Résumé

Profile

• User-centered design of interactive products, responsive websites, mobile apps, digital signage interfaces, and digital presentations
• Strong organizational and communication skills to ensure project success and timely, budget-conscious delivery
• Extensive experience with latest front-end development technologies and CMS systems

Work Experience

Visual Designer

Encore Event Technologies
2008-Present - Chicago, US

• UX/UI design and product development on interactive tools that helped Encore stand out and rapidly grow in the competitive hospitality audio-visual market
• Extended Encore’s brand standards to responsive websites, mobile apps, digital interfaces, videos, proposals, and new marketing pieces
• Designed for Encore’s partners including: Hyatt Hotels, Caesars Entertainment, Hilton Hotels, Marriott Hotels, and Omni Hotels & Resorts

Visual Designer

Steven Kovar Interactive
2008-Present - Berlin, Germany / Chicago, US

• Develop interactive products, websites, and mobile apps for Encore Event Technologies, Freeman, Freeman Canada, PSAV, Message makers, and others.
• Designed visual content for Harley-Davidson’s North American and International Training Events in the US, Mexico, Europe, and Asia with Message Makers

Graphic Designer

Kaplan Financial
2005-2007 - Chicago, US

• Developed catalogs, brochures, posters, online learning assets, and flyers for Kaplan CPA, Kaplan Financial, Dearborn Real Estate and Kaplan Real Estate

Graphic Designer

Message Makers
1999-2015
Lansing, Michigan, US

• Graphic design for Harley-Davidson Motor Company International Training Events: Primary Officer Training, Harley-Davidson University, Harley Rally Coordinator Training

Graphic Designer

Lansing City Pulse
2000-2002
Lansing, Michigan, US

• Design, layout, and illustration for Mid-Michigan’s leading alternative weekly newspaper start-up in its first years

Special Projects

Encore Cumulus Mobile Event App, 2013-2017
Design & programmed and maintained the front-end of Encore’s mobile event app, Encore Cumulus 1.0.

517ArtSearch, 2015-Present
With Message Makers, Designed, programmed and published a public artfinding app for finding public art in the Mid-Michigan area. The app is available in the iOS and Android app stores.

Berlinlist.com, 2010-2013
Designed, programmed and managed content for an event listing website covering the gallery and music scene in Berlin. Managed updated daily listings of exhibitions and events for over 50 museums, 200 art galleries and 30 night clubs.

Harley-Davidson North American Training Programs, 2001-2011
Pre-event Design work and on-site content developement and graphics push for Harley-Davidson’s H.O.G. Programs in the United States and Canada. Multilingual content and design management.

Harley-Davidson European Training Programs, 2006-2010
Pre-event Design and on-site graphics push for Harley-Davidson’s H.O.G. European Programs in Spain, Germany, France, Italy, & UK. Multilingual content and design management.

Harley-Davidson Asia-Pacific Training Program, 2014-2015
Pre-event Design work and on-site graphics push and facilitation for Harley-Davidson’s H.O.G. Asia Programs in Australia, Bali, China and Japan. Multilingual content and design management.

Group Art Exhibitions

Kulturkapellen, October 21-31 2021
“Walking Through the Woods”
6 Forest and Nature-themed sound pieces presented outdoors near the entrance as part of a group exhibition at Kulturkapellen – Verwalterhaus des Friedhofs St. Marien - St. Nicolai (Caretaker's house of the St. Marien St. Nicolai Cemetery).
Berlin, Germany

transformart, June 2018
“Schlafzyklus / Sleep Cycle”
4-channel Sound/Video Installation as part of the art festival transformart 2018
Berlin, Germany

Galerie Berlin-Baku, April 2018
“world wide web”
24-channel Sound/Room Installation with Sabine Burmester 
Berlin, Germany

Stockholm FringeFest 2014, August 2014
“Peep II”
7-channel Sound, Object Installation
Stockholm, Sweden

Spark! Ausstellung für Medienkunst, August 2014
“Ausbeutung”
Sound + Object Installation
Berlin, Germany

XTRO Ateliers, July 2013
“Peep I”
7-channel Sound, Object Installation
Berlin, Germany

XTRO Ateliers, June 2012
“Everyone Brings Himself”
4-channel Interactive Sound / Video Installation
Berlin, Germany

Otherwise Gallery, November 2002
“Works by Steven Kovar and Dorothy Smith”
Painting
Lansing, Michigan, United States