Robert Klein, Product Development and Design in Nanuet, NY

About

For 28 years, I've created superior value propositions for consumer products companies via new product development activities including opportunity identification, people and project management, and creative problem solving with a close link to manufacturing, marketing, retail, sales and global sourcing. I help companies understand their customers and markets better to beat their competition and deliver superior products and services while driving down costs. The Results? Increasing topline revenue growth while improving internal processes to drive down costs while maintaining quality, delivering increased bottom line profits.

Adaptable, passionate, strategic thinker with strong technical and analytic skills. Dynamic communicator and team leader. Diverse and progressive experience with a focus on understanding all stakeholders including the customer, as well as discovering opportunities, solving problems and creating value with inventive, profitable solutions.

Specialties:

> Opportunity Identification

> Competitive Analysis

> Workflow Streamlining

> Quality Improvement

> Relationship Building

> Team Leadership

> Project Management

> Design Management

> Sales & Business Development

> Merchandising & Line-building

> Industrial Design

> User-Centered Design

> Ergonomics

> Footwear design and development

> Sourcing and Costing

Education

MBA Business

State University of New York at Albany

2011 - 2013
Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree Industrial Design

Rochester Institute of Technology

1987 - 1990
University of Buffalo

1985 - 1986

Experience

Director

What Comes Next Corp

St. Augustine, FL

Nov 2009 - Present (16 years 7 months)

I help brands, startups and inventors design and develop marketable & profitable products. I create innovative and patentable concepts while solving technical challenges. My work involves improving their business through product line planning and factory direction - balancing aesthetics and fit with the realities of cost, manufacturing, sustainability, timing, and risk. I improve quality, comfort, and ergonomics, while specifying materials and components, and performing fit testing.
Director of Product

Cat Perkins, Inc.

New York, NY

Jun 2015 - Aug 2018 (3 years 2 months)

I manage the design, development, sourcing and production for a Women's fashion shoe brand, including 3D CAD modeling, 3D printing, patent development, merchandising, factory selection, production quality control and inspection. Resolved critical mechanical failures in a patented magnetic attachment system after a global engineering firm’s magnet-rivet design failed in real-world durability, breakaway force, and assembly consistency.
Identified fundamental design flaws: high grade neodymium magnets coupled with inadequate rivet geometry produced insufficient magnetic flux, causing actual-use failure and inflated production costs.
Redesigned the rivet & magnet, balancing in-use performance, ease of use, retention strength, durability, and cost. Used magnetic pull force calculators, Digital Force Gage bench testing, and fabrication of revised components
Presented my corrected design and real-world test data to the firm’s lead engineer (PhD, ME) to explain why their design failed. He agreed with my findings, and the company adopted my design specifications allowing development to continue.
Moved production of our top style from Asia to the US after our factory could not overcome excessive variability. Developed jigs to verify tolerances & established inspection protocols resulting in zero quality-related returns
Director

What Comes Next, Inc.

New York, NY

Jun 2010 - Jun 2015 (5 years)

I help startups, inventors, retailers and global brands with design, development, line building, market research, merchandising, strategy, supply chain, project management, . Worked directly with shoe factories to develop items and seasonal collections while solving technical issues, improving quality, shortening timelines and lowering costs.
• Women’s and Men’s clients include Levi’s, Cole Haan, Kenneth Cole, Nina Footwear and others
• Fashion, Casual, Comfort, and Sport shoes and sandals
• Hand Sketching, Detailing, Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, fitting and prototype pattern corrections, tech packs, assortment line planning, sample detailing, direct work with factories in Brazil, Europe and Asia
• Provide guidance for Materials, Hardware Components, Construction and Technical shoe making decisions
Women's Footwear Linebuilder, Designer, Developer

Sears, Roebuck and Co.

Mar 2009 - Jun 2010 (1 year 3 months)

Consultant Design Director: Design, Development, Linebuilding for Sears and Kmart Womens footwear lines including comfort, fashion, dress, casual and sport categories. Focus on working with buyers to design to their Needs List / Buy plan while meeting cost targets within a tight calendar. Create drawings and specifications, correct prototype models.
Design Director, Mens and Boys Branded Athletic

ES Originals

Aug 2007 - Jan 2009 (1 year 5 months)

Men's and Kids branded and private label athletic, casual and lifestyle footwear: And1, Avia, Everlast, Starter. Creative Direction and Team management, coached and mentored staff, market research, design, detailing, technical development, direct work with licensors, factories and sourcing. Hand sketching, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop.
Design Director, Easy Spirit

Jones Apparel Group

New York, NY

Nov 2000 - Aug 2007 (6 years 9 months)

Wholesale, Retail, Outlet and Private Label design, detailing, development, PD coordination, trend research. Proto corrections, line building, merchandising and assortment planning, specifications and tech packs, color and materials palette development, leather selection, confirmation approvals

Close work with Buyers, Sales, Sourcing and direct work and travel to factories in China and Brazil.

Project Management and Technical Development for Ninewest footwear collections with designers: Vivienne Westwood, Thakoon, Sophia Kokosolaki and Tara Subkoff, as well as coordinating the footwear collections with Jewelry, accessories and handbags. Performed Sales presentations of the Tara Subkoff footwear line to boutiques in New York.

Managed CAD department, Developed and Managed a more efficient shoe specification and communication process to track work in progress and coordinate development with buyers, sourcing and manufacturing.
Industrial Designer, Project Manager

Celotex Corporation

Saint Petersburg, FL

Oct 1996 - Oct 2000 (4 years)

Project Management, Industrial Design and Product Development for Acoustic Ceilings in a Research and Development facility using Stage and Gate PM process and Lotus Notes collaboration tools. Presented to decisionmakers and customers, color, trend and customer research for the Architetural Interiors and Contract Furnishings Industry. Collaborated closely with marketing, chemists, engineers, manufacturing, technicians and sales. Ceiling pattern design and development, including virtual prototyping, rapid prototyping, metal fissure plates, rubber embossing rolls, reverse engineering and remanufacturing of damaged production tooling. Microperf ceiling, color palette design, plant trials. Work towards ideal specification ranges for Light Reflectance (LR), Humidity (SAG), Fire ratings and Acoustic performance: NRC and CAC. MasterCAM, Used Pro/Engineer CAD, Alias|Wavefront CAD,Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, SGI Irix. Liased with outside Product Development firms for Roofing department.
Designer

Lazzara Yachts

Oct 1994 - Aug 1996 (1 year 10 months)

Furniture design and development, Interior space planning and layout, design and development of interior and exterior components for Yachts and the marine environment. Focus on customer’s lifestyle and delivering optimal user-experiences while reaching aesthetic, performance, and manufacturing excellence goals using Deming's Total Quality Management ( TQM ). Hand sketching, rendering and extensive use of AutoCAD.
Designer

Wellcraft Marine

Sarasota, FL

Mar 1993 - Oct 1994 (1 year 7 months)

CDesign and product development for boats and marine components with an emphasis on ergonomics, aesthetics, profitability and ease of manufacturing. Conducted Human Factors studies with resulting recommendations to maximize users' fun, safety and successful experiences. Designed graphics, upholstery, seating, grab rails, interior spaces, furniture and layouts, exterior spaces. Served as Facilitator between design and engineering to ensure smooth transition from concept to engineering specifications. Wrote production part specifications and assembly instructions to ensure manufacturing and assembly success.

Skills

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@robertklein, member since 2010

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Robert Klein

Branded Environments Project Manager

Industrial Designer, Packaging – Lead