A graphic designer with over 13 years of experience in print and marketing materials, corporate identity, branding and package design. My background has been in newspapers and manufacturing where I have created print and web ads, special section/magazine layouts and packaging for products that are sold worldwide.

EXPERIENCE

Senior Graphic Designer 
3/2014 – Present
Weiman Products, LLC, Gurnee, IL
Graphic Designer for a manufacturing company specializing in consumer and healthcare cleaning products. I create brand identities, labeling, packaging, sales sheets and collateral materials. I work on several brands including: Weiman, Goo Gone, Gonzo Natural Magic, Biokleen, Green Gobbler and Urnex.
• Chosen conceptual designer on three rebrands: developed packaging design, created consistent line look throughout all packaging
• Lead weekly Design Review meetings which are attended by the CEO and upper management
• Work with U.S. and	international vendors
• Attend press checks
• Product imagery/photography
• Knowledge of four-color process, flexography and print production

Freelance Graphic Designer
4/2009 – Present
Designed logos, print materials, booklets and created brand identities for numerous businesses including Moore Orthodontics, Keller Williams Real Estate teams, Sterling Aviation Markets and Mainstreet Libertyville’s Historic Home Tour.
• Designed Libertyville’s Historic Home Tour’s approximately 24 page guidebook for this annual event, nine years in a row
• Rebranded the print materials for Phair-Hinton Real Estate Group with a clean, harmonious design

Graphic Designer
10/2010 – 3/2014
Northwest Herald / Shaw Media, Crystal Lake, IL
Graphic Designer at the Northwest Herald newspaper working on publications for Lake, McHenry, Kane, DeKalb and DuPage counties. Designed newspaper and magazine advertisements, special section layouts, static/animated web ads and inserts.
• Quick pace environment with daily deadlines
• Managed work flow of orders from sales representatives along with special projects
• Out of 18 designers, was chosen to layout the first Suburban Life Magazine for DuPage County and the St. Charles 2013-2014 Community Guide
• Won numerous awards within my design department and with the yearly Illinois Press Association’s Excellence in Advertising

Graphic Artist
10/2005 – 4/2009
Pioneer Press / Sun-Times Media, Waukegan, IL
Designed and updated newspaper advertisements for weekly and daily newspapers including the Chicago Sun-Times, Lake County News-Sun and Pioneer Press.
• Quick pace environment with daily deadlines
• Worked closely with sales representatives
• Communicated with an offshore design department in India
• Assisted with page layout
• Verified that ads went through the system properly
• Troubleshot printing issues


SKILLS

Adobe Photoshop CC
Adobe Illustrator CC
Adobe InDesign CC
Adobe Acrobat
Bartender
Labelview
Microsoft Word
Microsoft PowerPoint
Microsoft Excel


EDUCATION

Loyola University Chicago
Bachelor of Arts in Visual Communications


AWARDS

2013 Illinois Press Association
Excellence in Advertising
First Place
Best One-Time Special Section
Third Place
Best Ad Designer

2011 Illinois Press Association
Excellence in Advertising
First Place
Best Static Online Ad, Division C

2010 Illinois Press Association
Excellence in Advertising
First Place
Best Full Page Ad, Division C
First Place
Best Shared Page/Signature Page,
Division C