After many lab hours, keggers, all-nighters and exams, I was proud to have received my high-falutin' Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Graphic Design at Bowling Green State University in the fall of 1997. I learned some valuable life-lessons in my time there as a short order cook, caterer, athletic footwear consultant, sandwich artist, brake line manufacturer and campus night guard. This is where it all began.

It was here that I began my first design intership — under the guidance of Paul Obringer — while finishing up my time at the universtiy. Its here where I learned to develop client contact and interaction, and take initial concepts to final file preparation for many university organizations and outside businesses and clients. In doing so, I learned to hone my design skills to really cater to clients' needs. I also learned proper preflight and prepress techniques, digital proofing and job coordination with printers.

At Next Year's News, I provided creative direction and design for many local and national clients, associations and non-profit organizations. In my time there, I developed many print and media solutions via branding and print collateral as well as web and multi-media presentations. Heck I even did some apparel!

My career took it's next step when I joined Metzgers Printing in 2010. Joe and Tom Metzger brought me in to grow the creative department and focus my efforts to design for clients that were looking for agency quality work in a one-stop shop from concept, to printing and mailing. I developed many internal marketing campaigns in my time there, working with our eServices department to help create and develop variable printed pieces, pURLs, B2B and B2C marketing campaigns.

In 2011, I decided to move forward in starting my own business, 419 Creative. In what started out as an avenue to serve as a different creative outlet and source of income for me, has turned into my passion. 419 Creative offers creative marketing solutions for local businesses and organizations seeking to boost brand recognition through print and new media campaigns.