Michael Tam
Product Developer & Designer
San Diego, CA, USAEnergetic and inspired Product Design & Development professional that strives to push products to the next level. Brought products to life for industry-leading brands through commitment to creative leadership, partnerships with suppliers, sourcing strategy, proficiency in design tools, passion for inspiration, willingness to immerse myself in new subject matter, and the ability to communicate cross-functionally in an efficient manner to meet project goals.
Work Experience
100%
Product Developer - R&D Hard Goods
• Conduct new product and SMU development for mountain bike helmets, motocross goggles, snow goggles, and body protection equipment
• Work closely with the soft goods development team on protective garments, knee guards, and elbow guards to maximize comfort and coverage through refinement of fit
• Track progress of projects to ensure that important milestones are met and relevant information is communicated cross functionally
• Support design throughout product development cycle by utilizing industrial design skillsets to refine aesthetic and functionality
• Drive use of 3D printing parts during concept development phase by preparing CAD files, utilizing in-house 3D printer, and outsourcing prototyping from local vendor
• Provide packaging items to suppliers and compliance testing facilities by arranging labels, user manuals, hang tags, inserts cards, and retail boxes with graphic design competency
• Work closely with the soft goods development team on protective garments, knee guards, and elbow guards to maximize comfort and coverage through refinement of fit
• Track progress of projects to ensure that important milestones are met and relevant information is communicated cross functionally
• Support design throughout product development cycle by utilizing industrial design skillsets to refine aesthetic and functionality
• Drive use of 3D printing parts during concept development phase by preparing CAD files, utilizing in-house 3D printer, and outsourcing prototyping from local vendor
• Provide packaging items to suppliers and compliance testing facilities by arranging labels, user manuals, hang tags, inserts cards, and retail boxes with graphic design competency
April 2021
- July 2023
San Diego, California, United States
Michael Tam Designs
Freelance Designer, Developer, and Product Manager
• Influenced design and development direction for pet apparel product line by utilizing thorough research, sketches, technical drawings, prototype mock ups, and fit testing
• Undertook Manager of Product responsibilities for client including development; sourcing and sales channel strategy; factory communications; and quality assurance documentation
• Provided image editing when needed for sales channels, trade show displays, and social media to ensure prominent displays of products
• Instituted initial set up of Instagram, Facebook, Amazon, and Shopify accounts to optimize online presence for brand
• Focused on understanding customers' needs and goals to establish brand image with logo, product concept, and graphic designs for various industries
• Collaborated with event and organization planners to create dynamic solutions for apparel graphics
• Created branding, web graphics, stationery, and print ads for AKC Beagle breeder, Aloha Spirit Beagles (print designs featured in Show Beagle Quarterly and Ilio magazines)
• Undertook Manager of Product responsibilities for client including development; sourcing and sales channel strategy; factory communications; and quality assurance documentation
• Provided image editing when needed for sales channels, trade show displays, and social media to ensure prominent displays of products
• Instituted initial set up of Instagram, Facebook, Amazon, and Shopify accounts to optimize online presence for brand
• Focused on understanding customers' needs and goals to establish brand image with logo, product concept, and graphic designs for various industries
• Collaborated with event and organization planners to create dynamic solutions for apparel graphics
• Created branding, web graphics, stationery, and print ads for AKC Beagle breeder, Aloha Spirit Beagles (print designs featured in Show Beagle Quarterly and Ilio magazines)
August 2008
- Present
San Diego, California, United States
Callaway Golf
Product Developer - Global Accessories
• Oversaw multiple categories of large wheeled travel equipment, lifestyle bags, golf gloves, and accessories from concept design phase through commercialization
• Collaborated with designers to maintain design intent and ensure production feasibility
• Traveled to Asia factories as needed to complete important project phases
• Analyzed factory BOMs to optimize negotiations and finding most cost-effective solutions for meeting target pricing and margins
• Initiated counter sourcing of materials and trims by working with overseas sourcing teams and directly with suppliers to find the most cost-effective and innovative options
• Instituted new quality inspection processes for golf gloves by identifying fit issues; evaluating sizing and features; and working cross functionally with quality engineers, designers, quality assurance, and factories
• Collaborated with designers to maintain design intent and ensure production feasibility
• Traveled to Asia factories as needed to complete important project phases
• Analyzed factory BOMs to optimize negotiations and finding most cost-effective solutions for meeting target pricing and margins
