stefan reddick

Stefan Reddick is a senior designer at May & Co., a brand development firm based in Dallas, celebrating 20 years of award-winning work for a variety of clients. A 1997 graduate of Texas Christian University, he has created communications solutions for several companies, notably CompUSA, Brunswick Outdoor, Florida Grand Opera and The Hart eCenter at SMU. He is currently the president of AIGA Dallas/Fort Worth Chapter.

Do you feel hopeful about 2005?
I am very optimistic about a revived economy in 2005. I am also hopeful that the firms that have struggled for the last few years will have learned something positive during this time, something useful to ensure a more successful year.

How has graphic design changed since you started?
From the small firm perspective, the advancement of desktop publishing has made a big difference. Ubiquitous software and off-the-shelf design tools have given clients the control to create and update their own projects. This work used to be serviced by design firms, allowing business owners to hire and train college graduates. I think this situation has depleted the designer-apprentice relationship, and has forced shops to find new ways to generate income and sell larger projects.

What do you like to do in your time away from work?
I watch a movie, spend time with family and friends, an occasional jog. Good times.

What are you currently listening to, watching or reading?
I just finished reading Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory MacGuire. It's a great book. I'm watching basketball when I can catch it, and The Kids in the Hall and The Young Ones reruns on DVD. As for music, it's been The Pixies and whatever else is in iTunes.

terri edelman

Terri Edelman is the principal and founder of The Edelman Group. Edelman directs the company’s sales effort and oversees every project, providing one-on-one client counsel including strategic marketing consultation, copy and creative direction, media planning and design recommendations. After working at several major New York design studios and agencies, she founded Terri Edelman Graphic Design in 1982. At the end of 1992, Edelman changed the firm’s name to The Edelman Group, reflecting expanding capabilities in advertising, media scheduling and placement. In addition, the firm’s marketing capabilities have been increased to include a broader range of services, including brand development, marketing research and strategy documentation and e-marketing solutions. Edelman’s commitment to the design business dates all the way back to her commercial arts concentration at Mt. Vernon High School. In 1978, she graduated cum laude from Cornell, constructing an independent major in graphic design. Edelman has won numerous design awards from the Art Directors Club, the American Advertising Federation, International Association of Business Contractors, Graphic Design usa, Art Direction and the PIA. She has been featured in many business and design publications, and been a featured speaker at many top organizations. Giving back to the community is a priority. In addition to sponsoring an extensive internship program at the firm, Edelman created a graphic design scholarship in memory of her late father, Richard Edelman, for the Mt. Vernon High School Commercial Art Program. Edelman has been honored by the New York Public School Mentoring Program for her contributions of leadership, expertise and service.

Do you feel hopeful about 2005?
I have to admit –– although I am very superstitious and don’t want to jinx us all –– I am cautiously optimistic about 2005. It seems as though the pendulum is swinging back yet again, and companies are beginning to place a value on effective, well designed materials. You never can be too sure, however, because all it takes is one stock market event or terrorist attack and the coffers will slam shut again. That’s why it’s always been my philosophy to run a lean shop and to save for a rainy day!

How has graphic design changed since you started?
After almost 23 years in business, I feel like I have seen it all. Remember the days when we used to have to wait until the next morning to get type back? Now clients get antsy if they can’t see their changes in five minutes or less. On the flip-side, we hardly outsource anything any more, so the potential for profitability is greater. One of the great challenges of having a design firm today is the proliferation of corporate inhouse designers. This severely reduces the size of the pie for the rest of us. My other pet peeve is that, for the most part, young designers who grew up designing on the computer have difficulty thinking about solutions before beginning to design.

What is your workday like?
I am fortunate enough to be able to work at home two days a week, so I can spend more time with my family. That’s another way that the business has changed. On the days I go into the city, I am on the 7:09 a.m. train and don’t get home until 7:40 p.m. —but I always get in a midday run or workout –– it keeps me sane!

How and where do you find inspiration?
I get my best ideas while running.

What are you currently listening to, watching or reading?
Now that I have to take the subway down to our new offices in lower Manhattan, I am addicted to books on tape –– right now, The Perfect Witness. I read Crain’s New York Business religiously, and, of course, Runner’s World. I am also reading Nancy Drew with my five-year-old daughter, and studying Hebrew with my 11-year-old son. I am a Neville Brothers fan, and am now into Los Lonely Boys. In terms of tv, I miss The Sopranos.

gary baker

After studying at Art Center College of Design and earning a Bachelor’s Degree in design from UCLA, Gary Baker spent nearly a decade growing and learning in a number of design studios. In 1984, he established his own firm, rising to prominence not only as a designer but also as a strategic advisor to some of the nation’s most prestigious companies and organizations. Building on a reputation for sound thinking and outstanding execution and service, today Baker provides integrated solutions to clients facing a new generation of complex communications challenges. Clients include QUALCOMM, Fluor, Earth Tech/Tyco, WellPoint, Occidental, Unocal, UCLA, Nationwide and many others.

Do you feel hopeful about 2005?
I do. The moves we have made to grow the business over the past several years continue to pay off. Evolving our business model was difficult at first: it was during the recent downturn that we began to expand our service offering, adding writers, brand strategists and interactive consultants to our mix. But doing so gave us more frequent touch points with clients to demonstrate our value as strategic thinkers as well as creative advisors.

How has graphic design changed since you started?
The fundamental design principles still apply, but technology and business — and their impact on design — have evolved immeasurably. From the start we’ve always sought to produce work with meaning beyond pure aesthetics, an approach centered on business objectives. Business and design trends come and go, but the smartest firms know how to think and put a premium on growing with their clients.

What is your workday like?
I usually get in early, around 5:30 a.m., when it’s quiet enough to do the real critical thinking. Right now is a unique time. I’m building out a new studio for us to move into, and also in the midst of restructuring the company leadership. I am investing time on operational and administrative issues in the hopes of reducing my future workload in those areas. I prefer to focus on creative direction, client servicing and business development and strategy.

How and where do you find inspiration?
I’m inspired partly by my own torment, partly by my own passion to figure out the puzzle, to understand the challenge, and to believe always that I can make it better. I’m also inspired when I work with talented people, or when I see the great work done by others.

What are you currently listening to, watching or reading?
I love KCRW, our local public radio station. They play an eclectic mix of jazz, hip-hop, dance, world beat… you name it. I like Donnie Deutsch’s The Big Idea and HBO always has great programming. I especially love Curb Your Enthusiasm. I don’t get reality tv — I can’t see how anyone would call that entertainment.

What do you like to do in your time away from work?
I’ve got a second car, a 1961 pickup, that I call ‘Consuela.’ It even smells like my childhood. On a clear, sunny day, I load her up with my long board, drive up the PCH and find some waves. Surfing is pure release for me. Out there alone, trying to hook into this powerful, natural phenomenon…there is a reason the old-timers call it a soul session. I also enjoy spending time with my family and watching my 11-year-old daughter grow up.