One of the oldest liberal arts colleges in the United States, Trinity College was been a force in the redevelopment of its Hartford community. The college’s goals were to restore the quality of its site and physically engage the surrounding neighborhood as a catalyst for local area improvement—Trinity wished to take down the barriers that too long held Hartford at bay. A monumental discover for this designer was recognizing that the college was indissolubly linked to health of Hartford, and that Trinity could be a catalyst in strengthening ties with the city and local neighborhood groups. Signage aside, this designer also bore witness to the importance of and interdependence of collaborative work, and the multi-year project ignited a personal interest in furthering the my education.

This 4.9 acre State Park in Long Island City was considered one of the most significant New York public works since Central Park. In 1998, Gantry Plaza’s two-and-a-half acres on the East River was the first phase of the planned development that opened up the Queens waterfront in Long Island City. Its award-winning design has transformed former industrial space into a flourishing public park with tremendous views of Manhattan. It was the first in a series of residential developments and public parks for what is currently a thriving community on the East River in Hunters Point, Queens. For this designer, it was an opportunity to collaborate with renowned landscape architects and contribute to conversations about cultural heritage landscapes.

Over the span of a few years, New York's Two Twelve Associates worked on two significant commissions for the City of Chicago. First, the Chicago Park District sign system, followed by an ambitious project to redesign street regulatory signage. Chicago's extensive urban park system is one of the nation's finest and home to many cultural institutions and landmarks. At the time, the system comprised 552 parks, sports fields, and playlots. From landscape features to signage, the system in multiple languages helped users easily navigate the park setting while not distracting from the public spaces. For his designer, numerous professional accomplishments, observations, and experiences came out of this experience.

In 1995, I assisted David Peters (Two Twelve Associates) in his research: Graphic Design History in Film and Video. Film Titles, Film Trailers, and Short Films Curated by David Peters. Funded by a National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) grant, his media research project for the AIGA was considered an early and essential inventory of significant film titles in film history. The document and films formed a vital resource for the AIGA. For Peters, the work formed the foundation for many lectures and publications, including “Typecast: The Art of the Typographic Film Title.” The collection enabled me to engage in conversation with David about an art form I admired and investigated. There were, however, surprising introductions that also came out of this work.

In 1996, I worked on three software packages for mutual fund titan T. Rowe Price of Baltimore. NSCAD alumni David Peters, who managed the three projects—Retirement Savings Analyzer, Decisions (401k), and a third for track IRAs—saw the project through the lens of the user. David recognized there might have been TRP investors who would use all three. This approach told us one thing: no matter what application, the results (output) had to be the same if the input was consistent among all three. If not, it could be a catastrophic failure for the investment firm. Thus, all three software applications—that fit on a single floppy disc—use the same calculation engine.

The ‘decisions’ software project represents the first time I worked with illustrators, from reviewing portfolios to art direction. The project also went through extensive user testing, a process I had never experienced. However, working with the content architect and writer was when I truly understood how language, illustration, organization, and graphic design are inextricably integrated; mainly, it revealed the importance of editing everything; after all, this complex software fit on a single floppy disk. A year after launch, the program had staggering results of up to 40% of investors changing their investment strategy resulting in significantly higher personal gains. As a result of this project, I realized the power of design and how my profession could bring about change in a meaningful way.

For about the same amount of time Chairs Limited began designing and manufacturing ergonomic accessories and furniture, Marc Belanger and I have known each other. Marc and I have been classmates and collaborators; we were independent business owners, worked for the same employer, and are now back running our own offices. Someone once told our class, "these will be the people who help you for the rest of your career." So true, and great work, Marc.

A case of mistaken identity. I joined the crew in late 1993, part-time, filling in for staff on leave. This Hour Has 22 Minutes was in its adolescence, starring CODCO alum—Walsh, Jones, and regular guest Thomey—together with a notable young writer and performer Rick Mercer. Thrilled to be part of something big, my heart thought “this is exciting”, my head thought otherwise.

This project represents many firsts. It was my first exhibition design, my first time hiring a sub-consultant, and the first project I worked on where I felt the immense responsibility around what I was producing. The project had other unique experiences, but the takeaway was the connection between design, content, and the broad reach our work can have. While the project was a first by many counts, it was not the last time I worked on commemorating this tragic event.

The 21st G7 summit held on June 15–17, 1995, gathered world leaders and media to Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. Over a period of two days, the world focused on the city, the province, and the region. It’s estimated that more than 5,000 people attended, including about 2,000 members of the media, 2,000 delegates and about 1,000 security people. The provincial government used the opportunity to promote the region as destinations for tourists and to open up business opportunities.

As a young designer fresh out of school, there were ‘firsts’ that one strived to achieve, the first logo, poster, album cover, and design of a book. For this book of poetry, I aimed to produce something that stood apart among others of its type, and a cover that represented the trauma and rebirth that the young author experienced. On one hand, I believe this was accomplished, on the other, it was the recognition of an industry “rock-star” that thrilled me.

In the early hours one morning, staff were called down to the news-floor to witness life feeds submitted by foreign correspondents. Nothing could have prepared me for what I viewed, and I have never watched the news with the innocence I had before that day.

Sister company to Angela Gwynn-John’s (né Pressburger) award-winning production company, Archer Films, Arcangel requested a logo that suggests exploration, yet presents as traditional. Expressing the word’s etymology addresses these goals while also drawing attention to its non-traditional spelling.