synopsis
area
focus
Creative
director
Department
manager
Project
manager
Information
architect
Brand
and content manager
Designer
and illustrator
|
industry
focus
Corporate/Financial
Education
Retail/Manufacturing
Legal
Restaurant/Entertainment
Non-profit |
specific
services
Strategic
planning
Business
development
Web-related
development
Advertising/marketing
Consulting
Illustration
|
background
I
have been in the advertising/marketing communications/web technologies
field(s) since 1988 working with various agencies, corporations
and consulting firms in the Chicagoland area. My
experience in the field has entailed project and creative department
management, as well as consistent working relationships with various
clients, service bureaus and vendors, creating comprehensive brochures,
web sites, branding, package designs, illustrations/cartoons (various
mediums), photo shoots, marketing collateral, direct mail and television
storyboards.
For years, I have managed (and founded)
creative personnel departments and understand the importance of
managing v. dictating; I am a strong advocate of individualism and
only intervene in an artist's "creative process" when
I feel it's absolutely necessary. I'm not a "control freak,"
so having faith in my team's abilities is very important to me,
as they should have faith in me. I make it a priority to know my
team and their strengths/limitations and put forth the effort in
promoting individual growth. I would never assign anything that
I did not feel that I was not capable of doing myself.
Having 10 years of web interface and usability
design experience, I can confidently say that I know "human
engineering" and how people effectively use the web. I have
participated in focus groups early on the spawn of the Internet
and have since designed and created numerous web sites that cater
to the user's needs and ease of use. I do not go into an initiative
with the notion of simply creating a pretty picture; I seriously
take form and function as my basis for design and build from that
foundation. I understand the limitations of the web, designing to
the "lowest common denominator" so to speak, but I'm always
exploring new techniques and tools for design and user interaction.
I also have many years of experience tailoring design solutions
based upon user needs through case studies, focus groups and personal
preference. I understand the significance of integrating a front
end solution to a back end solution and how this union can assure
a customer's confidence and trust, esp. issues that focus on security.
I am currently the Director of Creative Services and Senior Associate
for Baker Robbins & Company, Technology Consultants, in Chicago,
IL , dedicated to both firm internal projects and client-related
engagements with the Internet Development practice group.
roles & responsibilities
As creative director, I have
served on a wide variety of projects... from the design/creative
conceptual stage to the finished product. I have had a wide variety
of experience in client interaction
and discovery, project management, advertising design, custom logo
and branding design/development, and graphical user interface web
design. I have worked closely with, and supervised, content and
marketing teams to ensure that the direction and integrity of a
project are concurrently in step with the vision of creative team,
advocating an open line of communication, as well as manage timelines
and budget. I'm quite effective in managing teams to deliver a quality
product. I do not take anything for granted in any initiative (an
understanding of budget, work ethics, environment, and business
culture).
As a department manager, I have built and lead internal creative
departments, from the recruiting of talent, hardware/software selection,
scheduling and annual budget planning. I love to work with creative,
energetic people that are good natured, have a sense of humor and
open to new ideas; qualities I believe that make for a successful
collaborative team, creative culture and positive work environment.
As a communicator, I learn about each member of my team, their strengths,
limitations, hobbies/interests, all that make up for a solid basis
in a good working relationship. I would never assign anything that
I was not capable of doing; I have a strong design and development
background and have extensive knowledge with design software frequently
used today, both Mac and PC platforms. A strong communicator, I'm
equally a strong listener; I never assume my way is the best.
I have also assisted clients of whom looking for help in refining
internal creative resources and training of new tools and techniques.
character
I have proven time and again an effective means of communication,
visual or otherwise. In areas that required the "narrative"
of a workflow solution hierarchy, departmental relationships, content/context
lifecycles, etc., each where the portrayal needed immediate comprehension,
I have successfully helped teams and peers in business environments,
hence, increase productivity. However, it's not so much a need to
understand the "rules of engagement," but to abide to
them and to ensure a constant balance in a dynamic workflow cycle.
I like to think that I make for a pleasant working environment,
assuring my team they have the tools they need, available to assist
w/problems when they occur on any given project, and inject a bit
of fun into the atmosphere; I always love a good laugh. A happy
team is a productive team, which also helps in the realm of employee
retention; nobody wants to see their good people leave. Though challenging
at times, I want all members of my team to have a solid working
relationship, hence, contributing to knowledge sharing and communication.
I know what can be deemed as "creative"
and consistently keep an eye on trends in technology, design and
how the both work concurrently in any given medium. I like to
present new ideas and concepts that can act as a business development
solution and/or personal and team growth. I have a good balance
of creative, management and technical savvy. I know the limitations
of technology from a creative/development perspective and from
a public one, meaning, can the public be reach through specific
mediums. I have years of experience in business/client relationships
and can communicate ideas effectively and comprehensively. I have
a strong development background and have extensive knowledge with
design software frequently used today (both Mac and PC platforms).
Aside from management and creative contribution, I also put forth
the effort on the production side, working right along w/my team;
I'm quite efficient w/most design software on the market and have
programming experience as well (html, asp, javascript, actionscript).
Remaining sharp on my production values helps me help my team
w/technical and software issues. I'm also what you would call
a "traditional artist" w/ an illustration, painting
and animation background, having a degree in Fine Art.
I am not a reactive person; I don't wait for things to happen.
I like to present new ideas and concepts that can act as a business
development solution and/or personal and team growth.
plans for the future
In recent
years, I have been actively involved in the design/development of
Internet, Intranet, Extranet and e-Business strategies and information
architectures; recently engaged in projects for GE Capital Auto
Financial Services and GE Capital Rail Services, respectively. Along
with my artistic and management skills, I have extensive computer
and development knowledge, working with
state-of-the-art design/multimedia applications and web-based tools.
I choose to continue along the path of managing and developing creative
team environments and the execution of solid solutions, whether
it be for web, advertising, animation... wherever creative may reside.
My strengths in design, development and communication have greatly
contributed to my success, and a boilerplate to any given challenge
that comes my way. I want to wake up every
morning looking forward to the day... everyday. Any project can
be interesting... it's all about attitude.
If you have any questions, or you wish to learn more about myself,
please contact me.
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