Resumé

Rod Hartwig
hartwigart@gmail.com
www.coroflot.com/hartwigra/Set-11

Summary

• Skilled and creative professional with 18 years’ agency experience in print and web-delivered merchandising and marketing for automotive client
• Special emphasis on brand design and communication goals
• Experienced in customer loyalty initiatives and incentive-driven communications
• Design direction and staff management experience in non-automotive retail business

Skills
Proficient in InDesign, Photoshop and Illustrator, coupled with a good working knowledge of Word, Excel and PowerPoint. Experienced in commissioning of photographers and illustrators, art direction of photo shoots and working within established budgets. Also experienced with ISO requirements and processes used for automotive work and agency procedures.

Employment Experience

June 2008 - February 2013
Henry Dreyfuss Associates, 450 S. Wagner, Ann Arbor, MI 48103

Senior Graphic Designer
Responsible for graphic design on a large number of projects for a full-service design firm serving a variety of clients in the consumer, medical, telecommunications, and agricultural product sectors, including Motorola and John Deere. Involved with design team in every stage of project development from planning to market delivery in a deadline-driven environment. Designed specific branded graphic identification, produced detailed diagrams and retouched renderings for product designs.
Worked in both large-scale prototypes as well as smaller scale design elements using Photoshop and Illustrator. Maintained an extensive archive of electronic assets, both historical and current. Personally involved in a monthly, web-based visual teleconference with John Deere global corporate teams. Reviewed and recommended graphic standards used on machinery prior to production and market introduction. Recently cited as the main contact person to advise on upcoming graphics initiative for the Chinese market.

January 1990 - January 2008
BBDO Detroit, 880 W. Long Lake, Troy, MI 48098-4504

Senior Art Director, Retail Performance Strategies
Designed and art directed yearly program of branded product guides for Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep vehicles. These binders totaled over 900 pages of sales and technical information, photos, engineering drawings and charts. Designed branded product preview discs and web courses in conjunction with producers, project managers and clients on a concurrent time schedule.
Also art directed an annual month-long, multi-set photo shoot of cross-branded vehicles for three consecutive years for this program. Personally retouched as well as supervised freelance retouchers for numerous assets for online web courses. The 2001 Sales Consultant Guides received 99% and 2002 Product Preview Discs received 98% on client evaluations. These combined scores were key in helping reach agency performance goals as part of Excellence 2000 initiative.
In addition to these annual programs, also designed, art directed and managed vendors and studios on multiple, parallel projects in various stages of completion. Through all these varied projects, have always demonstrated the ability to learn and use new software and technology. The most extreme case was transitioning work in progress from Quark Xpress to InDesign while producing a multi-page document over one weekend. This assignment was instrumental in obtaining a portion of the Mercedes-Benz training publication business.

June 1980 - January 1990
Florists' Transworld Delivery (FTD), International Headquarters, 29200 Northwestern Highway
Southfield, MI 48037

March 1983 - January 1990
Senior Art Director, Creative Services (FTD)
Responsible for designing and art directing photography shoots for the production of direct-mail pieces, point-of-purchase, catalogs, posters, calendars and in-house publications. Selected backgrounds and props for all photo sessions and supervised freelance photographers during photo shoots. Also supervised two art directors and two junior designers in the Creative Services department. Worked closely with other department managers, salespeople and account staff in production of promotional pieces. Also worked closely with advertising agency creative staff on special projects. Initiated program of selecting and specifying more affordable but similar quality paper stock, resulting in lower printing costs on high-volume projects.

June 1980 - March 1983
Graphic Designer/Art Director, Publications Group (FTD)
In charge of entire output of Publications Department including direct-mail, point-of-purchase, catalogs, posters, calendars and in-house publications. Designed four-color monthly trade publication, FLORIST magazine. Supervised a staff of five art directors and set standards for corporate graphics. Worked with production staff, contractors and outside vendors to produce quality pieces within a set budget and schedule.


Education

Bachelor of Fine Arts
Wayne State University, Detroit, MI
Major: Advertising Design

Associate of Arts
Henry Ford Community College, Dearborn, MI
Major: Liberal Arts

Projects by Rod Hartwig