SUMMARY

A driven and hardworking art director with extensive experience in customer service, team leading, relationship management, marketing, business development, merchandising, and sales planning. Provides creative leadership in a professionally challenging corporate environment, promoting focused consumer awareness and empowerment. Employs outstanding interpersonal skills to effectively interact with all levels of staff. A versatile forward thinker who constantly improves upon company marketing initiatives. A dedicated and results-oriented producer who consistently surpasses business objectives, utilizing an enthusiastic commitment to excellence.

EXPERIENCE

Confidential, Plano, Texas
Creative Packaging Senior Art Director, Apparel and Accessories, 2007-2011

Held responsibility for creative concepts, production, and implementation within critical speed-to-market deadlines for JCPenney private brands apparel and accessories. Managed art directors as well as freelance contractors with project coordinators. Worked closely with sourcing and procurement partners to leverage pricing efficiencies with global print suppliers.

Creative Packaging Art Director, Men\'s Division and Arizona Brand, 2002-2007

Led creative direction on redesign of Arizona brand with marketing team to promote consistency across three merchandise divisions. Developed working template of packaging elements for solid brand identity. Collaborated with marketing brand director in developing trend-right, cost-effective, and customer-focused packaging. Established creative direction in growing Arizona brand to billion-dollar performer.

Art Director, Men\'s, Children\'s/Family Shoes, and Post Sale Packaging Divisions, 1998-2002

Worked in partnership with product development and purchasing/sourcing in establishing creative direction and development of retail packaging and labeling elements and maintaining integrity, accuracy, and consistency of private branded packaging. Led creative in three merchandise divisions responsible for implementing marketing directives. Directed creative in company-wide conversion of all post-sale bags from paper to plastic, resulting in a $3 million per year cost reduction.

Art Director, Children\'s Division, 1 995-1998

Directed collaboration with divisional senior management and buyers to provide creative leadership in packaging and labeling properties and store graphics, with attention to overall material/production costs. Managed and promoted mainstreaming ideas in pursuing environmental issues as environmental committee member representing visual merchandising department. Coordinated design and development of POS properties with Disney consumer products for joint promotion of animated feature film, Hunchback of Notre Dame, and in-store visual merchandising with Warner Bros. consumer products for co-op promotion of animated feature film, Space Jam.

ADDITIONAL EXPERIENCE

Senior Graphic Designer, Confidential, 1993-1995. Worked with merchandise managers and buyers to completely redesign three private brands, which included packaging/labeling properties and in-store publications/planners as well as store graphics and POS properties. Designed and developed storewide promotional program for 1996 USA Olympic commemorative pin series with USA Olympic committee. Graphic Designer, Special Projects, Catalog

Confidential, 1991-1993. Created POS and store signing to promote catalog sales, the styling salon, and portrait studio within JCPenney stores. Led creative in POS and packaging material in partnership with Lifetouch Studios. Managed production staff, including freelance designers/production artists and detail assistants.

Graphic Designer, Confidential, 1990-1991. Selected by divisional manager to establish positive relationship with divisional partners. Managed production staff, including freelance designers/production artists and detail assistants. Held responsibility for photo art, directing in-house and contract photographers, stylists, production artists, and illustrators in execution of in-store graphics/signing, packaging, and quarterly marketing publication planners. Graphic Designer, Confidential, 1988-1990. Developed POS signing and private brand packaging for men's division. Provided creative direction for multiple quarterly publications for set/sell instructions in store events.

Confidential, Denton, Texas, Graphic Designer, 1984-1988. Conceptualized and developed promotional university collateral materials for external audiences, including departmental brochures, posters, quarterly alumni newspaper, invitations, special assignments supporting the chancellor's office, and promotional materials. Worked closely with UNT print shop for print production. Directed in-house photographers for promotional and supporting imagery. Collaborated with staff copywriters, reviewing headlines and content for supporting photography and illustrations.

Confidential, Richardson, Texas, Production Artist/Illustrator, 1981-1984. Produced multiple weekly specialty advertising/television listings. Developed graphic, production, and illustrative skills, and provided leadership to print suppliers.

EDUCATION

B.F.A., Advertising Art

AWARDS

RACIE Award, Retail Marketing and Advertising Association, 2008
JCPenney Marketing Excellence Award, 2008
American Award for In-House Design, Graphic Design USA, 2007

JCPenney Marketing Excellence, 2004
JCPenney Marketing Excellence Award, 2002
Graphic Excellence Award, (Campaign)Printing and Imaging Association of Texas, 1997

Graphic Excellence Award, (Large-format Graphics)Printing and Imaging Association of Texas, 1997
Selected to Environmental Committee for research and recognition of "green" initiatives, 1997
JCPenney Marketing Excellence Award, 1996

Award of Excellence, (Arizona Brand®) Dallas Society of Visual Communications, 1995
Award of Excellence, (Simply for Sports Brand®) Dallas Society of Visual Communications, 1995
Graphic Excellence Award, (Campaign)Printing and Imaging Association of Texas, 1992

Graphic Excellence Award, (Large-format Graphics) Printing and Imaging Association of Texas, 1992
Graphic Excellence Award, (Translite) Printing and Imaging Association of Texas, 1992
Award of Excellence, Dallas Society of Visual Communications, 1989

COMPUTER SKILLS

Adobe Creative Suites 4
Adobe Creative Suites 5