Ben Blanco Email & Phone Number

Madison, Oh, Us

Madison, Oh, Us

Cleveland, Ohio, United States

Contributing to the Marketing division of Cleveland Metroparks is a dream come true. Here, I get to manage 1000+ creative projects per year, in service of fantastic programs across the entire region. My department handles signage, commercials, interpretives, print ads, interior design, and exhibits for the Nature Centers, Golf Courses, and Parks that make up the Emerald Necklace - including the Cleveland Zoo. Every day brings a new challenge, a new goal, and a new project to improve the city I call home. Some of my duties and major projects include the following: • Coordinates a team of ten designers, new media specialists, and production techs to deliver 1000+ ad, video, and sign deliverables per year. • Develops technology-based financial systems that eliminate administrative redundancies. Implemented Trello-based Project Management software to improve user experience and generate real-time statistical analysis, with data exports through Microsoft Power BI.• Leads department's safety and regulatory signage pipeline. Delivers traffic signs across 18 public parks in Cuyahoga County. Manages compliance on all public signage needs.

Greater Pittsburgh Area

In 2016, I was hired to develop the Creative department of the Pittsburgh-based human services organization Achieva. Our vision was to provide employment opportunities for artists and designers with intellectual disabilities. One year later, I opened VaultArt Studio, a commercial gallery and marketplace located in Pittsburgh’s thriving Penn Avenue Arts District. For six years, my team and I grew VaultArt into a major contributor to Pittsburgh's cultural economic sector. Business Operations• Wrote, applied for, and awarded grants to fundraise $600K Y1 costs.• Negotiated with PA Office of Developmental Programs and the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation to bill Medicaid for an innovative and unique employment service; successfully transitioned department to a higher billing rate with profit increase in 2021.• Launched a commercial website in 2020 that funneled national and international sales.Programs• Supervised 3 full-time staff with Masters degrees, and 20 artists receiving professional supports.• Managed VaultArt marketing and communications channels through press relations and social media.• Hosted monthly First Friday exhibitions that attracted+100K patrons to the Penn Avenue Business District, and supported artists to work at prestigious arts events such as Handmade Arcade and the Three Rivers Arts Festival.

San Francisco

While pursuing my Masters I worked for the documentary film production company 13th Gen, and upon graduating, was hired as an Associate Producer, a second-in-command position reporting directly to the Executive Producer. I travelled extensively in this role as I organized complex film shoots and prepared licensing agreements across California, the United States, and abroad. • Implemented internal project and financial controls with Google Workspace and Microsoft Office to precisely organize budgets, deadlines, and contractor staffing in accordance with California film production laws• Carried out on-site advanced negotiations in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Toronto, and Berlin Germany for film festival, streaming, and home video distribution; drafted contracts for licensing agreements between production and distribution channels• Oversaw financial operations for seven feature and short film productions with budgets up to $500K

Berkeley, California, United States

• Managed facility operations for eleven apartment complexes in the California Bay Area. Assisted in financial reporting and budgeting to ensure profitability.• Coordinated building maintenance with general contractors, electricians, plumbers, exterminators, and HVAC specialists to ensure customer satisfaction and safety.• Reviewed architectural blueprints and handled accurate measurements during site work. Developed scalable renovation floor plans using Adobe Illustrator.

• Supported two professors in class lectures and demos, including substitute coverage, for four fabrication courses• Provided 1:1 teaching support for students looking to improve ability in all aspects of the department course load, including skill competency in CNC routing, vacuum forming, and moldmaking, along with critical writing, art history, and theory• Primary instructor for after-class and weekend shop access for students using advanced industrial equipment in compliance with OSHA standards

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

• Supported three intermediate sculpture courses requiring student use and access to industrial wood shop and metal studios• Emergency preparedness and safety training, including 1st Aid and CPR/AED certification (up-to-date as of Oct 2021)• Held regular office hours, and provided 1:1 shop demos and tutoring for students• Awarded position as first undergraduate teaching assistant in recent department history

Master Of Fine Arts (Mfa), Film Production And Design

Activities and Societies: Stage and Screen, SFiCA, PLAySPACEDennis Leon Scholarship recipient

Bachelor Of Arts (B.A.), Sculpture And English Criticism, Summa Cum Laude

Activities and Societies: Rainbow Alliance, Studio B, Film ClubStudent Graduation Speaker, and recipient of the Department Achievement.