Gregory Erickson

About Gregory Erickson

I believe INNOVATION CREATIONshould be: FAST enough to decide, REAL enough to trust, UNIQUE enough to notice, and HUMAN enough to desire. My passion is helping teams turn creativity into products people actually use. Not slideware. Not someday. Real products, in real materials, in real hands.Innovation realization isn’t just about ideas - it’s about creating momentum leveraging fast techs to accelerate learning - building confidence to take action/pivot.Tough challenges require tenacity, humility, and even humor. I help teams push through complexity to deliver products with visual appeal that people love to use and remember.One of my proudest achievements? Co-creating the GO2Lab, a packaging rapid prototyping lab, where dispensing concepts become working MVP solution’s within hours or days, giving Brands confidence to market.What I do-Lead cross-functional teams to create products people hold, direct, press, and express with SENSATIONAL EFFICACY.[The Aptar AppLab Team ROCKS dispensing effects!]-Solve tough technology and product challenges with consumers, customers, and smart people and partners-Apply design thinking and rapid iteration with end consumers to deliver performance, delight, and inclusion [ease of use].Key accomplishments at Aptar-Co-created the GO2Lab, continuing today with the same expert team delivering speed, insight, and hands-on results customers trust. https://aptar.com/en-us/beauty/go2lab-Partnered with Metaphase they ‘speak human’ and are specialists in high touch products - Human Factors / Ergonomics / Design the CEO Award, for new capabilities and customer value propositions. One of few given annually across employees-Had granted and have filed - numerous patents and trade marks - drove IP strategy-Led innovation for packaging platforms delivering sprays, foams, gels, and lotions used by Fortune 100 brands, indie innovators, private labels, and distributors — tangible goods on line, on shelf, and in and hands worldwide.What I value-Collaborating with cherished colleagues that are friends - across regions - who bring unique perspectives, knowledge, and fresh ways of thinking 🪄-Finessing ideas into tangible, scalable solutions that deliver real consumer value -Turning design and tech into experiences people notice, love, and tell their friends about Currently on professional hiatus contemplating my next moves. In the future I look forward to thought provoking conversations around YOUR INTERESTS, consumer innovation creation, …

Experience

1. Director Design & Innovation

   Aptar

   Oct 2011 — Present · Cary, IL, US

   We serve Multinational, Regional, and Indie Brands with Aptar stock and custom packaging delivery solutions and we look forward to partnering with you! Aptar Beauty identifies insights around consumer and customer needs and quickly creates novel and innovative delivery systems to meet them. We strive to exceed consumer and customer expectations by making every moment of truth - on line, on shelf, through the very last drop dispensed - engaging, effective, and enjoyable. Our GO2LAB [https://aptar.com/beauty/go2lab/] product development team also designs, engineers, and realizes packaging solutions. We are MAKERS that transform ideas into WORKING PLASTIC MVPs in DAYS or weeks. Working products you can try, share with your Brand, test with your consumers or in the Lab. Our solutions are designed to meet your needs. We strive to deliver solutions for global trends like design for inclusion, sustainability, and e-commerce.

Education

• University of Wisconsin-Stout

  Industrial Technology, Packaging Engineering

  1984 — 1987

Skills

• Consumer Product Testing
• Research Design
• Customer Insight
• 3d Printing
• Culture Change
• Collaborative Problem Solving
• Change Management
• Molding
• Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (Fmcg)
• Manufacturing
• Product Development
• Fmcg
• Design Thinking
• Cross-Functional Team Leadership
• Packaging
• User Experience
• Food Packaging
• Capability Development
• Injection Molding
• Strategy
• E-Commerce
• Consumer Products
• R&D
• Consumer Insight
• Continuous Improvement
• Open Innovation
• Rapid Prototyping
• Industrial Design
• Research and Development (R&D)
• Aerosol
• Product Design
• Design Strategy
• Storyboarding
• Dispensers
• Packaging Engineering
• Packaging Design
• Management
• Team Leadership
• Personal Care
• Design for Manufacturing