Christopher D. Foster
Fox Lake, IL, USA
(847) 436-5433
be.net/cdfoster
I am a visual problem solver. Crafting timely solutions with limited resources is my specialty. For me, a problem is a new opportunity to succeed. I can integrate with any production process, with a foundation of optimism, elbow grease, resourcefulness, and a desire to continually improve.
Work Experience
Little Fort Media
Design | Print Production
Little Fort Media Inc. provides design and printing services. Jobs range in size from business cards to banners. You name it, and we have done it. My duties include customer service, client consultation, graphic design, typography, print production, trimming, folding, binding, and process & quality documentation.
Knowledge Base: PC/Mac flexible, Graphic Design, Digital Printing, Traditional Media, Typography, Adobe CC, Indesign, Illustrator, Photoshop, Premiere CS5, Encore CS5, and Acrobat
Job Knowledge: Logos, Business Cards, Newsletters, Calendars, Brochures, Booklets, Programs, Presentations, Comb, and Spiral Binding, Large format printing, Flyers, Postcards, Laminating, Gluing 3-part forms and Notepads, Envelopes, Labels, Video Transfer, Video Editing, and CD/DVD duplication
Knowledge Base: PC/Mac flexible, Graphic Design, Digital Printing, Traditional Media, Typography, Adobe CC, Indesign, Illustrator, Photoshop, Premiere CS5, Encore CS5, and Acrobat
Job Knowledge: Logos, Business Cards, Newsletters, Calendars, Brochures, Booklets, Programs, Presentations, Comb, and Spiral Binding, Large format printing, Flyers, Postcards, Laminating, Gluing 3-part forms and Notepads, Envelopes, Labels, Video Transfer, Video Editing, and CD/DVD duplication
August 2018
- Present
Illinois, United States
Ray Bradbury Experience Museum
Graphic Designer
As the volunteer graphics guy, I am responsible for the following: Logo design, brand identity, Graphic design, Web design, Illustration, Social Media planning.
My job is to get things done, research solutions, find resources, seek out diversity of opinions, coordinate volunteers, and find subject matter experts to share the load.
Sure there are a lot of hats to wear when building a great museum from the ground up, but this is a once in a lifetime opportunity to honor my favorite author and inspiration, Ray Bradbury.
The Ray Bradbury Experience Museum, currently in development, is working to open its doors in 2020.
My job is to get things done, research solutions, find resources, seek out diversity of opinions, coordinate volunteers, and find subject matter experts to share the load.
Sure there are a lot of hats to wear when building a great museum from the ground up, but this is a once in a lifetime opportunity to honor my favorite author and inspiration, Ray Bradbury.
The Ray Bradbury Experience Museum, currently in development, is working to open its doors in 2020.
August 2017
- Present
Illinois, United States
Amazon
Fulfillment Associate
September 2017
- December 2019
Wisconsin, United States
Chicago Tribune
Designer | Illustrator
Page design, graphics, and illustration for a variety of feature sections. Other duties included generating section plans, planning content placement across several zones, and typesetting finished pages to press.
December 2015
- May 2017
Illinois, United States
Lee Enterprise
Page Designer
The job is high volume page production, proofing, and system management while maintaining strict editorial and brand guidelines. To achieve this requires close collaboration and teamwork among off-site editors, designers, and prepress staff to ensure a steady and reliable workflow. Production tracking and deadline reports filed nightly to help assess anomalies and trends as well as document performance goals.
June 2014
- January 2017
Wisconsin, United States
Gatehouse Media
Illustrator | Designer | Copy Editor
As part of the Common Content Desk for GateHouse Media's Rockford Design Center, I provided illustrations, graphics, page design, and copy editing for a variety of news, feature, business, and sports pages to over 80 community newspapers daily. The desk also handles scheduled and breaking news web updates.
