Experience

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  Gml inc. (immedia retail/innovize inc.)

  Jan 1995 - Jan 2003

  Digital art manager / sr. graphic designer

  I pioneered the start-up and led the development of this printing company’s Digital Imaging and Printing Division. I had sole responsibility for managing art direction, workflow optimization, materials recommendation and selection. I also designed, prototyped, and produced retail POP displays, tradeshow exhibits, and vehicle graphics utilizing a variety of large format technologies.► Designed award-winning interior mural/wallscape for Harley Davidson consisting of 12 images spanning 33 panels.► Saved Best Buy $30K in graphic art charges through use of an innovative design solution for window graphics.► Oversaw systems administration of Mac, PC, and UNIX servers and workstations. Implemented processes to evolve with changes in company's quality systems: SPC, TQM, and ISO.► Recommended equipment, materials and production methods that maximized throughput, reduced burden rates and resulted in increased profit margins► Authored ISO documentation for entire design and graphics production areas (ISO auditors commented they had never seen such well written documentation for a graphics division)► Partnered with 3M for materials R&D and beta-testing of RIP software► Consistently maintained 34% departmental gross profits; increased profitability on one job by $60K by recommending and implementing a material substitution Show less

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  John ryan performance

  Jan 2003 - Jan 2006

  Art director / senior graphic designer

  In this role, I designed, developed, and managed marketing, POP, and environmental concepts/final designs for retail-oriented financial institutions. I also recruited and managed contract production creative staff.► Designed and produced campaign graphics for 5,600 branches of a major bank that propelled multi-million dollar annual billings. Designed templates for concept decks, a keyline template library for over 50 elements, and a “roadmap” system to replace traditional planograms which increased client’s staff efficiency and cut error rates.► Spearheaded major hardware/software upgrade—authored technical upgrade proposal, implemented data migration, led full creative department rollout, and facilitated end-user training while acting as SME for all IT-related issues. Show less

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  Macy's north

  Jan 2006 - Jan 2008

  Prepress supervisor - marketing operations

  I was hired to build and lead the startup of an in-house creative department that produced mixed-media production and design of 4.5K print and web projects per year supporting 63 stores across 7 states achieving annual sales of $2.27B. I was challenged to recruit, mentor, and manage a 9-member team to achieve high-quality, error-free production of all marketing pieces. I forged collaborative alliances with marketing team stakeholders, photo studio, print vendors, and online advertising services, as well as established color management standards and workflow processes. ► Slashed expenses in first year (375% ROI) through successfully launching internal capabilities without error, downtime, or reliance on outside vendors for production support.► Generated 53% media expense reduction in 2nd year by sourcing new vendors and negotiating best cost and fulfillment.► Improved operations and communication efficiency by pioneering creation and development of database driven, browser-based Operations Workflow application that significantly streamlined project management delivery. Show less

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  Fox valley technical college

  Jan 2010 - Apr 2013

  Landscape design - horticulture intern

  As Lead Grower, I supervised the program’s greenhouses and provided skills training and work direction to students, yearly producing 50,000+ healthy annuals. Seasonally I provided garden design, planting, and landscape maintenance.► Seasonal Garden Manager for a non-profit public garden. Designed, planned, scheduled, and provided work direction for 2 employees and ~40 volunteers who renovated 38 neglected acres into an appealing visitor experience.► Collaborated on the design and planning of the Hartling Family Rose Garden. Coordinated on-site activities of the student crew, designed artwork for metal and stone signage, and created/produced nameplates for entire collection (296 roses). Show less

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  Various companies

  Jan 2010 - Oct 2015

  Landscape designer - consultant

  ► Delivered horticultural and landscape design services using artistic flair and in-depth plant knowledge to ensure proper selections for seasonal change beauty and long-lived, cost-effective landscape installations

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  Joann stores inc

  Nov 2015 - Oct 2017

  Retail manager

  In this role I honed my supervisory skills while assisting customers to express their creativity. Diverse duties included supervising up to 7 team members, providing customer service, handling inquiries, and resolving daily issues. I also managed visual merchandising, cash management and operations reporting, stocking and sales delivery.► Improved customer service delivery by creating a store directory which outlined product locations and served as a valuable tool for team member training and daily use. Show less

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  Bouwer printing inc

  Nov 2017 - Mar 2019

  Graphic designer

  ► Produced over 2,000 jobs in 17 months, working directly with customers from concept through delivery via digital, offset, and large-format printing► Created engaging content for social media distribution and email marketing campaigns► Incorporated variable data for personalized content delivery to target market segments► Maintained Mac computers: O/S upgrade, software installation, troubleshooting, problem resolution, performance optimization, and data backups

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  Presto products company

  Jul 2019 - Oct 2020

  Graphic artist

  ► Led brand refresh design for Presto's entire consumer packaging product line, 40 SKU► Authored 27 page Brand Style Guide clarifying and streamlining standards and vital content requirements;► Authored ISO compliant Prepress procedures for offset and flexographic jobs increasing team efficiency and accuracy► Created 110 digital images and 3D visuals within 2 weeks for the company's new website; manually produced product mockups► Produced numerous interactive PDFs for online publication of GeoSystems brochures► Continuously delivered accurate Prepress production for 30+ customers' packaging projects Show less