RESUME

INTRODUCTION:

I have 27 years of professional experience as an exhibit and graphic designer. Acting as a design studio director and design lead.

As a director and design lead, my experience and responsibilities on creative projects have spanned the entire gamut of the process, from start to finish. These responsibilities have included:

  • Project coordination and management

  • Primary liaison with clients during the development and production process

  • Designing both exhibits and graphics for projects

  • Producing shop drawings for the fabrication department

  • Creating the final graphic files for production

  • Supervising the fabrication and graphic productions

  • Developing setup and installation drawings

  • Supervising and participating in the final setups and installations of the completed projects.

Over my career, I have developed, designed and produced these projects for tradeshows, exhibitions and interiors, acquiring a wide range of experience and developing a versatile skill set that would be complimentary in a variety of creative environments, including, theater, movie & tv studios and museum environments, which I am interested in branching out into.

Along with design positions, I am also interested in exploring new roles in the creative studio environment that may involve, producing, story development & writing, production coordination and on-set personnel.

My portfolio is only a small sample set of my work. I am glad to review the portfolio with you upon request, so I can answer any questions you may have about the projects presented and expand on additional experiences not represented here.

I welcome questions about my resume and portfolio and invite any comments or suggestions that may expand my qualifications for new creative opportunities. I am open to both full-time positions and freelance collaborations.

Contact information for client and colleague endorsements are available upon request.

 

PROFESSIONAL SKILL SET:

Design Studio Director & Project Lead . Exhibit & Environmental Designer . Graphic Designer . Photo Retoucher . Project Coordinator very proficient managing and supervising multiple projects, timelines, vendors & internal departments . Highly Organized . Extensive Creative Problem Solving & Communication Skills . Very Detail Oriented . Good Writing Skills . Self-Motivated Professional capable of working independently or as a collaborative team leader.

 

PROFESSIONAL CREATIVE EXPERIENCE:

Freelance Designer: June 2020 - Present - Ocean Township, New Jersey

  • Services: Graphic Design . Tradeshow & Environmental Exhibit Design . Retouching . Compositing . Creative Consulting . Graphic & Exhibit Production Services & Solutions.

  • 27 Years Experience Designing & Running Projects from Concept to Completion.

  • Large Format Graphic Design Expert (but can work at any size).

  • Exhibit Design Expert - From Portable Displays to Hybrid Systems to Fully Custom Exhibits.

Klose Associates: March 1998 - June 2020 - West Long Branch & Eatontown, New Jersey

COVID-19 SHUTDOWN
ALL TRADESHOWS, CONVENTIONS & LIVE EVENTS WERE SHUTDOWN STARTING IN MARCH 2020
All existing projects were paused until further notice or cancelled.

  • Design Studio Director | Senior Designer | Project Lead: March 2008 - June 2020

    • Responsibilities: Conceive, Develop and Design Projects (Exhibits, Environments & Graphics) . Design Supervision . Project Management . Fabrication Supervision . Graphic Production Supervision . Vendors Coordination . Client Communications during Sales, Design & Fabrication Phases of Projects . Create & Present Project Presentations . Create Graphic Production Files . Fabrication & Shop Drawings . Setup & Installation Instructions . Office & Department Management . Conceive, Develop, Design & Maintain Company Website . Supervise Exhibit & Environmental Installations.

  • Founding Member of Design Department - Designer: March 1998 - March 2008

    • Created, Developed & Maintained Design Department

    • Responsibilities: Same responsibilities as above.

Photobition (Joint Venture w/ Klose Associates): October 1997 - March 1998 - Eatontown, New Jersey

  • Designer / Production:

    • Responsibilities: Conceive, Develop and Design Projects (Exhibits & Graphics) . Create Project Presentations . Client Communications during Sales, Design & Fabrication Phases of Projects & Ran Large Format Electrostatic Printers.

 

SOFTWARE SKILL SET:

Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign) . Vectorworks (3D CAD) . iWork Suite (Keynote, Pages, Numbers) . Squarespace (Web Design) . Mac OS

Note: Proficient in learning new software packages to fulfill additional position requirements.


 

EDUCATION:

Kean University: 1991 - 1996 - Union, New Jersey

  • Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) - Visual Communications (Specializing in Illustration)

  • Activities: Musical Theater (Acting, Singing & Dancing) . Theatrical Set Design, Construction & Painting . Student Government (Freshman Council) . Sang the National Anthem at my graduation solo a cappella.

Ocean Township High School: 1987 - 1991 - Ocean Township, New Jersey

  • Graduation Award: Outstanding Achievement in Art

  • Activities: Soccer . Track & Field (400m Hurdles, 110m Hurdles, High Jump, 800m) . Art . Acting . Student Government (Class Officer)

 

EARLIER WORK EXPERIENCE:

Loews Theater: March 1989 - October 1997

  • Assistant / Concessions Manager: September 1996 - October 1997

    • Location: Loews New Brunswick 18

    • Responsibilities: Assistant Manager with main focus on running the theater’s concession stands (including the theater chain’s first full fast food kitchen) . Working with the floor staff supervisor team . Developing and creating in-house promotions for upcoming movie releases.

  • Corporate Trainer: September 1995 - September 1996

    • Responsibilities: Go to new theaters before opening, and train the floor staff & supervisors.

  • Floor Staff Supervisor: September 1995 - September 1996

    • Location: Loews Freehold Metroplex

    • Responsibilities: Supervise and work along side floor staff . Develop and create in-house promotions for upcoming movie releases.

