Portfolio
This is a sampling of my portfolio and represent a range of projects working with entrepreneurs to multinationals. All of my projects were the result of collaborations with clients, designers, programmers and writers. No one person can do it all, and I don’t pretend otherwise. My role is to serve as the client executive, locate the talent (their names have been left off to protect the innocent), and see the work through the project life cycle from planning to execution.
Ernst and Young — I have worked for Ernst & Young on and off throughout my career. Most recently, I was a member of the global Web governance team to rationalize and maintain quality throughout the EY family of sites, including 80+ member firms in more than 10 languages. This included strategizing with marketing and business stakeholders throughout the organization for the positioning of thought leadership online; leading the search engine optimization effort to ensure indexing and placement of our content both in external and in-site search; managing the domain name global portfolio, including more than a 1000 domains and in excess of $200,000 in yearly renewals; coordinating follow up on infringements for third party domain squatters; and facilitating legal and privacy guidelines with Global General Counsel.
Accomplishments:
- Led the redesign of ey.com, which included more than 30,000 web pages to translate a new visual identity and messaging for the firm
- Documented new publishing and design standards for member firms to follow
- For the first time for the firm, created an integrated search strategy that optimized content for both internal/external search, such as Google, Yahoo, and MSN
- Optimized global content for a replatform effort that turned ey.com from individual HTML pages to a dynamic publishing environment. (Launched May 2009)
Previously, in 1996 Ernst & Young needed a way to integrate its 40 plus business units into a single online presence. With a graphic and informational redesign, the new site supported divisional, as well as firm-wide business and marketing goals. The site included targeted content relevant to each of the firm’s primary audiences: existing and prospective clients, employees, new recruits and press. Permission marketing tools allowed the firm to collect email addresses from site visitors who wanted to receive firm updates. Thought leadership was also made available for electronic distribution.
Home Shopping Network — In 1995, Home Shopping Network charged a small research and development team with exploring the possibilities of online retailing. As part of that initiative, newly branded storefronts were developed for the commercial online services: Prodigy, AOL, MSN, and Compuserv. These storefronts sold high-end merchandise to appeal to the more affluent online audience of that time, and were built as stand alone brands, each carrying their own fulfillment and customer service. While at HSN, our division also acquired the Internet Shopping Network, credited as the first online retailer that sold solely over the Internet. As a pioneer in ecommerce on the Web, ISN received significant national media.
Baker & Hostetler — Founded in 1916, this 500 plus attorney business law firm sought a modern online visual identity that would still pay tribute to its 85 year history. The Baker and Hostetler site incorporates interactivity, online recruiting tools, and numerous content management tools for easy updating by the firm. Client extranets were also developed so that account management teams would have an online venue to share case updates.
Review.Net — Review.Net, a law, business, and commercial real estate site, launched in 1995 and was an early pioneer in online journalism. The site started as simply an online version of a weekly publication and was redeveloped into a daily regional news source for the business-to-business market. This effort resulted in it being selected as the Best Overall Online Newspaper by Editor and Publisher in 1996. Review.Net was the first (and at that time only) on-line publisher of the full-text court opinions for the Florida appellate courts.
Sherwin-Williams — The Sherwin-Williams Company, a manufacturer, distributor and retailer of paints and coatings, sought to showcase online their entire line of products for the DIY, Contractor, Home Builder, Architect, OEM, Automotive, Aerospace and Industrial and Marine markets. The site was architectured around each audience segment – with site features and tools to support the Ask How, Ask Now SW brand. This ecommerce site includes: project planners; color palettes; product information, data and MSDS sheets; store and distributor location tools; commercial ordering tools, and a wallpaper store. It also includes feature sites for the Recruiting and Investor Relation audiences.
Farmer & Fitzgerald — This Tampa-based criminal defense firm chose a site that would communicate their goal of a practice dedicated to protecting the rights of accused citizens and legal representation in the areas of criminal defense, civil rights litigation, employment discrimination, and environmental litigation. Development included identity work, visual and content development, and site optimization.
Smuckers — In 2001, The J.M. Smucker Company, manufacturer of fruit spreads, ice cream toppings, natural foods beverages and peanut butter, sought to translate their Smucker’s Makes You Smile offline branding campaign into a new and dynamic online presence. The new site featured: a full showcase of the entire JMS product line; interactive games; promotion integration; permission marketing; recipe and nutrition database; customer support tools; flavor finder, and online store. Content and knowledge management tools, including: a product and nutrition database, recruiting, and call center support tools were also developed. A separate ecommerce site was later created for the Uncrustables for Schools division.
Arhaus — Arhaus Furniture is a high-end retailer that specializes in hand-crafted home furnishings inspired from cultures throughout the world. The challenge was to translate their life-style brand — harmony of life, home and style — online. The site was designed to be beautiful as well as functional. A back-end content management tool allowed it to be easily updateable by the merchandising team.
GE Sealants & Adhesives — This division of GE Silicones sought a fully interactive site that would answer the specific needs of the DIY/Consumer, Contractors, Industrial and OEM, Retail Partners and Commercial Distributors markets. The site features numerous interactive project guides, calculators, product specifiers, customer service tools and a a store locator. Commercial audiences have access to job wizards, application guides and an online order center.
