2014 Resume - Darren K. Hardy
989-350-8000 • darrenkhardy@gmail.com • Portfolio: darrenkhardy.com
Mailing Address: 340 Klarer-Hinnel Dr., Gaylord, MI 49735
Core Skills:
Full & Mobile Website Design: HTML, CSS, jQuery, XML/RSS, form design, web apps, SEO, metrics
Content Management Systems: Tribune P2P, TownNews BLOX, MODx, Mobile Local News, ShoutEm
Website Administration: Setup, training, organization, maintenance, security, content entry
Social Media: Administration, posting, site integration, feed management, metrics reporting
Print Design: Advertising design, newspaper layout, book layout, interactive PDF design, eBook design
Adobe Creative Suite: Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Acrobat Professional, Distiller, Flash
Additional Skills:
Google Services & APIs: Analytics, Webmaster Tools, Web Fonts, DFP, JS Maps API, Ajax Search API
Basic Programming & Databases: PHP, MySQL, Javascript, Actionscript 3, LAMP server admin
Video & Audio Editing: Final Cut Pro, iMovie, DVD Studio Pro, Handbrake, Adobe Media Encoder
Computer Support: Mac OS X 10.4-10.9, Windows 8 & XP, hardware troubleshooting
Email Marketing: Template design, user management, Presslaff Dat-E-Base, MailChimp
Current Employment:
Web Technician, AVI-SPL at Dow Chemical, Midland, MI, 8/13 - Current
Daily support of Dow Home featured banner and Team Dow intranet publishing and design.
Prompt support for a mix of intranet clients including PA&GA, Sadara, Olympics Ops, and Sales Excellence.
Exceeded requirements on DCIS Product Finder, NA Sales Ops, Distribution Strategy, and East End sites.
Other Dow intranet site redesign, new site development, form development, and ongoing client support.
Recent Employment:
Northern Michigan Review, Petoskey & Gaylord, MI, 4/02 - 5/13
Promoted through four positions in web design, print design, & technical support roles over 11 years.
Online Marketing Consultant, Simple Digital Media, 1/12 - 5/13
Founding member & lead designer for new division focused on small business websites & digital advertising.
Designed, built & supported over 25 full websites & 25 mobile websites for clients over 16 months.
Conceptualized & developed Graphic To Go, a seasonal tourism app for iOS & Android using ShoutEm.
Managed revenue-generating deals & contesting platforms, supporting salespeople, businesses, & customers.
Continued site administration & development responsibilities on core news & associated websites.
Developed email marketing templates & administered weekly emails for clients & salespeople.
Created successful mobile versions of our classified advertising & garage sales websites.
Assistant Online Manager, Petoskey News-Review, 11/06 - 1/12
Developed, designed, & SEO optimized three newspaper websites across multiple major CMS transitions.
Conceptualized, created & updated dozens of web projects including mobile web sites, seasonal guides, contests,
special interest publications, classifieds, garage sales maps, contact forms, sales tools, & more.
Developed profitable rich media ad types with jQuery & Flash, including catfish, pushdown, & video ads.
Provided one-on-one training & created reference documentation for website administration.
Integrated & promoted vendor-provided products throughout our news websites.
Ordered, configured & installed hardware & software for a newspaper office.
Computer Systems Manager, Gaylord Herald Times, 7/05 - 11/06
Loaded & SEO optimized website news & photo content. Designed & trafficked website display ads.
Provided Macintosh desktop hardware & software support for an office of 30+ people.
Administered two servers, tape backups, DVD data archives, & a trio of printers.
Graphic Artist, Gaylord Herald Times, 4/02 - 7/05
Designed award-winning ads for a twice weekly newspaper & special publications.
Scanned, optimized &prepared photos & artwork for editorial/advertising needs.
Flowed content & ads onto pages, corrected pages, & exported finished documents to PDF.
Calibrated color settings across all computers. Created time-saving Photoshop actions for all staff.
Saved money by suggesting smaller proofing print sizes & creating uniform print presets.
Synchronized font libraries across an office full of computers.
Past Employment:
RF Drive Technician, Nortel Networks/TEKsystems, Southfield, MI, 12/00 - 11/01
Tested Verizon cell towers throughout Michigan & Ohio. Participated in system cutover. Trained temp staff.
Support Technician, U of M Campus Computing Sites, Ann Arbor, MI, 9/99 - 11/00
Deployed & maintained Mac & PC desktops. Telephone, email, & in-person help desk. Trained new staff.
Various Part-Time, Work-Study Program, U of M School of Art, 9/97 - 8/99
I2 Research Grant, 3D Game Design Research Assistant, 9/98 - 8/99
Alphabet Project, Digital Photography Imaging Assistant, 9/97 - 8/99
Latino Family Services Living Histories Grant, Web Designer & Student Trainer, 5/98 - 4/99
Education:
Bachelor of Fine Arts, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 9/95 - 12/99
Studies in computer aided fine arts, web design, website usability, programming, 3D modeling,
computer animation, interactive multimedia, photography, art history, & graphic design.
Freelance & Volunteer Work:
Roleplaying Game Book Layout & Design, Engine Publishing, 9/09 - 6/13
Collaborated remotely with authors, editors, proofreaders, & art directors from across the country.
Designed templates, logos, borders, cover layouts, page layouts, & more for four books totalling 980+ pages.
Created & exported final press-ready PDFs, interactive PDFs, plain text, .mobi, & epub ebooks.
Over 8,000 copies sold of all products so far. Three books in the top 1% of products on DriveThruRPG.com.
Logo Design for Print & Web, 4/06 - 6/13
Logo designs for Engine Publishing, Gnome Stew, New Year - New Game, Treasure Tables & other projects.
Freelance Web Design, Various Small Businesses & Clubs, Gaylord, MI, 6/04 - 8/10
Chalet Village Services, Custom Marine & Machine, Hardy Farms & Landscaping, Northland Sportsmen’s Club, & First Nations Services.
Website Design Mentoring, FIRST Robotics Competition, Petoskey Paladins, 10/12 - 12/12
Mentored once a week for a team of high school students designing a team competition website.
