John Wilkening
Accessories design
Santa Cruz | United States
Interests
No information
Industries
Bike
Skate
Snow
Summary
Activity
Work experience
Default
Default | 03/2024 - 03/2024
Sunnyvale, California
Aug 2022 - Current
Santa Cruz, California
Jan 2018 - Aug 2022
Woodland Hills, California
Mar 2017 - Jan 2018
Hayward, California
Nov 2014 - Nov 2016
Morgan Hill, California
Nov 2010 - Nov 2014
Scotts Valley, California
Nov 2008 - Nov 2010
Santa Cruz, California
Aug 2007 - Nov 2008
Cypress, California
Dec 2004 - Aug 2007
Bachelor of Science Industrial Design
Product Engineer - Soft Goods (contract: Insight Global)
Soft Goods Accessories
•Lead PD responsible for all for cases and Soft Good accessories for the
Meta VR Ecosystem
• Collaborated closely with XFN team focused on Soft Goods integration,
including idenfying risks and o?ering solutions
USA Operations / R&D
Wetsuits / Marketing / Apparel / Accessories
•Part of core team responsible for launching new wetsuit brand
•Created marketing materials, ADs, catalogs, photo shoots including
•Engineering patterns for wetsuits and Soft Goods merchandise
•Lead team from design to production, BOM, costing, ?t and testing
• Established on-boarding process for warehouse, and purchasing
R&D Director
Soft / Hard Goods and Travel Accessories
•Responsible for all NPI, including research, design and engineering
•Interfaced with executive teams (briefs, budgets, P&L, tracking KPI's,
de?nition of product strategy)
• Maintained deadlines, process and inter department strategies
Sr. Product Design and Development Manager
Sunglasses and Accessories
•All aspects of design and development including budgets, brand
road maps, sourcing
•Managed team of designers / developers in USA and China
•Textile testing ASTM, AATCC, human factors testing
Sr. Product Design Manager
Kids Bikes / Gloves / Bags / Grips / Apparel / Accessories
•Grew accessory line by over 10% year over year
•Mentored team of product designers, interns and engineers
•Lead development on specs, BOM, packaging, ?t, factory hand o?
•Asia development, QC checks, cost negotiations
Product Designer
Gloves / Bags / Footwear / Apparel / Accessories
•Lead Design and Development for new category of cycling
accessories to $7M business
•Full involvement from market research, concept, technical drawings, prototype, specs and factory follow - up
Lead Product Designer
Wetsuits / Dive / Lycra / Apparel
• Motivated self-starter, managing multiple projects with-in budget
and timeline
•Worked with fabric suppliers to develop new materials
•Responsible for all aspects of design and construction including
costing, BOM, pattern / ?t and speci?cations
•Partnered with Mexico factory and China suppliers
Product Designer
Helmets / Protective gear / Footwear
•Collaborated with XFN groups to create innovative wearables and
injection molded hard goods
•Responsible for all stages of design and engineering from concept
through production
•Continually driving new product developments
Soft Goods specialist with 20 years
of leading design and
development with the world's
most renowned brands.




