NZ Royal Honours: Prof. Tony Parker OMNZ
Tony Parker is described as having a refined sense of form development and aesthetic judgment and that he can articulate design in a way people can understand.
Tony has an expert understanding of the way ergonomics, form, product architecture and customer engagement work together.
His extraordinary visual acuity ranges from his incredible drawing skills, his digital illustration skills to his appreciation of visual communication design. He is thoughtful and passionate about design and his horizon is international.
Tony's passion for design education has nurtured several generations of product designers, many of whom are scattered across the globe, much to their teacher’s delight. People such as Matt Holmes, Head Designer at Nike, and Danny Coster, who is in the inner sanctum of the design team at Apple.
As Head of Industrial Design at Massey for many years he has mentored young industrial designers and matched graduates with his incredible international networks. He himself has a Masters degree from the Royal College of Art.
He walks the talk by continuing to practice design at the highest level through his work with Gallagher. He is the creative brains behind a slew of innovative designs, from petrol pumps to the Hulme Supercar.
Professor Tony Parker is a past president (from 2007-2013) and a Fellow of the Designers Institute. He has been the convenor of the product judges at the Best Design Awards 2007 - 2021. He was Associate Pro-Vice Chancellor until 2020 as Research Director for the Massey University College of Creative Arts and, and a member of the Industrial Design Society of America.
—Andrea Stevens