User:Apkoehler

My name is Adam Koehler. I was born and raised on the west side of Cincinnati, Ohio. I have been involved in art since I can remember. My Mother encouraged my brother and I early on to express our ideas visually through art. After showing a definite interest in the subject she asked me to try out for the School for the Creative and Performing Arts to further develop these skills.

I was accepted to the art and drama program when I auditioned in the fifth grade. I double-majored until the time came to declare a specialty in the tenth grade. I chose art, and I graduated with a vocational certificate from the Cincinnati Public Schools for Commercial Art in addition to my diploma.

After high school I attended the Art Institute of Pittsburgh where I studied Computer Animation/Multimedia. After the excellent college preparatory education I received at S.C.P.A., I felt as if I had a head start. The first year I was at A.I.P. the curriculum focused on the development of fine art skills. Classes included figure drawing, painting, color theory and some basic computer courses.

At this point I had very limited experience on computers, but quickly learned the ropes. The second year focused almost exclusively on computer courses such as 3DStudio Max, AutoCad, Photoshop, Alias (now Maya) and Director. Working with these wide ranges of software allowed me to apply my talents in a new way that opened my eyes. Hard work and long hours in the computer labs led to my graduation from the program in 1997.

Back in Cincinnati I began my job search and accepted a position at the Fountain Square Kinkos. Here I learned to work effectively in a  fast-paced environment, and how to multitask with ease. At Kinko’s I developed strong software skills in Pagemaker, Quark, Illustrator and an early version of Acrobat. I also formulated workflow processes that allowed me to perform my duties faster on the second shift alone most of the time.

Kinkos transitioned into a graphic design position at Vantas (now HQ Global Workplaces). We leased fully furnished office space and provided various support services to our 50-60 clients. My duties occasionally led me into technical responsibilities. These included installation of t1 lines, technical support and marketing our services to attract more business.

I was persuaded to leave Vantas to start the art department at Century Marketing, publisher of Your New Home Magazine. Before I became the Art Director, the owner outsourced all his creative to separate companies for over ten years. Turnaround times and cost became a concern, so the decision was made to move all of this work in-house. Once I was hired, I purchased all equipment and I was given an office to produce the advertisements for the magazine.

I worked with the owner and sales people daily on the design strategy and to produce between 50-70 advertisements per week. After five years with Century Marketing, I would estimate that I produced over 10,000 ads and hundreds of logos for clients. I trained a replacement on my processes and within a couple of months, I felt she was productive enough to take over my role. I continue to have a great relationship with the owner and staff and enjoyed my time at Century Marketing.

My desire to work in an agency led me to a position as Art Director of Metaphor Studio. I had the opportunity to lean many new things and increase the quality of work in my portfolio dramatically. Interacting with the creative director, brand strategist and developers opened my ideas to a new way of expressing my talents.

After two years at Metaphor my web skills allowed me to obtain a position at the largest advertising agency in Cincinnati, Bridge Worldwide. I worked at Bridge for a year working on many major brands on the Con Agra Foods team. My responsibilities included updating the design of ChefBoyardee.com, HuntsKetchup.com, LaChoy.com, MadeWithLoveAndCare.com, Orville.com, SimpleAndDelicious.com, and SnackPack.com.

Metaphor Studio approached me while I was happily working at Bridge and asked me to come back. They have received funding for their editspot™ content management system and needed me to help them automate the product. I started back their in May of 2008 and hope to finish the product and get it out into the public by the end of 2008.

I am working on my bachelor's degree in marketing from Capella University and will graduate in the fall of 2008. I also hold a certificate in New Media Marketing from the online design school Sessions.edu.

In my spare time I work on my rental properties located near my home on the west side of Cincinnati. I recently completed the rehabilitation of one of the original farmhouses on Sidney Road in Covedale. This was a major milestone for me. It was very challenging, but an extremely rewarding experience in which dedication and hard work have reaped educational, financial and emotional rewards.