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Brian Gadeken

Graphic & Web Designer

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EDUCATION
EXPERIENCE
SKILLS
REFERENCES

01

Education

The University of South Dakota

BFA, GRAPHIC DESIGN

2002-2006

02

Experience

Cufflinks, Inc.

Graphic Designer & Marketing Specialist

2019 - Present

  • Navigated complex licensing rules, regulations, and restrictions to design graphic assets — including cufflinks, neckties, socks, and more — for some of the world’s most protected IP, officially licensed by Warner Brothers, Disney, Star Wars, DC Comics, Harry Potter, and more.
  • Designed cufflinks from scratch using only snapshots taken from TV shows and source material — translating raw imagery into production-ready licensed product designs with zero approved reference art.
  • Built and managed a custom product line — designing one-of-a-kind pieces that generated over $80,000 in annual sales, establishing a reputation for bespoke, high-quality work.
  • Leveraged AI and prompt engineering to write code that patched website functionality and assisted in asset creation.
  • Designed up and cross-sell strategies and tools that generated $3,000+ in additional monthly revenue — a figure that continued to scale, contributing to 40% YoY sales growth.
  • Designed factory tech sheets for hundreds to thousands of SKUs — translating product specifications into clear, accurate, production-ready documentation.
  • Turned ideas, rough sketches, and pantomimed direction from leadership into polished, launch-ready designs — outputting 20–30+ designs per week across product accessories and social media graphics while consistently beating deadlines.
  • Managed email marketing design — creating templates, campaign assets, and visual content supporting lifecycle and promotional programs.
  • Led design board project management — coordinating priorities, timelines, and deliverables across the creative and production team.
  • Designed trade show experiences, warehouse layouts, and retail display set-ups using an isometric methodology — delivering turnkey 3D visual plans that gave leadership a clear picture before a single item was moved.
  • 3D fabricated & printer — fabricating custom tools and fixtures including stabilization aids for the engraving process and customized product-displaying hangers.

SIGN PRO

GRAPHIC DESIGNER

2014-2019

  • Design promotional items, and direct mail pieces
  • Design screen printed apparel
  • Design artwork for vinyl installation on vehicles
  • Design billboards & business signage
  • Design banners, table covers, and collateral for tradeshows
  • Website design and development

HUGH O'BRIAN YOUTH LEADERSHIP - SOUTH DAKOTA

GRAPHIC & WEB DESIGNER

2006-2021

  • Design direct mail campaigns
  • Website design and development
  • Layout and design yearly book
  • Design screen printed apparel
  • Manage photography and video production

GF ADVERTISING

GRAPHIC & WEB DESIGNER

2008-2014

  •  Design print and online marketing materials (e.g., promotional items, web advertisements, direct mail)
  • Produce, implement, and manage e-mail campaigns (e.g., Mail Chimp, Constant Contact)
  •  Design screen printed apparel
  •  Prepare artwork for printing/production
  •  Create, implement and maintain client websites
  •  Design and manage brand awareness

03

SKILLS

ADOBE CREATIVE

Photoshop 90%
Illustrator 80%
InDesign 60%

Programming Languages

CSS 60%
HTML 75%
PHP 30%

Office

Word 50%
Excel 30%
Powerpoint 30%

04

REFERENCES

wADE mCiNTYRE

Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership

Cindy Nordstrom

Wohlenberg Ritzman & Co

Jodi Deboer

Cabela’s/Bass Pro

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