resume & bio streamsend

FROM THE BUFFALO LIMOUSINE "STATE OF THE COMPANY '09" RELEASE:
"Gina does all of our marketing materials, polishes letters, and creates GREAT ideas to help grow the company. You can call Gina with “I am thinking of this concept” and the next day she sends you a professional proof.  From our website to the signage at the airport Gina is our image!"

OBJECTIVE:
My goal is to execute freelance web design, graphic design and marketing contracts, resulting in a significant return on investment for my clients.

CAREER SUMMARY:
Highly skilled and talented freelance marketing expert and designer. Specializing in marketing plan development, logos, identity design and branding, ad campaigns, marketing collateral pieces and web site design and development.

Design accomplishments vary from Jewelry to Identities to Web Sites to Women's Apparel, with an impressive portfolio. Passionate about design, expressing creativity and increasing my knowledge of the marketing industry. Design talents are uniquely matched by marketing skills and knowledge including business plans and marketing plans - a rare and extremely valuable combination.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:

Graphic Design, Web Design & Marketing Consultant

Freelance Graphic Artist specializing in logo design, promotional materials and web design. Responsible for designing logo-identities, print materials, advertisements and web sites for a variety of companies. Interact with clients to get an understanding of their company vision and mission. Consistently represent and improve clients' corporate image. Success is proven through continued referral and repeat business.

Client List Includes:

Marketing Manager & Graphic Design | 2003-2005
We Care Transportation, Inc. | Buffalo, NY

Hired as Marketing Coordinator, but quickly promoted to Marketing Manager & Graphic Designer. Responsible for budget, planning and implementation of all marketing aspects of this multi-faceted company, including; Medical wheelchair transportation services for individuals and large contracts; School bus transportation for school districts, charter schools, county contracts and charter services; Luxury motorcoach transportation and tour services for conventions, senior citizen groups, educational groups, sports teams, and charters; Limousine transportation services for corporate, wedding and leisure markets.

  • Designed all promotional materials including logo-identities, web sites, annual 64 page catalog of services, brochures and custom tour flyers
  • Executed target market research, database management, ROI analysis and competitive analysis
  • Launched new brands, developed new lines of service and implemented online bookings
  • Prepared proposals and Powerpoint presentations for multi-million dollar contracts
  • Strong communication skills allowed for graphic communication of the executive team's vision of the company
  • Strong design skills and branding knowledge allowed development of a more professional, more positive and consistent corporate identity
  • Proved successful by increasing catalog advertising sales by 125% over 3 years and increasing travel show booth sales by 200%.

 

President & CEO | 1999-2003
U-Wear Incorporated | Buffalo, NY

Founded this startup company from brainstorm concept to reality. Company concentrated on the design and marketing of women's undergarments with related online sales of custom embroidered sportswear.

  • Designed three women's under garment apparel lines, executed all market research and filed two patents
  • Hired suitable manufacturer, fashion designer/pattern maker and patent lawyer
  • Authored business and marketing plans and secured investment and small business financing
  • Responsible for all decisions pertaining to materials, fabrics, prototypes and first-run production
  • Designed logo, font, corporate identity, marketing materials and website

 

Jeweler, Designer, and Sales Associate | 1995-1998
Robertson & Bach Jewelers | West Seneca, NY

  • Jewelry designer and craftsman responsible for custom jewelry designs developed with the customer's input
  • Worked on all aspects of the manufacturing process including wax carving, polishing, finishing, stone setting, and assembly
  • Executed repairs, sizing and maintenance
  • Managed shop work flow to ensure quality and timely delivery to customers
  • Assisted in sales efforts during the busy Holiday seasons

 

EDUCATION:

BA in Graphic Design & Jewelry Design | May, 1999
Buffalo State College | Buffalo, NY

  • 3.5 GPA within design department.
  • Completed concentrations in both graphic and jewelry design.
  • Studied in Australia for two semesters at the University of Central Queensland at Rockhampton.

 

COMPUTER SKILLS:

COMPUTER SKILLS:

Experience

Level

Years

AUTHORING TOOLS

• Adobe CS3 InDesign

• Advanced

• 4


• Adobe CS3 Illustrator

• Advanced

• 12


• Adobe CS3 Photoshop

• Advanced

• 12


• Adobe CS3 Fireworks

• Advanced

• 4


• Adobe CS3 Acrobat Professional

• Advanced

• 6


• Dreamweaver

• Advanced

• 4


• Web Assist Dreamweaver Extensions

• Advanced

• 1


• Contribute

• Advanced

• 4


• MySQL database web applications

• Intermediate

• 1


• Flash

• Intermediate

• 2

BUSINESS

• Business & Marketing Plans

• Advanced

• 8

CREATIVE ACTIVITY

• Graphic Design

• Advanced

• 12


• Illustration

• Advanced

• 10


• Identity Design

• Advanced

• 12


• Typography

• Advanced

• 12


• Web Design & Development

• Advanced

• 8


• Color Theory

• Advanced

• 10

HARDWARE

• Macintosh

• Advanced

• 12


• PC

• Advanced

• 16

OFFICE SOFTWARE

• Microsoft Office

• Advanced

• 8

DEVELOPMENT

• HTML

• Advanced

• 8


• CSS

• Intermediate

• 2

 

• REFERENCES AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST •

 

BIOGRAPHY:
Mrs. Siepierski's design career began after spending a year as an exchange student in Australia at the University of Central Queensland at Rockhampton. Upon return she earned a degree in Jewelry Design and Gold & Silver Smithing from Buffalo State College. Following two years of working as a jeweler Mrs. Siepierski's returned to Buffalo State to earn a degree in Graphic Design.

During Mrs. Siepierski's final semester she designed three separate lines of women's undergarments that she believed to be marketable concepts. After registering a DBA and requesting a Small Business Administration (SBA) mentor, she refined the clothing designs, filed patents and conducted extensive market research. Over the course of a year, she registered U-Wear Incorporated as an S-Corp, expanded on the clothing designs and secured industry professionals to work with including a patent lawyer, a foundations manufacturer and a fashion designer. Upon completion of the business plan, which the director of the Buffalo SBA referred to as the best he had ever read, she began the search for an investor.

Mrs. Siepierski contacted a local entrepreneur who agreed to a 10 minute meeting. After 70 minutes, he told her to notify the bank that she had found an investor and to begin the process of filing for an SBA backed small business loan. One week later, Mrs. Siepierski moved into office space within the investor's downtown building.

With the knowledge gained from her work on the U-Wear product lines, Mrs. Siepierski has pitched other inventions to Fisher Price who has provided an open invitation to return any time as an independent inventor.

Mrs. Siepierski has also worked as a marketing manager and graphic designer for We Care Transportation. Accomplishments include a more professional corporate identity design, an annual 64 page catalog, a 300 page web site, promotional brochures and logo designs for brand extensions.

Mrs. Siepierski continues to work for We Care Transportation as a freelance independant contractor and has since added clients large and small in a variety of industries. She provides marking expertise, logo design, graphic design, web development, email marketing and business/marketing plan authoring services.


716.560.1647 |