Timothy Kovac

PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY

Creative Director with 15+ years architecting brand strategy, visual identity, and integrated marketing campaigns across B2B healthcare, aerospace, and consumer markets. Proven expertise in Adobe Creative Suite, motion graphics, packaging design, creative strategy, and AI assisted creative tools. Track record of managing $2M+ budgets, leading 20+ person teams with strong team leadership, and delivering ROI-positive campaigns generating $500M+ revenue impact and marketing ROI.

SKILLS

Creative Direction, Art Direction, Brand Strategy, Visual Identity Development, Team

Management, Talent Development, Agency Management, Vendor Relations, Creative

Operations, Graphic Design, Packaging Design, Environmental Graphics, Trade Show Design, Presentation Designs, Print Production, Pre-Press, Photography, Studio Production,

Sustainable Design, Brand Guidelines Development, Motion Graphics, Video Production, Video Editing, Animation, Social Media Marketing, Content Marketing, Digital Marketing, Connected TV Marketing, TikTok Marketing, Instagram Marketing, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe InDesign, Adobe After Effects, Adobe Premiere Pro, Adobe Firefly, Figma, CorelDraw, Canva Enterprise, Web-flow, WordPress, HTML, CSS, HubSpot, Salesforce, Midjourney, Generative AI, Artificial Intelligence AI, B2B Marketing, B2C Marketing, Integrated Marketing Communications, Campaign Management, Market Research, ROI Analysis, Budget Management, P&L Management, RFP Response, Sales Enablement, FDA Compliance, Healthcare Marketing, Stakeholder Management, Project Management, Cross-functional Collaboration, Strategic Planning, Change Management, Go-to-Market Strategy, Brand Architecture, Brand Development, Performance Metrics, Data-Driven Decision Making, Visual Design, Creative Strategy, Team Leadership, Marketing ROI

WORK EXPERIENCE

Creative Director

Small Town Brewery / Spirit Water, Cary, IL

03/2012 - Present

• Architected brand architecture and brand development for 100+ SKU packaging design system using Adobe Illustrator, sustainable print production, pre-press workflows, and visual design; achieved 40% shelf-impact improvement and expanded national distribution into 15 new markets
• Developed motion graphics and studio production content strategy generating 2.5M+

organic video views across TikTok, Instagram, and Connected TV platforms; increased engagement rates 35% year-over-year

• Directed environmental design and trade show marketing for national expos including

AWS Summit and National Beer Wholesalers Association NBWA; earned Best in Show

2023 for immersive booth experience

• Established comprehensive brand guidelines and digital asset management systems;

reduced production turnaround time 50% while ensuring brand consistency across 50+

retail touchpoints

• Managed stakeholder relationships with C-suite executives and external marketing agencies to align creative vision with business objectives; secured $2M in incremental funding based on brand performance metrics, marketing ROI, and P&L management
• Produced and edited promotional video content using Adobe Premiere Pro and After

Effects; created product demos, brand stories, and social media advertisements

• Managed internal creative team with strong team leadership, external vendors, and agency management relationships; oversaw project timelines, budgets, vendor relations,

and quality assurance for all creative deliverables

• Championed change management initiatives during brand evolution, ensuring seamless adoption of new visual identity systems across 50+ retail touchpoints
• Orchestrated go-to-market strategy for new product launches, collaborating with cross functional teams across marketing, sales, and operations
• Established creative operations workflows and project management protocols, reducing production turnaround 50%
• Leveraged data-driven decision making to optimize creative assets based on performance metrics and market research

Art Director

Sysmex Corporation, Mundelein, IL

01/2003 - 03/2012

• Managed creative department of 20+ graphic designers, copywriters, and production specialists; implemented Agile project management workflow increasing project throughput 30% without quality degradation
• Developed multi-channel healthcare marketing campaigns spanning print advertising,

digital marketing, email marketing, and broadcast media; improved brand consistency scores from 72% to 98% across 12 international markets

• Produced executive presentations, corporate video content, and training ecosystems using motion graphics and interactive media; reduced training time 25% for 5000+ field sales representatives
• Provided strategic leadership and mentorship to 8 direct reports, advancing all to senior creative roles within 3 years through structured talent development programs
• Created FDA-compliant marketing materials and healthcare industry sales enablement tools for diagnostic equipment; ensured regulatory compliance across all creative outputs
• Six-time Pinnacle Award winner from Premier Healthcare Alliance; only hematology vendor to achieve this recognition for creative excellence
• Directed strategic planning initiatives for global brand consistency across 12

international markets

• Facilitated cross-functional collaboration between creative, regulatory, and sales teams to ensure FDA compliance

Senior Graphic Designer

AAR Corporation, Wood Dale, IL

06/1999 - 01/2003

• Designed large-format environmental graphics and trade show booths for Farnborough,

Paris, and Dubai Air Shows; contributed to $500M+ in new contract acquisitions and B2B lead generation

• Modernized corporate brand standards and visual identity systems across digital and print platforms, unifying brand presence for 6 operating divisions
• Created proposal design system and RFP response templates; reduced response time

40% while improving win rates on competitive bids

• Developed technical marketing materials, product catalogs, and sales collateral for aviation and defense industry clients

