Bob Wertz Resume
Experienced creative team leader with extensive experience in higher education and insurance.
DESIGN EXPERIENCE
University of South Carolina
Associate Director / Visual Branding / August 2017 – present
Sets the visual standards for our university-wide marketing and communications efforts. Mentors and advises designers, videographers, photographers and clients. Works with content strategist and data analyst to develop effective communications strategies for owned media. Responsible for university brand standards, training campus partners and vendors. Provides design support for the University of South Carolina’s public affairs initiatives and internal communications needs. Partners with campus communicators, external vendors and production companies.
Associate Director / Creative Services / March 2013 – August 2017
Led a creative team including designers, writers, photographers, a videographer and a production coordinator. Coached and mentored team to help them continue to grow and develop in their careers. Collaborated with partners from all over the University of South Carolina system including executive leadership, development, special events and academic units to meet their strategic needs. Responsible for creative execution and strategy of advertising campaigns, admissions materials, direct mail, invitations, television commercials, magazines, email, online campaigns, internal communications and more. Worked with external vendors, production companies and illustrators as needed.
Blue Cross Blue Shield of South Carolina
Manager / Creative Services / May 2006 – March 2013
Art Director / December 2005 – May 2006
Served as creative director. Managed a large creative team including designers, media buyers, photographers and videographers supporting BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina and its 50+ subsidiaries. Worked with clients to determine business needs and collaborated with our team to build creative solutions for marketing, event promotion and internal communications.
Colonial Supplemental Insurance
Art Director / August 2003 – December 2005
Developed print and interactive marketing materials, training guides and publications. Designed and produced print and outdoor brand advertising.
Gasque Marketing and Advertising
Art Director / November 2000 – August 2003
Created print, interactive, video and outdoor solutions for regional and national clients.
Continental American Insurance Group (now AFLAC)
Art Director / May 1997 – November 2000
Planned and designed corporate communications and benefits enrollment materials. Developed print and interactive training guides for voluntary insurance products.
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
University of South Carolina
Adjunct Instructor / School of Visual Art and Design / August 2012 – present
Teaches a senior-level graphic design seminar class focused on portfolio development. Class size varies from 10-20 students. Mentors students and prepares them for the next phase of their career.
Adjunct Instructor / School of Journalism / January 2006 – May 2011
Taught an Journalism 364, a lecture class that served as an introduction to visual communication concepts. Class size varied between 45 and 125 students.
SHOWS
Designasaur
Curtis R. Harley Gallery at USC Upstate in Spartanburg, SC / October 2018
Solo show featuring selected shirts and artwork from my 52 Shirts project.
CONFERENCE PAPERS
AEJMC Toronto 2019
Crowdsmashing: A content analysis of Brand New’s branding reviews and reader response. Presented as part of a paper session on August 8, 2019 at the AEJMC conference in Toronto.
AEJMC Southeast Colloquium 2020
Forgotten Technology, Lasting Impact: The Linotype’s Influence on South Carolina’s Newspapers from 1890-1925. Presented on March 21, 2020 at AEJMC’s Southeast Colloquium, originally scheduled for Memphis, but rescheduled as a virtual conference because of COVID-19.
EDUCATION AND TRAINING
University of South Carolina
Ph.D. in Mass Communications
August 2021 – present
Part-time graduate student researching visual communication
Master of Arts in Mass Communications
August 2018 – May 2021
Completed thesis, Brand new: How visual context shapes initial response to logos and corporate visual identity systems, in Spring of 2021. Selected as the 2020 Outstanding Master’s Student in the College of Journalism and Mass Communications.
Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and Mass Communications
South Carolina Honors College
August 1993 – May 1997
Major in Advertising and Public Relations
Leadership Columbia
Graduate, Class of 2010
Participated in the Columbia Chamber of Commerce leadership development and community service program.
Fellow, Life Management Institute (FLMI)
Awarded August 2000
Completed 10-course program covering insurance-related topics. Achieved designation “with Distinction” indicating honors.
BOARD SERVICE
Mt. Horeb Lutheran Church Congregational Council
Chapin, South Carolina
Council Member / January 2016 – December 2017
Vice Chair / January 2018 – December 2018
Member of the congregational council. Elected chairperson of council for 2018.
South Carolina Lutheran Retreat Centers
Board Member / November 2004 – June 2010
Board Member / June 2012 – June 2018
Has served as board secretary and chairperson of marketing committee for regional conference and retreat centers.
AIGA South Carolina
Vice President / September 2004 – May 2006
President / May 2006 – May 2008
Special Projects Chair / May 2008 – January 2009
Volunteer / August 2012 – August 2015
Co-President / August 2015 – May 2018
Founding board member for the statewide chapter of the American Institute for Graphic Arts. Planned and promoted continuing education and social programming for South Carolina designers.
COMPUTER SKILLS
Adobe Creative Cloud (InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop, Acrobat, After Effects)
Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Powerpoint)
Apple Keynote
Glyphs type design software
Jamovi and SPSS
NodeXL
Mailchimp