Coca-Cola, Harvard, AARP, Eastern Mountain Sports and Stanley Black Decker as part of the lineup.
Hartford, CT (June 2, 2015,) The Connecticut chapter for AIGA, a national professional association for design, hosted creative directors and designers from some of the most well-known brands in the world.
The conference for in-house creative talent titled “InsideOut 2015” was held at The Mark Twain House & Museum in Hartford.
Featured speakers included Alex Center, Lead Designer, The Coca-Cola Company; Stephani Finks, Design Director, Harvard Business Review Group, Press; Dian Holton, Deputy Art Director, AARP Media; and Gregory Pizzi, Senior Global Manager – Graphic Design Stanley/Black&Decker.
Speakers shared their insights about how high-performing in-house creatives and teams thrive and keep their edge. Interactive discussions addressed issues like trends, challenges and opportunities for creativity and innovation these influential market leaders face in today’s ever-changing landscape.
Attendees representing ESPN, ASSA ABOY, Webster Bank, CBIA, Covidien, AAA Northeast, Gartner, Eversource (formerly UI), Perkin Elmer, Robinson & Cole, Prudential Financial, and Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects; had a chance to hear, first hand, how internationally known companies address the challenges of design and meet in small, breakout sessions throughout the conference.
“Our goal is to raise awareness about the importance that creativity and innovation play in business today,” said AIGA Connecticut President, Kim Barker-Craven. “Connecticut, in particular, is losing talent and business to other states that offer a high quality of living but at a lower cost. The exceptional line up of speakers we secured underscores this critical initiative and that major companies and organizations see the value and want to be part of the discussion,” she said.
AIGA Connecticut, an all-volunteer, non-profit organization, is one of 170 AIGA chapters, representing more than 26,000 creative professionals worldwide. AIGA advances design as a professional craft, strategic advantage and vital cultural force. As the largest community of design advocates, we bring together practitioners, enthusiasts, and patrons to amplify the voice of design and create the vision for a collective future. We define global standards and ethical practices, guide design education, enhance professional development, and make powerful tools and resources accessible to all. For more information about AIGA Connecticut visit
connecticut.aiga.org.
Panelists (L-R) Stephani Finks, Design Director, Harvard Business Review Group, Press; Krista McDonald, Art Director, LoveSac; Ralph Frisina, Art Director, Winstanley Partners and Danny Costa, Creative Director, Vestis Retail Group; being introduced by Kim Barker-Craven, President, AIGA Connecticut, and Creative Services Group.
Monique Duquette, AIGA Connecticut Director of In-House Programming, introduces Keynote speaker, Alex Center, Lead Designer, The Coca-Cola Company. Other speakers at the Conference were Dian Holton, Deputy Art Director, AARP Media; and Gregory Pizzi, Senior Global Manager – Graphic Design, Stanley/Black&Decker; Stephani Finks, Design Director, Harvard Business Review Group, Press; Krista McDonald, Art Director, LoveSac; and Danny Costa, Creative Director, Vestis Retail Group.