National City Bank — In the fall of 2000, National City Bank chose to integrate their diverse personal, small business, and corporate services into a single, integrated Web presence. This required the development of an information architecture that would support the many business divisions, careers, and investor relations teams – as well as strategic content and technical development. The result was a site that was as beautiful as it was functional, incorporating a rich selection of financial and customer relations tools reinforcing the bank’s history as a leader in the industry.
Goodyear — In 1999, Goodyear sought a redesign of its family of sites, including Kelly Tire, Dunlop and Fulda brands, that would allow it to better communicate to their wide range of audiences seeking product specifications, jobs, media and investor information. The new information architecture accommodated Goodyear’s several businesses, Chemical & Industrial Products, Automotive Belts & Hoses, and Retailing with a common navigation that allowed easy movement around the site. Special sections were also added featuring Racing News and the history of the Goodyear Blimp.
Z Model Management — Z Model Management, the largest full service modeling agency in Ohio, wanted a site to showcase its portfolio of models to new and existing clients. The site allows for clients to view model photographs and contact the agency for booking. It also provides information for aspiring models. Although built completely in Flash, agency staff can easily add new photos through a back-end administrative updating tool.
Anthony and Sylvan — Anthony and Sylvan is among the largest installers of custom-designed in-ground concrete residential swimming pools and spas in the U.S. The challenge was to translate the company’s offline brand online through a colorful, sophisticated user interface. Target audiences included: new customers, recruits, investors and contractors, suppliers and vendors.
Arter and Hadden — Arter and Hadden is a national law firm with more than 300+ attorneys practicing throughout the United States and Europe. The challenge was re-design the firm’s existing site, giving the firm a smart, sophisticated online presence. Target audiences included: existing and prospective clients, new recruits, and press.
Addison — For more than 40 years, Addison has been a leader in the design and communications industry. In 2004, the firm sought to redesign its site to support more robust online marketing initiatives, allow for easier updating by non-technical staff, and broader distribution of the firm’s thought leadership. The new site features permission marketing tools and an advanced content management solution that allows dynamic publishing of content based on user specification.
GE Silicones — This division of GE Silicones sought a fully interactive site that would answer the specific needs of the DIY/Consumer, Contractors, Industrial and OEM, Retail Partners and Commercial Distributors markets. The site features numerous interactive project guides, calculators, product specifiers, customer service tools and a a store locator. Commercial audiences have access to job wizards, application guides and an online order center.
Hyatt Legal Plans — Hyatt Legal Plans, a Metlife Company, is the largest provider of group legal plans serving more than a million people throughout the U.S. In 1998, Hyatt sought an online presence that would promote their legal plans to businesses and individuals, as well as attract new attorneys to their network. Later, a member extranet was created for current plan holders to research covered issues, locate an attorney, secure self-service documentation, and obtain case numbers. In 2002, a new logo and visual identity system were developed and incorporated throughout Hyatt’s sales, marketing and identity systems.
Freedom Outdoor Furniture — Freedom Outdoor Furniture specializes in premium “maintenance free” outdoor furniture for commercial and residential settings. The fully enabled ecommerce site showcases the furniture collection, reinforcing brand attributes of design, functionality and ease of care. The backend was developed with ecommerce and content management tools for easy updating by non-technical staff at the company.
GE Polymer Shapes — GE Polymer Shapes, a global distributor and fabricator of plastic sheet, rod, tube and film, sought an ecommerce site that would – for the first time – allow GE to market and sell online throughout the world. The site features an Order Center for customers to place orders 24 hours a day, a library of product technical data sheets and application guides, useful job wizards (ex: gauge converter), and customer service support tools. All site development was in compliance with GE’s Six Sigma system for improving the quality of organizational process.
Cap Gemini Ernst and Young (CGEY) has the largest health consulting practice in the U.S. For a large annual trade show, they sought to showcase their health consulting services in Revenue, Clinical, Supply Chain, and Clinical Transformation through a series of interactive presentations. The presentations were built in Flash, and scripted for audio accompaniment. The presentations were later incorporated into a password-protected Web site for use by their sales team.
eTableTop — eTableTop, a high-end retailer of fine china, crystal, and gifts, wanted an elegant site that would mirror the experience of shopping in a fine china specialty store. The site includes an online gift registry to help brides and grooms define their unique personal style and register for gifts for their upcoming wedding. The Dishing section was developed to give users a behind the scenes peak at top chef and celebrity tabletop picks.
Benesch Friedlander Coplan and Arnoff — Benesch Friedlander Coplan and Arnoff, an established Ohio-based business law firm, sought a modern redesign and enhanced information architecture to better target middle-market and emerging growth companies. The site incorporates downloadable firm publications, permission marketing for frequent email newsletters, an attorney bio database and online recruiting tools.
Progressive Insurance Company — With more than 12 million customers, Progressive Insurance Company ranks third in the nation for the sale of auto insurance. In 1997, Progressive needed a way to more quickly train new employees and customer service agents. By developing an Intranet, the company was able to support the ongoing education needs of agents on new products and policy changes. The Intranet also gave agents basic training on customer support standards and guidance on how to respond to common inquiries.
Leigh Steinberg, the sports agent who became famous for inspiring the major motion picture, Jerry Macquire, has represented athletes like Troy Aikman, Steve Young, and Warren Moon. In 1998, he asked for a site to share news about his firm, Steinberg and Moorad, and profiles of his some 150 athletes. He also wanted the site to support the promotional effort around his book, Winning with Integrity. In 2000, Steinberg sold the firm to Assante Corp. for $120 million dollars.
