Jose Suero

#readytowork

Senior Designer III at Twin-Star International (2025-09 – Present)

Worked within various categories to create new products and to annually update existing products with new features, components, patterns and decorative finishes or trim elements. Collaborated with the Design & Development team to oversee multiple projects and timelines. Also collaborated closely with management, sourcing, and manufacturing partners to implement innovations and production techniques.

• Created new seasonal product designs as needed by model or category and presented them to various partners.
• Designed Furniture in SolidWorks with a focus on function, safety, durability, aesthetic, and cost.
• Ensured all products have an easily understood hierarchy of good/better/best features and benefits with a cohesive look and feel.
• Demonstrated an ability to analyze and critique designs during project reviews.
• Innovated conceptually at a high level of proficiency and carried these items into inline models.
• Created product design detail drawings and technical specification packages for handoff to development, sourcing, and manufacturing partners.
• Developed products using guidelines, materials and techniques that meet design expectations as well as the brand's financial profit margin targets. Ensure that all products and design intents are readily manufacturable.
• Tracked all phases of design including ideation, CAD file creation, material research and selection of pre-production and/or final manufacturing samples to ensure on-time delivery that meets all quality standards.

Principal Owner/Designer at Solis Design House LLC (2014-07 – Present)

Consultant designer to clients that include Grown-up Group (Soft goods/luggage and backpacks), Bed bath and Beyond, Walmart Canada, The Cellfie, Shurhold Industries, Office Depot/OfficeMax, Li & Fung, HydroMassage and Staples. The scope of the projects ranges from concept generation to production 3d modelling, cut and sew, packaging and POP displays.

Senior Designer III at Walker Edison (2020-12 – 2025-10)

Worked within various categories to create new products and to annually update existing products with new features, components, patterns and decorative finishes or trim elements. Collaborated with the Design & Development team to oversee multiple projects and timelines. Also collaborated closely with management, sourcing, and manufacturing partners to implement innovations and production techniques.

• Created new seasonal product designs as needed by model or category and presented them to various partners.
• Designed Furniture in SolidWorks with a focus on function, safety, durability, aesthetic, and cost.
• Ensured all products have an easily understood hierarchy of good/better/best features and benefits with a cohesive look and feel.
• Demonstrated an ability to analyze and critique designs during project reviews.
• Innovated conceptually at a high level of proficiency and carried these items into inline models.
• Created product design detail drawings and technical specification packages for handoff to development, sourcing, and manufacturing partners.
• Developed products using guidelines, materials and techniques that meet design expectations as well as the brand's financial profit margin targets. Ensure that all products and design intents are readily manufacturable.
• Tracked all phases of design including ideation, CAD file creation, material research and selection of pre-production and/or final manufacturing samples to ensure on-time delivery that meets all quality standards.

Director of Industrial Design and Development at Decolav Inc (2015-03 – 2019-10)

Responsible for design and development of products from concept to production for retail and online sales. Worked with outside design firms in the Hospitality industry for all major hotel chains to develop vanities and case goods for both room suites and public areas.

Sr. Design Manager at MNA Creative/Office Depot (2005-08 – 2013-11)

Responsible for the lead designship of products from concept to production for Office Depot Products. Managed and mentored Jr. Designers through the design process and phases of projects. Awarded Office Depot's first Design Patent as well as awarded the 2011 Innovation Award for products designed. Clients: Office Depot, Hyde Tools.

Freelance at Union-Rich Products/Li & Fung Products PTE Ltd (2011-01 – 2013-12)

Designed Cut and Sew products such as lunch totes, ladies' bags, Backpacks for the Reditostor brand. Developed tools bags for the Home Depot Husky brand in the US and Walmart brands in Canada.

Freelance at Sherman and Reilly (2011-01 – 2013-12)

Designed and helped develop numerous large Tensioner/Puller Trailer units in full scale in Solidworks. Designed the ID for the MD-50 Dawg Puller machine. And created full scale 3D Solidworks models of their current transmission blocks for catalog, web and press materials.

Mid-Level Designer at Zenith Products Corp (2000-03 – 2005-08)

Designed and developed plastic and metal bath products from conceptual phase to production. Created technical drawings and files using SolidWorks. Prepared presentation boards. I also worked closely with U.S. and Chinese vendors supplying them with plastic specs and 3D data for creating production molds.

Responsibilities: Primary Plastics and Wire Caddy designer. Clients include Lowe's, Home depot, Wal-Mart, K-mart, and Bed Bath and Beyond, Sears.

Freelance: Silk Road Plastics New Jersey-2003 Developed mass-produced plastic consumer office products for Office Depot, Staples and Target.

Mid-Level Designer at Ancona 2, Inc (1995-12 – 2000-03)

Worked in all phases of the design process from conceptual stage to production phase including drafting engineering drawings. Projects include; Cutlery sets, BBQ tool sets, Travel Bakeware sets, Sinkware, Seafood tool set, Seed broadcast spreader, and Desktop Accessories. Responsibilities: Model shop manager, 3-D solid modeling in SolidWorks. Clients include: Ekco Housewares, Via Int'l, Punch Products, L & N, Vetri Delle, Gilha, Rubbermaid, Earthway Products, and Cuisinart.

Junior Designer at Deskey Associates (1993-09 – 1995-05)

Preliminary concept generation, ergonomic exploration, and 3-D modeling phases of projects. Refined designs on 2-D CAD, created 3-D foam sketch models, functional prototypes, corrugated packaging mock-ups, and hard presentation models. Responsibilities: Primary model maker. Clients include Dow Brands, Coleman Co., Pepsi Co., S.C. Johnson, Red Devil, Nestlé, Procter and Gamble, Dr. Scholl's, Dial, Quaker State, and Beiersdorf.

Bachelor of Science in Industrial Design – The University of the Arts