Jim Faris: Creative

Professional Summary

Creative and results-oriented Senior Designer and Creative Director with a diverse background in graphic design, advertising, web development, and team leadership. From my youthful days crafting sports-themed illustrations to my current role leading large-scale projects for esteemed clients, my passion for design and innovation has been a lifelong journey. My career has taken me through educational publishing, advertising, and digital development, including the successful management of my own design studio and the delivery of impactful solutions for clients such as Polaroid, Millennium Pharmaceuticals, and Au Bon Pain. Skilled in creating intuitive websites, engaging apps, and a wide range of design projects that seamlessly blend strategic planning with creative expression.

Core Competencies

• • Design & Branding: An expert in creating cohesive brand identities, visual storytelling, and impactful designs across various platforms.
  • Web Development: Proficient in WordPress, Elementor, Wix, and Squarespace, with experience in building responsive and user-friendly websites.
  • Creative Leadership: Experienced in mentoring and leading design teams to deliver innovative and strategic solutions.
  • Technical Expertise: Skilled in Adobe Creative Cloud (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign) for advanced graphic design and creative projects.
  • Collaboration & Strategy: Adept at working with cross-functional teams to align design goals with business objectives.

Professional Experience

Senior Creative

501WORKS, LLC ALEXANDRIA, VA — 2019-PRESENT

Creative Director, UI/UX, Art Direction, Graphic Design, and WordPress Specialist. Oversee client expectations, conceptualize and develop mock-ups, UX/UI designs, and style guides. Supervise designers and developers to create online applications and experiences.

Clients include: TheCIOHour.com, softwaremage.com, ncha.com, cozen.com

Creative Director

EdInquiry, LLC ANDOVER, MA — 2016-2024

Creative Director, UI/UX, Art Direction, Graphic Design, and WordPress Specialist, Project Manager. Oversaw the design and development of all marketing materials, direct mail campaigns, websites, UX/UI designs, and style guides. Managed teams and supervised teenagers. Created and developed educational games, teaching support materials, and curriculum pages for teaching support.

Clients include: EdInquiry.com, BiggestWinnerMathChallenge.com

Senior Creative

ACCELERANT STUDIOS McLean, VA — 2007-Present
Develop customer relations, manage client accounts, and create concepts, mock-ups, site maps, UX/UX, style guides, and integrate CMS (WordPress, Drupal, SquareSpace).

Clients include: the DOJ, Aperiomics, George Mason Law School, and various associations.

Adjunct Professor

CORCORAN SCHOOL OF DESIGN WASHINGTON, DC — 2010-2011
Web Design Curriculum Development and Instruction: Oversaw the curriculum development and delivered instruction to business professionals and students, equipping them with the skills to design and construct effective websites utilizing HTML, JavaScript, PHP, and the fundamental principles of the Adobe Creative Cloud suite.

Consultant

JINXUOME BOSTON, MA, WASHINGTON, DC — 2005-Present
Spearheaded the design and development of websites and business strategies for corporations and design agencies. Provided consulting services to design studios, aiming to enhance efficiency and elevate productivity levels.

Clients include: CG Interactive, Black Barn Media, Liberty Run Benefits, NekFIt, H Street Main Street, WFT, DaveGlick Photography, CCSC, GrandStevens Consulting, Walking the Text, and Banneker School.

Creative Director

3000K WORCESTER, MA — 2003-2005
Creative direction, web design, and brand development business strategies for a web development team specializing in delivering online solutions to small businesses.

Clients include: Morgan Brown & Joy, Pes-it.com, FAE Law, HCR-Group, Boston Property Portfolio, Red Cross, EB Carlson, Page After PageXML, and Production

Production Specialist

MCDOUGALL LITTELL BOSTON MA 2002-2003
Developed and implemented a comprehensive workflow process for the production of educational publishing materials, encompassing the entire authoring, page layout, and XML creation stages. Utilized templates for Microsoft Word, Adobe InDesign, Quark, Adobe InCopy, and HTML to generate a series of mathematics textbooks organized by state and grade level. These textbooks were subsequently delivered in various formats, including online and CD-ROM formats.

Creative Director/Co-Founder

FROM TOP DOWN BOSTON, MA 2001-2002
Developed and implemented the tools and systems for analyzing web traffic and user experience. Redesigned websites, kiosks, systems, and marketing materials.

Clients include: TJMaxx, AuBonPain, Carnie Digital, Red Lobster, Holland Mark Advertising, Velocity Advertising, The Another Agency

Creative Director/Partner

CONCEPTION INTERACTIVE BOSTON, MA 1999-2001
New Business Acquisitions, Web Design and Development, Online Marketing

Clients include: Millennium Pharmaceuticals, Dunk’n Donuts, eYak VOIP, Holland Mark Advertising, John Soares Photos, Factory501, Millennium Pharmaceuticals, Dunk’n Donuts, eYak VOIP, Holland Mark Advertising, John Soares Photos

Art Director

HOLLAND MARK ADVERTISING BOSTON, MA 1996-1999
Spearheaded the design and development of websites in support of advertising campaigns for both local and national print and broadcast campaigns, as well as online services. Orchestrated the creation, design, illustration, and scripting of the company’s website, which garnered prestigious accolades including CLIO, MIMIC, and HATCH awards. Transformed a small “new media group” into a fully integrated interactive design department..

Clients include: Polaroid, Liberty Mutual, Legends of Golf, US Trust, Casual Male, Veryfine Beverages, Boston Harbor Islands