Jeep Head of Design Mark Allen retires. Replaced by Vince Gallante, Ryan Nagode, Leandro Pinto

[tgeep]

Vince Galante replaces Mark.

Press Release:
Stellantis Announces Design Leadership Changes

• Vince Galante to head Jeep® Exterior Design
• Ryan Nagode to lead Interior Design
• Leandro Pinto to head Global User Experience

June 1, 2023 , Auburn Hills, Mich. -

Stellantis today announced the following appointments within the product design office executive leadership team, effective immediately.

Vince Galante, Vice President - Jeep® Exterior Design
Vince Galante is appointed vice president of Jeep exterior design reporting to Chief Design Officer Ralph Gilles. Galante will be responsible for all exterior design activities for the Jeep and Wagoneer by Jeep vehicle lineups.

Since joining the company in 2005, Galante has held a variety of positions of increasing responsibility and has been responsible for interior and exterior design, global UX, management and execution of various products and programs, including the Uconnect platform, Grand Wagoneer Concept, and the Airflow Vision Concept. Galante received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in transportation design from the College for Creative Studies and an executive MBA from Michigan State University.

During his career, Galante spent 12 years in the Jeep design studio working under former Head of Jeep Design Mark Allen, who announced his retirement from the company after 30 years.

Ryan Nagode, Vice President - Interior Design
Ryan Nagode is appointed vice president of interior design reporting to Gilles. In this position, Nagode will lead the interior design direction for Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram Truck and Wagoneer by Jeep brand vehicles, ensuring a cohesive and consistent interior design language representative of each brand and its heritage.

Since first joining the company in 2003 as a product designer, Nagode has helped to create numerous high-profile vehicles. Most recently, he led the interior design for the all-new Ram 1500 Revolution battery-electric vehicle concept and the all-new, all-electric 2025 Ram 1500 REV, the first battery-electric light-duty pickup truck from Ram Truck. Nagode earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Industrial Design from the Cleveland Institute of Art.

Leandro Pinto, Vice President - Global User Experience
Leandro Pinto is appointed vice president responsible for global UX, reporting to Gilles with a matrix to Chief Design Officer Jean Pierre Ploue for the North American and European brands, respectively. Pinto will be responsible for global design development, coordination, and alignment of Stellantis’ user experience and Uconnect platform.

Pinto joined Stellantis South America in 2019 leading the UX design team, eventually relocating to France in 2022 to work on regional and global programs. He earned an MBA from the Berlin School of Creative Leadership in association with Steinbeis University and has also studied at the University of Bologna in Italy, the University of Technology Sydney in Australia, and the Miami Ad School in São Paulo.

“Vince, Ryan and Leandro will bring their own unique perspective, imagination and innovation to these roles as we move toward an electrified future,” said Gilles. “We’re fortunate to have such proven and amazing talent inside our design office.”

“I would also like to thank Mark Allen for his indelible contributions to the Jeep, Dodge and Ram Truck brands. I hope that when he looks back on his career, he feels the way we do, which is gratification for the legacy he helped to create that will be enjoyed by the world for years to come.”

Sponsored

 

[yokramer]

Who?

 

[Wulfgott]

Who?

He is the head or rather was until yesterday... of Jeep Design.

 

[Maverick909]

welp its all down hill from here

 

[Powelligator]

Is he the guy that "emcee'd" the rollout of the 20th Anniversary Rubicon few months ago?

 

[Bleda2002]

That's too bad, he was a real jeeper at heart

 

[Bleda2002]

Is he the guy that "emcee'd" the rollout of the 20th Anniversary Rubicon few months ago?

He's the guy that was at Moab with it and then drove in as a "surprise" in the 20a at the announcement

 

[Powelligator]

Hmmm... Still not sure if it's the same guy I'm thinking about.

What's Vince Galante's act? Where's he from, what's his resume like? (I should google this...)

At Jeep, Vince Galante, whose led global user experience, will replace the retiring Mark Allen as vice president of the adventure brand's exterior design. Galante has led work on the Uconnect infotainment platform, the Grand Wagoneer concept vehicle and the Airflow Vision Concept. He's a College for Creative Studies graduate and holds a master's of business administration from Michigan State University. Galante joined the automaker in 2005.

He spent 12 years in the Jeep designs studio under Allen, who announced his retirement after 30 years with the company this week. He oversaw significant expansion of the brand's lineup and has been an advocate for Jeep's involvement with the Red Rock 4-Wheeler Inc. club's annual Easter Jeep Safari event in Moab, Utah, where the brand has unveiled concepts to test new technology, get feedback from enthusiasts about new features and pay homage to its heritage. He's also made contribution to the Dodge and Ram brands.

******

Note that by now a lot of the exterior design for the upcoming JL replacement is probably mostly done, and it's entirely possible that Galante has had a hand in it.

