Mike Garman

Mike Garman has a diverse work experience in the design industry. Mike co-founded Eikon Product Realization in 1994 and worked as a Co-Founder until 1999. Mike then joined Hamilton Beach Brands Inc. as a Lead Industrial Designer in 1999 and has been instrumental in leading company-wide brainstorming sessions for the past 7 years. During their tenure, they designed various successful products such as the Breakfast Sandwich Maker, BrewStation (as the inventor), ToastStation, OpenStation, and Durathon Irons with Choi Design, which received the Good Design Award. Mike also conducted product usability testing and analysis for mechanical and interface designs. In 2017, they were promoted to Senior Innovation Manager at Hamilton Beach Brands Inc., where they currently hold their position. Before their time at Eikon Product Realization, Mike worked as an Industrial Designer at Jaeger Di Paola Kemp Design in 1992-1993.

Mike Garman earned a Bachelor of Science (BS) degree in Industrial Design from the University of The Arts, where they studied from 1988 to 1992. Later on, from 2006 to 2010, they pursued a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree in Marketing at Strayer University. In addition to their formal education, Mike Garman has also obtained several certifications. These include a Corporate Innovation certification from the MIT Sloan School of Management, obtained in April 2020, and an Innovation of Products and Services certification from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology received in August 2019. Mike also holds a TRIZ Associate Certification from The Altshuller Institute, obtained in November 2016, and a Level 2: Innovation Master certification from the Global Innovation Management Institute, obtained in January 2018. Furthermore, Mike Garman received a TTIC Certificate of Practitioner in Systematic Creativity Methods and Tools from xTRIZ in 2012.