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A Clear and Focused Creative

Ryan Pugh

Reno, NV
Available Now
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  • About
  • About

    Focusing on the finest details, I have led all aspects of design and steadily executed brand vision to bring brand and product stories to both businesses and consumers. Additionally, my designs have not only proven successful in the marketplace, and led the industry in innovation, but have excelled where it really matters, in the field, under punishing conditions, all over the world. I have had the privilege of working with exceptional teams to build and support some of the most innovative and authentic premier brands in the Outdoor Industry.

  • Education
    • BA Industrial Arts, Graphic/Product Design
      San Francisco State University
      2006 - 2008
    • A.A. Transfer Studies: Focus on Graphic Design
      Mesa Community College
      2001 - 2005
  • Experience
    • Sr. Design Lead - Inflatables & Accessories
      Pelican International
      Reno, NV
      Oct 2023 - Present (1 year 9 months)
      Collaborate with Product, Commercial, and Go-To-Market teams in all aspects of the Advanced Elements brand. Develop new products in the inflatables and accessories categories across Pelican International’s stable of brands. Participate in interdepartmental design reviews to lend knowledge, provide critique, and mentor Jr and Sr designers in their projects.

      Primary Roles:
      Product Management: Collaborate with Director of Product & Marketing to evaluate product needs and voids in the market by conducting market research, constructing personas, and evaluating the current market landscape and existing products in a category.

      Product Design: Conceptualize and execute the design of new products and collections. Make functional and aesthetic choices in areas such as material, color, and component selection. Determine appropriate construction methods. Design and apply product graphics and branding. Create techpacks for sample generation. Act as liaison with overseas factories throughout the product development phase. Present findings, results, strategies, design reviews, and design updates to company executives during benchmark Stage Gate Meetings.

      Subject Matter Expert - Inflatables and Advanced Elements Brand: Advise various stakeholders within the organization, including the executive team, about inflatable design, construction, and manufacturing. Produce and conduct presentations for the Commercial, Customer Service, and Marketing teams in order to educate and assist in the knowledge of all things inflatables as well as on the Advanced Elements brand and product lineup.
    • Sr Design Lead - Inflatables
      Pelican International
      Reno, NV
      May 2023 - Oct 2023 (5 months)
      Lead product development from concept through to pre-production of new inflatable kayaks.
    • Industrial Designer
      Pelican International
      Reno, NV
      Jun 2021 - May 2023 (1 year 11 months)
      Following the merger of Advanced Elements with Pelican International, my role has been to collaborate with Product Management and Go-To-Market teams in all aspects of the Advanced Elements Brand, primarily with focus in inflatable kayak product design and development.

      Primary Roles:
      -Product Design: Conceptualize designs through sketching, prototyping, 3D modeling, and computer generated illustrations. Make functional and aesthetic choices in areas such as material selection, colorways, graphics, hardware and component selection, and construction methods. Create product development specifications for full-scale production. Act as liaison with overseas factories throughout the product development phase.

      -Subject Matter Expert on inflatable product development, construction, capabilities, etc.

      -Graphic Design: Help lead the transition of all Advanced Elements consumer facing materials such as packaging, labels, manuals, etc. to be bilingual in language to meet requirements of various stakeholders.

      -Social Media Management: Provide content, manage presence, maintain brand image and focus across Advanced Elements' social media channels.
    • Product Designer/Lead Creative
      Advanced Elements, Inc.
      Benicia, CA
      Jun 2008 - Jun 2021 (13 years)
      Collaborated with company founders to lead all aspects of design. Provided Art Direction, and guided brand vision in the areas of Product Development, Graphic Design, Web Design, User Experience, Social Media, and Marketing.

      Primary Roles:
      Product Management: Evaluated product needs and voids in the market. Determined which products would provide the best opportunity for revenue generation, growth, and/or brand positioning and executed as part of annual product plan.

      Product Design: Conceptualized and executed the design of new products. Made choices in areas such as materials, color, component selection, and appropriate construction methods. Designed and applied product graphics and branding. Created techpacks for both sample generation and full-scale production. Acted as liaison with overseas factories from product development phase through to production.

      Art Direction & Project Management: Managed and guided brand vision on projects contracted to freelance creatives such as print catalogs, product packaging, photography, and web development. Ensured projects were completed and delivered on time.

      Graphic Design: Developed print and digital collateral such as print ads, display ads, product packaging, sell sheets, instructional manuals, product catalogs, and brochures.

      Web Development & Management: Produced all digital assets and written copy. Used content management system to edit/create web pages. Continually optimized SEO. Developed and customized blog pages for various marketing initiatives.

      Social Media Management & Marketing: Created content, maintained brand image and focus, and engaged in marketing campaigns across brand social channels. Built and managed Ambassador/Influencer team.

      Photography: Shot studio and in-use/lifestyle photography and edited as necessary.

      Copywriting: Produced all written content for press releases, magazine publications, website, catalogs, product packaging, and instructional manuals.
    • Design Educator
      Industrial Design Outreach
      San Francisco, CA
      2006 - 2008 (2 years)
      Mentored and educated high school students in the principles of design, the use of
      creative software, and the use of various shop tools and shop machinery.
      Developed curriculum for a lead project.
  • Awards

    *2018 OutDoor Industry Award - AirFusion EVO Kayak

    *Profession Notable, 2012 Core77 Design Awards - Industrial Design Outreach

    As a member of Industrial Design Outreach, I helped to develop the curriculum for the Community Bench project as part of my undergraduate thesis for graduation. This curriculum was used in support of the submission to the 2012 Core77 Design Awards and helped Industrial Design Outreach to receive a "Profession Notable" award for their work.

    *Award Winner: ID Magazine Annual Design Review 2010 - AirFusion Kayak (1st Generation)

    *Nominated for the IDSA/SFSU Student Merit Award 2008

    *Laureate Member of Epsilon Pi Tau: the international honorary for professions in technology.

  • Affiliations

    Epsilon Pi Tau - Laureate Member

  • Industries
    • Outdoor Equipment
    • Soft Goods
    • Sporting Goods
  • Skills
    • Art Direction
    • Branding & Corporate Identity
    • Copywriting & Editing
    • Creative Direction
    • Creative Suite
    • Experience Design
    • Graphic Design
    • Industrial Design
    • Product Design
    • SolidWorks
  • Elsewhere on the Web
    • n
  • On Coroflot
    @rpughcreative, member since 2008
    • Following 4
    • Followers 7
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