With over 18 years of graphic design and creative direction experience, I have developed a proven track record and successful reputation for creating highly innovative, top-quality and award-winning work for prominent brands including John Deere, Kenny Chesney, Pioneer, Applebee's and many more.
People Ignore Design That Ignores People
I am an experienced Creative Director/Designer with an extensive understanding of how to meet marketing and brand objectives with creative design solutions that exceed my clients’ expectations. I am a strong conceptual thinker, an outstanding visualizer and strategically focused designer. As a hands-on leader in creative concepting and delivery, I am able to take the challenges given to me and present visual solutions for the local brands and large, national brands I work on. Most importantly, I understand the value of effective communications.
I take pride in all of my work, regardless of a project’s size. I'm passionate about solving clients' challenges and I take the time necessary to understand their goals in order to create the most successful delivery of their message to their audience.
My work experience has given me invaluable knowledge of the print process, consumer and B2B business, and the opportunity to work with a diverse portfolio of clients and industries. I’ve previously worked in both a small-scale agency environment and a large-scale marketing and communications company.
I am passionate about competing in and watching sports and have been for as long as I can remember. I grew up playing baseball and basketball, and these days I enjoy watching college football and playing golf in the few months that Iowa weather allows for it.
Research. Define. Develop. Implement.
Every single stage of the design process is an integral part of the final product. Taking the right amount of time to think through an idea from start to finish will always produce the best results and lead to the desired outcome.
Research
Gather tons of relevant information, references and resources on the topic or issue.
Define
Isolate the problem. Determine the key players. Outline possible solutions.
Develop
Make stuff — a lot of stuff. Sketches, mood boards and thumbnails. Refine, then finalize the collateral.
Implement
Circulate the best end-product out into the universe and track the results.
My process typically works in the sequential order above. However, these phases can take place in any order. Some phases may take longer or be more involved than others. The process is always unique to the project.
Some interesting facts about me
There is no such thing as a photoshop button
Throughout my career I have honed my skills across many applications that allow me to best express the ideas I have to offer my clients.
I work in Adobe InDesign CC daily for all page layout projects, print ads and direct mailers to name a few. I use the program in conjunction with various Creative Cloud apps to maximize my time and the overall quality of every project.
I use Adobe Illustrator CC on a daily basis for all of my vector needs. I use the program for any illustrations, logo designs, and large format graphics and also for specialty projects where vendors require the program be used for final output.
I use Adobe Photoshop CC on a daily basis in almost every project in some shape or form. I have over 17 years of experience in the program and frequently use it to clip, cut, fix and retouch images to get the perfect picture for the project.
Over the past 6 years, I have been more involved in the social side of design for various social platforms. I have experience conceptualizing and building brand timelines, boosted ads, canvas ad websites, photo galleries and targeted ads to name a few.
I have an ongoing desire to develop knowledge of mediums outside of print. Over the past few years, I have learned a great deal about digital design and built numerous animated and static ads, html 5 banners, cinemagraphs and website graphics to provide fully-functioning campaigns beyond print.
I have more than 18 years of experience working in the Microsoft Office suite of products. For the majority of projects, content and/or graphics are either leveraged from or finalized in one of these programs for final client use on the mac or pc side.
