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How Judges and Docents are Chosen

Chief Judges

The three Chief Judges are selected by Tom Gale to represent design from a broad perspective. Their backgrounds encompass the past, the present and the future of transportation design. Tom’s vision is to have active OEM design leaders, or recently retired global design leaders, and recognized academic leaders, facilitate the judging and awards process.

With three internationally renowned leaders, the judging process is assured to be fair. The credibility and importance of the award-winning vehicle designs is easily recognized by the automotive design community.

Judging Panel

The judging panel is made up of invited vehicle design studio heads and leading design educators from around the world.

Docents

At the very finest museums, and often at the most important exhibits, docents act as combined tour directors, educators, guides, and experts to ensure that all the highlights are appreciated by visitors or attendees. To act in this capacity each of the docents must be knowledgeable not only of the exhibit layout but of the subject, as well. For this reason, Tom Gale and our organizing committee, headed by John Teodecki, has each year selected senior automotive designers to act as docents for EyesOn Design at the North American International Auto Show.

To be sure that the passage through the show, given the world recognition by the press of most of these design leaders, is smooth and not impeded by the media, by photographers, or by the complexities of the show itself, a group of younger designers, (Docents) led by Gerry Piaskowski, Chrysler Design (ret.) leads the judges through the show in an efficient manner.

Gerry Piaskowski’s many years as an active designer gives him the credentials to help make the difficult decisions on the floor. He also coaches the docents in understanding the importance of their assignment and the format for their work.

The docent’s job is to lead each of the several groups of designer judges around the exhibit hall and to be certain that each concept or production vehicle introduced here in Detroit is given full attention. They must discreetly usher the judges through the displays and back into the discussion room in time for a full discourse on which vehicles will finally emerge as the EyesOn Design at the North American International Auto Show winners. While being selected as a docent is considered a high honor, it is obviously not without challenges.

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