Work history
Customer Experience (UX Design/Research/Strategy) - RCIS/Zurich NA (2012-present)
RCIS, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Zurich North America (previously owned by Wells Fargo), is the largest provider of agricultural insurance products and services in the United States. I work with product and business leaders and stakeholders to customize solutions in the most efficient and cost-effective manner. My responsibilities include:
- Manage the UX design and development work of external teams (on and offshore) during three-year project
- Enterprise-level responsibility to develop and execute design solutions to improve the user experience
- Translate user and business requirements into digital experiences including web, mobile, and desktop
- Work closely with a network of 2,500 independent agents / and their 150,000 customers nationwide conducting research projects, field studies, interviews, and usability testing to gain empathy and understanding of their needs and uses
- Evangelize great experiences with product managers and business representatives, and present leading-edge design solutions and key milestone deliverables (design briefs, demos, prototypes, wireframes, etc.)
- Helped to design, launch, maintain, and evolve the RCIS mobile strategy
- Define, document, and socialize an enterprise-level library of reusable UI and design elements, patterns, and standards articulating complex data-driven and user-focused systems, interactions, taxonomies, navigation, IA, and task-flows
- Save more than $25K per release over 4 major releases each year by initiating "Iteration 0" and reducing one iteration per release, a total $100K saving
Marketing, Art & Design - Marketing Group Leader - RCIS/Wells Fargo (2011-2012)
Worked with senior management and national sales/business development leaders to engage strategic partners in the development of targeted marketing campaigns and experiential marketing programs.
- Managed strategic partnerships with key industry and media partners to develop cross-promotions and campaigns
- Presented at national sales and business development meetings
- Worked with Corporate Communications to develop Mar/Com plans for internal business groups
- Managed the RCIS brand at the enterprise level (continued)
- Developed, designed, and executed corporate identity projects
Marketing, Art & Design - Brand and Advertising Consultant - RCIS/Wells Fargo (2005-2011)
Lead virtual and cross-functional teams, consulted with senior leaders, national sales, business, and product groups to execute campaigns and provide brand expertise over advertising and marketing programs for the company and independent agencies.
- Managed the RCIS brand at the enterprise level
- Developed, designed, and executed strategic campaigns across print, broadcast and digital media channels
- Managed the brand “refresh” project and presented as part the nation-wide presentations
- Best of NAMA Merit Award 2007 - National Agri-Marketing Assoc.
- Graphic Design USA Magazine - In-House Design Award Winner: 2007, 2010
- Wells Fargo Service Excellence Award Winner: 2006, 2011
Senior Designer - Insignia POPS (2002 - 2005)
Insignia Systems/Insignia POPS, a nation-wide provider of in-store promotions and point-of-purchase programs to retailers and consumer goods manufacturers including General Mills, P&G, Kraft and more.
- Designed and developed in-store point-of-purchase campaigns for major retailers and manufacturers
- Mentored junior-level designers
- Designed and developed corporate marketing campaigns, corporate identity and communications
- Co-lead the corporate brand development project - including research, interviews, crafting the brand statement, etc.
- Provided creative direction for the company’s annual report
Designer / Project Manager - ASI Image Studios (1998 - 2001)
ASI Image Studios, a boutique creative agency in Minneapolis. Clients included: MN State Lottery, University of MN, P&G, Hilton Hotels, SFX Sports/Dayton’s Challenge, Digi-Key Corp., Activision Value Software, and more.
- Managed projects from concept through production for corporate ID/branding, communications/sales collateral, advertisements (B2B, B2C), direct mail, POP, annual reports, web design and interactive
- Responsible for client and account management – presentations, business development, etc.
- Helped manage the design and production of event collateral for The Dayton’s Challenge, Grand Prix of Minneapolis, and Joe Schmidt Celebrity Golf Tourney
- Managed vendor relationships, budgets, etc.
- Won new business which helped the company grow by more than 140% in 3 years
Creative Services Manager - Video Update, Inc. (1995 - 1998)
Video Update, a publicly traded company, was the 3rd largest video-rental chain in the United States.
- Responsible for the creative direction, production, budgeting and management of advertising and marketing campaigns including all print, radio, television and digital
- Worked closely with senior management to effectively execute and track campaigns on local, regional and national levels
- Managed vendor relationships, tracked budgets and spending of co-op advertising dollars
- Developed and executed cross-promotions with major league sports teams, major amusement parks and national retailers
- Helped the company lead the industry in same-store sales for two years
- Mario Award winner: Best In-store Advertising - Flyer 1997 - Nintendo Corporation