Orchestrated and managed a strategic design studio with a core focus on brand development and marketing communications in entertainment, consumer products, the toy industry and motorsports sectors. Successfully directed and managed an internal staff of up to 10 employees and many freelancers. Responsible for all creative, sales and marketing, new-business pitches and P&L.
Clients: Acura, Crossgen Entertainment, Disney, Dreamworks, E! Entertainment, Hasbro, Hilton Hotels, Honda, Jakks Pacific, Lexus, Mattel, MEG Toys, MGM, NASCAR, Paramount Pictures, The Sharpe Company, 20th Century Fox, Tokyopop, Toyota, Upper Deck and Warner Bros.
Brands: Disney Cars, Ferrari, Hammer Films, Harry Potter, Hot Wheels, It’s A Small World, Looney Tunes, Low Rider, Mickey, My Little Pony, NBA, The Passion of The Christ, Pink Panther, Playstation 2, Princess, Pocahontas, Rocky, Rugrats, Scooby Doo, Shrek, The Simpsons, Speed Racer, Spiderman, Stargate SG1, Tiny Planets, Toy Story.
Proven track record in the management of creative packaging group within the Hot Wheels and Sports brands.
Responsible for concept ideation, design, development and production of over 1,400 skus annually encompassing the following lines: NASCAR, IRL, Formula 1, Ferrari, NHRA, Collectibles, Morey Body Boards, Frisbee and Hacky Sack.
- Managed internal staff of art directors, designers, writers, photographers, engineers and outside vendors.
- Group liaison with marketing, licensors, International affiliates, sales, engineering, legal & planning.
- Responsible for budget forecasting and schedules.
- Effectively reprioritized workloads to meet schedule requirements and business expectations.
- Maintained ever expanding business without increasing head count by reducing redundant development steps and implementing effective utilization of worldwide vendors.
- Initiated travel to Europe to work along side licensees creating the art in-house and gaining approvals on-site, saving three months in the production cycle.
- Initiated at-track design and production facility at Daytona Raceway resulting in a 12 day turnaround of design, production and photography down from a typical 120+ day cycle saving time and money.
- 2nd Runner up in the Hewlett Packard In-House design awards out of over 2,000 submissions.
Freelance creative director for several design studios and agencies and a roster of my own clients. Projects included logo development, new product launches, toy packaging, POP, trading cards, retail design, displays, video key art, event staging design, annual sales meeting concept and design. Additional duties entailed budgeting, scheduling, production and quality control. Hired freelance talent on a per project basis.
Clients: American Film Market, Buddy Ebsen, Disney, International Motorsports Association, Isuzu, Maritz Communications, Paramount Pictures, Upper Deck, Vidmark Entertainment, Warner Bros., Republic Pictures, Lorimar Television, Hemdale Films and BBC.
Responsible for the creative department of a start-up interactive publishing company from personnel, budgets, equipment and studio set-up to branding of our image. Designed and produced award winning tradeshow booths, collateral marketing materials and design and production of the books: Animation: The Art of Friz Freleng, The Lost Diaries of Indiana Jones,The Other Side of Oz with Buddy Ebsen and The Peter Max Anthology. Managed staff of three designers, two artists and also freelance art directors, writers, illustrators, photographers and printers. Responsible for all convention logistics and set-up: London Book Fair, Geneva Book Fair, Frankfurt Show and American Booksellers convention. Other book projects included The Warren Bennis Series, The B2 Chronicles by Robert Townsend and Nothing But Zingers by Buddy Ebsen.
Art Department Manager responsible for all design and artwork on the Nissan, Infiniti, Hyundai and Toyota accounts eventually becoming associate art director. Supervised staff of up to ten artists at any given time and was responsible for hiring freelance talent as needed. Additional responsibilities included scheduling of projects, all new business pitches, budgets, art direct photo shoots and all press checks. Projects included event logos, corporate identity, print, style guides, direct mail, newsletters, event stage set design, POP, promotions, advertising, press kits, and slide and video production design. Corporate events included Nissan Motorsports Championship, Infiniti Division Launch, Nissan 300ZX Launch, Nissan 30 Years in America Celebration, Nissan Race To Vegas Show, Nissan Olympic Village and Women in Advertising Awards Ceremony at The Gene Autry Museum.
- Brunnings Young Ad Person of the Year / Finalist
- Financial World Bronze Award / Best Overall Annual Report Design / MAI Basic 4 Computers
- Benjamin Franklin Award / Publishers Mktg Association / 1st Place Book Design / Buddy Ebsen
- London Book Fair / 1st Place Overall Exhibit Design / Donovan Publishing
- American Library Association / Best Of Show Exhibit Design / Donovan Publishing
- Westlight / Best Use Of Photography / Publishing / The B2 Chronicles
- Hewlett Packard IN-HOUSE Design Awards / 2nd Place / Hot Wheels Packaging / Mattel
- Mobius Advertising Award / Outstanding Creativity / Corporate Identity / Delome & Company
- Mobius Advertising Award / 1st Place / Specialty Advertising / Acura and Honda
- American Graphic Design Award / Direct Mail / Self Promo
- American Graphic Design Award / American Honda Press Kit
- American Graphic Design Award / Acura Media Press Kit
- American Graphic Design Award / 2003 3.2 CL Press Kit / Acura
- American Graphic Design Award / Honda Pilot Press Kit
- Honda Premier Partner Award / Excellence In Design, Quality, Value & Customer Service
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