Donald Corey

"Life is fun. If I can solve a problem and make the user smile, then I have created a successful design."

Donald Corey, IDSA
Donald Corey loves to tell a story through design. Every company has a story that defines its brand, its products and the experiences it offers. Donald believes that the challenge in design is to create, in such way, that you form a connection between the user and that story – whether you’re designing a product or an experience.

Born and raised in Aiken, SC, he graduated from Auburn University with a bachelor’s in industrial design and received his Master of Industrial Design degree from North Carolina State. His work has focused on a variety of industries including, architectural, medical, sporting goods, furniture, and gift. That work plus having designs featured at international design events including Salone Satellite in Milan, Italy, Workshopped in Sydney, Australia, CODE in Copenhagen, Denmark and ICFF in New York, USA, has helped give him international recognition. In addition, his work has been highlighted on major design blogs such as Designboom, Core77 and Design*Sponge and in major print publications including Vogue Living, Better Homes and Gardens and “1000 Product Designs” by Eric Chan. He recently published a book on his gift concepts entitled, “200+ Concepts for Production” that serves as an anthology of his ideas from the past 10 years.

Donald is a Professor and Program Director of Industrial Design at Appalachian State University where he teaches industrial design studios, design drawing classes and serves as Chair of the University’s Intellectually Property Council. He also runs the design firm The Other Edge, Inc. located in Raleigh, North Carolina with his wife Vanese Clough and finds endless inspiration from their daughter, Camille.