STATEMENT SUMMARY:
Detail-oriented, highly motivated, quality-focused veteran Graphic Designer seeks challenging, creative work that allows me to contribute my skills and experience in a fast-paced, dynamic, growing company.
FREELANCE WORK:
Print:
Worked in every phase from campaign concept to print vendor relations to final printing and distribution of all brochures, mailings and correspondence for Ad2 Milwaukee junior advertising non-profit organization. Additional responsibilities included being liaison for Ad2's revolving "Speaker of the Month" campaign for Ad2 members.
Produced CD liners, logos and promotional flyers for musical groups The Odyssey Continues, Two Ton Heavy Thing, and Full Blown Margaret.
Created fresh logos and mailing collateral for Comics Express, Di Zinno Thompson Marketing Solutions/Caffe Italia Stickball Team, JEM Consulting, Inc., Del Mar Surf Dawgs, and Free & Clear H2O Water Purification Systems, Inc.
Web:
Designed, coded and currently maintain and update web site and all content for musical group Full Blown Margaret.
Designed and coded web site and all content for Xccceppt Studios, 204.
Designed and coded home page and produced company logo for BBC Consulting Group, LLC
Designed and coded home page for James Madison H.S. Class of '77 Reunion.
Designed and coded home page for The Richmond Market Antiques.
Currently designing web site for Town and Country Motorsports.
TECHNICAL SUMMARY:
Print Applications: Adobe Creative Suite 2 (CS2): InDesign, Illustrator; QuarkXPress 6.52
Web Applications: (CS2): PhotoShop, ImageReady, some GoLive; some Flash MX 2004
Other Applications:
Video & Media: iMovie HD, cleaner 6, QuickTime 7.0.2, Windows Media Player 9.0
Operating Systems: Mac OS 8.6 through OS X 10.4.11, Windows 2000/XP, MS-DOS, Red Hat Linux 7.2
Internet Development: Cavaj Java Decompiler, Sun Microsystems Forte CE IDK.
Internet/Networking: Telnet, FTP, TCP/IP.
Office Applications: Outlook, Entourage, AppleMail email systems, MS Office Suite, Cumulus Digital Asset Manager, Casey Inventory System
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:
Wm. K. Walthers - Milwaukee, WI
Graphic Artist, April 2007 - Present
Continually update and layout four major sections of the Walthers HO Reference Book model train catalog.
Design layouts for monthly sales catalogs, seasonal bulletins, advertisements and other print promotions.
Design product walls and posters for show booths and help set up various booth panel configurations as well as devising & implementing a checklist procedure for show booth materials.
Assist department co-workers in production and design.
Assist New Product Development department in fulfilling its backorders to customers and dealers.
Update the monthly RichFX online Sale Flyer, set production schedule, checked against database, test all links, deploy site as well as assisting on WKW web page.
Kalmbach Publishing Co. - Waukesha, WI
Graphic/Web Designer, January 2003 - January 2007
Designed and worked on all Kalmbach print magazines, books, and marketing/sales collateral. Specialized with Astronomy and Garden Railways magazines.
Designed, maintained and updated all 15 Kalmbach magazine web sites, including Kalmbach's corporate site.
Designed offshoot model railroading sites WorldsGreatestHobby.com, GardenTrains.org, and ModelTrainsStepByStep.com.
Designed and implemented a template-based system of web site infrastructure reflected in all current web sites.
Created company-wide online file naming conventions and procedures that are still implemented and used.
Designed website banner ads, buttons, popups and all promotional images.
Distilled video and audio from multiple formats for download from Kalmbach Publishing magazine web sites.
Ensured a high level of Customer Focus between Art department and Production, Circulation, Marketing, Ad Sales, and Online departments.
M.G. & S. Sales, Inc. - Silver Lake, WI
Graphic Designer, November 2002 - January 2003
Created Illustrator logos and designs for dozens of SE Wisconsin and Northern Illinois silkscreen clients.
Served as customer liaison for company and sought immediate answers to customers' inquiries.
