This exclusive video series profiles each of the 2017 Housewares Design Awards judges and their views on what makes a product great.
Howard Thornton
Howard Thornton is the design objects buyer for the museum store at the new San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, which operates stores at the museum and San Francisco International Airport.
With more than 30 years of senior executive experience in retail business and non-profit leadership, Thornton describes himself as problem solver who can strategize for organizational growth, develop and realize new retail/wholesale concepts and develop product ideas from concept to realization.
He previously developed and implemented the retail concept for Oakland Museum of California. Prior to that, he founded and ran creative product development and marketing consultancies in San Francisco, including Triangle Studio, which exhibited in the San Francisco and New York International Gift Fairs and was given the Accent on Design Award for Overall Excellence in 2001.
A licensed California architect, Thornton also has served as store architect for such specialty retail outlets as The Nature Company, Patagonia, Imaginarium and In Gear.
2017 Housewares Design Awards Judges (click on name for profile):
Jason Belaire
Max Burton
Steve Cozzolino
Monique Epstein
Eric Ludlum
Kiel Mead
Mary Moore
Helen Maria Nugent
Deborah Shearer
Kathleen Taggart
Howard Thornton
David Tisdale