Mazz

Phone: 215-266-8911, E-Mail: ammaz2@aol.com

Senior Art Director/ Creative Director-Printing and Packaging Sector

Creative Design | Art-Direction | Packaging and Printing | Team Motivation
Accomplished, creative graphic design professional with 14+ years of work experience; Well-honed skills in creating eye-catching, cost effective designs that meet branding requirements and suit the target market needs. Breadth of experience encompasses expertise in entire graphic design life cycle which include conceptualizing and implementing innovative design concepts for commercial product packaging, promotional displays, showroom graphics, photo shoots, brochures, logos, websites, ads and marketing collateral . Proven ability in creating professional looking packaging mock-ups, in-house for sales presentations and assembling tradeshow / showroom graphics. Cross-functional business acumen with the capability to assess consumer tastes, market trends and product details to conceptualize package designs and also motivate and manage creative team ensuring peak performance; In-depth knowledge of entire printing technology. Detail-driven, committed professional with collaborative team leading abilities and a customer-oriented approach towards business. Instrumental in creating outstanding packaging designs for the CDI Barbie dress up items receiving recognition from the Mattel group in the year 2007 Art Directed two Barbie package designs that were inducted by Mattel in 2011 into their 2012 style guide as examples of the best of the best in packaging design Recipient of numerous awards at both the Las Vegas and Philadelphia film festivals for design of DVD covers, promotional products, movie posters, and art design for credits and website Won applause from CDI & Target to present the entire Target "Time for Toys" line in both English and Spanish for all stores to accommodate customers from all major ethnicities Major Clients Handled: Disney, Toys R Us, Walmart, Mattel, Value City Department Stores, Burlington Coat Factory, Nickelodeon, Marmaxx Corporation, Vanity Fair, Target, Ross and K-Mart AREAS OF EXPERTISE Graphic Design/Creative Services/Art Direction Department Operations Management Printing and Packaging Designs Customer Service Management Innovative Design Development Branding & Business Development Process Improvements Change Management Team Leadership and Motivation Recruitment and Selection Design Life Cycle Management Project Management Quality Management Statutory Compliances Relationship Management Dedicated and Deadline Sensitive Highly Motivated and Detail-Oriented Cross-Functional Business Acumen Performance-Oriented Training and Development

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE MAZZ CREATIVE CONSULTING , FEASTERVILLE, TREVOSE, PA 2013 ONWARDS

Creative Consultant
Presently working as an independent consultant providing key consultancy to Art Directors, Graphic Designers and companies that search for innovative branding, merchandising, consumer branding and packaging designs. ALMAR SALES COMPANY, NEW YORK CITY, NY 2012-2013

The organization is a family owned company specializing in girls dress-up & role play, childrens play cosmetics, novelty items, ladies cosmetics and costume jewelry and party items.

Creative Director
Led the entire gamut of functions pertaining to restructuring and organizing all creative phases of graphic design, in order to achieve higher standards for all packaging and promotional displays for existing licensors, customers and potential clients.

MAJOR CONTRIBUTIONS Successfully identified the problems in the art department reporting them to the supervisor, providing significant suggestions for solutions to these issues. Motivated and mentored designers as a collaborative team leader so as to enhance the quality of work done in the art department, improving designer productivity and raising the team morale. Improved art department efficiency through implementation of collaborative processes and inter-departmental coordination. Created innovative designs which were appreciated by VP of Merchandising and resulted in high impact packaging concepts and structures presented to Walmart in November 2013. Recognized by high-end jewelry sales and merchandizing teams, for consistently meeting the need for innovative packaging designs that were often completed ahead of schedule, while always adhering to licensor style and branding guides. CREATIVE DESIGNS INTERNATIONAL, TREVOSE 2006-2011

The organization is the creative design division of the parent company, Jakks Pacific, which is located in California.

Director of Creative Services

Managed all activities pertaining leadership of a team of 16 designers entailing all facets of graphic design, as well as all creative phases that resulted in high impact packaging and promotional displays for existing licensors, customers and potential clients; Spearheaded internal and external design teams to meet tight timelines and budgets, meeting the stringent expectations of international firms requirements for their product packaging, marketing collateral and showroom materials. MAJOR CONTRIBUTIONS Instrumental in creating outstanding packaging designs for the CDI Barbie dress up items receiving recognition from the Mattel group in the year 2007. Won plaudits as the first graphic designer to introduce the use of a large illustrated doll wearing CDI dress up items on the packaging Commended by the President of CDI, Geoffrey Greenberg, for raising the bar of CDIs packaging. Promoted to Assistant Art Director and assigned to also oversee the Disney Princess line, which is CDIs largest and most profitable line, having thousands of SKUs. Created a new boutique packaging in collaboration with the Disney Art Director which is still in use for all princess dress up items. Promoted to co-art director in the year 2008 and to Director of Creative Services in the year 2009 with responsibilities encompassing not only art direction but also departmental management. Two art directed Barbie packages were inducted by Mattel in 2011 into their 2012 style guide as examples of the best of the best in packaging design Instrumental in Walmart approaching the CDIs private label team to create new boys dress up artwork in the year 2009 and for completion of two style guides that they started in the year 2010. Entrusted by Target to come up with a new name, logo and complete style guide for their 2011 holiday program in the year 2010. The packaging was immediately adopted and incorporated without any changes. THE AMERICAN BELT COMPANY, BENSALEM, PA
The organization is a small, family owned business specializing in mens accessories and housewares.

2000-2006

Senior Graphic Designer

Entrusted with the creation of all graphic design for product packaging, logos, booklets, and advertisements. Managed all functions including concept and implementation of all graphic design deliverables, going on press checks and approving prepress samples so as to enhance customer satisfaction. Accountable for producing innovative ways to display new products and offer sales support for new accounts. MAJOR CONTRIBUTIONS Successfully developed packaging designs for Geoffrey Beene mens and home accessories which were approved without any changes. Developed packaging designs for Thom McCann wallets which required no changes.

 With expertise developed packaging designs for assorted houseware and bar items for Marmax corporation which required no changes Achieved success in the development of packaging designs for Kmart corporations basic editions brand wallet, belts and suspenders. Redesigned and modernized the companys corporate identity. PRIOR EXPERIENCE Freelance Graphic Designer, Feasterville, PA The 4th Dimension Movie, LLC, Warrington, PA Freelance Graphic Design 2011-2012 2000-2006

Michael Type & Graphics, Media, PA Graphic Designer Etre Creative Services, Philadelphia PA Freelance Graphic Designer EDUCATION BFA Graphic Design Tyler School of Art, Temple University International Studies Temple Rome Program Several Management Courses Del Carnegie, American Belt Advanced Photoshop Class American Belt SKILLS _

2000

1999

1999 1997

Technical: Macintosh (Mac OS 10.5.8), Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, Bridge, In Design, Acrobat), and Quark Express; PC (Windows XP), Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint Languages: English (Fluent), French (Very Basic), Italian (Very Basic) PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS Brand Packaging, Consumer Goods & Retail Professionals, Creative Connection, Creative Directors, Full Circle Paper + Print+ Design, Product Safety & Recall Directory, Women In Toys, Packaging hatsells