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April 5, 2003

Herbst LaZar Bell Inc Announces Retirement of Founding Partner

posted by hdittmer at 10:07 PM

Chicago, IL – Herbst LaZar Bell Inc (HLB), the internationally recognized product design and development firm, has announced the retirement of one of its principal founding partners, Ralph LaZar. As co-founder and past president of HLB, Ralph has been a major contributor to the firm’s growth and has made significant contributions to the industry as an industrial designer. “Ralph LaZar, along with Walter Herbst and Randy Bell, created this firm more than 40 years ago and through their vision and dedication have secured our place in the history of product development,” commented Bill Lee, president of HLB. “We are thankful for Ralph’s inspiration to develop this firm, and his continued loyalty to ensure our success through four decades of change.”

For over 40 years, Mr. LaZar has been involved in all phases of the design and development process at HLB and has brought expertise and insight to virtually hundreds of projects, including high profile consumer product lines and exhibit design. In recent years, he was responsible for account management, design direction, design and project planning in all areas of product and exhibit programs.

During his distinguished career with HLB, he has been credited with a wide range of projects, including environmental and exhibit design, for such organizations as the Smithsonian Institute, the U.S. Department of Commerce, the Department of Interior, and the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry. He has designed commercial and industrial equipment for Blodgett Corporation and Broan Manufacturing; recreational equipment for Brunswick Corporation; consumer products for Sunbeam Waring and Videl Sassoon; and major appliances for GE, Kenmore, Roper, Whirlpool and Magic Chef. He has designed signage and graphic systems for Sears-Brand Central, Hilton Corporation, and the Waldorf Astoria.

The products that he has designed over the years have not only been a success in the market, but have also received numerous design awards. Among his career distinctions have been ID Magazine’s Annual Design Review Award; the Bachner Award; the Society of Plastics Industry/Structural Foam Award; the “Vision” Graphic Award; the Package Design Magazine Annual Review Award; Appliance Manufacturer’s Excellence in Design Award; the Industrial Design Excellence Award (IDEA), sponsored by the Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA) and BusinessWeek magazine; and the Triennially Award. His works have been included in Exhibit Design 2 – Package Design Annual Review and the American Corporate ID Annual, among others. He holds over 50 patents in numerous product areas.