• Concept to completion illustration and info-graphics
• Maintain all corporate brand and design styles
• Daily page production meeting several deadline structures
• Budgeted AP content for standard pages
• AP photo selection and editing
• Headline writing
• Story editing for Daily Talker news feature
• Creating and publishing web updates
• Implemented documentation for staff training
• Advised new staff on design best practices
• PDF and packaging layouts for format conversion
• Concept to completion illustration and info-graphics
• Maintain all corporate brand and design styles
• Daily page production meeting several deadline structures
• Budgeted AP content for standard pages
• AP photo selection and editing
• Headline writing
• Story editing for Daily Talker news feature
• Creating and publishing web updates
• Implemented documentation for staff training
• Advised new staff on design best practices
• PDF and packaging layouts for format conversion
June 2012
- June 2014
Illinois, United States
Freelance
Design | Web | Marketing & PR Consultant
I help my clients solve problems to achieve their goals. I am open to all opportunities that explore new visual formats and expand my knowledge base. My work has included:
Illustration
• Artwork for "Danse Macabre: Close Encounters with the Reaper"
published 10/2012 by Edge Science Fiction and Fantasy Publishing
Marketing & PR
• Campaign planning including banners, posters, events
• Event speaker at job fairs and Chamber of Commerce meetings
• Constant Contact template work
• Social media cover images for Twitter and Linkedin accounts
• Year-end newsletter
• Ad design
• Logo rebuild and brand update
• Banner design
Website Consultant
• Image management and resizing for CRC web applications
• WordPress site design for www.playinthemud.net
• WordPress site design for www.bluekidslakecounty.org
• WordPress site setup for www.lrsperformanceinc.com
Graphic Design
• Invitation design
• Logo design
• Ad design
• Word document formatting
• Resumes, Handbills and Business Cards
Illustration
• Artwork for "Danse Macabre: Close Encounters with the Reaper"
published 10/2012 by Edge Science Fiction and Fantasy Publishing
Marketing & PR
• Campaign planning including banners, posters, events
• Event speaker at job fairs and Chamber of Commerce meetings
• Constant Contact template work
• Social media cover images for Twitter and Linkedin accounts
• Year-end newsletter
• Ad design
• Logo rebuild and brand update
• Banner design
Website Consultant
• Image management and resizing for CRC web applications
• WordPress site design for www.playinthemud.net
• WordPress site design for www.bluekidslakecounty.org
• WordPress site setup for www.lrsperformanceinc.com
Graphic Design
• Invitation design
• Logo design
• Ad design
• Word document formatting
• Resumes, Handbills and Business Cards
2010
- 2012
Illinois, United States
Career Resource Center
Client | Volunteer | Ambassador
It is the mission of the Career Resource Center to provide those seeking employment with a support network of resources, programs, and advice customized for each individual. As a current member, I am in a unique position to interact with potential clients, to listen to their situation and specifically market those resources and services the CRC can provide that best fit those needs.
MARKETING & PR
• Visual campaign planning
• New event planning
• Constant Contact template work
• Social media cover images for Twitter and Linkedin
• Year-end newsletter
• Logo rebuild
• Quarter-page AD for What's Happening
• Half-page AD for Daily Herald "Giving Guide"
• Brand alignment of presentation graphics
• Image management toning and resizing for WordPress website
EVENT SPEAKER
• 2/10/11 Lake Villa Township Job Fair
• 4/21/11 Robert J. Dold Job Fair at Haper College
• 8/18/11 Robert J. Dold Job Fair at Lake Forest School of Management
• 8/25/11 The Business Event at the Holiday Inn, Skokie IL
MARKETING & PR
• Visual campaign planning
• New event planning
• Constant Contact template work
• Social media cover images for Twitter and Linkedin
• Year-end newsletter
• Logo rebuild
• Quarter-page AD for What's Happening
• Half-page AD for Daily Herald "Giving Guide"
• Brand alignment of presentation graphics
• Image management toning and resizing for WordPress website
EVENT SPEAKER
• 2/10/11 Lake Villa Township Job Fair
• 4/21/11 Robert J. Dold Job Fair at Haper College
• 8/18/11 Robert J. Dold Job Fair at Lake Forest School of Management
• 8/25/11 The Business Event at the Holiday Inn, Skokie IL
November 2010
- June 2012
Illinois, United States
The Lake County News-Sun
Lead Designer | System Editor
I fostered effective relationships with editorial, advertising, circulation, IT, prepress staff, and content vendors to facilitate every facet of production and design and created and maintained all graphics, styles, templates, and libraries for the design staff, which reduced error and maximized production. Lead several projects that cut bottom-line costs.
• Designed covers and daily page content for news, sports, business and features sections
• Verified deadline pages with press staff to ensure error-free production
• Oversaw complex zoning workflow
• Developed maps, graphics and illustrations
• Tracked system errors to establish efficient troubleshooting to resolve production delays
• Improved documentation and training materials for staff
ACHIEVEMENTS
• Project Managed two web reductions and a format shift from broadsheet to tabloid requiring several redesigns, which resulted in the rebuilding of all editorial elements, libraries, and specialty pages.
• Successfully transitioned the News-Sun design staff from QuarkXpress to Adobe InDesign with the installation of a new CMS.
• Designed covers and daily page content for news, sports, business and features sections
• Verified deadline pages with press staff to ensure error-free production
• Oversaw complex zoning workflow
• Developed maps, graphics and illustrations
• Tracked system errors to establish efficient troubleshooting to resolve production delays
• Improved documentation and training materials for staff
ACHIEVEMENTS
• Project Managed two web reductions and a format shift from broadsheet to tabloid requiring several redesigns, which resulted in the rebuilding of all editorial elements, libraries, and specialty pages.
• Successfully transitioned the News-Sun design staff from QuarkXpress to Adobe InDesign with the installation of a new CMS.
2004
- October 2010
Illinois, United States
The Lake County News-Sun
System Editor, Unisys Core Team
As the News-Sun System Editor, I developed productive relationships with the Unisys project team, vendors, and core team members to organize content, meet key contracted goals, and test new system functionality. I championed several key projects, from concept to completion, essential to the News-Sun and overall project success.
• Tracked project status reporting progress daily to on-site managers and weekly via conference call
• Built grid and plate definition during configuration
• Developed a standard method to convert Quark libraries and style sheets to InDesign
• Worked with content vendors to integrate specialty page content for new system
• Motivated staff and maintained morale by addressing concerns during the roll-out
• Organized and created documentation: training guides, manuals and cheat sheets
ACHIEVEMENTS
• The highest error-free production rate of any Sun-Times publications running the Hermes Editorial Production System.
