I am an experienced and knowledgeable creative leader with an entrepreneurial spirit and tested experience across print and digital design as well as impactful promotional campaigns. I am known as an amicable and talented business partner with a wealth of experience steering multi-faceted departments across corporate settings, singular ventures, and individual projects.

I am highly adept at collaborating with senior stakeholders and direct reports to drive project alignment against corporate initiatives. I liaise with core business units and lead cross-departmentally to surpass all outcomes while meeting various organizational objectives. I am widely considered a trusted advisor who transforms strategic planning into actionable initiatives with real results.

edwildersf@gmail.com

Creative Director

Informa Tech
2016 – Present

• Drive and manage creative vision for Informa’s Tech markets that connect B2B and B2C tech professionals through research, training, events, and media.
• Transformed in-house creative team into an agile group of experts by redefining roles and responsibilities for a growing and changing business.
• Construct strategic and budget-conscious solutions for project management, workflow, and communication to improve the quality and efficiency of marketing deliverables.
• Develop clear brand identities and style guides to ensure distinction between brands and consistency across all channels for a global market.
• Identify and eliminate loopholes in the process of connected departments to reduce redundancy and elevate the success of creative solutions.
• Manage constant flux of business needs by maintaining external support for design, web, and video.
• Hire and mentor staff for success in a multifaceted global organization.

Art Director

Self Employed
2014 – 2016

• Led clients through creative development regarding various hands-on projects, including brand consultation, campaigns, promotions, as well as graphic and web design.
• Guarantee delivery of timely and high-quality media that exceeded client expectations while meticulously aligning with industry best practices.
• Primary point of contact for a diverse clientele, ranging from architects and designers to politicians and food manufacturers.
• Liaised between designers and web developers at local agency, spearheading all technical communication.
• Guided clients through reverse design of their websites for responsive, retaining context, and ensuring optimization.

Sr Designer

City Experiences by Hornblower
2008 – 2014

• Developed, launched and maintained creative direction on a variety of tourism brands.
• Oversaw campaigns and brand identities, including supporting ads, brochures, direct mailers, web sites, landing pages and email promotional strategies.
• Supported company efforts with conceptual advertising content for new business bids, including the successful acquisitions of Niagara Falls Cruises.
• Enhanced team performance, project transparency, and delivered quality two-fold by recalibrating project flow and organization.
• Appraised and planned annual departmental budgets to ensure optimal operation and targets were met or exceeded.
• Managed relationships and budgets with freelancers and vendors.

Sr Designer

Pure Red Advertising
2006 – 2008

• Led creative team, including up to 16 staff and freelancers for design and advertising on the non-perishable product divisions at Safeway.
• Successfully revitalized national product sales inserts by hiring and managing a dedicated 24-hour team to meet stringent deadlines.
• Created and presented creative solutions to clients, managed freelancers, and executed artistic direction of photoshoots.

Graphic Designer

Freelancer,
Biggs Gilmore Advertising,
Copper Advertising
– 2006

• Supported clients across conceptual design involving print, advertising, and web.
• Art direction on fashion and food photoshoots involving mid-west-based retailer, Meijer.
• Collaborated with senior stakeholders to design and roll out corporate campaigns, graphic design and client presentations.
• Primary point of contact for brochure, advertising, identity, brand and website creation, including supervision of photographers and illustrators.
• Successfully navigated creative environment, delivering a personalized approach to all design components, including project quotation, vendor relations, design, and release.