Raymond Gahnz-Kuhar is an experienced creative director and owner of SharpTack Design in Palm Desert, California. With over 26 years of experience in design, he has led creative teams for various firms and managed complex projects across print, interactive, advertising, and other areas. Currently, as owner and creative director of SharpTack Design, he focuses on dimensional design and bridging marketing efforts. He also mentors industrial design students part-time at Long Beach State University.

1. Raymond Gahnz-Kuhar
113 Batista Court
Palm Desert, California 92211
ray@sharptackdesign.com
310-237-3486
Profile
• Proven leadership in managing creative staffs and multiple complex projects simultaneously.
• Over 26 years of design experience. HIghly versed in the strategic development of multi-
dimensional design solutions. Work includes print, interactive, advertising, retail planning,
point of purchase, museum, exhibit and interior design.
• Ability to inspire creative passion and instill client confidence.
• Entrepreneurial spirit balanced with a keen ability to work with people at all levels of creative.
• Part-time mentoring/critique work with Industrial design students at Long Beach State
University, College of Industrial Design.
Experience
SharpTack Design: Palm Desert, CA 2004-Present. Owner/Creative Director
I created SharpTack Design to satisfy my need to present a forward thinking, fun-spirited
alternative source of creative energy to the emerging virtural market. Core strengths include
dimensional design and the abilty to bridge the vital design connection between mulitple
marketing efforts. The goal has been to create deliverables that are a sum of many related
points of contact.
Bowman Design Group: Long Beach, CA 2004-2014. Creative Director
Creative team leader with a boutique design firm specializing in large scale interactive museum
design, event programming, advertising, and promotions. Responsible for strategic concept
development, design detail engineering and client relations. Manage staff of designers,
detailers, project managers; overseeing creative devolvement, production and installation.
The Designory, Inc: Long Beach, CA 1999-2004. Creative Director
Developed award winning work on the Nissan automotive account with responsibility for the
national dealership P.O.P. program. Integrated strategic direction and creative insight for
both consumer communications and the national/regional dealer network. Additionally, led
creation of the Designory’s Environmental Design program. Built relationships with other
Designory clients and developed collateral, P.O.P., event design, packaging and signage that
integrated specific brand values across multiple platforms.
Artfish Design and Creation: Los Angeles, CA 1997-1999. Owner/Creative Partner
Created an independent design studio with a focus on exhibit design, fixturing/visual
merchandising, and graphic design. Designed furniture and case goods for production/sales
under the Artfish name. Created, developed, built and supervised installation of interior
design concepts for retail clients.
The George P. Johnson Co: Los Angeles, CA 1995-1997. Lead Project Designer
Worked extensively in the automotive industry, developing touring multifunction trade displays
and events; including concept vehicle press reveals and product launches. Developed a 3-D
computer training program for staff of 10 to provide a state-of-the-art computer modeling
and presentation tool.
Giltspur/SF: San Francisco, CA 1993-1995. Senior Exhibit Designer
Worked with various 3-D visualization media in the design of exhibits, spaces and products.
Used 3-D software in all aspect of exhibit design from initial concept sketches and digital walk-
arounds to detail drawings and engineering specifications. Responsible for projects from
concept to final set-up. Worked extensively with client and account staff.
Contempo Design: Chicago, IL and San Francisco 1989-1993. Senior Exhibit Designer
Designed trade show exhibits for the medical, hi-tech, and entertainment industries.
Worked with both hand built scale models and 3-D computer designs for conceptualization
and presentation.

2. Education
The Ohio State University, Department of Industrial Design: Bachelor of Science in Industrial Design
Specialized in interior design with studies in space planning, display systems, product and
graphic design.
Various Courses and Professional Development, Brand Identity and Information Technolgy, Effective
Point-of-Purchase, Design management.
Major Clients
Aquarium of the Pacific, Accuride, Acura, Billabong, Birch Aquarium, Cisco, Dupont/Corian, ASR
Group/Domino Sugar, Georgio Armani, Infiniti, Infocus, John Paul Mitchell Systems, Mazda,
Mercedes Benz, Mitsubishi Solar Electric, Nissan North America, Northrop Grumman, Pacific Gas
& Electric, Southern California Edison, Sony ImageWorks, Toshiba.
References
Available upon request. Portfolio available.
SharpTackDesign.com