Our Story

Burning River Designs is a custom design and on-site personalization studio specializing in high-impact experiences for brands, events, and people who want to create something memorable.

What started as a hands-on furniture and woodworking practice has grown into a full-scale experiential production company trusted for trade shows, festivals, corporate events, and large-volume custom projects across the country. As our clients’ needs evolved, so did we — expanding from handcrafted pieces into laser engraving, UV printing, and live personalization activations designed to engage audiences in real time.

At our core, Burning River Designs blends craft, design, and execution. We work closely with our clients from concept through delivery, ensuring every detail — from material selection to on-site flow — supports the larger experience. Whether it’s a single custom piece or thousands of personalized items produced live on the show floor, our goal is the same: create something people are excited to take with them.

Burning River Designs is founded and led by Zac Tomko, a designer with a background in theatre, scenic fabrication, and live event production. Zac’s approach to design was shaped early on by a mentor and college professor who introduced him to woodworking and, more importantly, taught him how to be both an artist and a good person — a philosophy that still guides the company today.

After college, Zac built his career working in high-pressure live environments, including years with Cirque du Soleil, where precision, timing, and teamwork are non-negotiable. That experience directly informs how Burning River Designs operates — calm under pressure, obsessively detail-oriented, and prepared to deliver when it matters most.

While the tools and scale have grown, the values have stayed the same. We’re a family-oriented company that believes communication, reliability, and care for the work matter just as much as the final product. Burning River Designs is proudly built alongside Zac’s wife, Merrie, and is constantly supervised by two four-legged quality control specialists, Storm and Ash.

From trade show floors to festival activations to custom pieces that tell a story, Burning River Designs exists to help brands and individuals turn ideas into experiences people remember.