Chris Hoffmaster Email & Phone Number

Northampton, Ma

Chicopee, Ma

Northhampton, Ma

Easthampton, Ma

Specialty wood box maker for the Pocumtuck Box division, focused on solid wood, high quality collectible gun display cases. Hand dipped and rubbed out stain is applied, followed by a sealer, a scuffing and a vanilla scented clear lacquer top coat. Glass or wood tops with a laser engraving of a military branch/corporate logo provided a one-of-a-kind product . Uniquely grained and colored (and sustainable) African mahogany used for Smith & Wesson products are among the things I'm proud to have helped make.

Holyoke, Ma

Effectively routed projects with little supervision within a high-volume in-house creative services group of a Fortune 500 company. Partnered with and acted as a key bridge of communication between multiple departments to ensure effective job progress. Recognized and proactively resolved problems in a diplomatic and friendly manner issues affecting client expectations, production, schedules and quality. Responsible for trafficking 600 projects in the past year for 10 brands of hotels and corporate clients. Maintained project oversight by monitoring a FileMaker system that tracked project scope, components, allotted hours, budget, and schedule as well as attending weekly status meetings to stay informed of new projects and project prioritization. Handled all trafficking for the launch of two new hotel collateral programs. Assigned personnel to projects as needed. Participated in a process improvement initiative meant to identify problem areas, offer solutions and implement resolutions.

Responsible for routing materials through Editorial, Art, Marketing and Account Management departments. Prioritized workload in editing and art based on timelines for multiple projects. Recommended additional staff on a daily basis based on workload. Maintained and distributed a daily hot sheet highlighting due dates for upcoming projects. Assisted Art Department as needed by making copy changes in QuarkXpress and comps of various mail pieces, magazine inserts, invites and meeting tent cards.

Managed the receipt of all customer materials (slides, prints, image files and page files) and recorded them into a database for billing and then imported files into an accept management system called MediaBank. Clients included AMI Weider for the titles Men’s Fitness, Shape and Natural Health; Reader’s Digest; and the WWE monthly magazine plus special issues. After logging materials in, job jackets were created and moved to the appropriate operator for processing. Tracked workflow and progress to ensure job requirements and deadlines were met. Prepared proofs for shipping to clients for review. Pre-flighted page files for possible problems before going into production. Partnered directly with clients to resolve questions quickly and effectively.

Coordinated printing, production and fulfillment of direct mail efforts to corporate clients. Maintained the fulfillment instructions grid and managed the kit fulfillment vendor. Managed inventory of sales/marketing materials and making art and edit updates for reprints when necessary.

Negotiated printing contracts and other vendor relationships. Estimated cost per issue based on issue size and print order. Established production schedules that included issue closing dates, managed all production for two monthly magazines, and approved invoices. Liaison with printing plant and service bureaus. Responsible for collection of all advertising materials requiring constant client contact. Coordinated entry into a co-palletization program. Responsible for mailing and distribution issues, estimating postage cost and making postage available. Assisted the Art Department and Advertising with creating ads and editorial page make-up. Maintained the company server through an outside vendor.

Coordinated print production and manufacturing in China of books and various educational products. Developed book plus titles with multi-components for both in-house and out of house clients. Serviced $1.4 million in 2000 and $2.1 million in orders for clients by developing new products and processing reorders. Responsibilities included developing specifications for new products, soliciting and evaluating vendor quotes, creating P&L’s and customer quotes. Developed schedules and maintained on time delivery. Acted as liason between the vendor and in-house departments in perfecting various book formats, packaging die-cuts, molds for plastics, vacuum forms and plush products. Pre-flighted jobs and sent files to vendors. Generated purchase orders and approved invoices. Assisted with verification of product safety testing. Assisted traffic manager with estimating shipping costs and coordinating with freight forwarders and brokers to import goods into the U.S. and other foreign ports.

Production Associate, October 1998 - January 2000:Print coordinator for a monthly and bi-monthly magazine. Responsible for mapping ad and edit placement, organizing and transmitting all ad and edit files/film to printer, preparing printers instructions for form breaks, coloration and insert card placement.Prepress Production Suppervisor, April 1997- October 1998:Coordinated the print production of a monthly magazine, same as above Production Associate position. Transitioned production from film based to a combination of film and direct to plate process; both the technical aspects and pricing.Image Technician, October 1994 - April 1997:Researched and recommended the purchase of a new Linotype imagesetter. Transitioned production from paste-up boards to all film. Output all 4C and BW film and coordinated the editorial and ad films with the printer. Scanned BW and color photographs. Assisted Art Department with silhouetting and composing graphics in Photoshop.

Assisted on a two color, 38" Harris press by loading paper, helping with make-ready, mixing inks and pulling press sheets for quality checks. Ran a 12” Ryobi and Itek duplicator. Assisted with stripping, shooting half tones and line art and burning plates. Ran a 40" Polar-Moor programmable cutter and a 24" Stahl four gate folder with right-angle attachment.

Cabinet Maker, Design, Draw, Plan, Build, Finish And Install Projects

B.S., Photo Science, Printing And Prepress

Activities and Societies: Teaching Assistant: Set up weekly labs and assisted with answering students' questions. Graded labs and tests.