Bill Stumpf was a pioneering American industrial designer whose career was defined by rigorous research into human comfort, posture, and ergonomic function. He joined Herman Miller in 1970 and drew on extensive studies of how people sit and move to reconceptualize seating design. Rather than prioritizing style alone, Stumpf focused on how furniture supports and responds to the body in real use, making ergonomic performance central to his design philosophy.

Stumpf’s tenure at Herman Miller yielded a series of highly influential products that reshaped office environments. He designed the Ergon chair—considered one of the first research-based ergonomic workchairs—and later collaborated with Don Chadwick on the Equa and Aeron chairs, the latter becoming an iconic standard for modern office seating. In addition to seating, he was principal designer for the Ethospace system, a flexible workspace solution that reflected his commitment to human-centered work environments.

Throughout his life, Stumpf pursued the idea that good design should respect and enhance everyday experience. His contributions earned him recognition including the National Design Award in Product Design from the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum, awarded posthumously. His legacy endures in Herman Miller products that continue to influence contemporary approaches to ergonomics, comfort, and functional design.