Mary Carol Sullivan
215-760-9360
http://www.marycarolsullivanportfolio.com
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
I put the creative pieces together by continually demonstrating artistic flexibility, strong strategy development for
B2C and B2B brand messaging concepts and programs. I know how to make creative meaningful and impactful
because I pay attention to details while focusing on the big picture. I am a strong player when presenting to and
working with C-level executives, clients, team members and vendors; or when mentoring and training junior staff.
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CREATIVE SKILL SET
Brand Creation, Compliance and Reinvention
Brand Messaging and Consistency
Concept Development
Concept Presentation
Content Marketing
Corporate Branding
Creative Briefs
Creative Writing/Editing
Cross Channel Marketing
Consumer Retail Programs
Graphic Design/Typography
Grocery Programs
Health & Wellness Promotion
Integrated Marketing
Location Scouting
Packaging and POS Design
Photography Art Direction and Styling, Casting
Product Launch
Print Design
Publication Design
Social Media
Strategic Positioning
Sweepstakes and Incentive Programs
Trade Show Creative
Up-selling and Cross-selling
Website Design
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MANAGERIAL SKILL SET
Budgeting and Estimating
Build and Maintain Vendor Relationships
Collaboration with C-level Executives
Concept Presentation
Lead and Engage Brainstorming Sessions
Liaison for Marketing Executives and
Creative Staff
Mentor, Motivate, Train, Lead Teams
Manage Creative Teams
Project Management
Purchasing
Resource and Manage Freelance Talent
Resource Stock Art
Team Management
Staff and Media Relations
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TECHNOLOGY
Adobe Creative Suite (CC: Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Acrobat), QuarkXpress, MicroSoft PowerPoint,
MIcroSoft Word, MicroSoft Excel, WordPress
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INDUSTRIES
Consumer Goods; Retail; Manufacturing; Industrial; Technology; Health & Wellness; Grocery; Healthcare; Media
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EDUCATION
Carnegie Mellon University, BFA 1986
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Creative Director/Proprietor, August 1995 to Present
Arachne, Doylestown, PA 18902
Arachne is a solutions studio specializing in the design and development of marketing, branding and
communications programs that are tailored to create profit and/or instigate corporate growth.
Selected Accomplishments:
• Health & Wellness Promotion / Retail Promotion
Developed and designed a profitable grocery dietitian program that was successfully
sold and custom implemented in grocery corporations throughout the Mid-Atlantic
United States region. Programs became quick profit centers for the grocery retailers
and advertisers alike—average sales lift for participating advertised products was
40% to 62% based on the same items being sold at the same sales retail. Advertising
became source of revenue for grocery corporations, which lead to strong funding for the
programs. The Grocery “Health & Wellness” programs (as they became known as) became
the model used through out the grocery industry. Each program engaged a corporate
Registered Dietitian with supporting print, website, in-store signage, circular advertising,
outdoor advertising, radio, television, dietitian appearances, tradeshow events, etc.
Creative Direction, design, production and creative management of programs. (12 years)
• Brand Rejuvenation, Miss America Organization
Working with the Miss America Corporation, pageant officials, recruiters, and board of
directors in Atlantic City, NJ, I gave a voice and expanded the accomplishments
of the National contestants through the annual publication. This lead to a six-year
relationship with the MAO and grassroots campaign to rejuvenate the brand from the local
level up — resulting in notable increases in sponsorship involvement, recruitment, scholarship
funding, volunteerism; and renewed MAO national interest. Creative Direction, design,
production, and marketing including: hiring of photographers, writers, location scouting shoot
and stylists, photography direction, design and production of annual ad supported 128 national
publication; design, advertising coordination, funding and production of state supplement
publications and multiple recruitment materials. (6 years)
• Freelance In-House Creative Director
Established and lead the creative marketing department for a start-up on-line staffing
company. I hired and lead creative staff, recommended equipment and program purchases,
established marketing and vendor relationships. Creative Direction, branding, strategy,
budgeting and design of all initial marketing materials and website needs. (1 year)
Art Director, May 1994 to August 1995
Criterion Communications, King of Prussia, PA 19406
A multi-media advertising agency founded by healthcare giant US HealthCare specializing in new media
communications.
