3rd-parties normally needed to maintain legacy systems.

• FINANCIAL SERVICES
  Re-platformed Northwest Bank’s marketing and online banking sites so that they can perform as one seamless experience. Jim led the migration from Drupal to Optimizely (for marketing, education, and product content) and Q2 to Fiserv (for business and retail online banking). Developed a microservices architecture and universal design system to establish an industry-leading integration and set the bank up for long-term, flexible, structured growth.

  Result: Prevented major missteps that would have caused significant downtime at go-live by mapping system integrations not considered by the core provider. Increased marketing conversions by 20-30%. Created opportunities for targeted up-sell and cross-sell offerings that were previously impossible.

• E-COMMERCE & RETAIL
  Rebuilt Avon’s experience architecture after 14 years of stagnation resulting from internal mismanagement and ineffective third-party engagements with ‘leading’ design consultancies. Assisted in the separation of NA services from global systems and re-architected the entire direct sales platform based on a microservices strategy.

  Result: Reduced legacy software and hardware systems (automated printing, etc.) from 135 down to 30, slashing technical debt, integration complexities, and licensing/maintenance costs. Produced a modern retail experience that satisfied decades-long users and welcomed totally new customers. Increased average cart size by 50% and revolutionized re-order efficiency.

• DIRECT SALES & PRODUCT INNOVATION
  Led the team that rebuilt Arbonne’s experience architecture for independent sales reps to sell more effectively and manage downline teams more proactively based on a microservices strategy that minimized restrictions imposed by legacy systems. Established an outsourced innovation lab and helped guide the first Salesforce implementation in the direct-sales market (MLM).

  Result: Launched a first-of-its kind AI chat assistant on Facebook, vastly increasing customer engagement and providing an entirely new lead source supported by hyper-local human interactions. Opened entirely new markets in EMEA with interactive sales tools. Provided the first ever conversational sales assistant on Alexa, receiving at standing ovation from over 20,000 leading producers at their annual conference in Las Vegas.

• HEALTHCARE & EDTECH
  Built Molis Coaching from the ground up as the first online training and community platform for dentists seeking to grow their practice with Invisalign as the engine to do so. Focused on both cosmetic and clinical outcomes, the system drove business growth for any dentist by integrating the support of an independent, highly-regarded practitioner (Dr. Ryan Molis) who is now a global influencer and educator.

  Result: Successfully trained and transformed thousands of dentists around the world, who have sustainably grown their practices exponentially (50%+ year-over-year). Materially drove Align Technology’s stock value with measurable case and revenue growth that in turn drove partnerships and sponsorships to further expand the business.

• MISSION-DRIVEN
  Repositioned and redesigned Watts of Love to provide an online platform for donation to and participation in missions to third-world countries that deliver resilient solar lights and transform living conditions.

  Result: Increased donation rates by 30% and decreased friction in recruitment/participation to involve more people more efficiently in the boots-on-the-ground work necessary to realize a meaningful impact.

ADMCi

MAY 2012 - present

The American Design and Master-Craft Initiative

Head of Mission, Innovation, & Execution

Established the first foundation solely focused on the exploration of Craftsmanship as a driving principle for discovering meaning in work, driving innovation, and establishing new business models.

The foundation was originally conceived while still leading my design consultancy at Manifest and became a precursor to my departure after 14 years.

Bienville Legacy Motorcycle Commission Highlights

• Commissioned The Bienville Legacy to become the world’s most powerful, limited production luxury motorcycle and function both as a work of art and as an engineering proof case. Initial commission included 3 unique, hand-built productions. Additional units followed.

• Commissioned and designed an immersive museum exhibit to translate the experience of the Bienville Legacy Motorcycle as an ethos and language of craftsmanship.

• Completed installations and showings in museums and complementary high-traffic venues including The Goodwood Festival of Speed at Blenheim Palace as a Guest of Lord March, Salon Privé as a featured guest, SCAD, NOMA, Chicago MCA, Pagani Automobili in the UK, BBT in Abu Dhabi, Barber Motorsports Museum, Throttlestop Museum and more.

