By the middle of the 20th century, the name Herman Miller had become synonymous with “modern” furniture. De Pree first hired designer Gilbert Rohde in 1930, who ushered in an era of problem-solving modern design. A decade and a half later, he would hire George Nelson, who changed the course of the entire company. Design-driven – and with support from De Pree – Nelson brought in his contemporaries, such as Charles and Ray Eames, Alexander Girard, and Isamu Noguchi, to produce pieces that would become modern classics.