10/08/2026
With creativity shaped by universal design principles and honed by applied learning, graduates of UW-Stout Polytechnic’s B.F.A. industrial and product design program are creating industry-leading furniture designs, producing pieces you may already be working, sitting or sleeping on. 🛌
Four alumni of the industrial and product design program recently shared about how their experience at Wisconsin’s Polytechnic University prepared them for success in the furniture industry:
🔹 Alek Eglinton, design manager at Flexsteel
🔹 Angel Kraemer, director of design and merchandising at Ashley Furniture Industries
🔹 Brian Linehan, merchandise and design manager at Room & Board (first photo)
🔹 Jordan Dinwiddie, industrial designer at KI Furniture
“Great designers understand materials, manufacturing, craftsmanship and the people who will ultimately live with their creations,” said Associate Professor Dan Neubauer, director of the IPD program. “At UW-Stout Polytechnic, industrial and product design students develop those skills by working directly with materials, building prototypes, and learning through a process of iteration, refinement, and mentorship. The result is an education that extends beyond their design concepts to a deeper understanding of how products are developed and brought into the world. The alumni featured here demonstrate the impact of that experience. While their careers have taken different paths, they share a common foundation: the ability to transform ideas into tangible solutions and create products that improve everyday life.”