  • Floor Staff & Projectionist: March 1989 - September 1995

    • Locations: Loews Middlebrook Twin (1989 - 1993) (Temporary Assistant Manager - Summer 1991), Loews Eatontown Twin (1993 - 1995), Loews Freehold Metroplex (1995 - 1996)

    • Responsibilities: Work in concession stand . Sell tickets in the box office . Usher & clean theaters . Run projection booth . Develop and create in-house promotions for upcoming movie releases.

 

ADDITIONAL FUN FACTS ABOUT ME:

Below are some of my life experiences outside of my professional career. Please read, if you are interested in more details about me as a person.

Travel:
In recent years I have been lucky enough to travel and visit some wonderful places around the world. Travel is a great way to expand your horizons and appreciate different people and cultures. - Below are some fun facts and memorable experiences from several of the places on my travel journey.

  • Taiwan:

    • Places: Kaohsiung . Taipei . ‎⁨Kenting National Forest Recreation Area

    • Fun Fact: Din Tai Fung are the best soup dumplings you will ever have!

    • Fun Fact: One of the nicest, cleanest, efficient subway systems in the world!

  • Hong Kong:

    • Fun Fact: Hong Kong is a very unique place. My first impression of the city was, they took Manhattan and built it on the hills of San Fransisco… There are outdoor escalators on some of the steeper streets!

    • Fun Fact: At night, in Kowloon, many city blocks are shutdown, for rows and rows of karaoke street performers.

  • Denmark:

    • Places: Copenhagen . Kronborg Castle, Helsingør (Shakespeare’s inspiration for writing Hamlet)

    • Fun Fact: Contemporary Architecture Bike Tour & Grand Canal Boat Tour are a must!

    • Fun Fact: The Gasoline Grill Butter Burger, in Copenhagen, is the best burger you will ever have!

    • Fun Fact: Home of Lego!

  • Germany:

    • Places: Flensburg (Birthplace of my Great Great Grandfather) . Husum (Stayed at the Hinrichsen Hotel… no relation) . Hamburg (Where the Beatles got their 10,000 hours) . Bremen (One of the most beautiful old-fashion town squares you will ever see) . Hanover (Home of the rock band The Scorpions) . Berlin (Great City - modern & historical at the same time)

    • Fun Fact: Berlin City Fat Tire Bike Tour is a must!

    • Fun Fact: I witnessed both the Men’s and Women’s Marathon World Records get broken at the 2018 Berlin Marathon… Oh yeah, my brother ran it too!

  • Iceland:

    • Places: Reykjanes

    • Fun Fact: The Blue Lagoon Outdoor Natural Springs is a must!

    • Fun Fact: Reykjanes, Iceland is one of the only two places in the world where the Earth’s tectonic plates are visible on land. You can stand on the edge of the North American Plate and Eurasian Plate, and be in two continents at the same time!

  • Costa Rica:

    • Places: Arenal National Park . ‎⁨La Fortuna⁩ Waterfall & Hike . Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve . Tamarindo Beach

    • Fun Fact: The waves at Tamarindo Beach are perfect for beginner surfers to learn on!

    • Fun Fact: La Fortuna has a 3 hour Rain Forest Hike that takes you to the top of a volcano, that has a lake inside it. The most challenging and amazing hike I have ever been on!

    • Fun Fact: The zip-line in Monteverde is so high, you travel through the clouds, with hundreds of feet between you and the ground!

Theater:
In college, the Fine Arts Department and the Theater Department shared the same building. Since acting was another interest of mine, I took a shot and auditioned for the spring musical my freshman year. By chance, I got cast in the ensemble and theater became another big part of my college experience. Just as my art studies were the roots for my career as a graphic designer, my involvement in theater was unknowingly the roots for my career as an exhibit designer. Every free moment I had away from my fine art studies was spent performing in shows, building & painting sets and learning about set design. - It got to the point where some of the professors thought I was a theater major. - Because of those versatile experiences back then, I have been fortunate to have a long successful career as an exhibit designer and a graphic designer. - You never know where your collection of experiences will take you… You just need to enjoy the ride. - Below is a list of some of my fondly remembered theater experiences.

  • Little Shop of Horror:

    • Performing: Skip Snip . Cowboy Customer . Wino 2 . Ensemble

    • Tech: Set Painting (including, thousands of bricks for Skid Row brick wall flats!) - Set Construction (Set flats and turn-tables construction)

  • A Chorus Line:

    • Performing: Bobby

    • Tech: Set Painting (Large backdrop for finale)

  • South Pacific:

    • Performing: Lieutenant Joseph Cable

    • Tech: Set Painting (Large scenic tropical backdrops and scrims) - Set Construction (General set construction)

  • Cabaret:

    • Performing: Cliff Bradshaw

    • Tech: Set Painting (Large murals from the art of German painter George Grosz, for the 360º Cabaret set)

  • Additional Performances in: Talk Radio . The Red Carnation . Sure Thing . Where Have All The Lightning Bugs Gone? . One More Time - The Dr. James Murphy’s Retirement Retrospective . An Evening of Broadway (performed at local retirement homes)

  • Additional Theater Tech involving Set Construction & Painting, Prop Fabrication and Lighting:
    Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella . Artichoke . Talk Radio . Antigone . Getting Out . The Miracle Worker . The Glass Menagerie