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Owner, Creative/Strategic Mastermind
Detroit, MI
Aug 2007 - Present (17 years 3 months)
• Full scope of creative services from marketing strategies/concepts to final design/digital pre-press
• Company formation and management, including client acquisition, vendor sourcing, and accounting
• Special talents: details, systems & process development; high-end retouching for costume/clothing industry; UX for complex systems management.
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Lead/Senior Designer
Detroit, MI
Oct 2006 - Aug 2007 (10 months)
• Launched in-house design team: research and acquisition of equipment and software; development and implementation of techniques and systems; hiring, training and management of design staff
• Lead three person creative team in design/production, more than doubling the existing product line at a rate three times that of the previously contracted design agency
• Served needs of marketing and retail teams, including: print/web ads; POP retail displays and signage; development and completion of packaging for initial launch into retail stores
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Sr Art Director / Graphic Design Specialist
Vanguard Creative Group
Farmington Hills, MI
Jan 1997 - Oct 2006 (9 years 9 months)
• Concepts, design, copy writing and digital production of advertising, branding, collateral and marketing materials for wide array of non-profit, b2b and consumer products and/or services companies
• Training, supervision and direction of creative employees and freelance artists; support training of office staff
• Prioritization and scheduling
• Company policy development
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Brand Manager
Farmington Hills, MI
Aug 1996 - Jan 1997 (5 months)
• Developed brand identities to launch private label product lines for the beauty industry
• Independent design through pre-press of various (bilingual) packaging solutions for over one hundred SKUs
• Sourced and managed approximately twenty product suppliers, print and packaging vendors, and collaborated with purchasing and sales teams to maintain target cost of goods and production schedules
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Licensed Product Line Coordinator
Dexter, MI
Aug 1994 - Aug 1996 (2 years)
• Product development, design and pre-press of custom and licensed gift products and supporting marketing materials
• Art direction and supervision of designers
• Key member of elite team — developed one hundred plus, multi-element products and packaging during a two month period to launch Flying Colors mass market product division