Places Lived

Albuquerque, New Mexico

Boulder, Colorado

Burbank, California

Houston, Texas

Pomona, California

Royal Oak, Michigan

Manhattan, New York


Adelaide, Australia

Torino, Italy

Kanazawa, Japan

Mexico City, Mexico

Xela, Guatemala

Favorite World Places

Rotorua, New Zealand

Nice, France

Sydney, Australia

Paris, France

Santiago, Chile

San Francisco, USA

Santorini, Greece

Life Facts about Adrian: Facts by Age

Became a rock collector at age 4 by collecting rocks from neighbors yards

In Kindergarten while building a structure with wood a nails a hammer hit the thumb

At age 6 saw Goofy bump into his Father at Disneyland making his father miss taking a photo of Adrian 

In second grade first book report was on Thomas Alva Edison holder of 1093 patents

Missed meeting Darth Vader at the Mall, but his Mom was able to get a signed poster instead

Sold 444 Boy Scout Jamboree Tickets as a Cub Scout at age 9 to loose to an entire boy scout troop by one ticket to win an Atari Computer

Conducted Solar Tests on Scale Homes for a School Science Fair Project

Performed as Mime at public events and Nursing Homes

Designed a Prosthetic Knee and won several awards for the High School Science Fair Project

First purchased car was a 1974 Orange and Black Convertible Volkswagen Thing

Acted on Stage, Appeared in Commercials, and did Runway Work as a Teenager

First Salaried Job was a Camp Counselor at age 14 (held for 4 Summers)

First Purchased Pet was a white peach crested Moluccan Cockatoo at age 15

2nd Graduating class of La Cueva High School in Albuquerque, New Mexico

Saved a cat during a fire from the Next Door Neighbor's Burning House

Help the Homeless Chair Fundraiser (clothes collecting and fundraising), Albuquerque, NM

Worked at University of New Mexico as a PC and Apple Computer Consultant for CIRT (1989-1991)

Attended the Philmont Scout Ranch with my Father and Brother for two weeks Riding Horseback

Participant in the National Student Exchange program to Cal Poly Pomona, California

Member of the Cal Poly Pomona Circle K International Community Service Organization

Designed the Suspended Solar Car Quick Release Seat for the Cal Poly Pomona Solar Car, Intrepid

Sent to Japan as part of the EAGLE Japan Program to study culture, language, and industry

Studied at KIT, Kanazawa Institute of Technology, in Japan

Participant in the International Student Exchange to Flinders University, Australia

Volunteer Cook for Meals On Wheels in Adelaide, Australia

Studied Spanish in several intensive language courses including Mexico City and Guatemala

Completely restored from the ground up a 1955 Chevy Pickup to Original Condition with my Father

Featured on the CBS Evening News with Dan Rather regarding the General Motors AUTOnomy

Had the unique opportunity to sit with Cameron Diaz and Dennis Hopper to present and explain the Hy-WIre Concept Vehicle

Featured on the Travel Channel with Father and Son restoration of a classic 1955 Chevy Pickup to original condition

Guest lecturer at MIT, Michigan State University, and the Center of Creative Studies

Innovation Consultant at Fahrenheit 212 in New York as a Creative Director / Innovation Director (Business Week Article)

Mentioned in Esquire magazine’s Genius Issue in an article called The Rescuers, by James Otmer

Volunteer Photographer at the 2007 American Cancer Society’s Strides Walk in Central Park, New York

Total Vehicle Architect Advisor for MIT’s Vehicle Design Summit with 40 International Universities and over 400 Students Participants

Guest Lecturer at GroepT University in Leuven, Belgium and Delft University of Technology, the Netherlands

Featured in U.S. Dept of State Article: Hyperefficient, Supersafe Car Envisioned by International Group, by By Andrzej Zwaniecki


Attendee of International Design Conferences in Aspen, Colorado (1992, 1996, 2001)

Attendee of TED (Technology, Entertainment and Design) Conferences (2002, 2003)

Attendee of the Business Innovation Factory Conferences, in Providence, Rhode Island. (2006, 2007, 2008)

Areas of Experience

Consumer Products Development

Green Product Design

Vehicle Design & Development

Ride Design & Development


Ideation, Innovation & Invention

Mechanical Engineering

Manufacturing Engineering


Systems Thinking & Scenarios

Project Management

Financial Management


Planning & Procurement

Market Research & Strategy

Branding & Communications

Technology Intelligence

Interesting Facts:

Awards and Honors Received:

General Motors Chairman’s Honor Award

Master Inventor Award at General Motors

Young Distinguished Engineering of the Year Award, University of New Mexico School of Engineering

Charles L. McCuen Special Achievement General Motors Award for Extraordinary Accomplishment


Staples Invention Quest Award Winner for Inventing Rubber Bandits

Philips Electronics Graduate Fellowship Award

Intel Corporation Graduate Fellowship Award

Walt Disney Imagineering Ride Design Competition Award

NASA’s Going the Extra Mile (GEM) Award

NASA Achievement Award

NASA Certificate of Appreciation

Eagle Scout Award, Boy Scouts of America

Family Facts:

Father, Al Chernoff, worked for the DOE and is a Retired US Naval Captain who served on the USS Enterprise. He is currently a consultant.

Mother, Dr. Marilyn Chernoff, a Gifted Teacher for 18 years of 27 years of Teaching, and is currently a NAET Health Practitioner.

Brother, Seth Chernoff, is the CEO of modular cabin manufacturer and retailer, SpiritCabins.com







Family was good friends with the World Famous Native American Potter, Maria Martinez of San Ildefonso

Grandmother, Marguerite Chernoff and her parents knew Pancho Villa and had dinner on several occasions at Mr. and Mrs. Villa’s Home

Grandmother, Marguerite Chernoff, knew and corresponded with the world re-known painter Diego Rivera

Grandfather, Sam Chernoff was a competitive chess player

Discovered Great Grandfather (Joseph Leon Chernomorsky) who is buried in a Cemetery in Mexico City, Mexico

Grandparents Sam and Marguerite Chernoff Business legacy is Wright’s, and is Albuquerque’s Oldest Trading Post since 1907

Article: Wright’s Indian Art, started in 1907, celebrates it’s 100th year of business in 2007

Grandparents (Milton and Dorothy Appelbaum) Business was the Arcadia Bookshop and was one of the famous Antiquarian Book Shops in New York

Excerpts from the book, Book Row, by Mondin and Meador about Miton and Dorothy Applebaum

Managed Innovation Programs At:

Stile Bertone, Turin, Italy

Continuum, Boston, MA

Applied Minds, Burbank, CA

Fahrenheit 212, Manhattan, NY