A good design often needs to do more than one thing. So does a good designer. IDa Design principal Mitch Bakker has done many things throughout his career, all of which add to the culture of the firm. He founded IDa Design after spending years sitting “on the other side of the design desk,” as head of product design for leading furniture manufacturers. Mitch understands the importance of putting the client goals on par with the designer’s vision and pushes our team toward results that realize both. A highly respected designer in his own right, Mitch remains very hands-on in the design process. Outside the studio, trips to Zambia and Haiti have strengthened his faith, deepened his passion, and inspired an ongoing commitment to action in the area of social justice. Mitch holds board positions with various design and humanitarian organizations, including Poetice International.

The impact of materials goes deeper than the surface of a designed object. Likewise, the impact made at IDa by Jennifer Wammack goes well beyond her extensive background in textiles. Behind the scenes, Jennifer works closely with Mitch to shape the firm’s strategic direction. On the product side, she’s a tireless advocate for improving the user experience and the life cycle of our designs. Before joining IDa, Jennifer served as director of design for Guilford of Maine, the textile manufacturer formerly owned by sustainability pioneer Interface. That experience ignited her passion for sustainability, inspiring her to earn a Masters of Management in Sustainable Business. Jennifer is also our link to the local community, currently serving as president of the West Michigan Sustainable Business Forum.

Is there a better possible beginning to a story about an industrial designer than being born the son of a millworker? Not likely. He attended Kendall College of Art & Design and never looked back. His past product design work ranges from floor sweepers for Bissell to a bouncy seat for Sassy, not to mention several award-winning commercial furniture products. Zach worked with an ex-NFL player to develop a concussion-reducing helmet and he still burns the midnight oil making his signature rvndsgn watches. Of his role at IDa, he says, “I’m kind of doing my dream job.” His IDa colleagues might think of Zach as a younger brother, but their respect for his talent and his natural curiosity is immense.

At what point in her career did Cara Danis realize that designers needed to be well organized? “Like, day one,” she says without hesitation. Her education and work experiences have helped hone both her design and organizational skillsets over the years. Cara studied industrial design at Western Michigan University and Denmark’s International Study Program, which sparked her love of Scandinavian furniture design. Her professional career began in the RV industry, where she coordinated teams of designers, engineers, model makers, and suppliers. Since joining IDa, she has seamlessly integrated herself into our collaborative culture, contributing to ideation, design, model making, and project management efforts. She also assumes full responsibility for getting the rest of the studio addicted to wasabi peas.

Amy Everything, as she is affectionately known by her IDa Design colleagues, does pretty much that: everything. As our studio manager, she’s the IT department, the legal department, the accounting department, the HR department, and the hospitality department. She facilitates the creative process by containing potential wildfires during times of high activity and stoking the embers so ideas don’t fizzle. She does a considerable amount of running outside the studio, too, but that’s mainly for fitness. Amy credits her experience as the wife of a business owner and 15 years of being a stay-at-home mom as the best training she could ask for.