Designer / Owner, dVERB Studio
Growing up in Seattle, Henry Hiltner was surrounded by family members in the design trades who encouraged his curiosity for the built environment and the objects we interact with every day. Over time, he developed deep industry experience in product design and production, design leadership, management, branding and business consulting.
Hiltner runs dVERB studio, from Seattle’s historic Pike Place Market, focused on consumer product design and branding. He also partners with paulwylde studio in California, leading international design projects for the aviation, travel, and hospitality industries, for business leaders and Fortune 500 companies including, Boeing, Panasonic, Delta, Hilton, and Air Canada.
Previously, Hiltner established Shelter + Prospect, a boutique studio designing and manufacturing a signature collection of furniture, housewares and jewelry. He also co-founded a specialty clothing brand, a martial arts academy and a consumer accessories company for Apple products. Hiltner taught at the Art Institute of Seattle and ran the prototype shop, helping students develop successful projects. As a former account executive at Design Within Reach, he has a deep understanding of the high-end client experience, vendor relations, purchasing, specification and user-centered product development.
Hiltner has served as board chair of IDSA Northwest for three years and as interim West District Chapter Representative. He has a passion for promoting and encouraging the advancement and awareness of good design, while building community in the Seattle area and beyond.
I have supported the Northwest Chapter as an advisor to the Board for many years and have served as Board Chair for the last three.
After holding the West District Chapter Representative role in an interim capacity, for the last several months, I see an opportunity to promote and encourage awareness of the design community and build the IDSA membership in the entire West District. This means growth in numbers, but just as importantly, in the quality of events and opportunities the organization provides.
I would like to work on connecting the chapters for more shared events, cross-pollination of ideas, and general comradery among both the leadership and the chapter members. Creating a community that has clear value to its members is a challenge that I feel the whole organization is currently very focused on, and that I can help to bring to the West District.