• Coordinated extensive media exposure including a two-part series on Marketplace with Kai Rysdal on American Public Media and for Bloomberg Business at the Goodwood Festival of Speed.

• Wrote, directed, and produced a short-form documentary on the designer, JT Nesbitt, and the reasoning behind the initiative.

• Established a separate business entity for liability and insurance and to provide a foundation to personally sell the Bienville Legacy Motorcycle to heads of state and UHNW individuals around the world.

  • Partnered with HRH Salman Khalifa (Crown Prince of Bahrain), Horacio Pagani and Pagani Automobili, McLaren Customs and F1 Team, and Corvette Race Engineering with Pratt & Miller for direct sales, sales support and channels, engineering support (including Finite Element Analysis), and after-market improvements such as structural carbon fiber, cast aluminum, electronic controls, and more).

• Received 14 first-application patents, especially focused on steering and suspension for the Bienville Legacy.

Additional Commissions and Highlights

• Developed naming, brand architecture, strategic positioning, and messaging architecture for Quorum, an international initiative designed to resolve some of the world’s most pressing threats (climate change, democracy and representation, healthcare, and more) by more effectively aligning funding sources with the most qualified people to utilize them.

• Developed strategic positioning, messaging architecture, and enterprise rollout for organizational change with Forefront and Chicago-based mission-driven support organization. Laid the groundwork for an evolution in executive leadership and re-engagement with strategic partners that supercharged donations and educational engagement.

• Concepted and launched Saint Emeric, one of the most highly sought-after underground dining experiences operating as a private, members’-only club in Chicago, including curated art, hand-selected world-renowned chefs, and live entertainment.

• Provided strategy and executive coaching to launch Beyond Advisors with an individual departing the Clinton Foundation/CGI after 8 years as general counsel.

  • Helped position the consultancy for leaders of nonprofits, businesses, and social enterprises to design, build, and grow the world’s leading social impact organizations and initiatives.

  • Currently provide ongoing support for Beyond clients when called upon.

• Collaborated with Ray Kurzweil and team for the premier of Transcendent Man and broader insights on the singularity.

• Collaborated with Kevin Kelly and The Long Now Foundation including a visit to the site for The Clock of the Long Now.

• Launched and spun out The Insight Labs, a radical think tank focused on seemingly intractable socio-political and environmental challenges, including the experience of art, the use of art as therapy for post-traumatic stress, and more.

• Launched and spun out UX4Good, a mission-driven, design-thinking conference focused on solving real problems with elite design thinkers.

• This year, retained Chief Creative Director, Andy Morter, for product innovation and design on emerging initiatives.

  • Exploring product development and patents for Whistle Pig high-end packaging and immersive product installations for High Net-Worth collectors.

  • Reinvigorating pressed glass manufacturing for revolutionary packaging in liquor and personal care products.

• Engaged Vintage Auto to restore a period-correct 1930’s Ford to compete in The Race of Gentlemen (TROG) and to be driven by my wife, a former world-champion race car driver and the only woman to race a semi-trailer truck up Pike’s Peak.

Manifest

MAY 2001 - 2014

Chief Experience Officer (CXO)

President/Head of Experience Design

Established the first design consultancy born entirely from the principles of user-centered design. Sold and managed all client engagements based on this perspective. Built the organization from 6 founding members to 150 employees nation-wide.

Highlights Include

• BUSINESS LEADERSHIP
  Major Accounts
  Pursued, closed, and led multi-million dollar accounts with Allstate, The American Academy of Pediatrics, Avanade, Lego, Northern Trust, Cardinal Health, Texas Instruments, KitchenAid, Walgreens and many others leading with user-centered design as a strategic business tool.

  Financial Performance
  Grew the company 20-50% consistently year over year before seeking financial support to accelerate growth coming out of 2008. With financial backing from BAI Partners, then grew from $10M in revenue per year to over $25M+, achieving a $48M valuation.

• EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP

  Diversity
  Well ahead of trend, our top leaders were age, gender, ethnicity, and socioeconomically diverse, creating one of the strongest, most innovative leadership teams in the industry.

