FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 2, 2005
CONTACT: Faith Jackson
Office of University Relations
908-737-NEWS (6397)
Thinking Creatively Design Conference at Kean University
UNION, N.J. ––Kean University will host a two-day
conference, entitled Thinking Creatively, for creative professionals
and students of design from Friday, March 18 through Saturday, March 19
on the University’s main campus at 1000 Morris Avenue, in Union,
N.J. Sponsored by The Design Center at Kean University and the Art Directors
Club of New Jersey (ADCNJ), the conference will feature dozens of presentations
that promote and celebrate the value of creative thinking in the workplace
and beyond. There is a fee of $100 to $225 per person for the conference.
To register, visit the ADCNJ Web site at www.adcnj.org or call (201) 997-1212.
Friday’s keynote speaker will be Seymour Chwast, founder of the
Pushpin Studio based in New York. On Saturday, Kris Kiger, executive creative
director at R/GA, will be the featured presenter. They will be joined
by a host of other speakers including: Charnelle Anderson, design manager,
A&E Network; Roberto de Vicq de Cumptich, vice president/senior art
director, Harper Collins; Ken Carbone, partner, Carbone Smolan Agency;
Denise Anderson, president, Design Management Associates; Andrew Kner,
former art director, Print magazine; Eleanor Kubacki, president and CEO,
EFK Group, Inc.; Michael Cunningham, founder, Cunningham Graphic International;
Matteo Bologna, principal, Mucca Design; Della Mancuso, Stinehour Press;
Marc Montalto, vice president/art director, Pershing LLC; Drew Neisser,
president and CEO, Renegade Marketing Group; Cynthia Lux, chief creative
officer, Lux Digital; Dan Morales, vice president/creative director, Cliff
Freeman & Partners; Clare Ultimo, principal, Clare Ultimo, Inc.; Justin
Knecht, senior manager, Binney & Smith Inc./Crayola®; Rafael Esquer,
principal, Alfalfa; Erin Herbst, brand manager, SeaChange International;
and Rich Levy, creative director, Major League Soccer. Several Kean University
Department of Design professors will also be featured, including Steven
Brower, former creative director for Print magazine; Dr. Gregory D’Amico;
Ronald Elowitz, manager of visual merchandising at Schering-Plough; Martin
Holloway; and Alan Robbins.
“Creative professionals in New Jersey often get short-changed, living and working in the shadow of New York City,” said Rose Gonnella, professor and chair of The Design Center at Kean University, who has taken a leadership role in working with others to orchestrate this conference for the second year in a row. “We believe it’s important to hold a major event for the creative community in New Jersey that is on par with other world-class conferences. We want to bring serious attention to the talents of creative professionals and inspire all of us to move forward.”
“This two-day conference is an excellent opportunity for professional
enrichment, designed specifically to address the needs and interests of
individuals working in the creative arts,” added Cesar Rubin, president
of the Art Directors Club of New Jersey. “We all need such exposure
to new ideas and learning experiences to reinvigorate our creativity.
All of us at the Art Directors Club of New Jersey are delighted to work
with so many talented creative professionals at The Design Center at Kean
University to make this conference a reality.”
The Art Directors Club of New Jersey is a statewide, nonprofit organization
of art directors, graphic designers, illustrators, photographers, art
educators, and other creative professionals dedicated to excellence in
the communications arts. Its mission is to promote outstanding work in
visual communications. To register or obtain more information, visit www.adcnj.org
or call (201) 997-1212.
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