Mark Goetz graduated from Pratt Institute in New York, and in the course of working for several design consultancies, was first exposed to the field of product design at Smart Design. His own company, TZ Design, initially designed one-of-a-kind furniture pieces for private commission. Eventually, he began working with contract manufacturers, and has since designed almost 70 chairs and a number of important collections, including the American Standards Collection. Goetz has explored a wide vocabulary of design, in an effort to create what he terms “modern classics”, pieces that embody the ideals set forth by the Bauhaus and Modernist movements. Along the way, he has received the IIDA Apex Award and numerous Best of NeoCon Gold Awards. Since then, he has returned to Pratt Institute, first to teach undergraduate design courses, and subsequently as a full professor leading the Graduate Furniture Studio.