Europeans have always been more forward thinking than U.S. retailers in their approach to retail lighting. Is the U.S. catching up?
Absolutely. Upfront costs used to be a primary consideration, but now, most U.S. retailers have figured out they can significantly add to their bottom line by putting life-cycle cost at the top of their priority list.

What’s one thing you want every retailer or store designer to know about lighting?
Focus on illuminating your merchandise properly and you will increase your sales. A lot of retailers put most of their lighting into the ceiling and “wash” the entire store with a ton of ambient light. Instead, create contrast (at least a 3:1 ratio) and drama by putting lights into your displays and store fixtures to draw customers’ attention to the products.

LED technology has advanced at lightning speed in the past five years. What’s next on the horizon?
Organic LEDs. Imagine in a few years that a light fixture will be as thin as a piece of paper.

Speaking of speed … in your other life, you race cars. How did you get into that?
I’d been driving performance cars on race tracks for almost 15 years when I signed up for a contest organized by Opel (General Motors) in 2007. Before I knew it, I was on a German TV show (think of it as “American Idol” for race car drivers) with 18,500 other contestants competing for one of eight seats on the Opel factory team. I won and started racing on a professional level. Now, I’m racing with Aston Martin.

What’s your favorite race?
The 24-hour race at the Nuerburgring in Germany. This year will be my third race.

What other races are on your “to-do” list?
The 24-hour Le Mans and Daytona races. Then I will have participated in every major endurance race in the world.

What’s your dream car?
I’ve owned it already – a Ford Fiesta with 40 horsepower. Nothing beats your first car.

When you’re not racing cars, how do you like to spend your time outside the office?
I love the outdoors, especially the mountains. Skiing is my favorite hobby. Or hiking with my dog.

Name one thing your co-workers would be surprised to learn about you.
Clothes and shoes are two of my weaknesses. I own more than 30 pairs of jeans and just as many suits.