Suzanne Tick received a bachelor's degree in woven design from the University of Iowa and an associate degree in applied arts from the Fashion Institute of Technology. When she first arrived at Knoll as a design consultant, her background in textile technology made her the perfect candidate to help KnollTextiles pioneer environmental fabrics ― placing the company at the forefront of an emerging market with her recyclable, low-waste designs.
Tick served as the creative director for KnollTextiles from 1996 until 2005, during which time she helped navigate the company back towards its modernist roots, while simultaneously maintaining the legacy of innovation and exploration. She excited the entire contract textiles industry with her invention of Imago; an entirely new product that combined the transparency of a sheer drape with the rigidity of a structural panel.
In the fall of 2003, Tick was nominated as one of three finalists in the product design category for The Cooper Hewitt National Design Awards. Her work for KnollTextiles has gained recognition from I.D. magazine, IIDA, Neocon, and the Chicago Athenaeum in their GOOD Design Award Program.