 

[aldo98229]

That's too bad, he was a real jeeper at heart

Unfortunately, all “the real Jeepers” are disappearing from Jeep.

These days Jeep is more interested in hiring people who can make French-style croissants than know how to wheel.

 

[jludave]

welp its all down hill from here

It all went downhill when they added that dash/infotainment cluster to the '24. The heart of what makes a Wrangler a Wrangler is slowly dying.

 

[JAY]

Here's the press release announcement:

Press Release:
Stellantis Announces Design Leadership Changes

• Vince Galante to head Jeep® Exterior Design
• Ryan Nagode to lead Interior Design
• Leandro Pinto to head Global User Experience

June 1, 2023 , Auburn Hills, Mich. -

Stellantis today announced the following appointments within the product design office executive leadership team, effective immediately.

Vince Galante, Vice President - Jeep® Exterior Design
Vince Galante is appointed vice president of Jeep exterior design reporting to Chief Design Officer Ralph Gilles. Galante will be responsible for all exterior design activities for the Jeep and Wagoneer by Jeep vehicle lineups.

Since joining the company in 2005, Galante has held a variety of positions of increasing responsibility and has been responsible for interior and exterior design, global UX, management and execution of various products and programs, including the Uconnect platform, Grand Wagoneer Concept, and the Airflow Vision Concept. Galante received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in transportation design from the College for Creative Studies and an executive MBA from Michigan State University.

During his career, Galante spent 12 years in the Jeep design studio working under former Head of Jeep Design Mark Allen, who announced his retirement from the company after 30 years.

Ryan Nagode, Vice President - Interior Design
Ryan Nagode is appointed vice president of interior design reporting to Gilles. In this position, Nagode will lead the interior design direction for Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram Truck and Wagoneer by Jeep brand vehicles, ensuring a cohesive and consistent interior design language representative of each brand and its heritage.

Since first joining the company in 2003 as a product designer, Nagode has helped to create numerous high-profile vehicles. Most recently, he led the interior design for the all-new Ram 1500 Revolution battery-electric vehicle concept and the all-new, all-electric 2025 Ram 1500 REV, the first battery-electric light-duty pickup truck from Ram Truck. Nagode earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Industrial Design from the Cleveland Institute of Art.

Leandro Pinto, Vice President - Global User Experience
Leandro Pinto is appointed vice president responsible for global UX, reporting to Gilles with a matrix to Chief Design Officer Jean Pierre Ploue for the North American and European brands, respectively. Pinto will be responsible for global design development, coordination, and alignment of Stellantis’ user experience and Uconnect platform.

Pinto joined Stellantis South America in 2019 leading the UX design team, eventually relocating to France in 2022 to work on regional and global programs. He earned an MBA from the Berlin School of Creative Leadership in association with Steinbeis University and has also studied at the University of Bologna in Italy, the University of Technology Sydney in Australia, and the Miami Ad School in São Paulo.

“Vince, Ryan and Leandro will bring their own unique perspective, imagination and innovation to these roles as we move toward an electrified future,” said Gilles. “We’re fortunate to have such proven and amazing talent inside our design office.”

“I would also like to thank Mark Allen for his indelible contributions to the Jeep, Dodge and Ram Truck brands. I hope that when he looks back on his career, he feels the way we do, which is gratification for the legacy he helped to create that will be enjoyed by the world for years to come.”

 

[Old Jeeper]

I would advise Jeep that the Jeep today is not far for the Jeep of 1941 and for GODs sake DO NOT get rid of the fold down windshield and take off doors...its those that make Jeep a Jeep, without might as well drive a 4wd Camry...

 

[Powelligator]

To get some sort of an idea of what Galante's design philosophy is, we can take a look at a couple designs he appears to be credited with. He seems to be a fan of the "high beltline low roof" look. While not mentioned specifically a couple of the concepts from this year's EJS feature that look, I'm thinking he had a hand in that as well. I predict that the JL replacement will have a low roofline in comparison to the body.

 

[linux_guy]

These designers should take a long hard look at sliding seats in JL and at the fragile clutch used with the manual transmission.

 

[Reinen]

I would advise Jeep that the Jeep today is not far for the Jeep of 1941 and for GODs sake DO NOT get rid of the fold down windshield and take off doors...its those that make Jeep a Jeep, without might as well drive a 4wd Camry...

TBH, I could forgo the fold down windshield. Especially now that the roll cage goes all the way forward. In all my years of Jeep ownership I folded my windshield down twice. One to wheel without a windshield and learn why windshields exist, the other for easy access when installing something on the dash.

It's a feature that exists solely for nostalgia. It doesn't even serve its original purpose anymore, which was to allow the Jeep to be shipped in a smaller crate way back in the days before Jeeps had roll bars.

Sponsored