the4 [creative network]
Principal, Executive Creative Director
New York City, 1999-present


the4 [creative network] is a visual communications design studio focusing on four diverse core competencies: brand development, interactive, print and illustration. I manage entire projects, working with an established network of preferred clients and partnerships, and scaling the project team to fit scope and timelines. Since formation in June of 1999, I have been providing complete brand strategy and creative marketing solutions for such clients as Spiegel (strategy and re-design of e-commerce website) and AOL (strategy and re-design of company store, plus interactive advertising design), Nike (re-architecting their e-commerce design strategy), The New York Times Store (brand development and website re-design), AGA Catalog Marketing, DoubleAgent (cutting edge search engine technology), Worknowledge, Beautility (fashion and furniture e-commerce), Twig New York (brand development of art & fashion boutique), Gilman Architects, The Shooting Gallery, Bloomingdale's, Mervyn's, Generations Network and Maybelline. Have also taken on 6-12 month contract positions as Executive Creative Director for Sapient (in San Francisco, working on Nordstrom and Hallmark as clients); i33 communications (in NYC for clients including: Ancestry, happygreenbee, Fast Search, Bodum, Steve’s Blinds & Wallpaper, Custom Solutions, and Corporate Executive Board) and PCA SKIN (18-month re-branding and marketing communications overhaul in Scottsdale, AZ. Currently serve on their Board of Advisors).

THINK New Ideas
(Now split into: ThinkInc., AnswerThink, 120 Advertising)
Vice President, Executive Creative Director
New York City, 1997-1999


Voted an international top ten interactive agency (Adweek, 1998, 1999) both years of my tenure, and with offices around the country and abroad, THINK positioned itself as an integrated strategic marketing and technology solutions provider. I was responsible as holder of the creative vision in the New York office, which functioned both as the corporate headquarters and the core interactive competency for the company. Solutions include original content creation, integration with offline print and broadcast campaigns, and leveraging clients' existing brand identity into the interactive realm, using all combinations of interactive media. I managed a staff of creative teams consisting of twenty-plus full-time (and up to 25 freelance) art directors, designers, site builders and copywriters. My involvement spanned a wide variety of tasks from defining a working process to leveraging technology strategically on the internet, to new business pitches. In this fast-paced agency-style environment, I worked closely to integrate the creative teams with clients, account planning, client services, producers, writers and technologists. A sampling of the high-profile clients we managed includes: TimeInc., IBM, Gillette, Procter & Gamble, Oracle, Silicon Graphics, Rockport, Avon, France Telecom, NFL PlayersInc., Chase, and Heinz.

Microsoft
Art Director, Senior Designer
Redmond, Washington, 1996-1997


During the channel concept launch of MSN for Microsoft, I first worked with the global UI team. Then became the creative vision holder for MSN's Rifff, one of the ‘shows’ (subscriber-only content sites) on the network. With a focus is on interactive music and rich media multimedia technologies, set within the concept of a virtual recording studio, each bi-weekly episode featured a celebrity musical guest (including Philip Glass, Herbie Hancock, B.B. King, Blondie, Cyndi Lauper, Sir Mix-a-Lot, Paula Cole and Graham Nash). The musical artist collaborated with either myself or an assigned designer to create an interactive music video of their original music, and a rich media presentation of exclusive interviews. As part of a highly collaborative team, I was responsible for the overall creative direction of the project and its image, developing the user interface, hiring and managing design and production teams, collaboration with producers, developers and musicians, and designing individual episodes.

Marquand Books
Senior Designer
Seattle, Washington, 1995


Marquand Books specializes in the design and production of fine art books, museum catalogs and gift publications, for clients such as The Art Institute of Chicago, Hyperion and Rizzoli Books. My job involved the art direction, design and project supervision on a number of large simultaneously produced books. Works produced include: Fabergé in America, William Morris: artifacts/glass, Louise Bourgeois: drawings and observations, Picturing the south, and Shall we dance?

The News Tribune
Features Designer
Tacoma, Washington, 1994-1995


Responsible for art direction, design, photo editing and illustration for the cover of SoundLife, which is the daily news features (arts, entertainment and lifestyle) tabloid-sized magazine in The News Tribune (a 130,000+ circulation daily newspaper). I also provided page designs and illustrations for other features sections on a variety of subjects. Worked entirely on a sophisticated state-of-the-art Mac publishing network, with extensive daily use of Quark Xpress, Photoshop and Illustrator.

Cornish College of the Arts
Art Instructor
Seattle, Washington, 1991-1996
Instructor of illustration and drawing to design students in a four-year BFA program. Also served as faculty advisor/ design department coordinator for the 1991-1992 school year, where I was responsible for advising the entire graphic design and illustration student body, coordinating and maintaining individual curriculums and class schedules.

The Bon Marché (Now Macy's)
Art Director / Designer
Seattle, Washington, 1991-1993
The in-house agency for this major northwest retailer (a division of the Federated Corporation) creates a high volume of print, radio and broadcast advertising. My responsibilities included the design, development and execution of new concepts for newspaper and direct mail advertising campaigns, catalogs, broadcast visuals, store signage and invitations. I managed each project from concept through the electronic production process, supervising a production staff of typesetters, illustrators and photographers. This required an extensive knowledge of a sophisticated Macintosh network and a thorough understanding of electronic workgroup organization.

Freelance Graphic Artist / Illustrator
Seattle, Washington, 1989-1994
Chicago Illinois, 1983-1986
Involved in all phases of art direction, concept, design, layout, illustration and graphic production, for a variety of projects, including: magazine design, posters, logo design, editorial design, marker renderings, package and product design, corporate image, direct mail, catalogs, book covers, fashion illustration and TV story boards. Worked on six-month assignments as a full-time page designer/ illustrator for the Seattle Times and the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Clients included: The United Way, Nordstrom and Seattle Repertory Theater.

Publications International, Ltd.
Art Director / Designer
Lincolnwood, Illinois, 1987-1988
In charge of all phases of art direction concept, design, and production on a variety of projects including: books (covers and interiors), magazines, posters, coloring books, cookbooks, calendars and point of purchase displays. Emphasis on page and type design, copy fitting, hiring and supervising illustrators, photo selection, and supervision of production staff under high pressure deadlines.

BEC Advertising
Art Director
Chicago, Illinois, 1986-1987
Art direction and design for a variety of advertising and marketing projects for Beltone Electronics Corporation. Projects included: posters, POP displays, newsletters, direct mail packages, flyers, brochures, and TV commercial story boards. Responsible for all phases of project development; concepts, executing crisp marker renderings, type design and specification, photo styling, and supervision of production staff.

American Passage Media Corp./Seattle FilmWorks
Art Director/ Graphic Artist
Seattle, Washington, 1981-1986
American Passage (now owned by Alloy, Inc.) specialized in direct mail and catalog marketing to college markets, plus maintained creative and operational control of Seattle FilmWorks (now PhotoWorks). I was responsible for art direction, design, layout and all phases of mechanical preparation for production on a variety of projects including: magazine and newspaper ads, direct mail collateral, books, catalogs, posters, brochures, business stationery, magazines, forms and coupons. Involved in all corporate image-making decisions. Interpreted client needs, developed concepts, executed tight marker renderings and illustrations, hired and supervised photographers (including photo styling), coordinated job flow and typesetting, supervised production staff, maintained printing quality through press checks.