I'm a degree qualified graphic designer born and bred in Middlesbrough. With extensive knowledge of branding development, graphic design, marketing and print management. I've been MD of Middlesbrough based design agency VIA Creative since 2003, we specialise in branding, design, bespoke websites, digital marketing and printing. We help our clients get their traditional and digital marketing message noticed through high impact design solutions and strategies. I'm also MD of Middlesbrough-printing.com, the Teesside franchise of printing.com We offer a wide range of traditional and digital printing and fulfilment management solutions covering business stationery, promotional marketing collateral including branded merchandise, exhibition display, large-format and printed signage for windows, walls, shops and vehicle livery.

Responsible for creating press adverts for many retail and private business customers my role included using the latest design software to create finished artwork ready for print. Within this role I was also the sole designer within the Gazette's in-house design service, Bridge Design Group. This included creating new logos, bespoke design and artwork for many private businesses often dealing direct with clients in presenting design ideas and fulfilling print management projects.

My first full-time role as a graphic designer on completing my Honours Degree at Suffolk College, I began working at BT Labs in-house design studio based in Martlesham Heath, Ipswich. Responsible for implementing the new Wolff Olins 'pipe' brand identity to internal and external BT publications, including newsletters, technical user-guides, sales materials and packaging. A lot of early design and typography industry skills (kerning, leading etc.) were applied into creating artwork of our projects such as hand drawn visuals, overlaying markups for image scaling, pantone colour reference specifying and using Letraset and grant enlargers for visualisation, this skillset and knowledge of early artworking processes led to a greater appreciation of the introduction of some of the first Apple Mac hardware and software programmes such as Aldus Freehand, Quark Express and Letrastudio. Our team were often the first port of call for the creation of new product packaging that was used to present to the BT leadership team in London. Whilst here I also undertook a wide range of external freelance design projects particularly for the US Forces who were based in East Anglia.