Profile
Mission
Jerry Gelsomino is the principal of FutureBest. He is a respected retail critic and visionary, tracking emerging consumer behavior in search of the next big trend. He brings to his clients extensive brand development experience as well as the ability to interpret successful techniques across merchandise and service categories. In all his endeavors, he is focused on creating the very best shopping experience for customers.
Mr. Gelsomino believes by offering to mentor and coach his clients on tactics to live their brand promise, independent of the eventual implementation techniques, he is best positioned to help bring about a new paradigm for shopping.
Innovation plays an essential role in the establishment of Jerry’s strategy for a unique client identity. To be successful, however, the innovation must be practical, affordable and able to be interpreted into everyday activities, so consideration of what is achievable is a key element of his brand creation process.
Experience
Mr. Gelsomino has held executive positions with several international retail design firms, prior to forming Krueger Design Group, Inc. with his wife, Linda J. Krueger in 1992. Based in Santa Monica, California, the firm successfully accomplished work for an array of national and international companies. During this period, Jerry also launched a marketing consultancy, known as Próspect, to serve retailers, design firms, and manufacturers.
One of Próspect’s first retained relationships was with Pratt Corporation of Indianapolis, Indiana, for whom he eventually accepted the position of Vice President of Marketing and Brand Experience. With his departure to form FutureBest, the company is once again one of his first clients.
Involvement
Committed to giving back to the industry from which he has benefited, Jerry is International Vice President and a Fellow of the Retail Design Institute, an active member of the Association for Retail Environments and a distinquished alumni of the Associate Member Advisory Committee of the National Retail Federation. He contributes regularly to several industry periodicals and as a speaker, focuses on consumer patterns, service innovation and brand building.
Project Work
Jerry’s development and consulting experience includes: Coca-Cola, Coffee Bean, Dollar General Markets, Disney Regional Entertainment, Eastern Mountain Sports, Ethel M Chocolates, Hanna – Barbera, The Hollywood Bowl, Lowe’s, L.L. Bean, Millers Outpost/Anchor Blue, Musicland Group/Best Buy, MGM Grand Hotel and Casino, Rio Suites Hotel and Casino, Six Flags Theme Parks, Target (Australia), Tracker Marine, Universal Studios, Walt Disney Imagineering and Warner Bros. International Entertainment.
Personal
Mr. Gelsomino earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Visual Arts from Southern Illinois University, and a Masters of Science in Management Degree from