• Eliminated production error by assembling documentation and programming automated page folios used by Sun-Times Media publications.
• Used expert knowledge of Adobe InDesign to fix faulty libraries and style sheets for other Sun-Times publications resulting in increased staff efficiency and workflow stability.
• Tracked project status reporting progress daily to on-site managers and weekly via conference call
• Built grid and plate definition during configuration
• Developed a standard method to convert Quark libraries and style sheets to InDesign
• Worked with content vendors to integrate specialty page content for new system
• Motivated staff and maintained morale by addressing concerns during the roll-out
• Organized and created documentation: training guides, manuals and cheat sheets
ACHIEVEMENTS
• The highest error-free production rate of any Sun-Times publications running the Hermes Editorial Production System.
• Eliminated production error by assembling documentation and programming automated page folios used by Sun-Times Media publications.
• Used expert knowledge of Adobe InDesign to fix faulty libraries and style sheets for other Sun-Times publications resulting in increased staff efficiency and workflow stability.
2004
- 2006
Illinois, United States
The Lake County News-Sun
Features | Sports Designer
SPORTS DESIGNER
Daily section design and coordination of national content selection with editor and photo desk. Editor and designer for the annual Super Bowl advertising section. Additional duties included the design of the business section as well as maps and graphics for the news section.
FEATURE DESIGNER
Design, illustration, and production management for a variety of themed sections. Duties required material resourcefulness, critical thinking, and collaboration with editorial staff to execute creative solutions on deadline. Developed new section concepts.
Daily section design and coordination of national content selection with editor and photo desk. Editor and designer for the annual Super Bowl advertising section. Additional duties included the design of the business section as well as maps and graphics for the news section.
FEATURE DESIGNER
Design, illustration, and production management for a variety of themed sections. Duties required material resourcefulness, critical thinking, and collaboration with editorial staff to execute creative solutions on deadline. Developed new section concepts.
2001
- 2004
Illinois, United States
The Beacon-News
News | Special Sections Designer
NEWS DESIGNER
Produced infographics, charts, and maps in addition to regular page design duties in a fast-paced daily deadline environment. Attended A1 editorial meetings to present ideas and concepts for effective news presentation. Collaborated with off-site editors for three other daily publications as part of the central design desk. Maintained graphic and typographic style consistent with visual brand standards. Trained new staff designers and was responsible for setting goals and monitoring production to meet targets.
SPECIAL SECTIONS DESIGNER
Organized and set production priority of daily and weekly sections, for four publications, in a high-volume fast-paced deadline environment. Mastery of multiple design formats, including broadsheet, tabloid, and book size essential. Continuous collaboration required with on-site and off-site editors and photographers to generate creative design solutions.
Produced infographics, charts, and maps in addition to regular page design duties in a fast-paced daily deadline environment. Attended A1 editorial meetings to present ideas and concepts for effective news presentation. Collaborated with off-site editors for three other daily publications as part of the central design desk. Maintained graphic and typographic style consistent with visual brand standards. Trained new staff designers and was responsible for setting goals and monitoring production to meet targets.
SPECIAL SECTIONS DESIGNER
Organized and set production priority of daily and weekly sections, for four publications, in a high-volume fast-paced deadline environment. Mastery of multiple design formats, including broadsheet, tabloid, and book size essential. Continuous collaboration required with on-site and off-site editors and photographers to generate creative design solutions.
1997
- 2001
Illinois, United States
The Lake County News-Sun
Advertising Artist
Provide support to the sales staff by communicating with clients via phone or fax during proofing and ad approval process—initiated on-site consultation with sales staff to develop new design concepts and advertising strategies for clients.
• Manage ads schedule
• Send ads to the pressroom
• Maintain client files
• Scanning and photo editing
• Spec ads development
• Illustrations for feature sections
• Manage ads schedule
• Send ads to the pressroom
• Maintain client files
• Scanning and photo editing
• Spec ads development
• Illustrations for feature sections
1995
- 1997
Illinois, United States
Education
M.I.T.S.
Websire development and Project Management
2011
- 2012
Gurnee, Illinois, United States
Illinois State University
BSA, Drawing, Design
1991
- 1995
Normal, Illinois, United States
Awards
Illinois AP Editors Association
First Place — Page Design "Memories of 9/11"
Illinois AP Editors Association
Second Place — Informational Graphic
Illinois Press Association
Honorable Mention — Illustration
Skills
Adobe CC,
Art Direction,
Branding,
Cloud Computing,
CMS Systems,
Copy Editing,
CSS,
Cyberduck ,
Drawing,
Editorial Design,
Ftp,
Graphic Design,
Headline Writing,
HTML,
Illustration,
Illustrator,
Indesign,
Infographics,
Libraries,
Mac,
Maintaing Brand Guides,
Maps,
Marketing,
PC,
Photoshop,
Print Production,
Project Management,
QuarkXpress,
SEO,
Style Sheets,
Typography,
Wacom Intous Tablet,
WordPress,