Michael Khandros (President of MKDR – Khandros Designs) was educated at Odessa State College of Theater Design in Europe, Parsons School of Design, New York, where he received a BA in Sculpture, and an MA in Theater Design.

He worked as an artist and designer for the Odessa State Opera House in Russia; as a sculptor for the Ukrainian State Restoration Workshop; and as design manager for close to a decade at the Excalibur Sculpture Bronze Foundry in New York; also as a designer-modeler for Jed Johnson and Associates – the leading American Interior Design company, New York. He also taught Sculpture at the American Institute of Art in Anzio, Italy.

Michael has been at the forefront of many exciting projects. Among them: Sculptor for the Hermitage Museum in Leningrad, Russia; Sculptor and Restorer for Iglava, a 15th century castle in Czechoslovakia; restoration and recreation of chandeliers and historical lighting fixtures at the Ohio State Capitol in Columbus; creation of historic fixtures for the Waldorf Astoria hotel in New York; recreation in bronze ticket windows and fixtures at the Grand Central Terminal, New York recreation of historic lighting posts for NYC College in New York; and fashioning bronze furniture for Sacks 5th Avenue in Miami.

More recently, Michael has been contracted to be a member of the Macy’s Parade Design Studio to help design and create two of the 2013 Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade’s most exciting floats.

The intricately designed Sea World float and the live action Cirque du Soleil float were designed, carved, built, and deployed by Michael and the entire Parade Design team for months prior to the event.

He is the winner of numerous design competitions, including one for a Commemorative Medallion for US troops in the Gulf War, by the Lorenz Alexander Mint in Minneapolis.

Five of his Mezuzahs are on permanent display at the Great Synagogue in Jerusalem, Israel, and a bronze menorah he sculpted is at the Larchmont Temple in Larchmont, NY.

At present he is the president and owner of Khandros Designs in Maplewood NJ, where he offers design and restoration services and completes works of art for corporate and private clients and museums.