Nathan Proch, Jun Imai
Background
Nathan Proch — Nathan Proch graduated in Industrial Design (B.S.) from the University of Cincinnati in 1987 and interned at the Chrysler Design Center (Michigan) and the Chrysler Advanced Concept Studio (Los Angeles). He started at Hot Wheels in the early 2000s, creating automotive projects adapted for different media. In 2009 he was honored as a distinguished alumnus of Shenango High School and he was nominated for the Diecast Hall of Fame (2014) in the die-cast designer category.
Jun Imai — Jun Imai is a Design Manager at Hot Wheels, at Mattel. In a 2016 interview, he described leading a team of six designers and taking part in automotive partnerships and licensing, such as the collaboration with Porsche customizer Magnus Walker. He grew up collecting Hot Wheels and, according to the interviewer, brought a strong JDM (Japanese domestic market) influence to the brand's models. The sources consulted do not state his education or year of entry.
