About
Hi there. Thanks for visiting. My name is Mike Colahan. I’ve been working as a creative professional for over 19 years, creating experiences for my clients and fostering amazing creative teams. I’ve held several different roles in a variety of environments, and have designed or directed for a wide range of mediums, including web, video, print and television.
Experience
FREELANCE DESIGNER
Shawnee KS • September 2016 – Present
Design & execute various marketing pieces for local clients & agencies around the Kansas City area, focusing on brand/Identity, digital/print advertisement, photography, video, packaging and website design as well as concepts
for pitches.
Clients: AB Suppressor, Alignment Business Consulting, Black Rain Ordnance, BudoBeer Brewery, InContact, Kinetic Club, Monarch Events, NICE Uptivity, SMI Arms and Spypoint
SENIOR MANAGER, CREATIVE SERVICES
Overland Park KS • June 2017 – December 2020
Netsmart Technologies
• Led a team of 6-7 art directors, motion graphics designers and web developers
on a daily basis
• Developed brand book and style components
• Coordinated with account management to create briefs for creative teams
• Designed across print, digital, video and web under strict brand guidelines
• Developed and designed brand themes for the Netsmart annual user conferences
• Worked with designers to develop compelling creative work
• Cut annual photography and video costs by bringing those services in-house
ASSOCIATE CREATIVE DIRECTOR at Lexmark
Lenexa KS • January 2007 – June 2017
Lexmark International, Inc.
• Re-branded Perceptive Software collateral, advertisements and events
• Led a team of 12-14 designers across U.S. and EMEA locations on a daily basis
• Developed new brand identity for Netsmart, established and maintained
graphic standards
• Created assets for large-scale campaigns across multiple sectors
• Ensured visual consistency across digital, print, presentation and video
• Defined & developed an in-house video/photo studio
• Collaborated with project managers and sales team in multiple sectors
• Worked with outside vendors for large-scale events, print and video services
SENIOR ART DIRECTOR
Kansas City MO • January 1997 – December 2006
Kuhn & Wittenborn Advertising
• Designed logos, assets, photography assets and illustration assets for multiple brands
• Photo editing and manipulation
• Designed under strict brand guidelines
• Creative direction and design for local and national brands in print, direct mail, web
and video
• Worked with printers, photographers and video producers on multiple projects
• Concept and directed television commercials for local and national brands
• Collaborated with account coordinators and executives, developing campaigns
Clients: American Century Investments, Crown Center, Gammill Quilting, GEHA, Kansas City Aviation Department, Kansas Speedway, Kansas City Power & Light, Saint Lukes’ Health System and Stuart Hall/Pentab.
AWARDS
GDUSA American In-house Design Awards
• Dodge For a Cause Event Posters
• Office Hero campaign
• Some is not enough
Print/Digital campaign
GDUSA American In-house Design Awards
• CONNECTIONS 2019
Conference Branding
• Every Day Matters Family Jamboree Event Posters
Photoshop World Guru Award
• Peace, Love and Bar-B-Que
AAF KC Addy Gold
• Kansas Speedway ad - Pockets
AAF KC Addy Silver
• Dodge for a cause web design and poster campaign
Skills
Brand Style Guides
Conceptual Ideation
Digital and Print Design
Logo Development
Photography and Retouching
Project Management
Team Management and development
Typography
PROGRAMS
Adobe Creative Suite
Acrobat
Illustrator
InDesign
Photoshop
Premier Pro
BasceCamp
Microsoft Word
Workfront
Wrike
EDUCATION
Kansas State University
BFA IN Graphic Design