• Initiated counter sourcing of materials and trims by working with overseas sourcing teams and directly with suppliers to find the most cost-effective and innovative options
• Instituted new quality inspection processes for golf gloves by identifying fit issues; evaluating sizing and features; and working cross functionally with quality engineers, designers, quality assurance, and factories
March 2019
- April 2021
California, United States
The Safariland Group
Industrial Designer - Body Armor
• Applied data collected from trade shows, focus groups, vendor meetings, SWAT competitions, and product research to new body armor and accessory development
• Managed Centric PLM workflow, design, bill of materials, product inspection documents, and colorways to support processes cross functionally from concept to production
• Engaged in major design decisions and customer communications as lead designer of Aardvark Tactical's Project 7 body armor carriers and accessories
• Managed Centric PLM workflow, design, bill of materials, product inspection documents, and colorways to support processes cross functionally from concept to production
• Engaged in major design decisions and customer communications as lead designer of Aardvark Tactical's Project 7 body armor carriers and accessories
October 2016
- March 2019
Ontario, California, United States
Thor Motocross
Product Designer & Product Developer
• Accomplished product development goals in a timely manner through communicating with vendors to determine costs, schedules, efficient usage of materials,
and improvements for each project
• Collaborated with purchasing team to determine direction of current and future
products by discussing unit costs, profit margins, inventory, sales forecasts, and filling out appropriate fields in cost sheets
• Displayed leadership by mentoring new product development staff, initiating feedback discussions on product samples, providing constructive observations to product and graphic design solutions, and fully managing design direction for the 2011 Slippery Wetsuits product line
• Utilized extensive research, sketching, rendering, mock ups, and tech packs to create award-winning Sentry Vest (2016 Powersports Business "Nifty 50")
• Interacted with professional racers and consumers to develop innovative solutions based on understanding of user needs and industry trends
and improvements for each project
• Collaborated with purchasing team to determine direction of current and future
products by discussing unit costs, profit margins, inventory, sales forecasts, and filling out appropriate fields in cost sheets
• Displayed leadership by mentoring new product development staff, initiating feedback discussions on product samples, providing constructive observations to product and graphic design solutions, and fully managing design direction for the 2011 Slippery Wetsuits product line
• Utilized extensive research, sketching, rendering, mock ups, and tech packs to create award-winning Sentry Vest (2016 Powersports Business "Nifty 50")
• Interacted with professional racers and consumers to develop innovative solutions based on understanding of user needs and industry trends
March 2010
- October 2016
Poway, California, United States
WowWee USA, Inc.
Industrial Designer
• Presented creative insight to conceptualize innovative products for WowWee’s diverse award-winning line of toys and consumer electronics
• Visualized design ideas through sketches, 3-D modeling, mockups, and renderings
• Developed concepts for various licensed products for Disney and 20th Century Fox (James Cameron’s Avatar)
• Compiled presentation material for meetings with design team and clients
• Visualized design ideas through sketches, 3-D modeling, mockups, and renderings
• Developed concepts for various licensed products for Disney and 20th Century Fox (James Cameron’s Avatar)
• Compiled presentation material for meetings with design team and clients
September 2008
- October 2009
Carlsbad, California, United States
K-Swiss
Footwear Design Intern
• Utilized skills and knowledge of creative process to design unique footwear concepts in various categories
• Conceptualized design, and created tech packs and outsole blueprint for Nitehawk Limited Edition shoe (released in 2009)
• Devised shoe upper concepts for Ultranatural Run II (inspired upper designs for various future running shoes)
• Enabled efficient communication between product development and vendors by providing detailed specifications of products through technical drawings
• Conceptualized design, and created tech packs and outsole blueprint for Nitehawk Limited Edition shoe (released in 2009)
• Devised shoe upper concepts for Ultranatural Run II (inspired upper designs for various future running shoes)
• Enabled efficient communication between product development and vendors by providing detailed specifications of products through technical drawings
August 2007
- December 2007
Westlake Village, California, United States
Education
Art Center College Of Design
Bachelor of Science - Product Design
• Graduated with Honors
• Art Center Student Gallery selection (Summer 2005, Fall 2005, Summer 2008)
• Art Center Student Gallery selection (Summer 2005, Fall 2005, Summer 2008)
May 2005
- August 2008
Pasadena, California, United States
Languages
English (Native),
Skills
Adobe Acrobat,
Adobe Illustrator,
Adobe Indesign,
Adobe Photoshop,
Alias,
Building Mock Ups,
Centric PLM,
Filemaker Pro PLM,
Microsoft Excel,
Microsoft Office,
Microsoft Powerpoint,
Microsoft Word,
Rendering,
Rhinoceros,
Sketching,
Solidworks,
Verbal And Visual Presentation,