Betsy Berry Burns
Vice President of Creative Development
Jon Pish has worked at Horizon Group USA for the last 12 years, and during his time here he has
made great impact within our creative team. I was lucky enough to be Jon’s direct manager for the
last 8 years of his career. While my position oversees all creative for our department, Jon served as
a Director of Design. Jon has five direct reports, two of which are UK based. He has managed an
enormous workload and has handled the workflow into the team with ease. Jon is a key partner to
product development, merchandising and senior leadership.
Jon has managed a large workload coming from major retailers such as Target, Walmart, Five Below,
Dollar General, and Michael’s. While he is responsible for the workload for design, Jon is
specifically responsible for all major brand development, major campaigns tailored to our retail
partners, and innovative packaging design. Jon has an untouchable talent in graphic design, and he
elevates every project he is a part of. One highlight of Jon’s career has been to become a key
packaging partner to Target. Jon has also brought innovative processes to our team such as the use
of Asana to massively improve our department efficiencies, and Miro which has helped the design
team visually communicate with all other cross-functional team members.
Jon would be an asset to any company. Although his work and impact at Horizon Group USA is clear,
his ability to connect with the people around him is what makes him a fantastic manager. He is kind,
thoughtful and smart. He asks the right questions and seeks information to keep projects moving.
He has never let a ball drop within our team, and because of this, he is a very trusted partner. I
highly recommend Jon for your team, as you will learn very quickly, he is an asset. Please contact
me any time at 347-601-5877 to discuss his experience.
Niki Ives
Vice President of Business Development
I am pleased to recommend Jon Pish, with whom I have had the privilege of working with across two organizations. Jon is an exceptional creative leader and designer whose talent, strategic thinking, and collaborative spirit consistently elevate every team and project he touches.
I first worked with Jon during my time at Target, he developed and managed the packaging style guides Horizon created for many of the programs I led. His work was exceptional—meticulous, strategic, and always evolving. Year after year, cycle after cycle, Jon pushed the creative standard forward while maintaining clarity, consistency, and brand alignment for an "excessive amount" of programs each year. His ability to innovate within established systems while keeping everything highly functional and new, made him an invaluable partner.
Our paths crossed again when I joined Horizon Group, where Jon served as the Director of Design. Although I was not Jon’s direct manager, I partnered closely with him daily and saw firsthand the strength of his leadership. Jon advocated relentlessly for his team—ensuring they were supported, resourced, and heard—and he excelled at communicating their needs upward in a clear, solutions-focused way. His leadership created a culture where designers could thrive, explore, and deliver outstanding work.
As a designer himself, Jon is equally impressive. His graphic design talent is truly standout; he has an intuitive understanding of how visuals influence customer perception, product storytelling and is a typography genius. Jon brings his concepts to life with both creativity and purpose, and balances innovation with commercial viability perfectly. His design execution is not only beautiful but deeply thoughtful.
Beyond his immense skill set, Jon is simply a wonderful person to work with. He is collaborative, approachable, passionate, and genuinely fun—someone who brings positivity into every room and builds strong partnerships effortlessly.
I recommend Jon without hesitation for any role in design or creative leadership. He will bring vision, craft, and a deep sense of integrity to any team fortunate enough to have him.
Kat Stock
Designer & Illustrator
I had the pleasure of working with Jon during our time at Horizon Group USA. As a Creative Designer collaborating with Jon internationally from the UK, I reported to him on a wide range of projects spanning product design, product mechanicals, packaging, trend boards and general artwork and graphic tasks.
Despite the geographical distance, Jon made me feel like an integral part of the team from day one. He has a unique ability to lead with warmth and approachability while also demonstrating a sharp design eye and deep industry knowledge. I always felt supported and creatively empowered under his guidance. Jon brings a mix of creativity, experience, and calm leadership to everything he does. He gives thoughtful feedback, communicates clearly, and creates a space where collaboration feels effortless.
Jon is one of those designers who just gets it. There were many moments where he’d suggest a seemingly simple change—something so intuitive it left me thinking, “Why didn’t I think of that?”—and that’s exactly what makes him stand out as a design manager. His instinct for what makes a design feel “right” is unmatched, and his feedback was always constructive, knowledgeable, and right on the mark.
Beyond his immense talent, Jon is a genuinely great person—passionate, collaborative, approachable, incredibly easy and dare I even say “fun” to work with.
I feel fortunate to have worked under Jon’s direction. He would be a tremendous asset to any team or project, I’d work with him again in a heartbeat.