Kirt Martin
Kirt Martin leads and directs all industrial design activities at Turnstone, setting the pace for the look and feel of the Turnstone product portfolio, as well as managing internal and external designers. Kirt's designs include Tour™ workspace, Scoop seating, Alight™ ottomans and tables. Kirt joined Steelcase in 1995 as a contract industrial designer. In 1997, he was hired as a senior industrial designer for Steelcase Wood furniture before taking on the leadership position at Turnstone.
Born in Grand Rapids, Kirt earned a bachelor of fine arts degree in industrial design from Kendall College of Art and Design. He also studied industrial design and design history at the Royal College of Art in London, England. Kirt is a member of AIGA (the professional association for design) and IDSA (Industrial Designers Society of America). Kirt was a recipient of the 2002 Recent Graduate Achievement Award, which honors a Ferris University/ Kendall College grad that has made a significant achievement or contribution in his or her field. His work has also garnered a 2001 IDEA Award, several Good Design Awards and Neocon Awards including Best of Neocon Silver award in 2007 for Tour™ workspace. Kirt's work has been featured in numerous publications including Metropolis Magazine, I.D. Magazine, & Interior Design Magazine.
Tim Stoepker - "I love problem solving through objects and form."
Tim Stoepker began his career with Turnstone in the spring of 2007 as an intern and has held an integral design role in a variety of projects including Tour™ phase 3 and Neocon 2007 and 2008. In 2008, Tim graduated, married his high school sweetheart, and was hired on as a full time designer here at Turnstone.
Himself a product of Grand Rapids, Tim graduated from Kendall College of Art and Design, earning a bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Industrial Design. In his spare time, Tim loves snowboard instructing and volunteering at local non profit organizations.
Brian Kane - "It's very easy to design something that's complicated. It's really difficult to design something that's simple."
Brian is a contract designer for Turnstone, operating his own design studio out of San Fransisco. The products Brian has created for Turnstone exemplify a graceful purity of form: Jenny® lounge, Martini Table®, and more. His Pet lounge chair, constructed of recycled soft drink bottle plastic, won a Silver Award for Stackable Seating at NeoCon 2004.
Alan Rheault - "Hey, that's cool!"
Alan Rheault has designed practically every form of workplace furniture for Turnstone, using every kind of material — from fabric and foam to rotationally molded plastic and high-end wood veneer. He's contributed to Turnstone's Crushed Can. His twenty years in the industry include stints at Steelcase Wood, American Seating, Quest Product Development, and Sunberg-Ferar.
Alan led the Turnstone design team for five years. And, while he continues to design for the brand, he is leading product development for Nurture, the healthcare brand of Steelcase.
Joey Ruiter - "I always tell a story when I talk about a product."
Already the owner of "about 20" design patents, Joey Ruiter graduated from Kendall College of Art & Design in 2000. He sold a chair design to Steelcase while still a student; two years later he received a Best of NeoCon® Gold Award for alternative office solutions.
His Turnstone design work includes Kick® systems furniture, additions to the Smoke™ desks line, an assist on the Scribe™ mimioActive™ whiteboard, and more. After three years at Turnstone, Joey now runs his own design studio in Grand Rapids, MI.
