co/struc height-adjustable workstation

A native of Colorado, Propst began his career in the late 1940s as a graphic artist, teacher, and sculptor. In 1953, he formed the Propst Co., a Denver-based firm specializing in speculative product development. In other words, Propst drew on his independent nature and impatience with the status quo to attack problems, whether anyone asked him to or not. He called on Herman Miller with one of those speculative developments—a unique fishbone connection system for furniture components. Propst then signed on as a Herman Miller consultant and began conducting unprecedented studies of people in work situations as a basis for extending the company's line of products.

In 1960, Propst became president of Herman Miller Research Corp., where he continued investigating how the world of work operates, concluding that "today's office is a wasteland. It saps vitality, blocks talent, frustrates accomplishment. It is the daily scene of unfulfilled intentions and failed effort."

With over 120 patents under his belt, Propst continued his relentless investigations until his death in 2000.

Herman Miller was a West Michigan businessman who helped his son-in-law, D.J. De Pree, buy the Michigan Star Furniture Company in 1923. De Pree had been working at the company, which opened in 1905, since he was hired in 1909 as a clerk. De Pree knew his father-in-law was a man of integrity, so he decided to rename the company after him. By the middle of the 20th century, the name Herman Miller had become synonymous with “modern” furniture. Working with legendary designers George Nelson and Charles and Ray Eames, the company produced pieces that would become classics of industrial design.