NEW YORK -- Veteran retail store and restaurant designer and brand strategist James Sundstad has joined brand agency and retail design consultancy CBX as vice president of branded environments.
In his new position, Sundstad will be responsible for leading the CBX Branded Environments group, reporting to partner Todd Maute.
Sundstad comes to CBX with more than 35 years of industry experience collaborating with architects, interior designers, graphics firms, PR agencies, brand strategists and other creative professionals. Most recently, he was vice president of retail strategy and design at Studio D/Visual Graphics Systems, Carlstadt, N.J., a full-service manufacturer of next-generation signage. There, he established new strategic relationships with major retail and foodservice clients across the United States and Canada, including Chipotle, Whole Foods, Starbucks, Peet’s Coffee & Tea, Pizza Factory, FatBurger, Fuddruckers, Jamba Juice, Blue Frog Brewing, SuperValu and United Pacific Oil.
Before joining Studio D, Sundstad, as an independent contractor, was responsible for the development, design, buildout and testing of a new 500-square-foot concept store for Starbucks. Prior to that, he was executive vice president, creative services at King Retail Solutions, a retail design and build firm in Oregon. In that capacity, he was responsible for key account development and served as strategic director for such major retail clients as Starbucks, Safeway, PetSmart, GH Bass Shoes, Whole Foods, Rite Aid, Adidas, Kroger, Fred Meyer, Massage Envy, Butter London, Bartell Drug, Thrifty Foods, Sunoco, Walgreens and Eddie Bauer.
From 2009 to 2011, Sundstad was managing director and director of West Coast operations for branding company FITCH in Seattle, where his clients included Microsoft Hardware & Global Retail, City Target, Nokia, Dell, Buffalo Wild Wings and Starbucks.
Prior to FITCH, Sundstad spent five years in London as owner/creative director of Werkspace Studios Ltd., a firm focused on brand strategy, brand positioning and re-branding strategies. Earlier, Sundstad launched Werkhaus Creative Communications in Seattle. During Sundstad’s 15 years as the branding firm’s president and creative director, his project managers and designers handled assignments for clients such as Nike, Starbucks, Tully’s Coffee, Microsoft, Chihuly Studio, Nintendo, K2 Sports, U2 and Wells Fargo.
New York City-based CBX specializes in creative marketing services including strategy, naming, branding, retail design and packaging design.
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