Whirlpool Corporation’s head of global design J Mays set to retire; company welcomes veteran design leader Tisha Johnson as replacement

After three years with the company, Whirlpool Corporation Global Consumer Design Lead J Mays will be retiring as planned at the end of 2021. During his tenure, Mays has led the company’s Global Consumer Design (GCD) team in setting the design direction of Whirlpool Corporation’s product portfolio around the world. He has successfully integrated the role of GCD into the initial stages of the product planning process, truly putting design at the forefront of product leadership.

“J has been an invaluable member of our leadership team, inspiring a unified approach and engaging all the human senses in our global consumer design to improve life at home,” said Senior VP, Global Product Organization Roberto Campos.

Mays’ passion for design excellence and craftsmanship has inspired a culture of designing for the senses and creating product experiences that serve to enhance the lives of consumers. During his tenure, multiple iF Awards were given in design excellence for Whirlpool Corporation’s global portfolio of products, along with other design accolades such as the Red Dot Awards in the multiple regions where the company does business.

J has been an invaluable member of our leadership team, inspiring a unified approach and engaging all the human senses in our global consumer design to improve life at home.”

“I have felt honored to work with this incredibly talented team of designers that is committed to making a positive impact on people’s lives,” said Mays.

With Mays’ retirement, Whirlpool Corporation is excited to welcome Tisha Johnson as the new Global Consumer Design Lead, effective June 1, 2021. Johnson joins the company from the Herman Miller Group, where she served as VP of Global Product Design, guiding design efforts across HMG’s extensive product portfolio. Previously, she was VP of Global Automotive Interior Design at Volvo Car Group in Gothenburg, Sweden. She held several roles of increasing responsibility during her tenure at Volvo, including Head of Design, North America.

Johnson has also held roles with Milliken & Company, managing Strategic Design at their Advanced Concept Studio in California. Additionally, she established a design consultancy (Trendviz Studio), providing business strategies for several consumer product categories. Some of her recent recognitions include the Design Grand Prize (2019, Festival Automobile International in Paris) and Industry Innovator of the Year (2017, Detroit Auto Show).

“Tisha will be a wonderful addition as our new leader for global consumer design, and I look forward to the point of view she will bring to the future of our products,” said Campos.

Johnson studied transportation design at the ArtCenter College of Design in Pasadena, California. In her free time, she enjoys being with her family, and has a passion for surfing, cycling, yoga, and motorcycle riding.

“Whirlpool’s vision to improve life at home is particularly inspiring to me since the human connection is central to the design process,” said Johnson. “I’m excited to work with such a strong global team and look forward to collaborating on the future of iconic kitchen and laundry products.”