Suzanne Bertz-Rosa's Page

S U M M A R Y
Suzanne Bertz-Rosa, a strategic communication design professional is committed to creating beautiful and smart designs that help make our world a better place.

Proven Strengths
• Understanding and clarifying issues
• Determining what is relevant to project and audience
• Breaking down problems to their simplest form
• Assessing situations through the lens of the goal
• Seeing a clear path through complexity
• Translating strategic elements into visual representations
• Designing and developing quality work
• Understanding our best fit

With Suzanne, you get a seasoned, strategic thinker, combined with a practical, “get-it-done” attitude.


A P P R O A C H
Bertz-Rosa Design begins each project with a thorough understanding of the goal, audience, and overall competitive space. We follow a proven five-phase methodology to ensure the successful completion of every project: discover, define, design, develop, deploy.


E X P E R I E N C E
Contract Creative Director and Marketing Consultant
Bertz-Rosa Design
August 2002 to present
• Work with businesses and organizations to define and translate their communication goals into marketing deliverables to reach their specific target markets.
• Design print and digital marketing and communication pieces for ad agencies, non-profits, and businesses.
• Develop brand direction and standards for various businesses and organizations.
• Conduct user research and develop schematics to map out site architecture and user flow for complex, multi-faceted online experiences.

Interactive Director
SicolaMartin Advertising, a division of Young & Rubicam
August 2000 to July 2002
• Developed strategy and direction for all Interactive digital marketing materials, including Web sites, microsites, product demos, interactive sales tools, online ads, HTML e–mails, e–newsletters, and e–brochures for firm’s high-tech B2B clients: Compaq, Citrix, Novell, Daleen, StorageTek, and others.
• Researched, analyzed, scored, and wrote formal website assessments and competitive analysi.
• Led the re–development of client review sites that saved agency time by improving the overall business process and enhancing the agency image to clients through a more intuitive interface and the addition of self-promotional content.
• Grew department from zero to 15 contract and staff employees. During growth period, fulfilled various roles to complete team — acted as producer, executive producer, designer, creative director, technologist, strategist and information architect.
• Increased department billings from zero to approximately $1MM per year.

Contract Art Director and Usability Consultant
July 1998 to August 2000
• Developed requirements, designed interfaces, and produced websites for a variety of clients from online developers to business-to-business companies and consumer-targeted firms.
• Created new identity and marketing collateral for high-tech start-ups.
• Designed interface for online marketing product.
• Produced audience specific demo presentations for investors, test subjects, and potential clients.
• Made new business presentations, creative presentations, and handle every aspect of project scope and client communication.
• Managed multiple contract artists, contract technologists, and vendors to contribute and deliver assets and/or products.

clients included:
Bank of America, Landkamer Partners, RedGorilla, USWeb/CKS, Creditland, Learn iT!, Shafer Interactive, Wells Fargo, Encirq, MiXmedia, and Uniscape

Producer
Bank of America, Interactive Banking Division
July 1997 to July 1998
• Directed and produced redesign of BankAmerica’s Global Wholesale Banking Corporate site.
• Designed and produced numerous sub-sites, extranets and content sections in the bank’s new design family.
• Created database to aid in determining the proper outside developer

Art Director
Bank of America, Creative Services/Advertising Dept.
July 1996 to July 1997
• Produced materials, which strengthened BofA’s corporate brand identity.
• Increased creative quality by identifying necessary software tools.
• Organized a Design & Production Standards Manual, which detailed a wide scope of information for freelance artists to follow in producing graphic work.
• Successfully handled a large number of projects, both as an art director
and project coordinator
• Managed and mentored staff of twelve artists to execute design, create comps, and prep files for the printer.
• Engineered and implemented new project tracking process that eliminated redundancies, increased productivity, heightened quality, and enhanced business partner satisfaction.

Principal/Designer
Suzanne Bertz Design
August 1993 to July 1996

projects included:
Charles Schwab & Co.
Storyboarded and directed the production of desktop sales tool and customizable education module for new product rollout.

Citibank
Concepted, designed, and produced in-branch merchandising material for the US Western Region that were so popular — they lasted over six months beyond the intended three month campaign.

Macromedia
Designed and created forty logo templates to be included as part of the software in the release of Freehand for Windows.

other clients included:
Aetna Insurance, Eventus Software, Serena Software, Bank of America, MG Resource Group, VIP Litho, Club Dead, Multimedia Developers Group, Eaton & Associates, and National Conference

Previous work experience includes typesetting, project management, and printing sales.


E D U C A T I O N
• Attended San Francisco State University, California College of
Arts and Crafts, Academy of Art College, as well as various other educational institutions.
• During my twenty+ year career I have consistently participated in professional and industry specific workshops, training programs, and lectures.


C O M M U N I T Y
Suzanne Bertz-Rosa is a Valley-native and boomerang. Having returned to the area in late 2002, she is currently working on projects that are geared to making a positive difference in the community. Suzanne is the founder of MindHub, a listserv for local creative professionals and a current board member of Creative Fresno. She is involved with many organizations that are focused on improving the vitality of the area including Creative Fresno, Fresno Design Alliance, and Regional Jobs Initiative. Suzanne’s recent documentary short, “Finding Home,” explores why people who leave the Valley decide to return.