Passionate Designer Dedicated to Sustainability & Integrity
1. •never sacrifice my values •live & design sustainably
“Passion, inspiration and creativity are
Passion,
the foundation for my life’s ambitions
and my dedication to these ideals will
flower in the heart and spirit of those
around me.”
d ”
Christopher Lee
•conduct myself with integrity •learn throughout my life
3. “Chris is both a talented designer and also a great mentor and teacher. Chris was
often the designer we would select for the most challenging and demanding design
g gg g g
projects here at Starbucks. He always met each of these unique challenges, if a
design solution or in defining difficult project scopes, with professionalism, as a
cooperative team effort. He always built strong working relationships, engaging all
the diverse team members to drive the right decisions and ultimately deliver g
g y good
and practical design solutions. Chris was recognized numerous times for both highly
innovative design solutions, often to very awkward and challenging spaces as well as
for his great attitude in supporting many very high profile, fast paced projects
including several demanding disaster recovery p j
g g y projects. Chris has contributed
impressive projects for Starbucks international markets and also in several roles in
Licensed Stores supporting the new stores for several regions, renovations and the
very difficult Airport Stores for Host. Chris also was responsible for the training and
development of p
p production designers and was very successful in managing their
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professional growth and development. Chris embodied the Starbucks values, defined
the brand and customer experience for hundreds of stores. His beautifully executed
large café project at UC Irvine remains an excellent example of his brand building
innovative design. I would welcome the opportunity to work with Chris again as he is
g pp y g
a truly dedicated, thoughtful and highly creative designer that understands how to
use design to elevate the brand.”
David Varon
Director Licensed Store Design, Starbucks Coffee Company
6. before
after (at punch)
New Orleans
Convention Center
reconcepting
7. “It was a pleasure to work with Chris over the course of several years both as a
peer and as his direct manager I could always count on Chris to take an
manager.
individual look at each design project while keeping the needs of operations and
brand identity close at hand. His collaborative management style gave his direct
reports appropriate challenges while providing incentives and rewards. His
consistently positive attitude and calm d
i t tl iti ttit d d l demeanor made hi a j t work with i
d him joy to k ith in
such a fast paced and creative environment.”
John Curtis
Senior Design Manager, Starbucks Coffee Company (manager)
“Chris is one of the best designers I have ever worked for and within this
profession. He has an almost innate sense of what makes a space or
environment come to life. He makes the time to solicit, research and select the
best interior finishes as well as the most environmentally friendly ones. His
clients trust him and his peers are proud to be considered in the same ranks as
him as a designers ”
designers.
Kristin McCurdy
Job Captain, Starbucks Coffee Company (direct report)
11. “Chris has a great design eye and the ability to take great ideas and make them
a reality. As a manager, he consistently provided the right amount of freedom,
balanced by support and guidance. I worked directly with Chris on several
difficult projects, during which he demonstrated his great personality and ability
to communicate clearly. I recommend Chris; he would be a great addition to any
firm.
firm ”
Stacy DeKoekkoek, LEED AP
Production Designer, Starbucks Coffee Company (direct report)
“Chris was/is diligent and focused on the details of projects that we worked on
together. He was able to find innovative solutions and maintain the brand
identity in a competitive environment while looking for means to value engineer
the projects. He is always responsive to needs as they arose in the field and he
helped bring projects to a successful close/turnover to ops in a timely manner. I
highly recommend Chris to any organization They will find his skills and work
organization.
ethic to be a real assets to their company.”
Robert Schnaible
Project Development Manager, Starbucks Coffee Company (colleague)
