About Me

Square

Jeffrey M. Homan

SUMMARY OF QUALIFICATIONS

Creative Designer and Team Leader with a primary focus on display and packaging design. Also well versed in art direction, graphic design, branding, corporate identity, advertising, catalogs, web sites, business forms. Creative problem solver with strong interpersonal and communications skills. Extensive experience working directly with national clients and outside suppliers. Technical expertise combined with as strong production focus and managerial skill set. Strong believer that a good sense of humor is your best ally in overcoming difficult tasks and tight deadlines.

KEY PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS

  • Produce consistently clean, quality design files ready to print with minimal prepress intervention. Experienced working with offset & digital printers to ensure timely delivery of litho sheets for fast paced production environments.
  • Responsible for developing and implementing a color specification and management workflow with outside litho vendors to ensure consistent color quality to meet the needs and expectations of our most demanding customers.
  • Recipient of 21 industry awards from 2012-2019, including 2 National Silver American Advertising Federation Awards, 3 District American Advertising Federation Awards, the 2017 AICC Best Corrugated Self Promotion award, and two first place in category awards in the TAPPI Corrpack Competition in 2016.
  • Awarded line extension design work for Tempur-Sealy pillow boxes, saving them time to market by creating designs to their branding specifications that were fully prepped to go into production immediately after design approval.
  • Developed a close working relationship with our structural design team that resulted in tightly integrated artwork and structural layouts. We presented several concepts to the marketing teams of major national accounts that were further developed into final packaging.
  • Created an in-house creative department. Purchased and maintained all hardware and software, hired, trained and managed staff, purchased all printing and outside services. Over an 11-year span the department grew with the organization, which transitioned from a privately held to a publicly traded company. 5-person team provided complete creative services to 4 wholesale divisions and over 30 retail locations. These services included product packaging, point-of-purchase signs and displays, catalogs, marketing materials, project books and business forms.
  • As part of a 6 person team that was responsible for production of 12 monthly 80-page and one yearly 300 page catalog, I was able to cut three days production time from each catalog using script automation of final pagination and creation and delivery of pdf files to the printer.
  • Founded and maintained my own freelance design business.

MEDIA EXPERIENCE | TECHNICAL EXPERTISE

  • Expert in Adobe Creative Suite, primary focus Illustrator, Photoshop and InDesign.
  • Proficient in assembling and folding structures in ArtiosCAD to create 3D models of designs for customer evaluation and approval. Created original structural designs for some of my projects.
  • Proficient with many popular software packages related to the graphic and web design fields. Adept at learning new software as needed for specific job functions.
  • Project Management, information gathering and organization, Database & Asset Management.
  • Team Supervision and Training.
  • Illustration, Photo Illustration and Digital Photography.
  • Art Direction of Photography & Video.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Corrugated Container Corporation(Acquired by DS Smith June 2018), Roanoke, Virginia                       2010 – Present
Corrugated Sheet Plant manufacturing retail packaging, displays and shipping boxes.
Senior Graphic Designer
Create original graphic designs for both lithographic labels and flexographic direct print on product packaging, retail displays and shipping boxes. Process customer-supplied artwork to make it suitable for printing. Manage color expectations and monitor litho print quality with visual and instrument testing procedures. Create Business to Business and Sponsorship advertising. Update and refine internal business forms.

Classic Marketing Group, Wadsworth, Ohio                                                                                                          2008
Full Service Marketing Agency.
Creative Director
Directed concept and execution of creative projects for a wide range of customers in the automotive, financial and retail industries.  Projects united print, internet, television and radio into a comprehensive marketing plan for each client. My contributions include client interaction, needs assessment, concept development and strategic planning in coordination with account executives and senior management.

Caraustar Industries, Cleveland, Ohio                                                                                                          2006-2007
Manufacturer of folding cartons for national retail brands and private label customers.
Art Director
Responsible for the creative direction of all corporate projects for both internal and external customers. Worked with structural designers and sales and marketing teams to develop and present new folding carton packaging concepts to national accounts including Heinz, Hershey, Nestlé, Pepperidge Farm, Shure and Top Flite/Callaway. Provided package, logo and collateral material design to several local accounts. Designed sales materials, logos and promotional items for various corporate groups and initiatives.

Stylin Concepts, Independence, Ohio                                                                                                           2005-2006
Direct Marketer of aftermarket truck accessories.
Art Director
Established design direction, set photographic standards, organized and maintained computer files as part of a 6 person team of two art directors, a production artist, copywriter, photographer and photo librarian. Coordinated, designed and produced 13 catalogs per year for a direct marketer of truck accessories. Implemented production changes that saved more than three working days per catalog. Coordinated design changes that improved appearance and clarity of product presentation. Responsible for direct supervision of photo team consisting of a photographer and a photo librarian.

Darice/Lamrite West Incorporated, Strongsville, Ohio                                                                                   1987-1998
Manufacturer, Importer, and Distributor of art, craft, and floral products to wholesale and retail customers.
Art Director
Responsible for staff supervision & training, project management and printing / media purchasing. Established in-house design department to handle the majority of advertising and design needs including evaluation and purchase of all computers, software and peripherals. Lead role in the design and production of corporate identity, product packaging, catalogs, national magazine advertising, local and regional print advertising, and business forms.

Coyle Graphics Incorporated, Parma, Ohio
Four press printing shop.
Graphic Designer / Typesetter
Responsible for all typesetting, keylining and prepress work for a four press print shop. Operated stat cameras, Linotype typesetter, proofing and plate making equipment.

Art American Printing Plates, Cleveland, Ohio
Manufacturer of flexographic printing plates for the dairy and food industries.
Keyliner / Stripper
Responsible for the preparation of art for printing on product packaging. Duties included operation of stat cameras, proofing and plate making equipment, and typographic specification.