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Résumé

Experience.
Systems.
Results.

I’m a hands-on senior designer who turns complex marketing needs into clear visual communication and reusable production systems. My experience spans campaign concepts, photography, AI-assisted imaging, and brand templates. I bring creative judgment to the work, help colleagues navigate production challenges, and improve the processes behind consistent delivery.

Production design · systems · creative operations

Career summary

13+Years of experience
6Industries served
250 – 300Annual pieces at Rockford University
35%Production-output increase at Edward Jones

Professional experience

Design craft backed by operational clarity.

01

Senior Production Designer

Edward Jones · Brand & Creative Services · Remote

Supported 20,000+ financial advisors across North America, proactively identifying and resolving template, workflow, and production challenges.

  • Built customizable brand templates with design, legal, compliance, and vendor teams, supporting Marketing Hub and Brand Readiness 2.0.
  • Improved templates and vendor handoffs, contributing to approximately 35% higher production output and 25% less vendor rework.
  • Prepared 2,000+ approved images in five aspect ratios, with retrieval metadata, Photoshop retouching, and AI-assisted image repair.
  • Created documentation and repeatable workflows, helping colleagues navigate brand and compliance requirements.
  • Designed executive presentations for high-net-worth prospects. Worked with developers on web refinements in Figma, improving accessibility and component consistency.
  • Partnered with an art director on a congressional packet, producing a branded folder, a compact Purpose, Inclusion and Citizenship Report adaptation, and supporting documents.
Marketing Hub case study: Edward Jones

Image library case study

02

Principal & Creative Director

Paul Hecker Design · Part-time, project-based · Rockford, Illinois

Provide brand, design, photography, and production solutions for higher education, retail, and entrepreneurial clients.

  • Lead identity, campaign, environmental, print, digital, and photography projects from concept through delivery.
  • Reduce external-agency dependence and revision cycles through direct collaboration and production ownership.
03

Graphic Designer

Rockford University · Rockford, Illinois

Operated as the university's sole in-house visual designer, producing 250–300 scheduled print and digital pieces per academic year.

  • Led design and production of the Catalyst fundraising magazine supporting an $18 million campaign.
  • Owned intake, tracking, production, archiving, vendor coordination, campus photography, and training and mentoring student designers.
Related case study: Rockford University
04

Marketing & Graphic Design Coordinator

SASid Insurance Development · Janesville, Wisconsin

Created branding assets, presentations, and large-format materials for partner programs while supporting vendors, campaign execution, and analytics tracking.

  • Designed, built, updated, and maintained WordPress websites, including layouts, typography, imagery, navigation, responsive presentation, and content management.
05

Graphic Design Intern

Packaging Coordinators, Inc. · Rockford, Illinois

Designed packaging prototypes, brand materials, photography, and video for internal communications. Created commercial-quality prototypes using wide-format printing, CAD-table plotting, plastic thermoforming, and 3D printing, while supporting company-wide brand identity work following an acquisition and merger.

  • Produced internal training videos from script through final delivery, handling filming, editing, audio production, motion graphics, compression, and export in Adobe Premiere Pro.

Education

Studio art and communication design, carried across media.

Rockford University
Advanced coursework toward BFA, Studio Art · Graphic Design concentration

Rock Valley College
AAS, Graphic Design & Mixed Media Production
Relevant study: video production, video editing, filmmaking, and audio production.

Community leadership

Building more accessible systems for people, too.

Cofounder & Facilitator · Connect More
Co-founded and facilitated a peer-led support group for Autistic and ADHD adults in Winnebago County, 2024–2025.

Start a conversation

Let's make complex creative work easier to use.

Contact Paul