  Team Performance
  Produced one of the strongest teams of cross-functional delivery professionals in the industry, proven to perform better than their peers time and again (regular winners of regional and national competitions).

• PRODUCT INNOVATION LEADERSHIP
  Product Development

  • Developed the first on-the-shelf, product-embedded digital experiences for Sony Vayo computers and complementary products (digital cameras, music players, etc.) to provide an interactive experience directly with the products and a sales support tool for in-store associates. Developed a hands-free update procedure that leveraged built-in wireless functions requiring nothing more than walking through the store with an update ‘pod.’

  • Created the first interactive games for NEC to sell projectors, AV control systems and more with viral marketing engagement that revolutionized their sales process.

  • Created the first product customization (configurator) for Wilson Sporting Goods, allowing customers to design stitching, lettering, panels and more on baseball gloves, uniforms, footballs, and more (and delivered via the first integration with SAP to enable it).

  • Created the first immersive cooking/product experiences for KitchenAid, increasing online traffic by 100% year-over-year and providing direct leads for sales associates

  • Created the first motion-controlled, life-size video workout interface for Bally Total Fitness clubs across the country.

  • Created the first online video editing and curation software for a major international brand with extensive licensed assets.

  • Created the first immersive crime-solving educational experiences for Texas Instruments to support sales of their scientific calculators and to integrate with educational materials around the country and across the world.

  • Created the first live, conference integration of social media feeds and feedback for McDonald’s corporate conferences.

• MISSION-DRIVEN LEADERSHIP
  Balancing the Book of Business
  Managed a portfolio that always include 1/3 mission-drive/NFP clients to ensure that all staff performed meaningful work throughout the year.

  Innovation Incubator & Accelerator

  • Partnered with Microsoft on pre-release Surface software and hardware to reimagine how art is experienced in new locations, including at Flashpoint Academy for the Howard Tullman Collection.

  • Launched, marketed, and operated OptInNow, a micro-lending platform for Opportunity International servicing third-world locations through NGOs.

UX4Good
CXO / Chief Benefactor

MAY 2009 - 2014

Established the concept that design thinking can be applied to a range of challenges far beyond digital. Leveraged ‘hackathon’-style sessions in cities across the country and around the world over multi-day periods to solve complex problems, especially those perceived as intractable societal challenges.

• Launched invite-only conference model in Chicago where participants flew in from around the world to join this highly sought after gathering of design professionals.

• Engaged the Grammy Foundation and its MusiCares NFP to develop the penultimate conference in New Orleans, solving for a more sustainable, equitable, and mutually rewarding music environment. Developed findings report in print and video which was personally delivered to the Clinton Global Initiative and personally recognized by president Bill Clinton.

School4DC
Dean / COO

MAY 2011 - 2015

Established the first immersive experience-driven curriculum in Design Thinking for those entering the design industry and for executives working to better understand and operate in that industry.

• Co-Developed the curriculum with Carolyn Chandler, a luminary in the industry and long-time collaborator.

• Successfully sold and delivered curricula in two US markets and continue to see returns from alumni around the world.

• Invited to speak at the Digital Transformation Conference in Bahrain.

• Created an international design partnership with Sonia Ashoor, founder of SACD, who leveraged The School’s work for her own reinvention and collaboration with Middle East businesses.

Education

Northern Illinois, BA in English
1989 - 1993

Focused on information delivery and early digital communication, which would become the foundations for Information Architecture and Content Management Systems.

Internship with an electronic automotive controls engineering firm (DAI) opened doors to marketing, installation, and operational information systems that transformed fleets to natural gas vehicles.

Activity & Recognition

• Produced and Directed episodes of Mastercraft Series:
  Jim Jacoby, Esther Garcia

• Adjunct Professor: Depaul University, User-Centered Design

• Featured Speaker, Cusp Conference: Facilitating Master Craftsmanship

• Multi-Year Podcast Series: Design in the Moment

• Interview: Design Your Thinking

• Interview: Getting to Yes, And… (WGN/Second City)

• Interview: The Role of Content Strategy in Agencies

• Most Influential Marketers in Chicago (Agency Spotter)