Freelance Art Director / Designer

Kristof Creative, Inc., Nashville, TN • Nov. 2001 – PRESENT

• B2B and B2C Clients included; Banking & Financial Institutions, Education, Entertainment and Film, Food & Beverage, Global Research & Advocacy, Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals, Public Relations, Sports, Travel & Leisure
• Client and project management
• Manage remote creative teams
• Graphic Design, Branding, Social Media, Video, and Web Development projects. If you can name it,
  I’ve probably designed it
• Led creative team in designing beverage packaging design that increased sales 300%
• Created a Twitter search engine that helped identify a drive-by shooter – leading to their arrest
• Designed, developed, and produced; 159 magazine and newspaper print ads, 64 Brand Identities, 62 Websites, 19 Brochures, 17 Posters, 14 Flyers, 16 Packaging Designs, 12 Radio Commercials, 10 Annual Reports, 10 PowerPoint Presentations, 10 Outdoor Campaigns, 8 Presentation folders, 8 Email Newsletters, 5 Infographics, 5 Trade-show booths, 3 Book Covers, 2 Landing Pages, and 2 Long-form Video Scripts — and a Partridge in a pear tree 😉

Graphic Design Coordinator / Creative Director / Instructor

Nossi College of Art, Nashville, TN • Sep. 2016 – Feb. 2020

• Managed Bachelor degree programs for Graphic Design and Web & Interactive with 18 Adjunct instructors
• Rewrote creative courses and created new courses resulting in updating requirements to meet current industry skills and standards
• Introduced Design Thinking and UI/UX processes into courses as a foundation for creative development
• Created a simulated internal ad agency staffed with graphic design, illustration, and photography students to create marketing materials for a local non-profit. A comprehensive campaign with over 200 assets was created and resulted in; $18,000 in donations, 40% more programs taught, and reached 95.87% more students.
• Successfully led, developed, designed, and launched new brand campaign for the college consisting of print, outdoor, digital, video, social media, collateral, and experiential
• Taught all levels of advertising, branding, graphic design, typography, social media, and marketing courses

“Mr. Kristof is a true professional. He took over the Graphic Design Department at Nossi College three years ago and instituted many changes to advance the quality of the program. On top of managing the department, teaching courses and revising syllabi, Mr. Kristof acted as the in-house Creative Director for the college Marketing Department. During his tenure at Nossi, he created a unique brand identity and brand position for the college, tapping into the essence of why a creative chooses an art college for their education. I’ve worked with many designers over the last 25 years. Mr. Kristof taught me how important communication THROUGH design really is.“

— Cyrus Vatandoost, Executive Vice President, Nossi College of Art

Associate Creative Director

Arnold Worldwide, McLean, VA • Apr. 2001 – Nov. 2001

• Accounts; Mobil Oil, Mobile On-the-Run, STIHL, PNC Bank, McDonalds, and Citizens Bank
• Effie Award – Co-managed creative team in developing a bank acquisition/name change campaign for a regional bank resulting in an increase in deposits and virtually no loss of customers (versus 10% attrition considered average in a bank merger)

Associate Creative Director

AdMine.com, Herndon, VA • Apr. 2000 – Dec. 2000

• Managed team of 10 creative’s and daily operation of production department
• Concept, art direction, and copywriting of 52 campaigns in 8 months for print, television, outdoor, and radio

Art Director > Senior Art Director

The Ramey Agency, Jackson, MS • Jun. 1995 – Oct. 1998

• Accounts; American Diabetes Association, Mississippi Department of Economic and Community Development, Mississippi Division of Tourism, PROMUS Hotel Corporation, Southern Audio Systems, St. Dominic-Jackson Memorial Hospital, Taste of the Nation, Union Planters Bank, and USA Pawn
• Created TV commercial that increased tourism inquires 17% and won an International marketing award
• Created an economic development campaign that netted the state a 23% increase in jobs created by new businesses and a 15% increase in new business startups, at a time when new business creation experienced a seven percent drop-off nationally
• Created financial print ad which brought in $1.5 million and opened 172 new accounts
• Awarded Fortune magazine “Best Read Ad” — year-end, double-issue investment guide

Computer and Technology Skills

Client Experience (Short List)

Industry Experience

Production Services

Public Relations

Public Service

Publishing

Radio

Real Estate

Religious

Restaurants

Retail (E-commerce)

Safety (& Security)

Sales

Software

Sports

Technology

Telecommunications

Toys

Transportation

Travel & Tourism

Utilities

Venture Capital

Wine & Spirits

BFA, Advertising

Art Center College of Design, Pasadena, CA

AA Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement

Palomar College, San Marcos, CA

AA Liberal Arts

Palomar College, San Marcos, CA

Police Reserve Academy Graduate

Palomar College, San Marcos, CA

Effie Award – Co-managed creative team in developing a bank acquisition/name change campaign for a regional bank resulting in an increase in deposits and virtually no loss of customers (versus 10% attrition considered average in a bank merger)

Led creative team in designing beverage packaging design that increased sales 300%

Created TV commercial that increased tourism inquires 17% and won an International marketing award

Created economic development campaign that netted the state a 23% increase in jobs created by new businesses and a 15% increase in new business startups, at a time when new business creation experienced a seven percent drop-off nationally.

Created financial print ad which brought in over $1.5 million in CD money and opened 172 new bank accounts.

Redesigned affiliate website resulting in a 4% increase in sales.

Created a search engine application for Twitter that helped identify a drive-by shooter – leading to their arrest.

Creative Honors

• London International Advertising Awards
• New York Festivals
• Creativity Annual
• Communication Arts Design Annual
• Collegiate Advertising Awards – Awarded 1 of only 7 Gold awards amongst all colleges in the nation.
• Numerous local & regional ADDY’s

Personal Achievements

• Eagle Scout, Boy Scouts of America
• Jay Chiat and Lee Clow endowed scholarships based on creative portfolio
• 2nd Degree Black Belt, American Wado Karate-do Black Belt Association

Personal Interests