After having worked for several government agencies and manufacturing companies, Mario Gagnon founded ALTO Design in 1986. Benefitting from the expansion of plastics processes in Quebec, he quickly gained a reputation within the industry. His vision enabled him to develop a broad expertise and garner several national and international awards (Red Dot, IDSA, Hall of Fame 2008/major world player in industrial design, etc.).

He has worked as a professor at the CEGEP du Vieux Montréal. As a practical instructor, he led an undergraduate workshop at the Université de Montréal and was a guest lecturer at HEC.

Mario is the founding president of Alto Design inc.,  President of the Association des designers industriels du Québec (ADIQ), Member of the board of directors of the Association of Canadian Industrial Designers (ACID), Member of the board of directors of Mission Design and the spokesperson for the fundraising campaign of the Université de Montréal’s Industrial Design School.