Joe Baer is the Co-Founder, CEO and Creative Director of ZenGenius, Inc., a creative design firm founded in 1999 based in Columbus, Ohio USA. ZenGenius provides Visual Merchandising, Creative Direction and Special Events support to retail brands, businesses and organizations of all types.  For over 20 years ZenGenius has been a proud part of the creative and retail design communities.

Joe is on the Editorial Advisory board for VMSD, has been a regular judge for the International Visual Merchandising Competition, created and hosts the popular Iron Merchant Challenge held annually at the IRDC Conference.  Joe is currently the Vice President of Events for Pave Global.  Joe was an adjunct teacher at Columbus College of Art Design and has dedicated much of his career leading workshops, trainings and seminars on the wonderful worlds of visual merchandising and event design all across the globe.

Joe is the author of The Art of Visual Merchandising: Short North which celebrates unique boutiques in one of our nations’ hottest neighborhoods and co author of Mastering Store Merchandising- A How To Guide For Retailers, with ASD Market Week.  ZenGenius is a proud member of the Retail Design Institute, International Live Events Association, Shop!, Experience Columbus and is proud to be a certified NGLCC diversity supplier.  Joe created ZenGenius, Inc. with a vision to bring his gift and knowledge of Visual Merchandising to the world and provide a unique type of creative support to retailers and businesses.