Selected Accomplishment:
• Collaboration with Account Management and Client Relationship Building
The agency creative teams came from the in-house staff of US HealthCare and were
unfamiliar with communicating with other clients. As the agency’s only CD hired from outside
US HealthCare, in addition to my art direction responsibilities, I worked with account
representatives to mentor and help the creative team learn to better communicate with reps
and the wide variety of non- US Healthcare accounts. This not only helped to increase sales
but also changed the “Us” vs “Them” culture that had begun to form with in the agency.
Creative Director, May 1988 to May 1994
York Luggage Company, Lambertville, NJ 08530
America’s 3rd largest luggage company, after Samsonite and American Tourister; specializing in designer and
licensed brand name luggage and travel accessories.
Selected Accomplishment:
• Brand Compliance and Consumer Goods Promotion
Working with licensed brands (Jordache, Members Only, Bill Blass, Christian Dior, Diane Von
Furstenberg, Perry Ellis, LA Gear, Adolfo) and several types of retailers, I maintained the brand
specification, visual marketing goals, and packaging and catalog needs of each brand while
adhering to YLC marketing and sales goals. I aided in increasing company sales by creating
consumer retail sweepstakes and retailer sales employee incentive programs that were
designed to reinforce the designer brand messages I was also instrumental in rebranding
YLC and created a unified catalog system that allowed for brand uniqueness housed under
York Luggage Company.
RECOMMENDATIONS
It has been a pleasure to work with Mary Carol on numerous projects during the past 13 years. From the initial project of
developing visual branding (including an iconic logo) for my then-new company Fuzzy Slippers Marketing Strategies to
serving as the creative director in collaborative "virtual marketing department" roles for our large-scale clients, her work has
always been creative and impactful. Regardless of whether the project entails creating a simple logo or developing a complex
marketing effort, Mary Carol is able to understand the big picture and put the pieces together to facilitate the intersection of
achieving objectives, managing timing and maintaining budget. I highly recommend her for any creative or design projects, or
to serve as the creative lead on a marketing team.
Lucy Montgomery, Principal, Fuzzy Slippers Marketing Strategies (client)
I have worked with Mary Carol for over ten years. Mary Carol as an integral part of our team, and a great partner.
Mary Carol has intense pride in providing only the best work, and in 10 years of working with her, she has never
ever missed a deadline. If you are looking for an innovative, creative mind, and a person who is results oriented,
Mary Carol Sullivan should be your go to person. Disappointing you is not in Mary Carol's DNA. She consistently
delivers outstanding results, on time, and within budget. Simply the best!
John Reardon, Advantage Sales and Marketing (client)
I hired Mary Carol Sullivan to do a range of projects ranging from individual special event commemoratives to full
brand-image campaign including numerous treatments in multiple media for a successful consumer entertainment
brand. Mary Carol is exceptionally versatile and deeply talented in visual arts with enormous abilities to translate
conceptual direction into vibrant highly successful results. She is skilled across diverse media. She is a consistent
home-run hitter. No job is too large or too small. Her attention to detail is as consistently reliable as her ease with
the major strategies and concepts.
Mary Carol is at home with client exposure and multiple assignments where the stakes are high for the visual
component to be a key success factor. She remains my first-ever go-to design consultant / graphics expert for
high-level work like logo design and related create.
Marty Lafferty, CEO, Distributed Computing Industry Association (DCIA) (client)
I had the distinct pleasure working with Mary Carol when she was with Criterion Communications. She is a highly
creative problem solver and displays excellent client facing talents. Her abilities as both art director and creative
director across all media make her a true strategic partner. She's a team player, and her "can do" attitude make
her a pleasure to work with. She is always going the extra mile for her clients and can satisfy even the most
demanding clients. I would recommend Mary Carol to any organization that is looking for a creative and fresh
approach to significantly improve and create highly impactful marketing materials across all media. She is a PRO.
