Rob Blaze

robblaze@gmail.com

Simi Valley, CA  (805) 813-0166

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Creative Project Management from Concept Generation to Deliverables

Imaginative Vision and Strategies for Award-Winning Corporate Branding and Marketing

Artistic ~ Inventive ~ Original ~ Imaginative ~ Inspired ~ Passionate

Resourceful ~ Ingenious ~ Innovative ~ Productive ~ Efficient

Problem Solver ~ Renaissance man

Seeing is Believing…

Portfolio ~ Flash Resume ~ References

  ~  Extensive expertise directing all aspects of Creative / Art projects and operations.

  ~  Establish and Produce Creative Direction of Promotions / Franchises / Packaging / Re-facing.

  ~  Ability to Inspire and Develop Outstanding Solutions On-Time and On-Budget.

  ~  Hands-On, Passionate, Creative Team Leader ~ Supervisor ~ Collaborator.

  ~  Proven ability to train, motivate, and lead successful cross-functional teams of employees.

  ~  Produce / advocate / cultivate client pleasing, award winning, self-selling, desirable work.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Rob Blaze, Simi Valley, CA  (2005 – present)

Creative Director & Marketing Consultant

~ Design, maintain and promote companies through traditional and new media, including direct mail, email, Web, streaming video, PodCasting, television, print, and more.

~ Determine long-term marketing needs, develop and produce marketing plans, measure effectiveness and ROI, work with sales department to determine needs and wishes, ultimately accomplish the organization's business objectives.

~ Plan and produce all implementation of corporate brand; creative, definition of long-term goals, promotions, design and produce manuals, badges, signs, photos, etc.

~ Establish and direct creative policies and procedures for corporations (since 1998).

Key Information Systems, Woodland Hills, CA  (2000 – 2002)

Creative Director / Marketing Executive

~ Developed corporate ‘Key’ brand and visual standards (see www.keyisit.com).

~ Produced marketing (Strategic Development, Technical Articles, Internal Communications, Company & Product Positioning) including Web and Print.

~ Worked with top executives at Key, IBM, and other companies to develop and execute end-to-end marketing campaigns and strategies.

~ Increased & generated new business revenue (through Strategic & Creative Development, Research, Media Planning & Management); marketing efforts contributed to phenomenal company growth from $20M in 2000 to $40M in 2001 (rec’d IBM Beacon Award for co.).

~ Direct all art for corp. events (Trade Shows, Technology Forums, Customer Events, etc.).

FIX Studios, Glendale, CA  (2002 – present)

Creative/Art Director, I.T. Consultant, Artist, Designer, Photographer

~ Creation of company identities and branding, including logos & websites.

~ Business development and management, including hardware assessment, acquisition, and implementation (Mac, PC, and IBM enterprise systems).

~ Management, production, and consultation on graphic design projects of all sorts, including print & web design (and re-design), advertisement design (marketing & promo), branding & identity establishment, book design, and event design & production.

~ High-end digital retouching for national magazines, including Maxim, Stuff, Playboy, Complex, Radar, and others. Major contributor to FIX Studios’ portfolio.

Liberty Hill I.S.D. (1996– 1998)

High School Art Teacher:

Drawing ~ Painting ~ Ceramics ~ Jewelry ~ Photography

~ Full-time, fully credentialed art teacher for Art, Ceramics, Jewelry Making, and Yearbook/Photo classes (Texas Lifetime Teaching Credential).

~ Member of the National Art Education Association (NAEA), a non-profit organization promoting art education through professional development, service, advancement of knowledge, and leadership.

ADDITIONAL EXPERIENCE – details on request

Technical

- Mac & PC "guru-level" user. Expert knowledge of the following software: Photoshop

   (Adobe Certified), iLife, Flash, Dreamweaver, all Microsoft Office products, Final Cut, DVD

   Studio, ProTools, Logic, Fireworks, Illustrator, Freehand, Premiere, QuickTime,

   ImageReady, WebSphere Studio (IBM Certified), Marketing Plan Pro, Broadc@stHTML,

   (including Project), ACT!, Goldmine, and many more.

- Programming:  HTML, ActionScript, some JavaScript, some ASP, BASIC, Pascal.

- Self-starter, works well with a team or independently; excellent organizational &

   strategic planning skills; capable of providing significant hands-on tactical execution.

- Very strong verbal and written skills.

- Flexibility and adaptability to changing conditions and requirements.

Music / Audio / Recording / D.J.

- Audio engineering background with experience working in Hollywood recording studios.

   Microphone techniques, tracking, audio effects, mixing, mastering, editing, etc. 

- Accomplished musician, GIT graduate.  Wrote, recorded, and produced “Bye Bye Lida,” a

   song that raised money to benefit the family of slain Eddie Araujo (www.byebyelida.com).

- Home recording with ProTools and Logic.  Electronic music production with Reason, Garage

   Band, SoundTrack, Acid, etc.  DJ experience, including FinalScratch.

Photo / Video

- On-site digital & film, ambient & flash-illuminated, of mostly people.

- Produced music videos, DVD visuals to DJ mix tracks, and multimedia presentations.

- Strong grasp of lighting techniques, including use of multiple flash units.

- Darkroom experience (photo); editing experience (video / DVD: Final Cut Pro).

Teaching

- Work well with adults, play well with children, coordinate large groups of people. Teaching

   experience coupled with patience and understanding of people and learning styles enables

   me to connect with seekers and lead them to attainable and ideal solutions. Good listening

   and thoughtfulness are additional attributes that have helped me to succeed, and to help

   others with their success.

- Consulting for industry professionals (college art instructors, musicians, D.J.’s, more).

Retail

- Sales representative at Guitar Center, Sherman Oaks from 1988-89.

FORMAL EDUCATION

B.A., Art Studio, University of California, Santa Barbara (1996)

Texas (Life) Secondary Art Teaching Credential, Art, Texas RESC XIII (1997)

Musicians Institute, Guitar Institute of Technology (1988)