Nick Artinger
Art Director / Junior Product Manager · Dragon Crowd Garment Inc.
San Pedro, CA
In My Own Words
<p><span style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.9);">With 20 years of experience and my commitment to excellence, I’ve been a major contributor in driving growth and innovation across a diverse range of brands such as Colorfast, Savvi, Body Glove, Jet Pilot, Kawasaki, Yamaha, Jimmy Styks, Skechers, Fox Racing, and Simpson Racing. Working cross-functionally with the entire development, engineering, marketing, and supply chain teams, I’ve launched over 5,000 products and built over $750 million in marketplace value. This has led to increased sales and profits through leader-ship in project management, new product development, and marketing and sales strategies.</span></p><p><br></p><p><span style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.9);">My Website</span></p><p><span style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.9);">https://nicksta22.wixsite.com/nickartinger</span></p>
Work Experience
Product Manager
Dragon Crowd Garment Inc.2021 – Present
- Seasonal Review: Participate in seasonal review presentations for the category, showcasing performance and strategic updates. - Trend Research: Research market trends and new product options to drive sales and meet business targets. - Inventory Liquidation: Managed teams to sell excess inventory and implemented creative marketing strategies, freeing up over $700k in working capital. - Reporting & Insights: Generate regular reports on inline product performance and present insights and recommendations to key stakeholders. - Communication Management: Handle all company-wide communication related to the category, ensuring clear and effective messaging. - Market Assessments: Conduct assessments of competitors, vendors, and customers to inform product decisions. - Marketing & Sales Collaboration: Work with multiple departments to develop enhanced marketing strategies, sales plans, and promotions. - Product Evaluation: Perform product evaluations and comparisons to identify alternative options. - Optimize Product Line: Provide recommendations to optimize new product introductions, distribution strategies, pricing, and promotional activities. Condensing the line and introducing 1-2 new products helped achieve an average margin increase of 15%.
Director of New Product Development
Sport Dimension Inc.2014 – 2021
- Manage Inter-Department Communication: Oversaw multifunctional teams in new product development, driving marketing innovations and go-to-market strategies to ensure successful product launches and growth. - Club Business Collaborations: Established and nurtured key partnerships with major retailers in the sporting goods industry, including Big 5, Costco, Sam's Club, Cabela's, Bass Pro Shops, and Dick's Sporting Goods. Leveraged these relationships to enhance market presence and secured $20 million in new business with Walmart. - Organized SKU’s and Development Process: Led the rationalization of existing SKUs, optimizing the product portfolio to focus on higher profit margins. Reorganized the development team and streamlined the stage-gate process, resulting in accelerated product development cycles and reduced waste in R&D budgets. - Go-to-Market: Developed and launched innovative products for prestigious brands including Body Glove, Jet Pilot, Jimmy Styks, Yamaha Watercraft Accessories, and Yamaha Sea scooters. - New Product Development: Identified and introduced new product categories, such as the Paddle Pals Learn to Swim Line and Yamaha Sea Scooters, driving an additional $115 million in sales.
Senior Product Developer
Skechers USA2011 – 2014
- Cross-functional Coordination: Regularly liaise with design, marketing, production, and logistics teams to align objectives and timelines. - Product Lifecycle Management: Oversee the development process from concept to final product, ensuring adherence to timelines and budget constraints. - Cost Analysis: Regularly review and analyze cost structures to identify opportunities for savings. - Issue Resolution: Take a proactive approach to identify and address challenges in product development. Collaborate with teams to develop and Implement solutions. - Quality Control: Ensure prototypes meet company standards for fabric, color, quality, and workmanship. - Provide detailed feedback to design and production teams.
Senior Product Designer
Fox Head, Inc.2007 – 2011
- Align with Merchandising Plans: Collaborate with the merchandising team to incorporate key product categories, target customer segments, and retail strategies into designs. - Incorporate Emerging Trends: Stay updated one fashion trends, consumer preferences, and industry innovations. Integrated these elements into collections to keep the brand relevant and fresh. - Workshop and Presentations: Prepare for detailed presentations. Highlight designs that align with merchandising plans, sales objectives, and emerging trends. Address feedback from merchandising, sales, and senior management. - Project Management: Independently manage the design process from conception to execution. Develop a project timeline, set milestones, and ensure deadlines are met. - Design Execution: Collaborate with the Product Development team to ensure your designs are accurately translated into final products. Provide detailed specifications and support the development process.
Product Designer
Simpson Racing2004 – 2007
- Design Integration: Provide clear guidance on fit-related elements such as seam placement, fabric choices, and construction technique. - Product Development: Ensure that all technical details are accurately communicated and implemented into the actual garments. - Project Management: Develop a timeline for fit and garment construction phases, ensuring that all milestones are met. Monitor progress and address any delays or issues that may arise.
Education
BFA in Graphic Design w/ dual emphasis in Illustration
California State University Fullerton2004 – 2008
BFA in Graphic Design w/ dual emphasis in Illustration