I worked for Orographic Publishing for 6 years. I managed to work my way up from Advertising and Marketing Designer to Creative Director and became their first Product Manager by default. During my time, we published over 100 digital and print magazines in the Travel and Special Event industries and we produced our own product by the name of “What To Do” – a Travel Guidebook that we grew from a single publication in a single town to a bi-annual magazine that was distributed throughout the central mountain regions of Colorado. As part of my role, I acted as the primary product manager on a proprietary CMS and advertising portal. Orographic Publishing was sold in 2018 and Im happy to say that the advertising portal is still going strong.
Orographic Publishing
Title: Creative Director
Owned:
Creative Direction
Art Direction
Visual Design
Product Management
Size: 10-20
Years Active: 2006 – 2012
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Digital and Traditional Publications Managed and Published
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Custom Maps Produced and Sold
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Ad & Marketing Campaigns Managed for Customers
CREATIVE DIRECTION
What To Do Magazine
- Owned the entire end-to-end process for publishing the What To Do Magazine in several resort towns throughout Colorado.
- Owned messaging, positioning, and creative/graphic design for over 500 of our advertising partners.
- Owned the pre-flight and press check process for all printed guidebooks and tourists maps.
- Managed 3rd party print vendors and delivery partners throughout the state of Colorado.
- Managed and owned the distribution and fulfillment services including operating forklifts and semi-trucks to deliver product to our warehouse.
PRODUCT MANAGEMENT
Publishing Automation
- Owned the development of a proprietary art approval system that automated the entire layout and pre-flight approval process.
- Owned all UX and UI for the system.
- Results: Over the course of 3 years, the art approval system successfully automated over 75% of the entire art approval and magazine production process all the way through to delivery for both print and web.
Beaver Creek Rodeo Series
The Beaver Creek Rodeo Series is a yearly event at the base of Beaver Creek Ski Mountain in Avon, Colorado.
For the 6 years that I was with Orographic Publishing, part of my responsibility as Creative Director was to manage the asset development for the beaver creak rodeo series. Assets included: Printed Program Books, Road Flags, VIP and Vendor Passes, and Advertising Campaigns for over 30 partners. As part of the effort, I was tasked with sourcing and directing illustrators for the cover art along with managing the press runs and distribution cycles. I wish I would have kept more samples and took photographs of the events.
Vail Valley Foundation
The Vail Valley Foundation is a nonprofit organization that promotes the arts, entertainment, and education throughout the Vail Valley. They were our largest client and our primary focus outside of our own What To Do efforts. Over the years, we helped to create and publish program books for the Vail International Dance Festival, Vilar Performing Arts Center, Teva Mountain Games, and the Birds of Prey Alpine Events in Vail and Beaver Creek.
Vail International Dance Festival
For 6 years at Orographic Publishing, I was the lead production manager and layout designer for the Vail International Festival Magazine and Program Book. This was an Annual publication for one of the premier Dance events of the year, nationally and internationally.
There were a lot of late nights to hit press deadlines while meeting the high expectations of the event producers. From layout and advertising design to traffic and project management, and with the help of a copy editors and account managers, I was responsible for producing everything end to end including order fulfillment with exception of the cover design during certain years.
Vilar Performing Arts Center
Similar to the International Dance Festival, for 6 years, I was also the lead production manager and layout designer for the Vilar Performing Arts Center (VPAC) Magazine. This was an Annual publication for the premier entertainment venue in Vail and Beaver Creek, Colorado.
Just as there was with the Dance Festival, there were equally long nights with the VPAC program book to hit print deadlines while meeting the high expectations of the event producers. There were years where I would bring my sleeping bag into the office knowing that I would have to stay the night.
From layout and advertising design to traffic and project management, I was again responsible for producing everything end to end including order fulfillment with exception of the cover design during certain years.