Marty Mason, Account Executive at Meta Pharmaceutical Services (co-worker at Criterion Communications)
I have worked with Mary Carol Sullivan in two different companies and would recommend her highly for any
positions involved with advertising, marketing, graphic arts etc. I have worked with her at York Luggage from
August 1988 to May 1994 and with Athalon Sportgear from May 1997 to 2009. Her traits and work habits that
make her a valuable asset to any company:
I would be happy to amplify any of these points if requested.
• The work will be done flawlessly regardless of the time pressure.
• Creates new and exciting ideas that are commercially acceptable.
• Has an excellent taste level.
• She will always see many useful methods to solve a problem.
• She never becomes fixated or "stuck" on just one approach.
• She is able to verbalize ideas or create them graphically. She is very strong at both.
• Works well in a group or independently.
• Needs very little direction once goals of the project are set up.
• Amazing with all new technology. She can learn anything new very quickly.
• Mature and always grasps the "big picture"
• Always on the cutting edge.
I can be reached at 212 268-8070.
Andy Nitkin, CEO, Athalon Sportgear, (client and past employer)
Mary Carol is wonderful to work with. Not only does she provide excellent and timely results, but also is very easy
to work with.
Ali Dorazio, General Mills (client)
I have worked with Mary Carol for ten years on hundreds of projects and have always found her to deliver top
quality creative on time and on budget. She is more of a partner than a service provider; she cares deeply not just
about the work she produces but the impact it will have on my business. If you are looking for someone who will
challenge your established ideas, offer a fresh perspective and provide award winning creative solutions then hire
Mary Carol.
Scott Vicari, Promo Point Marketing (client)
Mary Carol is a highly creative problem solver and displays considerable talents and abilities as both art director
and creative director across all media. She’s great to work with in a team setting, and knows what it takes to
consistently satisfy even the most demanding clients. I have always enjoyed working with Mary Carol, her fresh
approach to design and the high quality standards she represents.
DJ Ferro, Fusion, Executive Producer (co-worker at Criterion Communications)
It is amazing how Mary Carol brings work to life. Easy to work with, very creative, and does not settle for "just okay
work".
Meredith Mensinger, Renders Markets (client)
CLIENT LIST
ACH Food Companies: Karo, Argo, Fleischmann’s, Karo, Spice Islands
Acme Markets
Advantage Sales and Marketing
Anthony Sylvan Pools
Astra Foods
Athalon Sportgear
Aunt Bees Farm
Bacharach Institute for Rehabilitation
Babbitech Inc.
Bell Institute of Health & Nutrition: General Mills
Big Y
BiLo Grocery Stores
Bucks County Coffee
Cairnwood
CertainTeed
Criterion Communications
Custom Essence Inc.
Diamond Soul Essentials
Dr. Lauren Nappen
FarmFresh
Fareway Stores, Inc.
Filippo Berio
FLEXOP 360 LLC
Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia
Future Vision of America
Fuzzy Slippers Marketing LLC
Genesis TeleServ Corporation
Goddard Schools
Green Collaboration
Harmony Hills Gardens
iCON
Interior Impressions
Johanna Foods, Inc.: La Yogurt, Ssips, Tree Ripe
Living Care Home Services
Matrix Group
Miss America Organization
Moody Movers
MuseumNetwork.com
MUSEE
My Sweet Garden Sugar Scrubs
NASPGHAN – North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition
NuGenix
Park Avenue Pastries
Pathmark
Penn Traffic: P&C, BiLo Riverside, Quality Markets
Piccari Press
PromoPoint Marketing
Redners Markets
Remark Solutions
Samsonite Luggage: Golf
Shaws Supermarkets
ShopRite
Telenium
TelQuest Satelalite Services LLC
Totally Snax
Ukrops
Victoria Pyle Interior Design
VOVI Fragrances
York Luggage Company
Waist Watcher Soda
Weis Markets