EDUCATION

Bachelor of Science in Photographic Production Technology, Graphic Arts, and Marketing

Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL

CERTIFICATIONS

• Adobe Certified Instructor - Active
• AI for Design Professionals, LinkedIn Learning, 2024
• Figma Advanced Prototyping, DesignLab, 2023
• Motion Design for Social Media, School of Motion, 2022
• Sustainable Packaging Design, Packaging World Masterclass, 2021

AWARDS

• Best in Show, National Beer Wholesalers Association NBWA Expo, 2023
• Six-Time Pinnacle Award Winner, Premier Healthcare Alliance
• Arts Ambassador Award, Industry Leadership and Creative Excellence, 2010

PORTFOLIO

Brochure

https://www.spiritwatermail.com/Spirit%20Water_2_Web_3.pdf

Comic Book

https://www.spiritwatermail.com/Comic%206_Working.pdf

Poster & Packaging Designs:

https://www.spiritwatermail.com/Movie%20Posters%20and%20Packaging_5_web.pdf

Links to Videos

https://www.spiritwatermail.com/Cigars%20&%20Bourbon%20Night%20Extravaganza!%202025-07-22%20(1).mp4

https://www.spiritwatermail.com/copy_6B13C1A0-4EBB-4CC8-B2B7-59EFA77AFEFF.MOV https://www.spiritwatermail.com/copy_3388874D-3F19-4B93-8B4F-21FBF0A29641.MOV https://www.spiritwatermail.com/copy_4C280A51-570B-49DA-BB0C-BEE9F243BBF4.MOV https://www.spiritwatermail.com/copy_36626B8B-12D8-4A3E-A773-D73AB234AC2A.MOV

ADDITIONAL PORTFOLIO AVAILABLE UPON REQUESTED:

AI Marylin Monroe Created by using old photos to bring her back to life.

https://www.spiritwatermail.com/5111b64d-0d79-4569-9411-d1133c1c4637_0.MP4

Remembering Marylin Monroe – Soft and Clear Feel https://www.spiritwatermail.com/copy_7CEE6909-94DF-45E2-AC38-22165604E1D0.MOV

Comic Book Serious I created for Long Grove https://www.spiritwatermail.com/Comic%206_Working.pdf

Old Best Buy Commercial https://www.spiritwatermail.com/best_buy_software_danger_640x480_15sec_intro.flv

AI Characters Brought to life and created Comic Books Animated https://www.spiritwatermail.com/copy_A2E88C9B-7838-4E5B-B3CD-DEFDB13AC3C1.MOV

AI Character Breathing while background Smoke and Camera moving https://www.spiritwatermail.com/d0600b3e-e813-4170-9dcd-c3eb6ea8d066_0.MP4

AI Characters created, animated, created comic books Superheroes and Villains https://www.spiritwatermail.com/copy_267FA398-69AC-46FA-8ADD-26CF8FD03A57.MOV https://www.spiritwatermail.com/copy_2FF7CA09-E788-44B4-91AF-C9B1527E3DA0.MOV https://www.spiritwatermail.com/copy_3EDB620E-B8BF-4AA3-B2AC-C107766010CA.MOV

Cupid For Fun Flash Commercial – Adult Website https://www.spiritwatermail.com/tv_inter_commercial.swf

AI Girlfriend – Took Photos of Girl and made Styles in AI to just about anything https://www.spiritwatermail.com/2dfa5807-1fca-4eb5-aa24-faf3e57ca757-u2_0.MP4

https://www.spiritwatermail.com/copy_4C280A51-570B-49DA-BB0C-BEE9F243BBF4.MOV

AI Girlfriend from Photos to Video Commercial Concept https://www.spiritwatermail.com/copy_1D34ECF9-F2E4-4947-9037-344C25D142E0.MOV An Old Time Story Black and White for Spirit Water and Cary, IL – Concept Reel https://www.spiritwatermail.com/Countryside Cary_ A Journey from Black & 2025-07-23 1.MP4

AI Spirit Water 3D Animation https://www.spiritwatermail.com/invideo-ai

1080%20Spirit%20Water_%203D%20Brewery%20&%20Distillery%20Pr%202025-07-20.mp4

Animated 3D Commercial - Cigar & Bourbon At Brothers Field https://www.spiritwatermail.com/Cigars & Bourbon Night Extravaganza! 2025-07-22 (1).mp4

Animated 3D Commercial for Spirit Water https://www.spiritwatermail.com/7 Years in a Barrel 2.MP4

Old Sysmex Internal Sales Commercial – Sales Race https://www.spiritwatermail.com/Race_9b.swf

Old United Commercial 1990 shot in office https://www.spiritwatermail.com/united_airlines_commercial_1990_speech.flv

Air Castle Aviation Flash Xmas Card https://www.spiritwatermail.com/AirCastle_1d.swf

Marketing Brochure Done In Flash and Adobe for Animated Brochure https://www.spiritwatermail.com/Sales_1a.swf

Old Best Buy Commercial in Flash – Format Isn’t Not Used Anymore That Much https://www.spiritwatermail.com/best_buy_software_danger_640x480_15sec_intro.flv

Old Format Scene done in Flash https://www.spiritwatermail.com/Scene_2.flv