International Male - San Diego, CA
Senior Graphic Designer, May 1996 - June 2002
Contributed to significant portion of revamping International Male's intercontinental image and branding strategy by compiling disparate pieces into a comprehensive presentation; met with overwhelming support when presented to corporate board.
Performed the entire production and pre-press of International Male's four catalogs, from the preparation of the digital on-figure photo shoot shots, scanning and color correction of the picked transparencies, to page composition and layout, final proofing of copy/images and electronic output to the separator.
Produced accompanying bind-in coupons, order forms, and all retail, merchandising and promotional/in-house company material for all catalogs.
Created package designs for golf ball sleeves and containers as well as new driver logos for in-house golf brands Ti-Power, Sniper, and Arsenal.
Updated fresh new catalog and promotional logos and graphics on a seasonal basis.
Maintained parent company Hanover Direct's 4 web sites: designed and hand-coded landing pages and email newsletter pages, scanned/prepped product and model shots to current specifications.
Administrated and maintained the content on 3 corporate web sites: updated homepages, scanned product photos, updated promotional web logos, and organized product copy.
Designed and produced both static and animated web banner ads for Linkshare, Playboy, and singer Eddie Money.
The Beach and Bay Press - San Diego, CA
Graphic Designer, May 1996 - January 1997
Created and updated dozens of weekly client ads for the company's three newspapers, the Beach and Bay Press, The Beacon, and The La Jolla Village News.
Helped Production Department troubleshoot occasional printing/computer problems and offered creative and production support to other designers.
EDUCATION:
University of Wisconsin-Madison, Bachelor of Arts in English, Madison, WI, 1991
Nicolet High School Diploma, Glendale, WI, 1986
PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATIONS:
Web Administration Certificate, SDSU Extended Studies, San Diego, CA 6/22/2000
Web Development Certificate, SDSU Extended Studies, San Diego, CA 2/8/2001
Computer Design and Production Certificate, Grossmont College, San Diego, CA 7/17/2000
Mastering Microsoft Access Certificate, Rockhurst University Continuing Education Center, San Diego, CA 4/30/2001
HONORS:
Summer 2006: Helped Astronomy Online magazine win a best-of-five nomination for best "Science" web site.
Fall 1993 - Spring 1996: Became active member of Ad2 Milwaukee Advertising Club as well as the American Advertising Federation. Promoted to Director of Publications in Fall 1994 and to V.P. of Communications in Spring 1995.
Fall 1994: Helped This Week! Publications win 22 awards that year for "Best Designed Ads" in 4-color, spot color, and black/white categories.
Spring 1990 - Spring 1991: Became active member of the UW-Madison Advertising Club as well as the AAF.
Fall 1989: Competed to become one of just 4 finalists in the nationally-sponsored Lands' End "Big Idea" Campus Competition.
COMMUNITY SERVICE & ACHIEVEMENTS:
June 2010: Graduated from the 11-week Waukesha County's Sheriff's Department Citizen's Academy, learning about all facets and operations of the Waukesha County's Sheriff's Department. Currently offering my volunteer services beyond neighborhood watch as a Citizen's Academy Alumnus.
March 2010: Graduated from the Personal Protection Academy's 5-course Handgun Master Certification self-defense curriculum, attaining a concealed carry permit and the rank of Handgun Marksman.
October 2009: Graduated from the 10-week New Berlin Citizen's Academy course, learning about all facets and operations of the City of New Berlin Police Department. Currently offering my volunteer services beyond neighborhood watch as a New Berlin Citizen's Academy Alumnus.
Summer 2003 - 2006: Volunteered for Midwest Athletes Against Childhood Cancer (MACC) captaining a rest stop for the annual Trek 100 Bike Ride, overseeing 5 other volunteers and coordinating supplied inventory for rest stop at St. Olaf's Church in Rubicon, WI. Attendees included hundreds of in- and out-of-state bicyclists, as well as yearly participation by Lance Armstrong.
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